Attractions and Places To See around Golden Valley - Top 20

West Medicine Lake Park Beach offers a public waterfront with picnicking areas, volleyball courts, fishing spots, and a playground. A 2.7-mile paved pathway connects this park to the Medicine Lake Regional Trail in Minneapolis and the Luce Line Trail in Plymouth, providing scenic views of the lake along the way. The trail winds through the park, leading to the beach, and offers peaceful moments away from the road. Open daily from 7:00 am to 10:00 pm, the park is dog-friendly with public restrooms and picnic tables, making it a great destination for outdoor fun.

Cedar Lake is the centerpiece of a park of the same name. The park has three sandy beaches, a nice picnic area with a grill, a fishing pier, and a great running trail around the lake.

West Medicine Lake Park Beach offers a public waterfront with picnicking areas, volleyball courts, fishing spots, and a playground. A 2.7-mile paved pathway connects this park to the Medicine Lake Regional Trail in Minneapolis and the Luce Line Trail in Plymouth, providing scenic views of the lake along the way. The trail winds through the park, leading to the beach, and offers peaceful moments away from the road. Open daily from 7:00 am to 10:00 pm, the park is dog-friendly with public restrooms and picnic tables, making it a great destination for outdoor fun.

The Midtown Greenway, a 5.5-mile former railroad corridor in south Minneapolis, features dedicated biking and walking trails. Owned by the Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority and maintained by the City of Minneapolis, the Greenway came to be from advocacy by the Midtown Greenway Coalition. The Midtown Greenway runs separated from the street, either in a gorge or on a levee, allowing for efficient, barrier-free riding. It connects west to paths around the Minneapolis Chain of Lakes and the Southwest LRT Trail, and east to paths along the Mississippi River. This path is accessible 24/7, with trails plowed in winter and well-lit at night.

The Luce Line Trail stretches 76.7 miles across Carver, Hennepin, McLeod, and Meeker counties, connecting rural Minnesota with urban Minneapolis. This rail trail has different surfaces along the way, including asphalt, crushed stone, and grass, and is open to biking, walking, running, horseback riding, snowmobiling, and cross-country skiing. The trail passes through wetlands, wooded areas, lakes, and prairie remnants, with highlights like Otter Lake and Medicine Lake. The trail connects with other regional paths and provides scenic views, including the Minneapolis skyline. The Luce Line follows a former rail corridor with a rich history dating back to the early 1900s.

The Lake Nokomis Trail in Minnesota is a 7.3-mile paved path that stretches from Minneapolis to Burnsville, connecting three communities: Minneapolis, Richfield, and Bloomington. This 10-foot-wide trail is popular for biking, walking, jogging, and inline skating, while also being wheelchair accessible. Along its route, the trail passes through parks, residential areas, and near popular attractions like the Mall of America and Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. It links to other regional trails, such as the Grand Rounds Scenic Byway and Minnesota River Greenway, with parking available at various points, including Taft Park and the Cedar Nichols Trailhead. Lake Nokomis spans 204 acres and is a true natural highlight of the trail.

Convenient route across town that avoids most road crossings.

Cedar Lake is the centerpiece of a park of the same name. The park has three sandy beaches, a nice picnic area with a grill, a fishing pier, and a great running trail around the lake.