Wading pools, water parks, beaches and air-conditioned recreation centers offer refuge from the heat wave
Posted on 25 July, 2023
The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) offers nearly 100 places to keep cool as temperatures soar during this heat wave.
Pools
- There are more than 50 wading pools or splash pads open 10 am-7 pm daily. Wading pools are free to use.
- Jim Lupient and North Commons Water Park are open 1-7 pm daily.
- At Lupient, admission is $5 for guests 42 inches and taller, $3 for guests shorter than 42 inches tall, or after 5 pm.
- At North Commons, admission is $5 for adults and free for guests under age 18.
- Webber Natural Swimming Pool is open 1-7 pm, Tuesday-Sunday (closed Mondays). Admission is free.
- People ages 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult at Webber, North Commons and Lupient.
- View an interactive map showing all pools in the Minneapolis park system and their status updated daily at minneapolisparks.org/pools.
Beaches
- There are 12 beaches available on six lakes in Minneapolis. Thomas Beach on Bde Maka Ska and Lake Hiawatha Beach are currently closed due to water quality.
- All other beaches are open 6 am-10 pm daily.
- Lifeguards are on duty 1-7 pm daily at Lake Nokomis Main Beach and Wirth Lake Beach through August 20. Lifeguards are also assigned to Thomas Beach when it is open.
- More information, including an interactive map showing the status, water quality conditions and lifeguard hours of all beaches is available at minneapolisparks.org/beaches.
Recreation Centers
Twenty-eight recreation centers throughout Minneapolis are air conditioned, free and open to the public. Most have gymnasiums, computer labs and free activities.
The following air-conditioned recreation centers are open Monday-Thursday, noon-9 pm and Fridays noon-6 pm.
- Audubon Recreation Center
- Bottineau Recreation Center
- Bryant Square Recreation Center
- Coyle Community Center
- East Phillips Park Cultural and Community Center
- Elliot Recreation Center
- Farview Recreation Center
- Folwell Recreation Center
- Fuller Recreation Center
- Harrison Recreation Center
- Kenwood Community Center
- Lake Hiawatha Recreation Center
- Longfellow Recreation Center
- Loring Community Arts Center
- Luxton Recreation Center
- Lyndale Farmstead Recreation Center
- Lynnhurst Recreation Center
- Matthews Recreation Center
- McRae Recreation Center
- Northeast Recreation Center
- North Commons Recreation Center
- Painter Recreation Center
- Pershing Recreation Center
- Phillips Community Center
- Powderhorn Recreation Center
- Webber Community Center
- Windom Northeast Recreation Center
- Windom South Recreation Center
Saturday Hours
Bottineau, East Phillips, Powderhorn, North Commons, and Windom South are also open Saturdays noon-6 pm.
Sunday Hours
East Phillips, Farview and Northeast are open Sundays noon-6 pm.