Wolfe Park & The Rec Center050

Wolfe Park borders the attractive Excelsior & Grand retail/condo development, which features Starbucks, Panera Bread, Trader Joe's, and other shops and restaurants.

The park boasts picnic facilities - including a pavilion that can be rented for parties - a 300-seat amphitheater, sledding hill, basketball and volleyball courts, lots of trails for walking, a fishing pond, and the Rec Center (Mon-Thu 8am-8pm; Fri 8am-9pm; Sat 9am-6pm; Sun 12n-6pm), which offers an outdoor waterpark and indoor ice skating and hockey facilities. The park hosts several festivals and a weekly farmer's market in summer, along with a series of free concerts in the amphitheater.

Basketball, t-ball, and soccer leagues, and tennis and golf lessons are offered in season through St. Louis Park.

Ice skating parties: Book a party during an open skating session ($55/non-residents; $45/residents) and pay $3.50 per child for two hours in a private party room, or rent the entire rink for $155/hour.

Volunteering: Kids entering eighth to tenth grade can volunteer as Junior Park Leaders over the summer, having fun, working with kids, and earning rewards such as free movie tickets. Call 952.924.2542 or stop by the Rec Center office to apply.

Space rental: The year-round glass-enclosed pavilion seats up to 30 people, and can be rented by the hour ($50/non-residents; $40/residents) for birthday parties and other events. A banquet room featuring a dance floor and catering kitchen seats 160 people and can be rented for $45-$55/hour Sunday through Friday, or ten times as much for an entire Saturday. The Rec Center's gallery room seats 35 to 70 people and can be rented for $35-$45/hour with a two-hour minimum.