outdoors – Dating & Dining

Linda’s Take

We needed something to do for a Sunday afternoon, but money can be tight with a family of 5. Jason came up with the idea of going to Minnehaha Falls because our younger kids had never seen it.

Other than a bit of whining about how far we had to walk to the falls from my parking spot the kids. That the falls were really wonderful to watch and they were amazed at what they saw.

We all did a bit of hiking along the river and the kids were asking many questions, we even got a smile out of her teenage son. I think we hiked a total of 3 miles that day, and with all the beauty of the river, I don’t think I even heard one complaint.

My review is that if you want a great place to picnic, or enjoy a walk with the family, friends, or a special someone, this is the place to go. But parking can be a pain.

I give it 4 out of 5 pants off.

Jason’s Take

Lately, we’ve been trying to take the brats out to do something active on the weekends. A couple of weeks ago, we decided the thing to do was go hiking around Minnehaha Falls. You get to see the falls, then you have an option to hike 5-ish miles up one side of the river and down the other. The trails are pretty easy, and there are six (I think) bridges to give you a chance to turn back and walk up a different trail.

It’s nice, it’s close, and it makes me want to pose Linda in sexy outfits on some of the nice stone bridges, just to take photos I can’t post on Facebook.

It’s a good time and definitely worth doing. If you drive past the main parking lot and don’t mind a short walk, there’s a small parking lot that’s usually pretty empty by the lock and dam.

I give it 3 out of 5 pants off.

Total Rating

3.5 Pants Off

Linda’s Take

Needed the kiddos to get out of the house and get some exercise, not to mention Jason and I could use some more too. We ended up having an extra kid with us, so we wanted to go somewhere close.

We decided to head to Clifton E. French Regional Park, there is plenty of parking and a great playground for the kids.

We told the kids that we were gonna skip the playground and get some good hiking in. The trails are well maintained and it was nice to walk on the grass instead of something paved. Not as much to look at but plenty of shade on the trails to help cool you down.

After a 2.5 mile hike we surprised the kids by letting them splash around in the lake. The beach was nice and clean and the picnic area looks fun.

I laid out on the beach and got to sun bath, my first time wearing a bikini in public. I think I surprised myself doing that! The kids loved splashing in the water, it was very shallow and great for them to cool off. Plus there was ice cream that you could buy, always a plus.

My review is 5 out of 5 pants off for a great family place to go!

Jason’s Take

Keeping with the idea of making the brats leave the house on the weekends, we went out French Regional Park last weekend. There are 10-ish miles of trails, plus a small, shallow swimming beach, and boat rentals. Linda and I have rented a kayak in the past, but we didn’t do that this time.

We hiked a couple of miles, then headed to the beach. The end of the swimming are is only chest high on the girls, so it was nice to sit down and read a book while they pretended to swim. Linda took the opportunity to get some sun. The trails are mostly undeveloped, but have solar-powered streetlights in places, so late hiking is also a possibility.

I give it 3 pants off.

Total Rating

4 Pants Off