The French Park Nets Playground – End of an Era

If you haven’t gone and played in them yet. Go do it now because they are going away forever. I just got done talking with a French Park employee who told me the playground is being completely torn out and replaced. I have been worried about this for a while as I watched some of the ropes start to fray and the jimmy-rigging that the maintenance guys were doing to keep the nets alive. One time I talked with a maintenance guy as he told me that he didn’t expect the part to last another 5 years, and he was right. Here were are just a few months from removal.  It will be sad to see the playground go. Ever since I moved here it has always been a fun place to go and now with kids of my own I love to watch them run around and play spiderman games as they crawl through the nets.  The park says they will be putting a new playground in its place, and I’ve seen the new playgrounds, they’re nice… but not the same. I love the old fashioned style of the old playgrounds.

 

And on a personal note it is the end of another era, as I have just recently moved away from Plymouth.

 

It’s like they say: All good things must come to an end. So it is with bittersweetness I put a final posting up onto “Things to do in Plymouth MN”. A new job has caused our family to relocate to Phoenix, AZ. It has been a great run for me in Plymouth. Plymouth has been home base for me from 1996 to 2016. I have enjoyed creating this blog and sharing many of the things I find fun about the area. While each activity I posted up here has been something I loved I’ll leave you with my top 5, and I’ll leave this blog online for the benefit of those searching for fun in Plymouth.

 

Dan’s Top 5 Favorite Things to do in Plymouth:

1. Wakeboarding
2. Bike around Medicine Lake
3. Playing football in the Dome
4. Skateboard “the wall”
5. Spending time at the parks

Great Sledding Hills in Plymouth: French Park

This hill is super steep and gets icy really fast but its well lit and if you want you can pick people up and drive back up to the top! how sweet is that?

Winter Wakeboarding

Well I suppose if the lakes aren't going to freeze this year, the watersports season never ends! Kind of wish we were playing ice hockey by now but hey, we'll take what we get.

Photo taken Dec 12, 2015 here in Plymouth.

Wet suit required! ha ha.

Hamel Rodeo

The Hamel Rodeo is coming to town. It will take place just 5 miles from Wayzata High School, the address is: 19101 Co Rd 10 Corcoran MN 55340. The dates of the event are: July 9-12 2015.

While I’ve never been to the Hamel Rodeo, I’ve been to enough rodeos to know they are always a good time. Check out HamelRodeo.org for all the information and advance ticketing. And in the meantime watch this video to get you in the mood.

Surf Minnesota

Surfing is not really something you might always associate with Minnesota, but there are actually some pretty good options available as far as catching waves here in Plymouth and not too far from Plymouth!

Option 1: Wakesurfing



This is a newer sport which involves riding the waves created by huge powerboats. Its superfun but if you dont have access to a really nice boat your pretty much out of luck.

Option 2: Flowrider at Waterpark of America



This is a devise that shoots water out at high volume and high speed onto a uphill slope. When you drop into the slope on a surfboard or boogie board you can actually surf the slope and its really fun! Only drawbacks here are you have to pay around 20 bucks per visit to the water park, but its indoors and open all winter and a great way to breakup the monotony of winter.

Option 3: Paddleboarding aka "SUP"



This sport has really been gaining traction in MN lately. Its not really surfing, its actually just paddling around on a gigantic surfboard, but its good exercise and very calming and relaxing. Its a good way to make use of our many lakes and waterways in Minnesota. Many parks and companies offer rentals.

Option 4: Surf Lake superior



This is the ultimate. Plan a trip up to lake superior and time it perfectly so that you get a day in which there are big waves breaking on the lake. It is so incredible to me that there are surfable waves on that lake!!

Plymouth, MN Library

A crazy book I found at the library. Nothing like gaining a little inspiration from NASCAR.

Plymouth has a fantastic library. It has tons of books (obviously). Tons of computers, even toys for kids. Its definately been recently updated! Its worth a look.

I saw lots of books there that seemed like they'd be fun to check out, and all the kids books are kept down real low so the kids can get at them them selves.

There is also a big meeting space, when I was there I think there was a large group gathered in the meeting room, they were all men from forign countries and they were starting up a Cricket league I think. Anyways seems like a good spot to meet.

As with any library the books are free, access is free everythings free. Go check it out.

Address:15700 36th Ave N, Plymouth, MN 55446
Phone: (612) 543-5825

Great Sledding Hills - Wayzata East Middle School

If we get anymore snow this winter, Wayzata East is a great place to go sledding. It has a cool hill that has 3 big bumps you go down.  Great for kids and totally free of course. More pics to come soon! in the mean time here's a video of some folks enjoying it!

12000 Ridgemount Avenue West, Plymouth, MN 55441