Elliot Park

Elliot is Downtown’s 2^nd largest park, I’ve heard that this is actually the oldest park in Downtown Minneapolis. The park has some really large Oak Trees that probably date to when it was built almost 130 years ago. Those majestic trees line a huge circular path that surrounds the play equipment near 11^th Avenue South. Some things about this park I even like better than Loring Park, which is more interesting no doubt about it, but there are some things about Elliot that it just doesn’t have.
To begin with I think this park offers better skyline views (see my photos). From the Elliot Avenue end of the park you can see the entire thing, parts of it are visible most everywhere in the park as well. Loring on the other hand has quite a few obstructions. I think Elliot is a safer park to walk around at night as well. While there can still be characters sometimes, especially in the summer, at least you can see a considerable distance, this makes them easier to avoid. There is a Nice Ride bike rental station at the park (see my nice ride review) on the 8^th Street facing side at 9^th Avenue South. It’s about a 5 — 7 minute ride to both Downtown and the Riverfront.
On the Elliot Avenue facing side of the park is a large open area for sporting events, also on this end is a decent size skateboarding park. North Central University, a large Christian College has a lovely campus that faces this section of the park. This area is a really nice place to go for a walk. The park also has a large playground, largest I’ve seen in the Downtown area, and a shallow pool. There are outdoor grills, and lots of great places to picnik. If you’re looking for a nice park Downtown with lots of amentities Elliot is a great choice.