Lake Harriet Park, city park in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
Lake Harriet Park is a large green space in Minneapolis surrounding a calm lake with gentle slopes and walking paths that circle the shoreline. The grounds feature open lawns with shade trees, children's playgrounds, a band shell for concerts, picnic areas, and boat docks for summer recreation along the water.
The lake was named after Harriet Lovejoy, wife of a Fort Snelling founder in 1819, and the city purchased surrounding land to create a public park. In the late 1800s, citizens donated property and helped shape the grounds with trails, pavilions, and boat docks.
The park bears the name of Harriet Lovejoy, wife of a Fort Snelling founder, and locals take pride in this connection to the area's past. The shoreline has been kept natural by community effort, showing how residents value open water and green spaces as gathering places for families and neighbors.
The park is easy to reach by car, bike, or bus and has parking available near neighborhoods like Linden Hills and Fulton. Bring water, sunscreen, and comfortable shoes for walking the paths, and you will find clean facilities open year-round to serve visitors.
President Barack Obama spoke at the band shell in 2014, and the park once hosted U.S. Olympic speed skating trials, making it a site with several notable historical moments. An annual Kite Festival on the frozen lake draws crowds each winter and showcases a distinctive seasonal tradition for the community.
Location: Minneapolis
Operator: Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board
Address: West Lake Harriet Parkway
Opening Hours: 06:00-24:00
Website: https://minneapolisparks.org/parks__destinations/parks__lakes/lake_harriet_park
GPS coordinates: 44.92797,-93.30767
Latest update: December 8, 2025 18:01
Minneapolis offers a rich mix of cultural attractions and outdoor spaces that draw visitors year-round. Art lovers can explore the Minneapolis Institute of Art, where galleries hold works spanning thousands of years, or visit the Walker Art Center to see modern and contemporary pieces. Just outside, the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden displays large-scale works in the open air, including the well-known Spoonbridge and Cherry. The Weisman Art Museum, with its gleaming steel exterior designed by Frank Gehry, adds another dimension to the city's art scene. Beyond museums, the Chain of Lakes invites walking and cycling, while Minnehaha Park centers on a 53-foot (16-meter) waterfall that has drawn people to its banks for generations. Downtown, the Foshay Tower rises in Art Deco style, offering views from its observation deck, and the enclosed Skyway system connects buildings across several blocks. Theater stages like the Orpheum and Guthrie host performances throughout the year. Sports fans head to Target Field for baseball or U.S. Bank Stadium for football. The Mill City Museum, set in a former flour mill, tells the story of the industry that shaped Minneapolis, while Fort Snelling marks the military heritage of the region. Together, these places paint a full picture of a city that balances history, creativity, and the outdoors.
Como-Harriet Streetcar Line
565 m
Como-Harriet Streetcar Line Car Barn
466 m
Minnesota Streetcar Museum
468 m
Lyndale Park
937 m
Linden Hills Library
743 m
Theodore Wirth House-Administration Building
1.3 km
Charles and Grace Parker House
1.9 km
Floyd B. Olson House
1.5 km
Interlachen Bridge
389 m
Loren L. Chadwick Cottages
553 m
Queen Avenue Bridge
477 m
Lake Harriet Southeast Beach
1.3 km
S.O.S. observatory
2.2 km
Lakewood Cemetery Memorial Chapel
1.1 km
The Warming House
1.4 km
Weinstein Gallery
1.6 km
Lake Harriet North Beach
293 m
Bde Maka Ska Thomas Beach
1.1 km
Lake Harriet Bandshell
22 m
Station 28 Minneapolis Fire Department
575 m
Southwest Anchor
1.7 km
Jäger
746 m
Work of art, sculpture
890 m
Bench, Work of art
1.6 km
Bench, memorial
1.5 km
Bench, memorial
1.5 km
Bench, memorial
1.5 km
Bench, memorial
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