I was here for a bike ride. Last winter , Lake Harriet hosted the Art Shanty project with a number of art related ice houses. In summer, visitors can visit Bread and Pickles, a seasonal restaurant. Those interested in history can ride a streetcar north for a short ride on historic streetcars. A local group raised money to refurbish the lavish women's bathrooms. Music lovers gather at the Lake Harriet bandshell. Visitors can listen to a concert every day from June to August from a wide variety of performers. Ornithologists can bird watch at the bird sanctuary. The nearby rose gardens are beautiful in warm weather.

We used to spend a lot of time on Lake Harriet Island, but the nature-Nazis have pretty much wreaked the experience. Used to be, there were ducks, geese, and even swans along the banks and the park was a really relaxed place to spend a summer afternoon. Now, there are park employees chasing the birds off and special events (usually weddings) that rope off substantial portions of the park for the use of the rich and powerful only. We go back once a year to see if it has gotten any better, but it has always been worse. The high cost of gentrification, I guess.

As a lifelong runner in Minneapolis, I love all of the lakes and the Mississippi River paths, but Lake Harriet is my favorite. The pathway is tree lined and scenic, with a nice view of the Minneapolis skyline from the south shore. Three miles around makes it a great place for a walk also. Very nice restaurants one block to the west in Linden Hills or a few blocks south at 50th and Penn.