• Picnic locations abound in Anoka parks.park image by Erg??n ?--zsoy from Fotolia.com
  
  34 parks dot the landscape of the city of Anoka, Minnesota, a northwest suburb of Minneapolis. Anoka, situated on a river, has diverse park offerings some of which include swimming, boating and fishing. Parks range from as small as a tenth of an acre to more than 200 acres. Some of the parks hold October festivities to celebrate Anoka's reputation as the Halloween Capital of the World.
  
  

Miniparks

• Seven parks are categorized by Anoka as miniparks. These smaller parks include river views at the Brum Canoe Rest on the Rum River, playground equipment in the Elm Street Park, plus the addition of picnic areas with play equipment at the Grant and Garfield Tot Lots.
  
  

Neighborhood Parks

• Anoka designates five of their parks as neighborhood parks serving different areas of the city. All neighborhood parks feature picnic areas and playground equipment, with some offering softball or soccer fields. Rock Sorenson Park in the southeast part of the city has picnic areas with open shelters (and a heated shelter for winter activities) and a full complement of softball, soccer and baseball fields along with tennis and basketball courts.
  
  

Community Parks

• The six community parks are among the most plentiful in amenities and space. All feature picnic and play areas, with various shelters and pavilions for outings threatened by inclement weather. Bonnell and Castle Field Parks focus on sports fields, while John Ward Park features the only skate park in the city of Anoka. George Green Park on the south side of Anoka is the home of the city's aquatic and senior centers with year-round activities.
  
  

Community Nature Parks

• Of the six community nature parks, Rum River/Henry Hammer Trail and Stout Pond Trail have walking and biking nature trails, while each of the parks features river or water views. These parks offer exceptional views of the Rum or Mississippi River whether your idea of beauty is the racing river in spring or the frozen calm of winter.
  
  

Special Use Parks

• Designated as special use public open spaces, eight Anoka parks feature historical significance or singular elements such as the Eastman Amphitheater, the majestic confluence of the Rum and Mississippi rivers at Peninsula Point Two Rivers Park and the 200 acres of expansive nature with extensive walking and biking trails of the Rum River nature area that surrounds the Anoka County Rum River Library on the north side of town.