Parks and the outdoors in Kenosha

12 parks, gardens, beaches and walks in and around Kenosha.

Ranked with the travel guide's picks and well-known places first.

Do
Anderson Park Pool
This water park has two pools: a children's pool that has a small water slide and the regular pool that has two slides and a diving board. Entry fees are cash only.
Entry: $4 (ages 3-17), $5 (adults), $3 (seniors over 60)
Eat
Captain Mike's
This a bar and burger joint that has a nautical theme. The burgers on the menu have unique combinations of toppings and the mac 'n' cheese is excellent. If you order bacon on your burger, adding a bit of peanut butter is highly recommended. The beer selection is decent and there is a large selection of whiskey. There is very limited seating and sharing a table with a party of strangers is common. If you see an opening at a table that will fit your party, simply ask those already seated if you can sit there. There is no waitstaff here: you fill out an order sheet and befriend one of the bartenders or chefs to get food and drink. Parking is difficult. There is a parking lot to the north, across the street. You can park on the side road and there is more street parking on the road behind the building. Persons under 21 must be accompanied by a parent or a spouse over 21.
Mon-Fri 11AM - 2AM, Sat Sun 8AM - 2AM
Do
Dream Playground
Petzke Park
A playground designed for children of all ages and physical abilities. There are two sections, one for children under 5 and another for older children. The park is designed to be wheel chair accessible and caters to children of all abilities. There is a wheel chair swing, swings with high backs, and a wheel chair accessible merry-go-round. The ground is a soft rubber material and there are ramps to the various play areas.
8AM to 10PMfree
See
Kemper Center
Built in 1861, this historic mansion sits on the shore of Lake Michigan. Guided tours are offered year round, call the number listed to get the most current times and prices. Seasonal events, such as a haunted house and Christmas concerts, are hosted here.
Buy
Kenosha Harbor Market
The outdoor portion of the farmer's market has grown significantly in the past few years. During this time, the market takes up the entirety of 2nd avenue, near the museums, and the park adjacent to it. There are crafts for sale, in addition to the normal seasonal fruit and vegetables. Live music is played and it is a dog friendly event. Check the website to get the most up-to-date information on whether the event is taking place as there are sometimes closures due to holidays or inclement weather.
Sat 9AM – 1PM
Eat
La Fogata Mexican Grill
This place serves Americanized Mexican food. The margaritas are a specialty. This restaurant has an excellent atmosphere with dimmer lighting and is diagonally across the street from a beach. Outdoor seating is available in the summer.
Eat
Marina Gardens
Open 24 hr, offers very cheap, greasy food and awful coffee. This is an excellent place to nurse an impending hang-over. Most bar-hopping locals that end their night in this area will congregate here after the bars close at 2AM. The staff does not care about you; remember that you are not here for them, you are here because the food is cheap, they are always open, and you need to sober up before your day-job or flight in a few hours.
Do
Petrifying Springs Park
Pets Park
This park consists of hiking trails that are both paved and unpaved, cross-country ski trails, a golf course, and several large playgrounds. Many of the hiking trails wind up, down and around the pike river and a few of its tributaries. There is also a dog park.
See
University of Wisconsin - Parkside
UWP
Parkside is nestled inside of Petrifying Springs Park. Of interest to the traveler are the two student art galleries, seasonal events, and the theatre where student concerts and plays occur, all of which are open to the public. Check the website for the play line-up and list of seasonal events. The university's theatre program is surprisingly good and the performances they put on are a great way to get your culture fix without breaking the bank. There is metered visitor parking and on event nights there is often free parking.
Do
Washington Park Pool
This water park is open to the public. There are two large slides and a diving board. One portion of the pool is wading level and offers interactive water features, such as fountains. Entry fees are cash only. Lockers are available for $0.50.
Entry: $4 (ages 3-17), $5 (adults), $3 (seniors over 60)
Do
Washington Park Velodrome
This is the oldest operating velodrome in the United States. Bike events are scheduled frequently; check the website for the most up-to-date events. There are minimal fees to participate on race nights. Mondays are set aside for stock bike racing (must be older than 3 years. You do not need to be a member, own a special bike or have a bike license), while Tuesday nights have (very slightly) more stringent entry requirements (must be licensed, older than 9, and riding a fixed speed bike).
Do Not mapped
Sledding
Kenosha is a fairly flat city but several parks have large, man-made hills created with the leftover dirt from when the nearby houses were built. Local youth all have favorite places to sled and it can be an excellent way for your offspring to make friends during your visit (or at least tire your child out while you sit in the warmth of your car). Ingram Park (5726 93rd St) has a very large hill with two different slopes of varying steepness. Across from Bradford Highschool (3030 39th Ave), there is a large hill. One side is very steep and goes into a lake, but the other side is a slightly less steep but still decently high slope. Petrifying Springs Park has multiple, natural hills to sled on but the best is the dedicated sledding hill. From Highway 31 (Green Bay Rd), enter the park via Highway JR, just west of UW-Parkside. The sledding hill is on one of the holes of the golf course. It is easiest to use the entrance on JR to get to the sledding area.

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Kenosha (CC BY-SA 4.0).