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Como Down!

Globetrotting Grandpa

St. Paul Minnesota’s Como Park is one of the nation’s finest urban parks.  With a free zoo, conservatory and Japanese garden, the park provides a natural respite through the cold northern winters. 

                                     Como town amusement park

This seasonal park has  amusement  style rides and is directly connected to the Como Park Zoo.

The Park offers rides on a per ride basis or a pass is available.

                                 Como Park Zoo

This is one of the few municipal operated zoos in the country to offer free admission.  a The Como  park zoo has a seal island, a large cat exhibit ,  a variety of aquatic life, birds, reptiles and a world-class polar bear pavilion.

Many of the exhibits are indoors and are accessible all year long. 

                                               The Marjorie McNeely Conservatory

Having been in operation since 1915, the conservatory was greatly expanded in the early  2000’s. Today the conservatory is over an acre all under glass with a total of  six indoor gardens and three outdoor seasonal gardens. There are over 50,000 plants covering 1600 species.  The indoor gardens are open every day of the year including holidays and in the wintertime give the people of the Twin Cities a chance to escape the snow. 

Over an acre of green plants and flowers blooming all year long, you could easily spend a whole afternoon just exploring. 

 

                                  The Water Garden and Lilly Pad Pond

Located at the entrance to the Conservatory the Water Garden and Lilly Pad Pond has been a favorite in Saint Paul for decades.

The Japanese Garden

Open during the summer, the Japanese garden features Bonsai trees, exquisitely sculptured landscapes and a tea house. 

The Indoor Gardens

Art in the Park

Aside from the Conservatory, Zoo and Gardens, the Park also has several lakes, statues and  memorials to visit as well.

This fish sculpture was made entirely from plastic items removed from the oceans.
A turtle sundail
A bust of Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. Many of the Europeans who first settled in the area were Scandinavian.
A Labyrinth 
A large outdoor fireplace
Either this is a sculpture of hands or a turkey.
Either that is a concrete sculpture or a very scary frog.
The “Gates ajar sculpture”
The Lakeside pavilion a popular place for concerts and plays. 

The Conservatory and Zoo are open every day of the year and are always free. A donation of a few dollars is suggested and in my opinion worth it. The park ranks right up with some of the great city parks such as Central park in NYC and San Francisco’s golden gate park. so Como down to Como park. 

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