Crystal: Parks, Disc Golf, and City History

Crystal shows its character above all through its parks and distinctive local features: wide-open spaces sit alongside activities for active days and insights into the city’s history. The city maintains 26 parks and has more than 263 acres of parks and open space. At 85 acres, Bassett Creek Park is the largest park in Crystal. Its northern half is primarily designated for active use, while the southern half is primarily for passive use. When planning your day, you can first decide which type of park use best suits your preferred pace.

Parks and Activities with Different Focuses

The Bassett Creek Disc Golf Course is a specific option for an active outing: the 18-hole course is more than 5,000 feet long and includes open fields, wooded areas, and hilly terrain. The length and course details may change if the course is redesigned. Visitors traveling with a dog will find a regular dog area at Bassett Creek Dog Park, as well as a separate area for small or less-confident dogs. Use of the dog park is free.

Becker Park has a different focus. The 12.2-acre park is near the intersection of Bass Lake Road and Bottineau Boulevard (County Highway 81). After three years of planning, it was redesigned as a community gathering place in 2020. A large, inclusive play area is located in the center. Its role as a gathering place and its central play area give the park two closely connected focuses: coming together as a community and playing.

The planned uses of Bassett Creek Park also offer a helpful guide: active use is planned primarily for the north, and passive use primarily for the south. Use plans may evolve as the park program develops. Together with the disc golf course and dog park, these features offer different ways to make your stay in Crystal more active or leave more room for passive enjoyment of the parks.

Seasonal Events and Experiences

Becker Park hosts two seasonal offerings with different schedules. Crystal Frolics is a historic, recurring event held on the last full weekend of July at Becker Park and Welcome Park. The City of Crystal Farmers Market takes place on Tuesday afternoons in summer at Becker Park. For specific planning, it is worth checking the event dates and market hours; the dates and program for Crystal Frolics, as well as exact market hours, may change.

From spring through fall, the Edible Courtyard is open to anyone who wants to walk through and harvest fresh vegetables and herbs. What is available varies. The courtyard also serves as an outdoor learning space where volunteers can learn about plants, harvesting, and garden care. The opportunity to harvest and the learning program have different focuses: one is for visitors who want to walk through the courtyard and harvest, while the other is for volunteers interested in gardening.

City History in Images and Stories

“Our Town’s Story – Crystal” is a six-part documentary about the city’s history. Its content consists of historical images, archival video footage, and interviews. As an online resource, the series offers a way to explore the city’s history across multiple episodes. The Crystal Historical Society has also researched the history of historic homes in Crystal and installed a time capsule. These topics offer a cultural counterpoint to the parks and recreational activities.

When choosing a vacation rental, you can first decide what you want to focus on during your stay: active days in the parks, a visit to a seasonal market or event, or exploring the city’s history. With that priority in mind, you can tailor your search for a vacation rental in Crystal to the things that interest you most during your trip.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Long Lake, Brooklyn Center, Golden Valley, Edina, St. Louis Park, Wayzata, Excelsior, Minneapolis.

For the broader travel overview: Hennepin.