Ranked as one of the best places to live in America, Mequon, Wisconsin offers a wide range of community parks and nature preserves throughout the city. The parks span hundreds of acres collectively, and, due to the small nature of the town, are relatively untouched. While packed-full parks may not bother everyone, if you’re looking for some peace and quiet by yourself or with your family, there are a ton of excellent locations to check out here.
Most parks offer some of the same basic features, such as playgrounds, areas for sports, and trails, but each one provides a unique sense of beauty, layout, and overall feel. In this article, I’ve picked out five of my all-time favorite parks in Mequon, Wisconsin to share with you!
1. Virmond Park
Listed as the number one attraction in Mequon, Virmond Park is undoubtedly one of the loveliest parks in all of Mequon. The park’s land was donated by George Virmond in 1944, who simply requested a public park be built on it. Today, the park covers over 63 acres and provides a wide variety of experiences for a wide range of people. Beautiful scenery is a significant referenced aspect of the park, with cliffs that overlook Lake Michigan.
The park also offers plenty of areas for activities, such as walking and hiking trails, picnic tables with nearby grills, and a large play area for kids. If you’re in the mood for some sports, there are courts and spaces dedicated to volleyball, baseball, soccer, and tennis. Large grassy and open areas make it an excellent location for weddings, receptions, or other group get-together as well. Overall, Virmond Park offers a pleasant balance of stunning views, trails for strolling, running, or hiking, places to kick back, and areas to spend time with your family or by yourself!
2. Village Park
Though technically in Thiensville (only about 10 minutes from Mequon), Village Park is a worthy addition to my list of favorite parks. It has walking and hiking trails, secluded areas for group gatherings, a playground, picnic tables, and fireplaces.
The park also hosts multiple events, annual or otherwise, such as farmer’s markets and flea markets. Village Park does have a list of restrictions and rules you should check out before planning a party or get-together there. In particular, it’s only open until 10:00 pm each night and doesn’t allow drinking alcohol without prior permission.
Under the supervision of a park committee known as Village Park Reimagined, there are three distinct plans on expanding and adding things to the park, a “Giving Tree” art piece, an open-air “River Stage,” and a fountain in the center of the park. Aside from being the first piece of public art in the city, The Giving Tree will offer over 250 copper leaves than can be engraved with a name or message for anyone who donates $250 to the park.
The River Stage intends to provide a place for local musical performances, festivals, live theater, and even a place to watch “Movies in the Park.” The third aspiration of the park is a large fountain located in the center of the park, which will provide a place for kids and families to play in the water or a place to enjoy the sound of water.
3. Mequon Nature Preserve
The Mequon Nature Preserve consists of over 440 acres of forests, wetlands, and a restored prairie. The preserve has a unique mission to “restore the land to pre-European settlement conditions with reverence and conviction, expanding our influence to create the most impactful blue/green corridor in southeast Wisconsin and to re-establish native habitat in support of biodiversity.” Their mission is a worthy goal, and the state of the preserve already showcases the incredible strides they’ve made towards it. There are around 6 miles worth of trails to explore through the beautiful environment, suitable for anyone—whether you’re walking your dog or taking a pleasant stroll. Aside from the scenery, the preserve hosts multiple events throughout the year, including during the winter.
Activities range from photography club gatherings with speakers, to a “Bee Club,” which offers a chance for local bee-lovers to share opinions, ideas, and discuss the environmental impacts of their currently dwindling state. The Mequon Nature Preserve is an excellent place to take your family for a day close to nature or for a school field trip!
4. Schlitz Audubon Nature Center
I’ll have to bend the rules of this article again for the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center, as it’s located in Bayside, Wisconsin (about 20 minutes from Mequon), but I have a special place in my heart for nature centers and preserves.
The nature center was built to conserve and restore different habitats near Lake Michigan. It’s also a place to provide educational resources on environmental protection. Once a farm for draft horses, the nature center now boasts over “six miles of trails that take visitors through 185 acres of forests, restored prairies, ravines, bluffs, and Lake Michigan shoreline.”
Aside from its broad appeal to nature-lovers everywhere, the center hosts a wide variety of different activities and events. Of particular note, an educational event called “Raptor Exhibit” showcases a live bird of prey every day from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. The Raptor Exhibit is just a small piece of their live animal exhibits, however, with dedicated places to view snakes, flying squirrels, a snapping turtle, frogs, waterfowl, muskrats, and much more! There are far too many great things to say about the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center to fit in this article, so check it out!
5. Rotary Park
Rotary Park is a bit of a less well-known park in Mequon, Wisconsin, and is typically more low-key (less busy) than some other parks on peak days. Though the land has been owned by the city since 1989, the Rotary Club made building a park a viable option because of some hefty donations.
The park features 75 acres of stunning landscapes, forested areas, and a peaceful pond. It offers the standard array of amenities and activity areas, including picnic benches, drinking fountains, an observation deck, basketball court, playground, and more. At first glance of online information on Rotary Park, it seems rather typical and potentially uninteresting. However, while it’s not the liveliest park in the city, it’s an excellent place to spend time with your family, take a quiet stroll, or spend your day off reading under the secluded canopy of a tree.
Visiting Mequon’s Best Parks
These five parks are only scratching the surface of great parks in Mequon, WI—especially if you’re willing to venture a bit farther outside the city. The nature preserves and centers are my ersonal favorite, but there’s a little something for everyone, whether you’re looking to have a wild gathering with some friends or spend a peaceful day alone in nature. No matter if you’re a long-time resident or only passing by, I recommend checking out at least one of these parks in Mequon!