Picnic Shelters
The facilities division, located in the Minnetonka Community Center, is responsible for picnic shelter reservations for both Hopkins and Minnetonka. The picnic shelter sites include:
Park systems in both communities provide a wide variety of recreational opportunities to enhance your picnic and may include:
- Softball and soccer fields
- Volleyball court
- Playground apparatus
- Horseshoe pit
- Basketball court
A description of each facility’s amenities and hours of availability, fees, and application forms are available below. Summer weekend dates fill quickly, so be sure to request your reservation as far in advance as possible, keeping in mind our reservation policies. Download the application (PDF).
How to reserve a picnic shelter
- A permit is required to reserve a picnic shelter at a park facility for groups of 25 people or more.
- Picnic shelters can be reserved by phone, fax, mail, or in person.
- Applications must be received at least 7 days in advance of your requested date, and payment must be included.
- Shelters are not reserved until payment has been received. Checks are payable to Facilities Division, or you may use a credit card. Only Visa, MasterCard or Discover are accepted. Please include credit card number and expiration date.
- Reservations by phone (952.939.8390) or fax (952.939.8373) must be paid for with a credit card.
- Applicants must be 18 years of age or older to reserve a facility and at least 21 years of age to obtain a beer permit.
Dates of availability
Picnic shelter facilities are available for reservations from May through September, with attendants at parks Memorial Day through Labor Day.
Reservation hours
- Minnetonka picnic shelters
- Lone Lake and Gro Tonka: 9 a.m.–9 p.m.
- Shady Oak park: June 7–August 25, reservations are only available 4–9 p.m. Outside of these dates the hours are 9 a.m.–9 p.m. (Beach restrooms are available during beach season; outside of beach season, port-a-potties are available.)
- Hopkins picnic shelters
- Burnes, Valley and Central: 9 a.m.–9 p.m. (Bathrooms at Valley Park close at 8 p.m.)
Beer permits
- A picnic permit and a beer permit are required from the facilities division in order to consume beer during the time you have reserved.
- A permit allows for consumption of beer in non-glass containers and must be requested on your picnic application form.
- Keg beer is allowed at Minnetonka shelters only; no keg beer is allowed at Hopkins shelters.
- The fee for a beer permit is $25.
- Beer shall only be consumed within 50 feet of picnic shelter and picnic tables.
- Age verification of the person applying for the permit is required, in-person with a government-issued photo ID with birth date and signature.
- The individual (the “responsible person”) who applies for the permit must:
- Remain on the park premises at all times when beer is being served.
- Must have the permit in possession and show it upon request by authorized city personnel.
- The responsible person has the obligation to ensure that state laws, park rules and any permit conditions are being followed.
- The applicant (and all consumers) must be at least 21 years old.
- Beer consumption is prohibited between 9 p.m. and 10 a.m. No glass bottles of any kind are allowed.
- A violation of the park rules or permit conditions may result in criminal penalties and the immediate revocation of the permit by a city police officer or park attendant.
- We require 7 days advance notice to process this permit request. The permit is not issued until approved by an authorized representative of the facilities division.
- Any person who objects to action of city staff in denying the permit or adding of conditions may appeal to the city council by submitting a request in writing to the facilities manager within ten days after notice of the action.
Park guidelines
Picnic shelter applicants are responsible for following the park rules as established by the cities of Hopkins and Minnetonka. For a complete listing of park rules, call 952.939.8390.
Non-profit requests
Groups wishing to be considered for non-profit status must submit non-profit documentation with the application form (i.e., 501(c)3, etc.).
Groups considered to be non-profit include churches, civic organizations, public schools, parochial and private schools, and athletic associations.
Reservation priority policy
Applications for the 2013 summer season are being accepted beginning Monday, January 7, 2013, for everyone.
Refund/Cancellation Policy
Refunds are made only when picnic reservations are withdrawn at least 30 days prior to the reservation date of the picnic shelter. All refunds requested by the applicant that we grant will be assessed a $10 administrative fee. Refunds take approximately three weeks to process.
Refunds will not be granted due to weather-related issues. This is a circumstance beyond our control and is a risk assumed by the applicant when reserving an outdoor shelter.
Reservation fees
- Resident (non-profit): $40
- Resident: $43
- Non-resident (non-profit): $75
- Non-resident: $80
- Beer permit (separate beer permit application required): $25
Park descriptions
City of Minnetonka
One attendant is scheduled to provide service to both Lone Lake Park and Gro-Tonka Park. When reservations occur at Gro-Tonka, the attendant will meet you about 15 minutes prior to your reservation time and return about 15 minutes before the end of your reservation.
- Gro-Tonka Park
- Picnic shelter application
- Address:
17003 Prospect Place - Group capacity: 60
- Shelter seating capacity: 32
- Parking: 30 vehicles
- Electrical service: Located at restroom building
- Water facilities: Located at restroom building
- Restroom facilities: Located at restroom building
- Park amenities:
- Softball field through July
- Soccer field (August through Labor Day)
- Tennis courts
- Horseshoe pits
- Playground
- Additional areas: softball field (first come, first serve)
- Beer: Allowed with permit and only at picnic shelter
(Beer permit application) - Lone Lake Park
- Picnic shelter application
- Address:
5624 Shady Oak Road - Group capacity:
125 per site - Shelter seating capacity:
- Lakeside shelter: 50
- Hillside shelter: 75
- Parking: Available in upper and lower parking lots
- Electrical service: Located at attendant facility
- Water facilities: Located at attendant facility
- Restroom facilities: Located at attendant facility
- Park amenities:
- BBQ grills
- Walking trails
- Soccer field
- Tennis and basketball courts
- Horseshoe pits
- Playground
- Additional areas: none
- Beer: Allowed with permit and only at picnic shelter
- Shady Oak Park
- Picnic shelter application
- Address: 5200 Shady Oak Road
- Group capacity: 100
- Shelter seating capacity: 100 people
- Parking: Very limited, with overflow parking at Lone Lake Park, which is ¼ mile away
- Electrical service: Located at shelter
- Restroom facilities: Located in beach area (available only when beach is open)
- Park amenities:
- Canoe launch
- BBQ grills
- Trail
- Fishing pier
- Beach amenities:
(Available only when beach is open: $3 group admission rate per person to enter beach)- Sand volleyball
- Water play area
- Canoe rental
- Playground
- Concessions
- Restroom/changing areas
- Reservation hours:
- May 1–June 6: 11 a.m.–9 p.m.
- June 7–August 25: 4–9 p.m. only.
- August 26–September 30: 11 a.m.–9 p.m.
- Beach season (June 7–August 25, 2013) operation hours:
- Beach opens at 10 a.m.
- June 7–August 1: beach closes at 9 p.m.
- August 2–25: beach closes at 8 p.m.
- Swimming ends one half hour before sunset—the exact time will be posted at the beach each day.
- Additional areas: Sand volleyball at beach front (daily admission required for all who enter beach)
- Beer: Allowed with permit and only at picnic shelter (not allowed in beach!)
(Beer permit application)
City of Hopkins
One attendant is scheduled to provide service to both Burnes Park and Valley Park and is not stationed full-time at either site, but goes back and forth between the two.
- Burnes Park
- Picnic shelter application
Burnes Shelter West- Address: 301 2nd Street North
- Group capacity: 100 per site
- Shelter seating capacity:
- East shelter: 60
- West shelter: 50
- Parking: 75 vehicles (street parking and adjacent church parking lot)
- Electrical service: in shelter, controlled by attendant
- Water facilities: Fountain and attendant facility
- Restroom facilities: Available in attendant facility/satellite
Burnes Shelter East- Park amenities:
- BBQ grills
- Ball field (August through Labor Day)
- Tennis and basketball courts
- Horseshoe pits
- Playground
- Additional areas: Ballfield A (first come first serve)
- Beer: Allowed with permit and only at picnic shelter
- Valley Park
- Picnic shelter application
Valley Park Shelter West- Address: 801 7th Avenue S
- Group capacity: 125
- Shelter seating capacity: 60
- Parking: 52 vehicles
- Electrical service: Located at the shelter and controlled by the attendant
- Water facilities: Provided in the attendant facility
- Restroom facilities: Available in attendant facility/satellite
Valley Park Shelter East- Park amenities:
- BBQ grills
- Trails
- Ball field
- Sand volleyball
- Basketball court
- Playground
- Additional areas: ball field, volleyball court (first come first serve)
- Beer: Allowed with permit and only at picnic shelter
(Beer permit application) - Central Park
- Picnic shelter application
- Address: 101 17th Avenue S
- Group capacity: 150
- Shelter seating capacity: 60
- Parking: 135 vehicles
- Electrical service: No electrical service
- Water facilities: Provided in the attendant facility
- Restroom facilities: Indoor facilities controlled by the attendant
- Park amenities:
- BBQ grills
- Ball field
- Sand volleyball
- Tennis and basketball courts (Katherine Curren school)
- Playground
- Additional areas: limited use at Central #4 ball field, volleyball court (first come, first serve)
- Beer: Allowed with permit and only at picnic shelter
(Beer permit application)
