The city of Edina is often hailed for its various shopping and dining destinations, parks, and recreational facilities. One of its better-known outdoor spots is the 58-acre Lake Cornelia. Along with the fishing and hiking offered by the lake, living near Lake Cornelia gives residents access to a slew of other amenities like shopping, healthcare, and schools.

Lake Cornelia

While it’s popular for various reasons, Lake Cornelia, nearly 58 acres in size and approximately 6.5 feet deep at its deepest, is an especially great place to go fishing. Various types of fish are caught in the lake, including black bullhead, black crappie, carp, goldfish, green sunfish, pumpkinseed sunfish, and yellow perch.

With a fishing pier on the east side of the lake and several spots along the lakeshore available for fishing, Lake Cornelia provides opportunities for anglers of various skill levels to catch fish.

Besides fishing, Lake Cornelia offers many other opportunities for recreation. A 1.1-mile paved hiking and biking trail surrounds the lake, and there’s a playground, tables, and grills for picnics and cookouts.

Lake Cornelia has no entrance fee, and you’ll find ample parking in the area. It’s near the center of Edina, just southeast of the intersection of routes 62 and 100. It’s directly south of W 66th Street, flanked by W Shore Drive to the west and Cornelia Drive to the east. Lake Cornelia is also located on Route 578 of the Metro Transit bus system.

Rosland Park

Surrounding Lake Cornelia is Rosland Park, best known for its inclusive Universal Playground. It has various features designed to accommodate children with physical and developmental disabilities, such as being 100% wheelchair accessible. The playground also has equipment like a carousel, swings, slides, backhoe diggers, a hooped ladder, a Sky Run Zip track, and a ropes course.

In addition to the Universal Playground, Rosland Park offers everyone various recreational activities and facilities. Options include baseball diamonds, disc golf, fishing, pickleball, swimming, tennis, volleyball, and walking paths—some of which offer views of luxury homes in the area.

A visit to Rosland Park isn’t complete without a stop at the Edina Aquatic Center, a hot spot during the summer months when it’s open. The aquatic center has a pool, water slides, various water features, and a zero-depth area for the youngest swimmers.

General admission is $13.00, and the Lost Wave Surf Simulator is an extra $7.00. The center is open from late morning until 7:00 p.m., and the pool is open until 8:00 p.m. in June and July. The Edina Aquatic Center also offers birthday party packages, and guests can rent the pavilion for other special occasions.

Located at 4300 W 66th Street, this 22-acre park is open daily from 5:00 a.m.–11:00 p.m., and admission is free.

Galleria Shopping Mall

Edina is home to plenty of indoor activities; some are near Lake Cornelia, including upscale retail and dining options at the Galleria. Galleria Edina is anchored by Williams-Sonoma Brand retailers, including Williams-Sonoma, Pottery Barn, and Pottery Barn Kids. Other notable shops include Barnes and Noble, Coach, Tiffany & Co, Chico’s, Crate & Barrel, Kate Spade New York, Tory Burch, and Louis Vuitton.

In addition to shopping, the 420,000-square-foot mall also offers a variety of dining options. You’ll find everything from upscale American eats at CōV Edina to casual establishments like Starbucks.

The Galleria Edina is noted for being one of the first places where shoppers could create a single online gift registry for multiple stores simultaneously. Adjacent to the Galleria is the Westin Edina Galleria, a four-star hotel with rooms and suites.

Situated in the southeastern part of the city, this shopping center is located at the intersection of 69th Street and France Avenue. Although some stores have slightly different hours of operation, the mall is open from 10:00 a.m. through 7:00 p.m., Mondays through Saturdays, and from 11:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. on Sundays.

Southdale Center

Located one block north of Galleria Edina is the Southdale Center. This mall opened in 1956 and became the first fully-enclosed, climate-controlled shopping center in the United States. Today, the mall features over 120 retailers and is anchored by Macy’s, Dave & Buster’s, AMC Theaters, and Lifetime Fitness.

Other major retailers at Southdale Center include Apple, AT&T, Banana Republic, Eddie Bauer, Express, Forever 21, Gap, J. Crew, Sephora, and Victoria’s Secret. Shoppers looking to grab a bite can enjoy a meal at the Cheesecake Factory, Buffalo Wild Wings, Starbucks, and Panda Express, among many others.

Southdale Center is open from 10:00 a.m. through 9:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 11:00 a.m. through 9:00 p.m. on Sunday. Situated in the southeastern part of the city, this shopping center is located at the intersection of 69th Street and France Avenue. There’s a park-and-ride on the eastern side of the mall for public transit convenience, and the mall is also within walking distance of numerous condos and townhomes.

M Health Fairview Southdale Hospital

Quick, convenient access to healthcare and medical services is another benefit and indicator of the quality of life for Edina residents. The M Health Fairview Southdale Hospital is located just off Highway 62 in the eastern part of Edina.

An award-winning hospital, M Health Fairview Southdale Hospital is one of just two healthcare facilities in Minnesota to receive five stars on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services quality rating survey, placing it among the top six percent of hospitals nationwide.

This hospital is open 24 hours a day and offers over 40 specialty services, including cardiology, critical care, emergency services, internal medicine, neurosciences, obstetrics, oncology, orthopedics, primary care, urology, vascular, and wound care.

The medical staff at M Health Fairview partners with practitioners from Fairview Physician Associates, the University of Minnesota, and other independent physicians to provide a comprehensive suite of healthcare services.

General visiting hours for adult inpatients are from 8:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. daily, but there are no restrictions for visiting patients in the Emergency, Obstetrics, or Pediatrics units. The hospital has a pharmacy, a chapel, a dining room, vending machines, and wi-fi.

Cornelia Elementary School

Cornelia Elementary School is one of six elementary schools within the Edina Public Schools District, serving students from kindergarten through fifth grade. Built in 1960, it’s the second-oldest elementary school in the district.

This school is approximately half a mile north of Lake Cornelia, at 7000 Cornelia Drive. The attendance zone for Cornelia Elementary is the polygon loosely defined by Highway 62, Highway 100, 77th Street, and County Road 31.

Approximately 600 students attend Cornelia Elementary, where they’re immersed in a traditional curriculum centered around math, language arts, science, social studies, arts, and health and physical education.

Besides classes, students can participate in various clubs, extracurricular activities, student leadership, and safety patrol, a service activity exclusively available to fourth and fifth graders. Under the supervision of a teacher and a paraprofessional, safety patrol students help supervise crossings at street corners close to the school.

A 10.75-acre school park with facilities for baseball, softball, tennis, and skating surrounds Cornelia Elementary School. The park also includes a playground, picnic areas, and a rentable picnic shelter.

Lots to Love About Lake Cornelia

Living close to Lake Cornelia means residents can enjoy quick, convenient access to nearby amenities and services, contributing to a high quality of life. It’s roughly 10 miles south of the city of Minneapolis and Edina is one of the best suburbs near the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport.

From outdoor facilities such as the lake and the surrounding Rosland Park to shopping and dining at the Southdale Center and Galleria Edina, residents of this Minneapolis suburb are spoiled for choice in almost every imaginable category. There’s a variety of housing in town, and Edina’s best condo neighborhoods offer variety and accessibility. Plus, downtown Minneapolis isn’t far, making for stress-free commutes and offering a greater variety of top-rated healthcare facilities, public schools, and world-class attractions.

If you’re thinking about a move to Edina, call Kris Lindahl Real Estate at 1-(855) 967-7653 to reach a local real estate agent who can help you find your dream home.