Riverside Park runs along the Mississippi riverfront in downtown La Crosse and anchors the city's outdoor social life. The park is home to the La Crosse Queen excursion boat, a bandshell that hosts summer concerts, the 25-foot Hiawatha statue, and broad lawns that fill up for Riverfest in July and the July 4th fireworks over the river.
The park gives good access to the river and to the network of trails that extend north and south along the bank. The pedestrian and cycling path that connects the park to Pettibone Island and beyond is one of the city's better recreational assets. In winter the park quiets down considerably, but the views across the frozen river to the Minnesota bluffs are worth a cold walk. The Freight House restaurant, a converted 1880s railroad warehouse, sits at the park's southern edge and is the most atmospheric dining option downtown.