A water playground in the summer and icy art in the winter, Big Falls County Park (600 Big Falls Forest Road, Eau Claire) is our readers’ choice for the Valley’s Most Beautiful Spot. If you’re looking for an easily accessible locale, River Prairie Park (1419 Front Porch Place, Altoona) has a paved trail right along the Eau Claire River as well as open grassy spaces for kids to play. A short drive will take you to Devil’s Punchbowl (410th Street, Menomonie), a place to find peace in the trickling water which creates amazing sheets of ice in winter. –Hannah Bryson