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There are so many fun activities and outdoor spaces to explore in the great state of Minnesota. Whether you want to get into nature, learn new facts, play with some animals, or spend quality time with your family, you will surely find it during your stay in the North Star State.
1. Minneapolis Sculpture Garden
This 11-acre picturesque park in the middle of Minneapolis is home to over 60 sculptures from the Walker Art Center, renowned for its modern and contemporary art. The park offers a free self-guided audio tour to learn about the unique sculptures you encounter. Be sure to take a selfie in front of the iconic “Spoonbridge and Cherry,” a massive spoon and cherry statue that is the highlight of the park.
2. Walk Through The Mall of America
Just outside Minneapolis, in Bloomington, is the largest shopping mall in the country. The Mall of America has over 500 stores and numerous attractions for you and your family to enjoy. Venture through escape rooms, game your heart out in the gaming centers, take a trip through the interactive virtual reality stores, and explore the adventure courses. Plus, there are movie theatres, mini golf courses, rollercoasters, maze rooms, and an aquarium! Talk about fun for the whole family.
3. Twin Cities Harvest Festival
Every fall, the Twin Cities put together their Harvest Festival! The festival offers a variety of food, games, jumping rooms, tractor rides, pumpkin patches, slides, and a pit of corn kernels kids can cannonball into. Don’t miss the main attraction: a giant corn maze. It sounds like some good old-fashioned Midwestern fun.
4. Lego Imagination Center
Do your kids love Legos? Of course, they do; all kids love Legos. The Lego Imagination Center in Bloomington has over 6,000 square feet of Lego structures to blow your kids’ minds. Stop in and see what crazy structure they have on display the next time you visit Minnesota.
5. Como Park Zoo and Conservatory
Located in St. Paul, this zoo offers free entrance to its exotic animal showcase, historic indoor gardens, and Japanese gardens. The zoo’s extensive collection includes tigers, giraffes, gorillas, foxes, and sloths. It also has a section for water animals like otters, seals, penguins, and polar bears. Watching the animals and walking through the beautiful gardens are great ways to spend an afternoon in the summer or springtime.
6. Science Museum of Minnesota
Located right of the Mississippi River in St. Paul, this museum is one of the most visited museums in the state. Permanent exhibits provide in-depth looks at the human body, sports science, virtual reality, dinosaur fossils, and interactive math exhibits.
7. Minnehaha Park
Minnehaha is one of Minneaoplois’s oldest and most visited parks, overlooking the mighty Mississippi River. The 193-acre park features limestone bluffs, scenic lookouts, and a variety of wildflowers and tree species, like oak, elm, and cottonwood. The park’s highlight is the 53-foot-tall waterfall, just a short hike from the trailhead. Get your cameras ready because you’ll want a family photo in front of this beautiful landscape.
8. Cheer on the Twins
The Minnesota Twins are the Major League Baseball team for St. Paul and Minneapolis, and they happen to play right near the heart of downtown at Target Field. According to baseball fans, it’s worth taking a trip to visit one of the best ballparks in the country. Grab a hot dog and cheer on the Twins as they compete for a chance to play in the World Series this year.
9. Hit the Boards with the Minnesota Wild
If we are talking about sports in Minnesota, we must discuss the Minnesota Wild. Minnesotans love their hockey, and it would be a crime not to catch a Wild game. Watching a live hockey game is one of the most entertaining and adrenaline-pumping experiences in all of sports. With tickets for as cheap as under $20, you and your family will love an evening at the ice rink.
10. Split Rock Lighthouse
Split Rock Lighthouse is one of Minnesota’s most well-known landmarks. Built in 1910 on a rocky cliffside in Two Harbors, the house has recently been restored to its original appearance and offers visitors a stunning view of Lake Superior. The Keeper’s Tour lets visitors take a peek at the life and job of a dedicated lighthouse worker living in such a remote location.
11. Gooseberry Falls State Park
After visiting the Split Rock Lighthouse, take advantage of your time in Two Harbors by visiting Gooseberry Falls State Park. The popular park offers scenic views, miles of hiking trails, and breathtaking waterfalls. It has attracted visitors looking for a fantastic camping experience where you can fish for trout and ride snowmobiles in the winter.
12. North American Bear Center
The North American Bear Center is a non-profit facility in Ely that offers indoor and outdoor viewing of black bears in their natural habitat. The center wants to teach visitors about more than just bears, though. Rangers are available to answer all of your questions about Minnesota’s wildlife. Kids can even get an up-close look and hold some of the center’s friendly and cuddly resident critters.
13. National Eagle Center
If you think Minnesota is known for and fond of its wildlife, you are spot on. The National Eagle Center in Wabasha is one of the country’s foremost eagle education and experience resources. The center will lead you on guided tours where you can view Bald Eagles, golden eagles, and swans. Back at the center, you can get up close and personal with our nation’s birds while you learn about these creatures from one of their educated instructors.
14. Niagara Cave
Niagara Cave in Harmony was rated as one of the top ten caves in the United States. The one-hour tour will guide you through a maze of stalactites, stalagmites, and various fossils as you lead your way to a mesmerizing 60-foot underground waterfall. The center is also home to a gemstone mining sluice where you can practice your mining skills as you mine for natural gemstones!
15. International Wolf Center
We have already learned about bears and eagles; now it is time to upgrade our knowledge of the North American Wolf. The Wolf Center in Ely lets visitors watch wolves play, eat, and go about their daily wolf business. The center also has a flight simulator where you can experience a pack tracking mission across the frozen tundra. After your visit, you can howl at the moon because of your expert knowledge of wolf behavior.
16. Big Splash Indoor Water Park
It doesn’t matter what the weather looks like outside; you will be ready to jump into the water when you visit Big Splash in Alexandria. The park has over 38,000 square feet of pools, whirlpools, lazy rivers, and 4-story high water slides. Trade your parka for your swimsuit and escape the freezing winters of the North at Big Splash Water Park.
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