We had a fabulous time on our family vacation to Minneapolis-St. Paul last summer. Most of my friends in Minnesota asked, “Why?” and we responded, “Why not?!” And then explained that we’re on a slow quest to check out all 50 states and my daughter and I had never been to the land of 10,000 lakes. Also, we could get there from Chicago in a day’s drive, which was an added bonus.<\/p>\n

Minneapolis and the surrounding area made for a great vacation destination when we visited last summer. In our short time, we learned that there’s something for everyone in the Twin Cities, from art to history to sports to nature. Here are six fun family activities in the Twin Cities.<\/p>\n

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Minnehaha Park <\/strong><\/a>
\n4801 S. Minnehaha Park Dr., Minneapolis<\/em><\/p>\n

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“Where the Falls of Minnehaha
\nFlash and gleam among the oak-trees
\nLaugh and leap into the valley”
\n– Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, “The Song of Hiawatha”<\/p>\n

The falls immortalized in the famous poem are absolutely worth a visit and they’re easily accessible for families. “Easily accessible” is a relative term, I realize. There is a set of stairs that I wouldn’t want to take a stroller up and down, but it’s also not like it’s a half day hike over rough terrain, either.\u00a0 It doesn’t take more than a few minutes to get to the bottom of the ravine either by the stairs or a beautiful path from the other direction. No matter how you get there, the view of the 53-feet tall falls is breathtaking.<\/p>\n

<\/a>If you get hungry, check out Sea Salt Eatery<\/a> which is located in the park. When it is open from April through October, it draws a large crowd and the wait can get long. It’s worth it, though. I usually say that I only like to get seafood when on the shore, but I decided that the shores of a tributary of the Mississippi were sufficient. I’m glad I did. The patio was beautiful and the fried bay scallop tacos were scrumptious. It’s very close to the playground at the park, which is a fun one that feels very old school.<\/p>\n

Minneapolis Sculpture Garden<\/a>
\n<\/strong>726 Vineland Place, Minneapolis<\/em><\/p>\n

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The “Spoon and Cherry” sculpture is a pretty iconic piece of American art.\u00a0 It’s also part of the outdoor portion of the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden and a great photo op. There are several different exhibits throughout the garden, each of them very different, and nicely spread out. Kids get a chance to run and dance and play and parents can enjoy a lovely view of the skyline and a break from using the phrase “inside voices.”<\/p>\n

There are special events throughout the summer and we got lucky enough to hit one of those. It was lots of fun and had a very festive atmosphere, and was a lovely way to spend a morning.<\/p>\n

Glam Doll Donuts<\/a><\/strong>
\n2605 Nicollet Ave. S, Minneapolis<\/em><\/p>\n

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You know what makes for a fun morning? Donuts. Really, really good donuts, and a fun and funky place to enjoy them is just icing on the, well, donut.\u00a0 My friend Galit Breen<\/a> recommended Glam Doll Donuts and we loved it. Check out the outdoor seating in the back on nice days. It’s also conveniently located not far from Target Field. Speaking of…<\/p>\n

Target Field
\n<\/a><\/strong>353 N 5th St., Minneapolis, MN 55403<\/em><\/p>\n

If you’re a baseball fan, it’s worth the trip to the stadium that StadiumJourney.com<\/a> calls a “home run.” The stadium was lovely, with lots going on to hold the attention of those in our group who aren’t die hard fans, and plenty of food and beverage options. We had a great time catching a Minnesota Twins game there.\u00a0 Be sure to get a family photo sitting in the giant baseball glove!<\/p>\n

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Mall of America
\n<\/strong><\/a>60 E Broadway, Bloomington, MN 55425<\/em><\/a>This may not be everyone, but my tween daughter was excited to check out the Mall of America (MOA as the locals call it) and it did seem that there was something here for everyone,\u00a0 from the Nickelodeon Universe amusement park complete with roller coaster in the middle of the mall to the hot sauce store that my husband enjoyed (you have to be over age 18 to taste test the hot sauce, that’s how hot they are) to American Girl to the Peep Store. There’s also the aquarium and 50 restaurants.\u00a0 It’s no wonder\u00a0 more than 40 million annual visitors trek here, making it one of the most visited tourist destinations in the world, according to Minneapolis.org.<\/p>\n

We were also happy to take full advantage of the fact that there is no sales tax on clothing and shoes in Minnesota. Vacation isn’t about things, it’s about memories, and we still talk about some of the things we saw and did at MOA so it’s safe to say we made memories. (And yes, came home with a stuffed peep that has been sadly though unsurprisingly neglected).<\/p>\n

Mill City Museum<\/strong> <\/a>
\n704 S 2nd St, Minneapolis, MN 55401<\/em><\/p>\n

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