From its numerous lakes to its four unique seasons, the “Land of 10,000 Lakes” provides limitless opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts. Minnesota features world-class art museums, top-rated stadiums selling local cuisine, and historic landmarks commemorating the state’s flour and timber industries. It is also home to great artists such as Bob Dylan, Judy Garland, and Prince. In Minnesota, you can watch conservation initiatives in action at many zoos, visit isolated wilderness in the Boundary Waters, and shop till you drop at the Mall of America.
Read on to find out the best things to do in Minnesota, from the northern point near the Canadian border to the state’s southern grasslands.
Voyageurs National Park
Voyageurs National Park, which covers 218,000 acres along the northern Minnesota-Canadian border, is filled with outdoor leisure opportunities. The park’s streams, lakes, and woodlands offer numerous fishing, kayaking, and boating options. Far from towns and lights, the designated Dark Sky Park is also a place to watch the northern lights.
Visitors to this national park say it’s best visited by boat, so either bring your own or rent one from a local operator. Rainy Lake Houseboats and Ebel’s Voyageur Houseboats provide unique overnight accommodations.
Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness
The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is an excellent choice for anyone wishing to get away from it all and reconnect with nature. This rural territory stretches 150 miles along the Minnesota-Canada border, encompassing almost 1.1 million acres, 1,500 miles of canoe routes, and over 1,100 lakes. In addition to being a paddler’s dream, this Dark Sky Park is an excellent location to see the northern lights: the greatest viewing is from September to March, although the winter months will be exceedingly chilly.
Itasca State Park
Itasca State Park offers access to the Mississippi River’s headwaters. You may stroll over the Mississippi River (depending on water levels and season), where it starts its 2,552-mile trek to the Gulf of Mexico. Visitors to Minnesota’s oldest state park may explore over 100 lakes scattered across 32,000 acres. Beavers, black bears, porcupines, wolves, and a variety of other creatures live in this environment, as do loons, herons, owls, and woodpeckers, making the park ideal for birding or wildlife viewing (at a safe distance). The Itasca Wilderness Sanctuary, which covers 2,000 acres, is one of Minnesota’s eight National Natural Landmarks.
Plan on staying at the park for at least one night due to its location and size.
Duluth
The city by the lake, located on the beaches of Lake Superior, is a popular getaway for Minnesota residents. It’s a favorite weekend destination and the starting point for exploring Minnesota’s North Shore, roughly 150 miles north of Minneapolis-St. Paul.
For an introduction to Duluth’s history and the significance of its port on Lake Superior, visit the Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center, where entrance is free; you’ll learn about the lake, the port, shipwrecks, and more. Take in some of the best Canal Park activities, such as watching ships arrive beneath the world-famous Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge and witnessing freshwater and saltwater marine life at the Great Lakes Aquarium.
History aficionados may want to visit Glensheen Mansion, a 39-room home built in 1908 for the powerful Congdon family, while rail enthusiasts can visit the Lake Superior Railroad Museum at the Historic Union Depot to witness rebuilt engines and rolling equipment. Between April and October, you may take a narrated tour of the region on the North Shore Scenic Railroad, which departs from the venue.
Duluth has a range of popular hotel alternatives in Canal Park and downtown. Fitger’s Inn, a top-rated hotel, offers rooms with a lake view. This historic hotel, housed in a refurbished brewery beside the lake, is part of a retail and eating complex.
See a Viking ship replica and a Norwegian stave church
Minnesota has the highest percentage of Norwegian ancestors outside of Norway, with around 16% of the population. This link may be observed all across the state, particularly at the Hjemkost Center in Moorhead, where visitors can see the Hjemkomst Viking ship model. Built in 1980, the ship traveled from Duluth to Oslo, Norway, in 1982.
Travelers recommend seeing the video about the ship, and a guided tour of the Moorhead Stave Church is both educational and useful. This church, built in 2001, is a full-scale reproduction of the Hopperstad Stave Church in Vik, Norway. The chapel has 18 staves and reaches 72 feet tall, making it a popular wedding venue. If you intend to spend the night in Moorhead.
Judy Garland Museum: Grand Rapids
Fans of Judy Garland and “The Wizard of Oz” will want to take the route to Grand Rapids. Visitors to the reconstructed 1920s natal house of the famed singer and actress will uncover a collection of film memorabilia such as Garland’s Dorothy Gale test outfit, the actual carriage from the 1939 film, and some of Garland’s personal items. The Children’s Discovery Museum is also housed on this 2-acre location. Recent museum visitors describe it as a tiny yet intriguing location to visit, while some would like to learn more about the case of the stolen ruby slippers that were originally on exhibit.
Brainerd Lakes
Spend any time in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, and you’ll hear residents remark they’re headed “up north.” This indicates they’re traveling north of the Twin Cities, most likely to a cabin or campsite, where they can enjoy a variety of year-round activities such as fishing and snowmobiling. The Brainerd Lakes region is a favorite destination for Minnesotans traveling north, with Brainerd, Crosslake, Nisswa, and Pequot Lakes among the most popular communities. You may hire a boat to travel from one lake to the next on the Whitefish Chain of Lakes, as well as golf, jet skiing, kayaking, and dining at a beachfront restaurant.
Charles Lindbergh House and Museum: Little Falls
Climb aboard a model of the Spirit of St. Louis airplane to learn more about the early years of renowned aviator Charles Lindbergh, best remembered for making the first nonstop solo journey from New York to Paris in 1927. Visitors and aviation fans may see flying video, examine model planes and other exhibits at the museum, and take a guided tour of his childhood home. Visitors think the tours and other details are quite interesting, and they have a better grasp of Lindbergh’s life and influences.
St. Paul
The state’s capital city is rich in history and culture. Take a free guided tour (Monday through Saturday) of the Minnesota State Capitol building, built by Cass Gilbert and packed with art and architectural wonders. The Minnesota History Center provides in-depth information on its people and places, while the Cathedral of Saint Paul gives docent-led tours at 1 p.m. most weekdays, excluding holy days and civil holidays. The neighboring James J. Hill House is a Gilded Age house that provides an insight into the railroad magnate’s lifestyle. From there, travel up Summit Avenue to witness the country’s longest stretch of Victorian-era residences – 373 in total – where F. Scott Fitzgerald, Frank B. Kellogg, and Sinclair Lewis have lived.
Minnesota State Fair: St. Paul
This 12-day festival, known as “The Great Minnesota Get-Together,” is a must-see for Minnesotans. View cow milking demonstrations at the Moo Booth, or visit the Miracle of Birth Center to meet infant farm animals and learn about veterinary science. The fair also has nighttime Grandstand presentations by well-known artists, local TV newscasts, thrilling rides on the Mighty Midway, and butter carving sculptors, so there is definitely something for everyone. Thousands of individuals from all around the state compete in a variety of categories, ranging from baking to crop art (made with seeds), and visitors may view the exhibits throughout the fair.
Minneapolis
Minneapolis is just 10 miles west of Saint Paul, and the two cities are collectively known as the Twin Cities. The Mill City Museum is where you can learn about the city’s flour milling heritage, which was once known as the “Flour Milling Capital of the World”. The museum, housed in the remains of what was once the biggest flour mill, features displays ranging from antique advertisements to the wheat journey from field to market; the Baking Lab even provides samples. What distinguishes this museum is the Flour Tower, an eight-level elevator experience that immerses visitors in the lives of flour mill workers.
Target Field: Minneapolis
With cityscape vistas and lots of local culinary options, it’s easy to see why Target Field made U.S. News’ list of the best baseball stadium vacations. The “Greenest Ballpark in America” became the first Major League Baseball stadium to receive LEED Platinum Certification under the new rating system in 2022, and visitors will notice the stadium’s eco-friendly efforts throughout, including designated recycling and compost bins, water filling stations, and more. The venue’s sightlines and unusual seating options, such as the pontoon boat in the right field (accessible for groups), make for an unforgettable experience. Game goers laud the facility’s cleanliness, access to the skyway system, and the variety of local culinary options, like the Union Hmong Kitchen banh mi brat.