Loved our weekend trip to this park! When we arrived, the parking lot was very busy and there were…read morevery few spots left, even though it's a pretty sizeable lot for a park. We quickly learned this was because there was a special event going on (the Sankofa celebration) inside the center, with vendor tables and a couple of food trucks and even some crafting activities. So we got to experience that on top of the rest of the park's great amenities! The center is sleek and modern inside. LOTS of toilets (single occupant, all-gender), lots of coat hangars, multiple water bottle refill stations. The ground level has some cool reptile/amphibians behind glass you can ogle, as well as interactive informational displays (great for kids and adults, imo). Downstairs they have the rental booth for gear and educational rooms (they had a falcon demo in one while we were there!). Beside the center is an awesome multilevel playground, very fun. As well as a splash pad (for non-winter months) and an elevated boardwalk. The most nearby attraction is obviously the dam, which has an impressive spillway that's mesmerizing to watch. You can even walk across it to go over the river to the park on the other side. Apparently this spot is popular with fishers (though I don't have much knowledge on that subject). There are also trails that can be explored. Paved routes good for all recreational uses, as well as further out hiking paths that are just dirt. It'd be great to come back out again sometime and explore more. Across the street it seemed there was even archery!

I'm really happy this park has been updated to such a lovely and unique park. I love the the…read morenatural material and wood playground. The new visitor center is very nice and cute.

Winter Outdoor Event & Family Friendly, Private Parties for 6-8 people…read more *Weather Dependent* Open late February- Early March Food truck, fire pits, lights, slides, tubing, ice/snow sculptures, ice bar- alcohol and non alcoholic, music, fire show, cornhole, maze Live music on Thursdays Lots of seating around Hours: 5:30pm- 9 or 10pm depends on day Tickets: Bought our tickets online- cheaper online (There is peak and off peak pricing). Buy tix in advance- might sell out Ticket info: *0-3 years old: Free admission, ticket is not required *4-11 years old: Child Admission ticket required *12 years old or older: General Admission ticket required *Ages 55+ use code "senior26" to receive 15% discount on all tickets purchased **Military & First Responders Discounts** *25% off tickets purchased through VetTix *Code "Hero26" to receive a 15% discount *Need to show ID* Ticket time slot is for entry time- helps with traffic flow but can stay as long as you want (most people stay about an hour) We went around 7:30pm on a Thursday and it was perfect timing- not too busy. We stayed until 9pm. Parking: Free parking is available in the Robin Lot. Enter the Fairgrounds off Hoyt Avenue into Gate 3. Bathrooms: outhouses Tips: Bar does NOT take cash, *Wear boots*, bring hand warmers, no re-entry

Ice Ice Baby....We braved the Minnesota Ice Castles tonight at a casual -2° because apparently we…read morelove our child more than feeling our faces. Multiple layers were not optional; they were a survival strategy. That said, our kiddo had an absolute blast and honestly forgot it was freezing the moment she hit the slides and tubing hill. Nothing felt too wild or intimidating, which made it perfect for kids. The ice sculptures, caverns, and tunnels are genuinely beautiful, and wandering through them feels a bit like stepping into a sparkly frozen fairy tale, just one where your eyelashes might freeze together. There are fire pits to thaw your soul, a food truck and every staff member we met was friendly and cheerful, which is impressive given the temperature. My only hesitation is the price. While the experience is fun and well done, it feels a bit steep for the amount of time and content, and I truly think a lower price point would make it feel like a better value and bring in even more families. Now, if you tell me all proceeds are going toward getting the bad ICE out of Minnesota, I will happily keep donating without a single follow-up question. Cold toes aside, it was a fun, memorable winter outing, especially for kids. Going home now so we can be #fueledbyramen

This water tower has an interesting history and is in a nice part of town to walk around. There is…read moreparking on the street and it's a short walk up the stairs to the base of the tower. It's under the flight path like someone else said so you will see planes flying over. It's in good shape and the area around it is kept neat.

Washburn tower is a wonderful place to have a walk, with a nice view. I love the tower for my hill…read moreruns, it's a nice way to get some elevation on my runs. There is a nice flight of stairs on the frontside and a short flight with a ramp on the backside. Also there are a couple of benches once you get to the base of the tower if you need to rest. One nice bonus of the Washburn tower, the flight path for MSP airport takes the planes right over head, so you get a close up view of the planes coming in for a landing.

Today the James J. Hill house was the starting point for the Summit Avenue Walking Tour by the…read moreMinnesota Historical Society. Thoroughly informative and enjoyable. Josef was knowledgeable and a charming storyteller. The tour lasts 90 minutes and covers 1.5 miles of walking. One of the highlights was seeing the park where F. Scott Fitzgerald grew up playing baseball and the Commodore Hotel behind it where he and Zelda were often socializing. We saw multiple Victorian era architectural styles including Queen Anne, Romanesque, and Tudor Revival. Lots of historical stories, an enjoyable walk, highly recommend!

Very cute historical house. The tour was really informative and you got to see parts of the house…read morethat you can't see by walking through yourself. The kitchen and boiler room were especially cool to see.

This is a small plaza located near the Minneapolis Convention Center. It has deep historical roots…read more It spans 1 acre and is the work of M. Paul Friedberg. It opened in 1975 and was conceived as the "living room" of downtown Minneapolis. Peavey Plaza was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2013 During my visit, there was not much to the plaza. It was just an open area. The plaza is known for its water features, which include cascading fountains, a pool basin, and a reflecting pool. The pool basin invites visitors to put their feet in it during the summer. The reflecting pool allows visitors to walk on it in the summer and ice skate on it in the winter. The plaza also features amphitheater-style seating oriented toward the sunken plaza, with tables and chairs on the upper level. The plaza hosts events such as community markets, outdoor performances, winter holiday celebrations, Tunes on the Plaza, and Fitness on the Plaza. There are commercial parking garages and metered street parking within a reasonable walking distance from the plaza. I wish I could have experienced this place during the summer, when there was an event, and the water features were operating. I am sure that it is beautiful and it would be awesome.

On a walk in downtown Minneapolis, I came across this beautiful space. Waterfalls, a huge reflector…read morepool, fountains and an open amphitheater style searing area, all set in an urban park. The vibe is relaxing, the sound of running water creates a calm and soothing atmosphere. Registered on the U.S Historic Places, this plaza is located at the edge of Nicolette Mall area.

Looks great! Has a nice sign out in front. However, the F. Scott Fitzgerald Birthplace is not a…read moremuseum; there's no admittance whatsoever. One simply stands on the sidewalk and views it, or perhaps takes a snapshot.

Absolutely beautiful Sunday Morning Walk after Mass at the St Paul Catholic Cathedral. Summit is…read morelined with amazing architecture and history. This area is so worth the time to stop and explore. Amazing feeling to be Standing in front of a jewel that was home to this incredible author.

Very nice place to see if you're a fan of Mary Tyler Moore. The house is a beautiful, enormous…read moreVictorian near many other lovely homes off of Lake of the Isles. It's a good place to stop during a walk around the lake for a photo or just to see. It is a private residence so you can't go on the property but it's nice to view from the sidewalk.

Just Go (#43) Now…read morethat I've been to Paisley Park in Chanhassen and the SPAM Museum in Austin this completes my adventures in Minnesota, unless I come back for another work trip which I'd like to pass and would prefer to not go if I could. EATS: Cafe Zupas - Minnetonka Bacio - Minnetonka Angel Food Bakery & Donut Bar - Minnetonka BLVD Kitchen & Bar - Minnetonka Big Bowl - Minnetonka 5-8 Club - Minneapolis Waffle Bar - Minneapolis Yum! Kitchen and Bakery - Minneapolis Redstone American Grill - Minnetonka Home Taste - Eden Prairie "Uff da!" Now that I look at that list... it seems that all I did in MN was eat. I was glad to have experienced having a Jucy Lucy which is a classic burger w/ a twist. If you haven't tried one it's a must when in MN. "Don'tcha know?"... turn a cheeseburger inside out and you get Minnesota's Juicy Lucy, a beef patty with an ooey-gooey cheese center. ACTIVITIES: Albertville Premium Outlets - Albertville Asia Mall Shopping isn't really my thing but my co-workers wanted to go shopping and we ended up in an outdoor outlet mall. Albertville Factory Outlets is Minnesota's largest outlet shopping center with lots of designer and brand name stores. We only walked halfway through it... let's go, ladies! ATTRACTIONS: Mall of America - Bloomington Minnehaha Park - Minneapolis Minneapolis Sculpture Garden - Minneapolis Paisley Park SPAM Museum When in Minnesota one must not miss visiting the Mall of America. This is the largest shopping and entertainment complex in the U.S. I mean, what does it not have... more than 520 stores, 50 restaurants, a theme park and an aquarium too! Visited Minnehaha Park the first time with my co-workers in 2023 then took my hubby to see the waterfall during the July 4th extended weekend. The park is a short 10-min drive from downtown Minneapolis. The falls had a good flow this time... just beautiful to see! We didn't have time to hike all the way down but a wilderness waterfall in an urban setting overlooking the Mississippi River?? "You betcha!" We topped off our visit to MN with the last two things I wanted to see before leaving the Land of 10,000 Lakes... a tour of Prince's Paisley Park in Chanhassen and the SPAM Museum in Austin. I wrote lengthy reviews for each so I won't say much about them here. One more thing I really like about Minnesota... I've never seen so many huge American flags during our travels. I love it! Bidding a "Minnesota goodbye," thank you, Great State of Minnesota! Review #3843

MN in the summer is the best place to be. Make sure to check out the many parks and lakes and of…read morecourse the state fair!