It is no wonder that I love to visit the Conservatory in the dead of winter. There is no better…read morefeeling than going there when it's below zero, and your body does not even remember what humidity feels like. Sure, going to Hawaii is great, but if you want something closer and thousands of dollars less expensive (it's actually free, but they suggest you give them a small donation upon entry), I recommend a quick trip to the indoor conservatory. Save the zoo for a nice summer day. My two favorite areas are the topics, and the Sunken Garden. The tropics is the place to go for a hot, steamy reprieve from the Minnesota winter. It has lots of fun swimming animals, a sloth that is about as lively as a stuffed bear, but the biggest attraction, for me, is the incredible hot, moist area. But that's just one area of the Conservatory. Don't miss the larger part that includes jungle-type foliage, wonderful plants, and a display of orchids. We were there the weekend after the orchid show, but we were treated to the award winning and amazingly beautiful orchids. The highlight however, is the seasonal changes that take place in the Sunken Garden. This is an ever changing variety of seasonal flowers and can cheer up the crankiest of us who are just trying to make it through to Spring.

Visit here at least once a year Love that it is feee to the…read morepublic although it's nice to give a donation so it helps maintain the grounds Lots of good animal exhibits and the sunken garden is just beautiful every season! The conservatory dome is the perfect place to visit in the heart of winter , I'm talking negative temperatures because the dome is humid and hot (think Florida) because it helps the tropical plants Fun fact- Valentine's Day they do dinners in the gardens but sell out fast!

A good activity for the family that is indoors! We went on a Saturday and it was a little busy but…read morenot so busy that you couldn't enjoy seeing the animals up close. When you arrive you purchase your tickets and decide if you want to any add ons. You can purchase various sizes of feeding cups, experiences with the animals or opportunities to hold some of them. Once inside you can feed or pet any of the animals that are behind a single fence. Those further away or in glass enclosures are for observation. There are kangaroos, goats, lizards, chickens and more. There is a fun pulley system to feed some of the goats. They have an informational show that happens a few times a day where they discuss some of the animals and reptiles they house. It's not a huge space but we spent about an hour there. If you have real animal lovers you could be there longer. It's an interesting experience.

Walking into Maplewood Mall, the first thing you smell is strong marijuana--and it lingers…read morethroughout the entire mall. The bathrooms by the food court were filthy. That should have been our warning. Then we got to Sustainable Safari. Disgusting. Do not go here. Do not bring your kids here. We paid nearly $40 just to get in and were hit with an overpowering urine smell immediately. The place is dirty. The animals are being fed wilted, rotting produce--I watched a monkey dig through a whole bowl just to find something edible. Animals looked stressed and overcrowded: kangaroos in tiny enclosures, goats packed into filthy hay, turkeys missing feathers, lemurs pacing, and an armadillo clearly in distress. They also don't make it clear that you have to pay extra ($10+) just to interact with the animals. This place is not "sustainable"--it's depressing. Go to the Minnesota Zoo or Como Park Zoo and Conservatory instead

We have been members of the Minnesota Zoo for several years so we usually visit several times a…read moreyear. Our latest visit was last Sunday and both of our boys had a lot of fun visiting the farm animals and playing in the playground in that area. The Minnesota Zoo is a very family friendly place and it's nice to see families with kids of all ages enjoying time visiting animals and taking in a little bit of nature.

I know people have mixed feelings about zoos. If you like serious, I think you will love this one…read more It's very spacious and has lots of room for the animals to roam. The new elevator trail where the monorail used to be is a perfect walk to see the entire park. I think the biggest challenge with the same family is that it is a bit pricey, especially when you consider the Como zoo is free. I have been a long time member, because I can afford it and I really support it. I think it's worth visiting. And if you find it pricey, they do occasionally offer their discounts, etc. I also really enjoy their adult nights. Which are very fun and a great way to see the animals without huge crowds of littles.

My girlfriends and I went to check out the great pumpkin trail. Tickets can be purchased online or…read moreat the door. This trail was really cool, a mesmerizing trail, illuminated by over 10,00 0 intricately carved jack-o-lanterns! The trail was a Half-Mile long so it is not too long, we had fun and an enjoyable evening of pumpkin mania and seeing faces on pumpkins we've never seen before. Free parking.

I really loved heading over here - I will say that it's rare to experience something just as fun as…read morea kid as when you're an adult. Walking in, I made a bee line for the little coffee house after the drive from St. Paul out to Wyoming. It was good, and I was on a mission to find the funnel cake food truck. It's been a minute, and since I didn't make it to the fair this year, I was determined. We got the cookie monster, funnel cake topped with Oreo and Chips Ahoy cookies, chocolate drizzle and whipped cream. Pretty sure I had a week's worth of caloric intake, even with splitting it, and I didn't care. Next, we headed over to the apple launcher area. At first I couldn't see where the workers were, but the building is set back a bit. We had a blast launching apples at the farm equipment and barrels. We walked over to the pumpkin patch trailer area and had a great time picking our pumpkins. I immediately grabbed a pretty pink one. I was glad they had little wheelbarrows for us to transport our pumpkins as we continued walking around. Before we headed out, we checked out the farm animals and the gift shop. I loved the variety of jams, pickles, and salsas. I grabbed the blueberry jalapeno salsa, cherry jam, apple butter and dill pickles. I've had a chance to bake with the apple butter and it's delicious! Overall, a great time and something for everyone!

This is definitely a unique place…read more Right away I have to say my toddler loved it! Interestingly he loved feeding the goats the most though I'd say that was the least unique thing about this spot. As we have fed goats at many a petting zoo. ( my personal favorite was being befriended but a turkey who followed me for awhile and didn't seem to want food but simply attention ) The deer were of course the draw. It was certainly was a unique experience getting to feed them. Though truth be told I couldn't help but feel that perhaps it wasn't right to keep these animals like this. We came on a Wednesday morning and the place was pretty busy though not overly so. They do have a massive parking lot so I would say it's likely they get real busy on the weekends. You can buy food for feeding the animals in either a plastic bucket or simple paper bags. At checkout it seemed the bucket would give more food but you get it half empty so that felt a bit sneaky to me. It seems they are pawning off a cheep bucket as a bit of a souvenir item. In the future I would just get a bag or two. In the end if you have young kids this place is for you!

One of my favorite day trips is to the Taylor's Falls area of Minnesota. One of the stops we make…read moreis to Fawn Doe Rosa which is located just past Taylor's Falls in St Croix Falls Wisconsin about an hour from the Twin Cities metro area. This zoo is so fun! We love being able to feed all the animals and really be able to get up close and personal with some of them (especially the deer). Admission costs $11.50 for adults and $10.50 for under age 12. Be sure to pick up some feed bags too as that is when the real magic happens here!

I saw video from when the original owner had the place and it was actually maintained. What I…read moreexperienced was less than enjoyable. This place needs a lot of TLC. It's more of an animal farm than railroad museum.

Surrounded mostly by small farms and cornfields is a surprisingly interesting railroad museum that…read morefeatures 15-20 minute train rides on the Bumblebee Train on Saturdays between 10am-5pm. Rides cost $11 for adults and $9 for children and seniors. We headed out there to give our 3-year-old a thrill, and we all had a good time. My son's conductor cap blew off during the train ride, and luckily we had an extra cap. Losing his hat was a big deal for him - bring extra for your kids in case they blow off during the ride! The most fascinating part of our visit to the Ironhorse Central Railroad Museum was actually the tour of the grounds, and seeing the trains that they're restoring. We were able to climb inside these huge relics, and ring the bells, sit in the historic seats, and really see everything close up. I'm not even a train enthusiast, but I felt like I was on a steam engine in an Alfred Hitchcock movie and it was really cool. You can bring a picnic and spend some time on the grounds. It's quite lovely, whether you're a train buff or not, adult or kid.

Sealife aquarium at the MOA is great if you have little ones! Our grandson loves it here! Our…read moredaughter and son-in-law got the membership and it pays for itself after a couple of visits. Their membership also allows discounts tickets for additional guests. Overall the membership is a great deal. The aquarium isn't very big, but it does offer a variety of attractions - sharks to massive sturgeons to jellyfish. It also has a coloring area for kids and a fun gift shop. We have always enjoyed our time here with our kids and grandkids. Definitely a fun spot for the family!

Our family was mixed on this experience. I really like how kids got a little passport to stamp at…read moreall of the places in the beginning. Our 4 year old had fun walking through all of the beginning but then was terrified at all of the tunnels to walk through... however we loved it how expansive that part was. Besides that, there's nothing else to rave about. Our son was also discounted because there was a Toddler Tuesday Deal so that helped.

We got a family membership as a gift last year (2024) and both of our kids love coming here…read more There are a variety of interactive activities for kids (and adults) of all ages. Our boys' favorite activity is the one you get to race against professional athletes, T-Rex or TC Bear! It's great that the Omnitheater shows are included in our membership.

One star less only because the science museum had "event rates" for the Grand Casino Arena, when…read moreyou're clearly going to the Science Museum as a family... Anyway, it was a great day with plenty of old staples like viruses and physics and weather. We visited the Skin exhibit which was pretty cool and they had a new sports exhibit too that the kids and adults had a blast at. Perfect for a winter escape!

He Said: One word: llamas. What other reason does one need…read moreto visit this farm? Cute llamas, friendly staff, and fresh air. As part of the tour there is a llama info session, a llama meet and greet, a "walk your own llama", and, finally, a comb and feed llamas. FYI - May is when llamas usually give birth, so you will see some baby llamas if you come around May. Pros: - llamas! - llamas! Cons: - A little outside of the Twin Cities, but nothing far.

We started visiting Carlson's Llovable Llamas in 2022 with a group of friends and it has become an…read moreannual tradition that we look forward to. We usually have a group of 30+ people! The visit includes learning about llamas, playing with baby llamas, and taking llamas on a trial walk. My husband found out that there is a Domino's nearby that is able to deliver to the llama farm so we have a lunch in the picnic area after to close out our visit every year. Highly recommend visiting this amazing llama farm!