I spent the afternoon in Stillwater, Minnesota. It is a small, scenic town located on the banks of…read morethe St. Croix river. I'm not feeling well, so we didn't do much walking. There were several specialty shops and small cafes. I liked the boat club and took photos of the riverboats. The river was frozen in spots so I wasn't able to take a boat ride. The town was bustling with locals and visitors. I plan to visit again during the summer. If you're even in the Minneapolis area, I highly suggest you visit this town and boat club.

So here is the deal...We rented a nice pontoon boat. We drove the nice pontoon boat down the river…read moreto a sandbar and hung out for an hour. When we tried to start our pontoon boat it was no longer nice. Our boat would not start (the starter had failed). We called the Stillwater boat club and 1hour and 45 minutes later they arrived with a different pontoon boat. Now, I could name the young man who brought the pontoon boat down for us but I don't want to get too personal. I just want to say that we were told, by the fore mentioned young man, that there would be a discount on the fuel and the rental to make up for our time marooned. Here is what we received: An approximate discount on fuel of $10 and a promised $50 discount on the next $490 pontoon rental (gas included). Moral of the story: If you would like to give up 20% of your time on a pontoon and receive a credit for that loss of enjoyment of 10%, go to the Stillwater Boat Club and Rentals. -John C.

Master Boltz,…read more Thank you, Ms. Kailey, and Mr. Tyson for a memorable birthday party for my son! He thoroughly enjoyed his day running through the obstacle course! The cake cutting with the sword was in true Boltz family martial arts style. We loved it. Thank you!

What started out as a summer camp option for our very active 1st grader has turned into a 2-3x/week…read morecommitment for him to continue working on his confidence and his self control while also learning Taekwondo. The staff is great with him. They get that he needs some extra encouragement to focus and they find ways to make it happen. When he failed one of his challenges, he was heartbroken, but Master Boltz talked to him afterwards to let him know it was okay and how he could improve. Mike engages him in each class, works so hard to keep him focused, and provides so much encouragement among the way. He's going to summer camp again this summer, and we're signing up his little brother to start Little Dragons in the fall. We're big fans and would recommend The Gym to anyone.

Was looking for family fun over the Xmas break and the Badlands Snowpark was perfect. This place…read morehas multiple runs and tow ropes to meet any level. Other places just have a single run which gets boring after a while in my opinion. The cost is $25.00 per person and tickets must be purchased through their website. Highly recommend to get out of the house and go.

This snowpark is intense. Make sure you have protective gear for your kids (helmets, etc.) and know…read morewhat you're getting into.

Next to Fleming Field Airport at the edge of South St. Paul, these fields offer lots of wide open…read morespaces this time of year. Great for dog walking, especially since there are trash cans and a dog bag station. Playground, picnic tables and benches are here.

Lovely 2 playground options with mini parking lots, free little library and a rock climbing wall…read more The bathrooms are closed during the winter months. There are some picnic tables to rest on or have a snack when you're done playing. Lots of fun and different things for the kiddos!

I started seeing the billboards around town and looked up more about Crystal Cave. We decided to…read moremake a visit and were pleasantly surprised! It's about a $$$ rating on cost, but is really well organized with a variety of things to do. They have picnic areas, mini golf, trails and gift shop. Not much for concessions so bring your own food if looking to eat. We did the cave tour and gem mining. Tour was about an hour, advance reservations recommended. I had two 6 year olds and they had a blast, they got cold but not too bad. The tour guides do a great job explaining the history, what you're looking at and all kinds of cave facts. It's big inside, there are low spots but you don't really feel claustrophobic if that's something you're concerned about. Gem Mining was a good time, kids were super excited about the treasures they got to bring home. If you're looking for a different activity to do with the kids, adults or family then you should check it out "!

I went here for a second-grade field trip (don't worry, I'm not a second grader, just a chaperone…read moreLOL). The long, hot, and noisy bus ride to Spring Valley was well worth it to spend an afternoon here. Don't let the name fool you, there aren't any crystals in the cave (that I know of) but it's still a riot! I especially enjoyed the story about Charlie the caveman. I'm not going to spoil anything, but I heavily respect the management's creativity to make an intricate story out of rock formations LOL! Rock and history enthusiasts (like me) will especially enjoy the cave (just be mindful it's cold down deep) Spelunk on!

This review is for the clubhouse only. We were there during the winter for a comedy show. We could…read morenot get over how adorable the clubhouse is. They have a nice selection of beers wine, a few nonalcoholic bears, which pleased me, as well as some simple bar food. We sat by a fireplace, that' sadly was not operational. What looked amazing, however, was the outdoor patio. We all commented on how we ride by this place all the time and never think to stop. We all want to go there for post ride beers because it is very well located if you bike up and down the Mississippi river in St. Paul.

This St. Paul public course is outstanding. It's challenging but fair and the course maintenance…read moreis first rate. Play is fast and the staff is very helpful. Don't miss the Snoopy bunker!

Riverfront park with sidewalks, bridges, a bandshell (that hosts various events), and the cool…read moreHudson sign. If you walk a little farther, you will find the small beach area to swim and play in the sand. My brother also brought my kids to a "playground," which ended up being a collection of body weight exercise stations across from the library. :-) There are benches, tables, and green space throughout to enjoy reading under a shaded tree or a picnic with the fam. They were setting up for a concert when we were there and there was a bunch of seating and green space directly in front of the bandshell. This is a small, easily walkable park, adjacent to all of the cool riverfront restaurants and charming downtown shops.

The front half of a larger park, that has a handful of pedestrian paths with good views of the lake…read moreas well as the river. It has more lawn than the back half, several decorative monuments and it's adjacent to some of the nicer restaurants in Hudson.