1. Basilica Block Party
2. Attend a concert at First Ave
3. Attend a Twins game with dinner and drinks downtown before the game
4. Oake on the Water (now called Sun Soaker Thursday)
5. Eat at Stella’s on their rooftop
6. Brewery Tours at Schell’s, Surly, Summit, and Brau Bros Brewery
7. Visit the Split Rock Lighthouse
8. Hike at Pipestone National Park and eat at Lange’s Cafe while there
9. Take a solo weekend trip to Duluth
9a. Visit the Glensheen Castle, Fitger’s Brewery and the Great Lakes Aquarium while in Duluth
10. Eat an ice cream sundae at Minnesoda Fountain
11. Visit Minnesota’s Largest Candy Store, which is part of Jim’s Apple Farm, in Jordan, MN
12. Have a night out at Rick Bronson’s House of Comedy at the Mall of America
13. Visit Minnehaha Falls
14. Visit the Grand Portage State Park, which features a 120 ft. water fall
15. Visit the US Hockey Hall of Fame museum
16. Eat at Mickey’s Diner
17. Spend time at the St. Croix Vineyards
18. Spend a day at the Canterbury Race track
19. See the Northern Lights
20. Attend a Wild hockey game
21. Go to a Gopher football game
22. Go to a Timberwolves game
23. Go to a Gopher hockey game
24. Attend a Viking/Packer game with tailgating
23. Have a night out at the Gay 90′s
24. WE FEST
25. Get drinks at Sneaky Pete’s
26. See Paul Bunyan
27. Visit the mouth of the Mississippi
28. Camp in the Boundary Waters
29. Go ice fishing
30. Participate in Minneapolis Restaurant Week
31. Go to both the Minnesota Zoo and Como Zoo
32. Run the Medtronic TC 10 mile
33. Run the Twin Cities marathon
34. Eat at Chino Latino and Brit’s Pub
35. Go for a run around Lake Nakomis
36. Visit the Water Park of America
37. Spend a weekend up in Lutsen with a group of friends
38. Go to a show at the Guthrie theater
39. Volunteer at Grandma’s Marathon
40.Attend the St. Paul Winter Carnival
41. Bundle up for the Holidazzle parade
42. Visit Historic Fort Snelling
43. Go to a drive-in movie
44. Visit the Pavek Museum of Broadcasting
45. Attend a summer concert at the Lake Harriet bandstand
46. Pick a winner of Best Juicy Lucy between the 5*8 Club and Matt’s Bar
47. Eat at the MN restaurants on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives
48. Spend a weekend at a cabin (and eat hot dish)
49. Shop at Woodbury Lakes and Albertville Outlet Malls
50. Go to a concert at the Varsity theater
What would you add to the list??
Hike Jay Cooke State Park, eat at Gordy’s in Cloquet, go cliffing at Ore-be-gone, ride the Timber Twister at Spirit Mountain, bike the Munger Trail, walk the Lakewalk in Duluth, try cross-country skiing at Giants Ridge, hike Gooseberry Falls state park, try ice climbing with Vertical Endeavors, watch the John Beargrease sled dog marathon, shop at the Mall of America, visit Bentleyville.
something tells me that you’re from Duluth lol Don’t forget ride the north shore during the autumn colors!
I think you definitely need to add Zorbaz and Long Bridge on this list. You can easily do these two with We Fest.
If you’re in the area for We Fest, there’s not a better burger to be found than those done by Phil at Maple Beach on Lake Lida.
yes! Zorbaz on Ottertail lake is awesome cuz it’s literally on the lake
Since you have a picture of the cherry spoon, you should go to the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden!
Hike at Blue Mounds State Park outside of Luverne, MN. You can visit the former home of Fred Manfred, which is now their interpretive center…and if you’re lucky, it’ll be during Hot Dog night in Luverne or Buffalo Days! Also, You must visit and be photographed with every Paul Bunyun/Babe the Blue Ox of course
Go to the Irish Fair, the second weekend of August every year on Harriet Island. Great music, food, & more!
Visit Grand Marais . Go to the National Eagle Center in Wabasha. While in the area go to Lark Toys in Kellogg.
Minnesota State Fair!
Love that you included “Go for a run around Lake Nokomis.”
This is probably my favorite thing to do ever.
And the Paul Bunyan in Akeley is far more impressive than in Alexandria.
GREAT list!
There is NO Paul Bunyan in Alexandria…Only Big Ole!
Betty’s Pies in Two Harbors MN. World famous Pie!!
Great list!
The spam museum in Austin is great as well!!!
Paul Bunyan and Babe the Big Blue Ox is in Bemidji not Alexandria. Big Ole and Kensington Runestone is in Alexandria.
Visit all of the MN state parks – we did! Don’t miss the cave at Forestville, Lanesboro, Whitewater State Park – no mosquitos!, This is a great list, I’ve done so many but there are so many left to do!
Mill City Museum!
Ride on a paddle boat (like the andiamo) on the St. Croix River, go to the start of the Mississippi River, go ice skating in Minneapolis Depot.
I’d probably add Enter a hot dish cookoff!
Pingback: Here comes trouble. | Teaching in Kotzebue
Visit the Spam Museum in Austin, Mn
Go to Niagra cave near Harmony Mn, Attend Buffalo Bill days in Lanesboro, Mn.
Paddle a canoe down the St. Croix River.
Vince Schute Wildlife Sanctuary in Orr- up close and personal with black bears 🙂
Kettle Falls, where you can look south into Canada while standing in MN
I would add the Woodtick Theater in Akeley (you can also see Paul there). And the Eelpout Festival in Walker (held in February); borrow a bike from Backstreet Bike (also in Walker, just ask) and take a ride down the Paul Bunyan or Heartland trails. Also, ditto to Jay Cooke SP!
walk across the mississippi river head waters at itasca state park
It’s NOKOMIS!! http://www.minneapolisparks.org/?PageID=4&parkid=257
The walleye in garrison!
Lots of good ideas, including some of the comments! I would add going to Red Wing…home of RW Pottery and RW Shoe Co. While there, drive along the Mississippi bluff country of SE MN and Lake Pepin.
A good drive in to go to is in Luvern MN I have friends that live across the boarder that go to it quite often.
Moondance Jam!
The Minnesota State Fair is a must for the Minnesota Bucket list!
And to eat at the Dari-Ette in St. Paul!!!! ❤
-Attend a Summertime at Lake George free concert in St. Cloud
-Dog Sled in Ely
-SPAM Museum, Austin
-Rent tandem bikes in Rochester and bike the trails
-Walker Art Center (first Sturday of each month there’s no charge for admission)
-Cold Spring Brewery
-Lemonaid Art Fair at St. Cloud State University in July
Road trip to the biggest ball of twine in Minnesota!
– Renaissance Festival
– Apples in LaCrescent
– Tendermaid lunch in Austin
– State High School Basketball Finals
– Pipestone National Monument
– Ice Fishing for Walleye on Mille Lacs
– Have pictures taken in front of the Capitol Dome
Largest ball of twine
Eat at Don’s Cafe in Morris
Grape Stomp at Carlos Creek Winery
Renaissance Festival
Good ol’ County Fair
Smelt Feed/Fish Fry at a fire station
Fireworks on snow
Hold on frozen lake
Valley Fair
Go to Val’s in St. Cloud
Visit Laura Ingalls Wilder’s (Little House on the Prairie) dugout home & go to the annual pageant in Pipestone.
Great List! You Should Include The Walker Art Museum And The Minnesota Institute Of The Arts Though!
Buy sweet corn from a farm stand on the side of the road!!!
No more Holidazzle after 2013, they will have to replace it.
The science museum of Minnesota. They change the main exibit ever 6 or so months
Great to see the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon and Medtronic TC 10 Mile on your list; we think so, too! PS – registration for the marathon just hit 75%! Now’s your chance 🙂
Visit Mall of America, Hike Temperance River, Visit Grand Marais, Spend a day at Valleyfair, Spend a Thursday or Saturday morning going to garage sales, go snow tubing at Buck Hill, go for a cruise down the river on the Jonathan Paddleford
blueberry picking up north.
King Turkey Day in Worthington! Watch turkeys race down main street! Can’t forget the pancake feed by the fire department.
What about walking across the Mississippi River at the Headwaters in Itasca State Park.
While getting Val’s in St. Cloud take it to Munsinger Gardens and have a picnic and then walk along the river and through the flower gardens.
Zorbaz on Pelican lake and Maple beach burgers on lake Lida!
Snowshoe in a state park, bike the Grand Rounds, visit old historic courthouses, Jesse James days in Northfield
Eat at Betty’s Pies!
Walker art center and mini golf at the sculpture garden.
Ride bike on the grand rounds
MS bike-a-thon from the Twin Cities to Duluth
Sculpture garden
Minneapolis Farmers Market (off of Lyndale)
St. Paul Saints game
Portage a canoe
Split Rock Lighthouse State Park (hike up Hill Trail)
Audubon Center of the Northwoods (family winter event)
Walk the hallowed halls of the World Famous Mayo Clinic. They have a small museum.
Go to a Lynx game, Visit the World Famous Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, Hiking in Whitewater State Park and Winona (Sugar Loaf)
I would love a list for families/kids!
High School Hockey tourney, and snowmobiling
Eat an apple at the Apple Capital – La Crescent, Minnesota. U of M developed an apple called La Crescent!
Drive through Theodore Worth Parkway in the Fall, Winter, and Spring time. Eat cake doughnuts at A Baker’s Wife and glaze doughnuts at Mell-o-glaze. Have a gyro at Holyland meat store and grocery. Go shopping at Midtown mall, or Global Market as some ppl call it, in South Minneapolis.
Roseau……visit Polaris Experience Center, eat at Earl’s Drive-In with carhops, tour Polaris Industries.
Warroad…..visit The Shed- tons of cool cars, tour Marvin Windows, eat at Bec’s Drive-in: also with carhops, and of course there is Lake of the Woods …go walleye fishing
McCarthys beach state park, Side Lake. Beautiful sand beach!
The Fagen Fighter’s WWII museum in Granite Falls and their air show June 20, 2015, also Andrew Volstead’s House Museum and the Prohibition Story walking tour.
I’d add historic sites like the James J Hill House and Mill City Museum.
Just am FYI on 9a…it’s Glensheen Mansion, not castle.
Visit Stillwater and stop at Nelson’s ice cream as you head back towards the cities;
Palasade Head, turtle races in Nisswa
You should visit the Tour of the Lights in Bentleyville around Christmas time. So much fun. It’s like a little Christmas village.
Eat at sven and Ole in grand Marais. Hike part of the superior hiking trail. Hike to lookout mountain, the highest point in minnesota. Take a picture with Paul bunyon, aitkin? Bemidji? There’s several of them around. Take a long ride on a bike trail. Voyager national park. Cutest small town: new london, mn
I traveled all around the state of minnesota for a quilt shop hop and found a new appreciation for how beautiful our state is. I would recommend a shop hop or a brewery tour around the state.
Go to the spam museum.
I like #47. They all sound like an adventure. Fun.
Drive up “Apple Blossom Drive” in southeastern Mn and enjoy the beautiful scenery and winery’s in the area