Things We Like to Do Around the Twin Cities with Kids
One thing about having kids in Minnesota is that we are constantly asking the same question:
What can we do today that gets everyone out of the house, burns some energy, and does not completely destroy us as parents?
We live in the north metro/Twin Cities area, so this is a running list of the places and activities we have actually done with our kids, plus a few things I want to try next. This is not meant to be a perfectly polished travel guide. It is more of a real-life family list. Some of these are fun and magical. Some are expensive and chaotic. Some are just a playground and a snack, which honestly is sometimes all you need.
Easy Favorites We Actually Do
Bike rides to the park
This is one of those simple things that feels like peak summer parenting. We’ve biked to the gas station for snacks and drinks, then ridden over to the park so the kids can play while we sit in the shade. It is not fancy, but it is exactly the kind of thing I want to remember.
Best for: a low-effort summer morning or evening
Parent energy required: low to medium
Kid energy burned: surprisingly high
Bonus points: snacks make everything more exciting
The gym pool
This is one of our most reliable options, especially when the weather is gross or we need something active but contained. Joel often takes the kids to the gym, and sometimes we turn it into a family swim day. It is especially nice in the winter or on rainy summer days when everyone needs to move but nobody wants to be outside.
Best for: rainy days, winter days, “we need to leave the house” days
Parent energy required: medium
Kid energy burned: high
Warning: packing swim stuff is always more annoying than I think it will be
Local beaches and splash pads
We have done a lot of beach time, and it almost always ends up being worth the effort. The kids can dig, swim, splash, snack, and somehow spend three hours doing the same few things over and over. We have also had good luck meeting up with neighbor friends, because beach days are easier when the kids have built-in buddies.
Places to keep on the list:
Lakeside Commons Park in Blaine
This one has a public beach, splash pad, beach house, concessions, playground, volleyball court, picnic pavilion, and rentals like canoes and kayaks during boathouse hours. (Blaine, MN)
Elm Creek Swim Pond in Maple Grove
This is a nice pool-meets-lake option with filtered, chlorinated water, a sand beach, changing shelter, concessions, and bathrooms. (Three Rivers Park District)
Bunker Beach in Coon Rapids
This is more of a full water park day. It has a wave pool, lazy river, splash pad, water slides, and more. (Bunker Beach Water Park)
Best for: hot days
Parent energy required: medium to high
Kid energy burned: very high
Bring: snacks, sunscreen, towels, and realistic expectations
Indoor Energy Burners
SkyZone
We’ve done SkyZone for birthdays and winter energy-burning, and it has been a good option when the kids need to move. Hailey has loved the rock wall, and we definitely tried to get our money’s worth when we had a membership.
Best for: winter, rainy days, birthdays
Parent energy required: medium
Kid energy burned: very high
Good to know: grip socks, waivers, and checking hours ahead of time are your friends
Grand Slam
We did Miles’ birthday party at Grand Slam, and it was a hit. The kids especially loved laser tag. It was not cheap, but it was a really fun birthday option, especially with a big group of kids.
Best for: birthday parties or big-energy days
Parent energy required: medium
Kid energy burned: high
Warning: once you invite the whole class, the party becomes A Thing
Dave & Buster’s
The kids loved the lights, games, and general chaos. I loved that they were happy. I did not love how quickly arcade money disappears into the void. But they were thrilled, and sometimes that is the point.
Best for: killing time, special outings, “sure, why not” days
Parent energy required: medium
Kid energy burned: medium
Budget warning: arcade cards are basically Monopoly money except unfortunately real
Burger King of McDonalds play places
I am not above a fast food play place. Sometimes that is exactly the level of outing we need. The kids get to climb around, we get food, and nobody has to pretend this is a beautifully curated parenting experience.
Best for: cheap-ish indoor play
Parent energy required: low
Kid energy burned: medium
Bonus: fries
The Fun Lab in Blaine
This one is on the try/return list for bigger-kid energy. It has laser tag, bumper cars, VR, ValoArena, arcade games, private party rooms, and party packages. (The Fun Lab)
Best for: older kids, birthdays, winter weekends
Parent energy required: medium
Kid energy burned: high
Hyper Kidz in Blaine
This looks like a good newer indoor playground option for the north metro. It has multi-level play structures, an interactive LED dance floor, giant pin screens, and separate zones for different ages. Their site says it is climate-controlled and designed for kids ages 0-13. (Hyper Kidz)
Best for: indoor play without arcade chaos
Parent energy required: low to medium
Kid energy burned: high
Eagles Nest Indoor Playground in New Brighton
This is one I’d keep on the winter list. It has a 23-foot Web Tower Challenge, 36-foot wave slide, tight rope walk, trolley challenge, hanging foam forest, interactive projector slide, and a tree climb. (New Brighton MN)
Best for: winter weekends
Parent energy required: low to medium
Kid energy burned: high
Bigger Outings
Great Wolf Lodge
Great Wolf Lodge was fun, exhausting, expensive, and not exactly restful. So basically, exactly what you would expect. The kids loved the lazy river and water slides. We also did the arcade, dance party, story time, buffet breakfast, and arts and crafts.
Would we do it again? Yes.
Would I expect to sleep well? Absolutely not.
Best for: a splurge weekend, especially with friends
Parent energy required: high
Kid energy burned: extremely high
Best advice: go with neighbor friends and keep expectations for sleep very, very low
Minnesota Children’s Museum
This is one I want to keep on the bigger indoor outing list. The museum has 10 permanent exhibits, including a four-story climber with a spiral slide, laser maze, car wash, ball launchers, maker space, pretend town, and a toddler/preschool gallery. (Minnesota Children’s Museum)
Best for: winter days, school breaks, full indoor outing
Parent energy required: medium
Kid energy burned: high
Como Zoo and Conservatory
Como is a classic Twin Cities family outing, and it is hard to beat the price. Admission is free, with suggested donations appreciated. (Como Zoo Conservatory)
Best for: animals, flowers, winter “we need warmth” days
Parent energy required: medium
Kid energy burned: medium
Bonus: free admission makes it feel less painful if the kids melt down early
Minnesota Zoo
Hailey’s class was originally going to do the Minnesota Zoo for a field trip, and it is still a good family list item. The zoo has indoor and outdoor areas, including Discovery Bay, the Tropics Trail, play areas, a splash pad, and the Treetop Trail. (Minnesota Zoo)
Best for: full-day outing
Parent energy required: high
Kid energy burned: high
Bell Museum
This feels like a good option for kids who like animals, nature, space, and touching things they are allowed to touch. The Touch & See Lab has fossils, living plants and animals, honey bee hives, and hands-on natural history specimens. (Bell Museum)
Best for: curious kids, science-y days, quieter indoor outing
Parent energy required: low to medium
Kid energy burned: medium
Science Museum of Minnesota
This is another big St. Paul outing option. The Science Museum has dinosaurs, Collectors’ Corner, hands-on science exhibits, and the Omnitheater. (Science Museum of Minnesota)
Best for: older kids, school breaks, cold days
Parent energy required: medium
Kid energy burned: medium
Twin City Model Railroad Museum
This one feels like a good cold-weather or grandparent outing. Kids 4 and under are free, and the museum has model trains and interactive layouts. (Twin City Model Railroad Museum)
Best for: train-loving kids, winter afternoons
Parent energy required: low
Kid energy burned: low to medium
Free or Lower-Cost Ideas
Home Depot craft days
We have done Home Depot crafts, and this is such a nice little winter/weekend option. The kids get to make something, it gives us a reason to leave the house, and it feels like an activity without becoming a huge production.
Best for: Saturday mornings
Parent energy required: low
Kid energy burned: low
Kid satisfaction: weirdly high
School and community events
Some of the best kid activities are not big official outings. School movie night, dance parties, softball/baseball celebrations, inflatables, food trucks, neighborhood events, and park activities all end up being the stuff the kids talk about later.
Best for: easy memory-making
Parent energy required: depends wildly on the event
Kid energy burned: medium to high
Blaine Festival
This is one to keep on the annual summer list. The Blaine Festival is held at Aquatore Park and includes live music, carnival rides, a parade, food, vendors, and family fun. (Blaine Festival)
Best for: summer tradition
Parent energy required: high
Kid energy burned: high
Bring: patience, snacks, and probably more money than you think
Anoka County nature programs
Anoka County Parks has kid-friendly programs like story time sessions and drop-in nature investigations at places like Wargo Nature Center and Bunker Hills. (Anoka County Parks)
Best for: low-cost outdoor learning
Parent energy required: low to medium
Kid energy burned: medium
Springbrook Nature Center
Springbrook Nature Center in Fridley has three miles of hiking trails through forests, prairies, wetlands, and floating boardwalks. (Fridley)
Best for: nature walks, exploring, slower family days
Parent energy required: medium
Kid energy burned: medium
Food + Activity Combos
Sometimes the activity is really just “go somewhere with food and something for the kids to do.”
A few that have worked for us:
Pizza Ranch
Food, carbs, ice cream, and arcade chaos. The kids love it. Arcade money disappears instantly. Somehow it is still a memory.
Pizza Pub / patio games
Anywhere with a patio and giant Connect 4 automatically gets bonus points.
Burger King or McDonald’s play place
Again, not glamorous, but very functional.
Gas station snack + park
Honestly, elite.
Trader Joe’s after an outing
The kids get a snack, I get groceries, and we all pretend this counts as productive.
Birthday Party Ideas We’ve Tried
SkyZone
Worked well for Hailey’s birthday. Good for kids who need to jump, climb, and fling themselves into foam pits.
Grand Slam
Worked well for Miles’ birthday. The kids loved laser tag. Good for a bigger group, but definitely not cheap.
Great Wolf Lodge
Not exactly a birthday party for us, but we went with neighbor friends for a birthday weekend, and it was a very fun, very exhausting splurge.
Home party with sprinklers or bounce house
We have done the sprinkler/neighborhood kid chaos thing, and honestly, this is often just as fun as an official venue. Add pizza, popsicles, or donuts and suddenly it is an event.
Seasonal List
Winter
SkyZone
Eagles Nest
Hyper Kidz
The Fun Lab
Gym pool
Home Depot crafts
Minnesota Children’s Museum
Bell Museum
Science Museum
Burger King play place
Mall walking
Library story times
Spring
Parks
Bike rides
Nature centers
School events
Softball/baseball games
Como Zoo
Minnesota Zoo
Home Depot crafts
Summer
Lakeside Commons
Elm Creek Swim Pond
Bunker Beach
Neighborhood sprinklers
Beach days
Bike rides to the park
Blaine Festival
Food trucks and inflatables
Boat/lake days with friends
Pond fishing
Ice cream truck nights
Fall
Parks before it gets too cold
Family races
Orchards/pumpkin patches
Nature walks
Indoor play places once the weather turns
Community events
My Real-Life Parent Rating System
Worth the effort
Beach days, bike rides, gym pool, Grand Slam, SkyZone, Great Wolf Lodge with friends, school/community events.
Cheap and good enough
Burger King play place, Home Depot crafts, gas station snack + park, mall walking, library events.
Fun but expensive
Dave & Buster’s, Grand Slam, Great Wolf Lodge, arcades in general.
Need to try or revisit
Bunker Beach, Hyper Kidz, Eagles Nest, Bell Museum, Springbrook Nature Center, Twin City Model Railroad Museum, Minnesota Children’s Museum.
Final Thoughts
This list will probably keep changing as the kids get older. Right now we are in the stage where they are big enough for sports, bike rides, arcades, water slides, and activities with friends, but still young enough that a snack from the gas station and a playground can feel like an adventure.
And honestly, I hope that lasts a while.
Because yes, I love a good big outing. But some of my favorite family memories are still the simple ones: biking to the park, beach days with neighbors, kids running through sprinklers, watching them play sports, and everyone coming home tired in the best way.