Things to Do in Minnesota

1. Minnesota's North Shore Scenic Drive

Minnesota's North Shore Scenic Driveis a beautiful, 142-mile wilderness journey from Duluth to Grand Portage. Bordered on one side by Lake Superior and on the other by the Sawtooth Mountains, sights include breathtaking cliffs, beaches and thousands of acres of forest. Lighthouses and waterfalls dot the landscape and there seems to be no end to the recreational opportunities.

Many adventures await along the route, including golfing, tent and RV camping, canoeing, hunting, rock climbing, dogsledding, and more. Eight of Minnesota's State Parks are accessible along the way. It takes about three hours to make the journey if you drive straight through, but you could easily stretch the journey to several days by stopping along the way.

2. Minneapolis Institute of Art

The Minneapolis Institute of Art is a fine art museum in Minneapolis. Free to the public, it is one of the largest art museums in the United States. The collections cover more than 5,000 years of history and contain more than 80,000 objects, including paintings, photographs, textiles, drawings, prints and decorative arts.

The museum includes objects from several regions of the world and is quite comprehensive. In addition to their regular collections, the museum features a variety of traveling collections from other museums. A number of tours are available, ranging from free public guided tours to school tours and private group tours.

2400 Third Avenue South, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55404, Phone: 888-642-2787

3. Como Park Zoo & Conservatory, St. Paul

Como Park Zoo & Conservatory is a park, zoo and conservatory located in St. Paul. The park is very popular and receives more than 1.9 million visitors each year. The zoo is home to many species of animals that are exhibited for the visiting public. In addition to the zoo and conservatory, recreational facilities at Como Park include an amusement park, carousel, golf course, swimming pool and the 68-acre Lake Como.

The park is expertly landscaped and includes many artistic features such as fountains and sculptures. Como Park hosts many events throughout the year and offers cafes, food carts and gift shops to make your visit both comfortable and enjoyable.

1225 Estabrook Drive, Saint Paul, MN 55103, Phone: 651-487-8200

4. Quarry Hill Nature Center

Quarry Hill Nature Center is an educational center located in Rochester. It sits amidst a 329-acre park that offers a variety of outdoors activities. There are paved and unpaved trails as well as a historical cave. During winter, cross-country ski and snowshoe rentals are available to enhance enjoyment of the park.

The Harry L. Buck Children's Pond provides aquatic learning experiences for children of all ages. Ducks nest in a box on an island in the pond and a variety of other wildlife can be seen. The center hosts a variety of classes, day camps, trips and activities throughout the year.

701 Silver Creek Road NE, Rochester, MN 55906, Phone: 507-328-3950

5. Minnesota Marine Art Museum

The Minnesota Marine Art Museum is an art museum in Winona that is located in a unique historical building on the banks of the Mississippi River. It houses five different galleries of art and artifacts which include marine art, folk sculptures, impressionism, Hudson River School paintings, as well as space for traveling exhibits. The museum's primary focus is marine and maritime art.

One of the most famous pieces in their collection is one of the two surviving copies of "Washington Crossing the Delaware" by Emanuel Leutze, which was on display at the White House prior to becoming a part of the Marine Art Museum.

800 Riverview Drive, Winona, MN 55987, Phone: 507-474-6626

6. Minnehaha Park, Minnesota

Minnehaha Park is undeniably one of Minneapolis’ most popular parks. It is also one of the city’s oldest and is best known for the 53-foot waterfall that can be found within its limestone bluffs. At Minnehaha Park, guests can enjoy a number of beautiful features. For example, there are three gardens to be explored: the Longfellow Gardens, Minnehaha Falls Pergola Garden, Song of Hiawatha Garden. There are also a handful of historical sites at the park that can be visited such as the Longfellow House, the Princess Depot, and the John H. Stevens House. Wandering the park's trails will also bring visitors across several sculptures found within the park, all of which make great photo opportunities and are sure to be enjoyed by art lovers.

4801 S Minnehaha Drive, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55417, Phone: 612-230-6400

7. Leif Erickson Park & Rose Garden

The Leif Erickson Park & Rose Gardenk in Duluth is a traditional English style garden located on the banks of Lake Superior. Its beautiful flowers and stunning location make the park a relaxing and beautiful place to visit at any time of the year. The 2.5-acre park contains over 3,000 rose bushes and many other plants and trees.

It is connected to Duluth's Lakewalk, which is a walking and biking trail running about three miles along the lakeshore. In addition to stunning flora, the gardens include some beautiful architectural structures, fountains and statues. The marble gazebo in Leif Erickson Park is a popular place for weddings and other events.

S 13th Ave E & London Road, Duluth, MN 55802, Phone: 218-730-4300

8. Minnesota Landscape Arboretum

The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum is an arboretum and horticultural garden that is part of the University of Minnesota. It is the largest public garden in the upper Midwest and comprises more than 1,100 acres. Over 5,000 plant varieties can be found in the park.

The arboretum features gardens displaying plants developed for northern climates as well as educational exhibits, demonstration gardens and a unique Japanese garden area. The property features natural areas, including miles of hiking and cross-country skiing trails. There is a horticulture library and conservatory on site. Guided tours are available as well as a three-mile driving route that passes many of the park's highlights.

3675 Arboretum Drive, Chanhassen, MN 55317, Phone: 952-443-1400

9. National Eagle Center

The National Eagle Center is a non-profit organization, aviary and educational center which is dedicated to conserving and protecting eagles as well as to educating the public. Five eagles are housed at the center. These were all rescued and are now used in outreach programs and ceremonies across the state and country.

Visitors can visit the eagles in the viewing room, where you can see them at close range as they are tethered rather than in a cage or behind glass. There are volunteers to answer questions during viewing hours as well as thrice daily 45-minute educational feeding programs that include a question and answer session, giving visitors another chance to learn about eagles.

50 Pembroke Avenue, Wabasha, MN 55981, Phone: 651-565-4989

10. 7 Vines Vineyard

Go wine tasting at 7 Vines Vineyard.

101 MN-96, Dellwood, MN 55110, Phone: 651-478-6300