As the country's 12th largest state, Minnesota offers a wealth of both outdoor and indoor activities. Visitors will also find some unique aspects of Minnesota, like its ethnic heritage, the massive Mall of America, and the legendary Paul Bunyan.
Family Fun
Families will find plenty to entertain young and old alike. Amusement parks, zoos, aquariums, water parks, and science and nature museums are excellent destinations for the whole family. For some underground thrills, take a guided tour of Mystery Cave.
At one of Minnesota's premier attractions, visitors can combine a variety of amusements with shopping. Boasting more than 800 stores, the Mall of America in Bloomington is the largest shopping mall in the country. But this is no ordinary mall. You'll also find a seven-acre theme park, dinosaur exhibits, a four-story LEGO showplace, the world's largest underground aquarium, a NASCAR speedway, a comedy club, nightclubs, flight simulators, and even more entertainment. Of course, you can also catch a movie or grab a bite to eat.
Another Minnesota tradition is larger-than-life lumberjack Paul Bunyan and his trusty sidekick, Babe the Blue Ox. At Paul Bunyan Land, part of This Old Farm near Brainerd, a mechanical Paul Bunyan winks and greets visitors to an old-fashioned amusement park. Visitors can also stroll through a village created on the farm, complete with a train depot built for the movie Iron Will, which filmed in Duluth. Other Paul Bunyan-themed attractions include the Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway and Paul Bunyan Days, an annual June festival in Akeley.
Outdoor Adventures
With its prairies, forests, lakes, and rivers, Minnesota provides lots of outdoor fun. Hiking trails wind through many forests and parks, with the Superior Hiking Trail being one of the top in the nation. For those planning a long trek, this 235-mile trail with campsites and lodges is perfect. Bikers can enjoy everything from a jaunt down a scenic road to mountain biking in national forests. Several areas are excellent for rock climbing, such as Blue Mounds State Park. Golfers can choose from approximately 500 golf courses, several of which have received top marks from national golf magazines. And vacationers can get a bird's-eye view of the state by taking a hot air balloon or helicopter ride.
Wildlife abounds in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. Birdwatchers may spot any of 420 bird species, particularly eagles and loons. To really get a close-up view of eagles, visit the National Eagle Center in Wabasha. Three birding trails link the state's best sites, and several areas hold birdwatching festivals. In addition to birds, Minnesota boasts a large wolf population. Since it's uncommon to see wolves in the wild, head over to the International Wolf Center in Ely to see a real wolf pack. Also in Ely, at the North American Bear Center visitors can learn about black bears and watch them from an observation deck.
Water sports are a favorite activity in Minnesota. Boating, sailing, water skiing, jet skiing, windsurfing, and wakeboarding are among the state's aquatic offerings. Scuba divers can explore shipwrecks in Lake Superior, or dive in several other locales. And fishing enthusiasts can haul in quite a catch. Lakes teem with walleye, Lake Superior offers up salmon, and rivers swim with brook trout.
When it's freezing outside, it's time to play in the snow. Out of all the Midwest, Minnesota's ski area is the largest and highest. Northeastern Minnesota and the Twin Cities area are home to downhill ski resorts, many of which also provide snowboarding areas. Cross country skiing trails are available at several resorts, as well as in national forests and state parks. Snowmobiling, ice fishing, and dog sledding are other ways to enjoy winter wonderland.
Arts and Culture
Travelers who want to experience arts and culture will find much to do in Minnesota. From the plethora of visual and performing arts venues in the Twin Cities to small-town gems like the Great River Shakespeare Festival in Winona, there's no shortage of arts here. Whether you want to browse a crafts festival, go to a rock concert, or attend the ballet, you're likely to find what you're looking for. Garrison Keillor fans will want to see A Prairie Home Companion, recorded live for each week's radio show at the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul.
Perhaps Minnesota's biggest surprise is its burgeoning wine industry. The Alexis Bailly Vineyard opened in 1973 as the state's first winery, and since then has won more than 45 national awards. Today, approximately 20 wineries operate throughout the state, specializing in cold-weather varieties like Frontenac, Seyval, and Prairie Star. Most wineries keep regular hours when the public can visit and give their wines a taste. To add a scenic road trip, travel the Three Rivers Wine Trail to six wineries in the St. Croix, Mississippi, and Cannon River Valleys.
Geography and Climate
Approximately half of Minnesota's land area (83,574 square miles) is made up of gently rolling plains formed by glaciers. Northern Minnesota consists of more rugged country, particularly the Eastern lands above Lake Superior. This area boasts the state's highest elevation, Eagle Mountain, at 2,301 feet above sea level.
Of course, Minnesota earned its nickname, the Land of 10,000 Lakes, for good reason. It actually contains 11,842 lakes, as well as bordering Lake Superior in the northeast. In addition, the Mississippi River begins at Lake Itasca, running through the state's southeast. Many other rivers and streams, plus seven major waterfalls, wind through the land as well.
Four distinct seasons each bring their own opportunities for fun. Year-round, temperatures in southern Minnesota are slightly warmer, while the north experiences cooler temperatures and more snowfall in the winter.
While winters here are renowned for their cold conditions, it's the perfect time to bundle up and hit the ski slopes. Just make sure to pack plenty of warm clothes – the average January high temperature in International Falls only rises to 14 degrees Fahrenheit, while its lows dip down to negative eight degrees.
In springtime, the warm-up begins and flowers bloom in glorious colors. Sunny, warm weather makes summer pleasant for all sorts of outdoor adventures. High temperatures in July average 83 degrees Fahrenheit in Minneapolis; however, it's not uncommon for a few days each summer to reach into the 90s.
As autumn returns, many travelers flock to the state to view the brilliant fall colors, in their prime from August to October. Whatever time of year you plan to visit, bring clothes to layer, since the weather can change quickly.
History and Ethnic Culture
Minnesota's first inhabitants arrived during the last Ice Age, most likely having followed herds of large game. Prehistoric people left petroglyphs of humans, animals, and weapons carved into rocks, which visitors can see at various state parks, such as Jeffers Petroglyphs. Much later (probably in the 1600s), Native Americans from all over began journeying to the area now known as Pipestone National Monument to quarry soft stone for carving sacred pipes. By 1700, Minnesota's major tribe, the Dakota, controlled the quarry and used the stone to trade with other tribes.
In the late 1600s, the Ojibwe (also known as Chippewa) began migrating into Minnesota from the east. Around the same time, French explorers led the first European expedition into the state. French and British fur traders came soon after. By 1800, the Ojibwe had pushed the Dakota out of northern Minnesota. Twenty-five years later, Fort Snelling became the state's first permanent European American settlement. Now a state historic site, visitors to Fort Snelling can experience what life was like on the old frontier.
Once the fort was built, American settlers from the East Coast were the first major group to come. In the 1830s, Europeans began arriving, especially Germans. The United States officially welcomed Minnesota as a new state in 1858, and by the 1860s, a mass migration of Germans and Scandinavians was under way. Later, Eastern Europeans and Italians came to work in mines and factories. While a few blacks had already come to the state with traders and soldiers, the end of the Civil War brought more African Americans, who settled mostly in the cities. Migrant farm workers from Mexico were making their rounds by the 1920s, and many more Latin Americans followed. The 1980s saw a surge of refugees from Southeast Asia, fleeing the aftermath of the Vietnam War.
In addition to the sites and attractions already mentioned, travelers will find many other places to soak up Minnesota's history and ethnic culture. To learn more about the Dakota people, visit the Lower Sioux Agency historic site. Similarly, the Mille Lacs Indian Museum and Bois Forte Heritage Center are two Ojibwe sites. Powwows and Native American galleries are other places to enjoy tribal culture. The Ironworld Discovery Center explores the lives of immigrant miners, while the Grand Portage National Monument brings fur trading history to life. And for every ethnicity in the state you'll find a cultural festival, whether Swedish, Hispanic, Vietnamese, or African American.
The Land of 10,000 Lakes has so much to offer travelers, you'll need to do some careful planning to fit it all in. No matter what your preferences are, your Minnesota vacation is sure to be a memorable one.
