Top Things to do in Minnesota
Top Hotels in Minnesota
- 1. South Pier Inn on the Canal
- 2. La Quinta Inn & Suites By Wyndham Duluth
- 3. TownePlace Suites by Marriott Minneapolis Mall of America
- 4. Celeste St Paul
- 5. Radisson Blu Mall of America
- 6. Hampton Inn & Suites Minneapolis/Downtown
- 7. Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Bloomington at Mall of America, MN
- 8. The Marquette Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton
- 9. Best Western Plus Superior Inn
- 10. La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Minneapolis Bloomington W
The 10 Best State Parks in Minnesota, United States
The Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul have the famous Mall of America and Walker Art Institute. Bluff Country to the south has water sports and cross country skiing. The Prairielands abound with lake recreations.
Restaurants in Minnesota
1. Lake Minnewashta Regional Park
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 21 reviews
2. Itasca State Park
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 509 reviews
Established in 1891, Itasca is Minnesota's oldest state park. Today, the park totals more than 32,000 acres and includes more than 100 lakes. Walk across the mighty Mississippi as it starts its winding journey 2,552 miles to the Gulf of Mexico. Stand under towering pines at Preacher's Grove. Visit the Itasca Indian Cemetery or Wegmann's Cabin, landmarks of centuries gone by. Camp under the stars, or stay the night at the historic Douglas Lodge or cabins. Explore Wilderness Drive past the 2,000-acre Wilderness Sanctuary, one of Minnesota's seven National Natural Landmarks.
Reviewed By 406kathleenw - Eagan, United States
Itasca State Park is one of the gems in northern Minnesota. Home to Lake Itasca, it is over 32,000 acres of forest and lakes that are connected by a web of hiking trails and roads. Our favorite time to visit has been fall, but it is beautiful all year round. There is a rich story that the park tells in the museums, buildings built by the CCC and the interpretive center. The park offers boating, camping, fishing, hiking, swimming, and biking. The historic lodge is beautiful and houses a restaurant with a view of the lake. The lodge and restaurant are only open May through September and the rooms in the lodge do not have private bathrooms. However, there are many options for lodging that offer a variety of amenities. The staff throughout the park are very friendly and the everything is very clean. Our favorite parts of the park are the beautifully preserved historic buildings and cabins, the biking trails, and the very well done interpretive center. Our most recent stay lasted a week and we always feel as though we could have spent a few more days.
3. Temperance River State Park
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 220 reviews
Intriguing because of its narrow gorge which has created many potholes along the bottom of the river.
Reviewed By 45degN - Minnesota, United States
Temperance River, like many of the state parks along the North Shore, offers immediate access to the falls with excellent (and safe) vantage points. So when were returned a couple years after our first visit, we decided to take a slightly different route and followed the "Hiking Club" labeled path along the north side of the river (go clockwise heading up river). We visited on October 9, which was mid-week and the colors were breathtaking! Truly peak fall colors as best as we had ever seen them. What we loved about this visit was what the Temperance offers once you get past the main falls - the trail gets quieter, the river widens with several additional falls along the route, and all of sudden the view opens up to an incredible back drop of birch-covered hills. We thought, this is a white-capped mountain away from Colorado! The golden leaves mingled in with tall pines and a calming, pristine river was definitely the highlight of our week. We spent about an hour and a half for a pretty leisurely hike (which I think was around 1.5 miles), stopping several times, and with a 2-year-old on the back. Of note, all the state parks are worth visiting, but the farther north one travels, the better they get (including Cascade River)!
4. Cascade River State Park
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 317 reviews
Northshore park known for its breathtaking waterfalls.
Reviewed By Trav_LN_now - Crystal Lake, United States
Parking right on Route 61. Between a 1/4 - 1/2 mile hike you can see the Cascades. A group of five Water Falls. Great trails. Wooden stairs and lookouts. Nice Water Falls.
5. Grand Portage State Park
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 198 reviews
Managed by the Ojibwe tribe, this area leads to Minnesota's tallest waterfalls.
Reviewed By jmpncsu - Raleigh, United States
Grand Portage State Park is located on the Canadian border in the extreme northeast corner of Minnesota. We visited for a hike with our dog to see the waterfalls. The border was closed so this was a far as we could go. High Falls, the highest waterfall in Minnesota, is a short hike on a paved trail to multiple viewpoints of this impressive waterfall. The longer Middle Falls Trail splits off and makes a loop around Pigeon River to two smaller waterfalls. There is also a great viewpoint along the trail of Lake Superior and looking into Canada. Overall, a really beautiful place and definitely worth a visit.
6. Bear Head Lake State Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 126 reviews
The park's namesake 674-acre lake is a prime spot for eyeing wildlife.
Reviewed By pennys720
Wonderful place to do some hiking or being on the lake. Beautiful. Saw many wild animals, deer, forest chickens(as my hubby called them), and foxes
7. Lake Bemidji State Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 196 reviews
An outdoor paradise offering swimming, boating, fishing, biking, hiking and more.
Reviewed By 567carolk - Minneapolis, United States
Although the campground was full, there was still plenty of room to maintain distance. Nice walk to the bog in the late afternoon. Bugs did not bite, but did fly around the eyes. Even the background road noise did not interfere with a perfect day to walk the park.
8. Great River Bluffs State Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 100 reviews
Overlooking the Mississippi River, this park offers scenic views.
Reviewed By musicm8s - Batavia, United States
Exceptional amenities in a spectacular setting. Hard to believe you're in the Mid West. Campground is lovely, sites are secluded and spread out, and shower facilities are clean and modern.
9. Nerstrand Big Woods State Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 67 reviews
Scenic park whose forest is part of the Big Woods.
Reviewed By 784andym - Saint Paul, United States
Nerstrand is a great park. It has miles of easily accessible trails. The trails are dirt, not paved, but are wide and level. There are many different types of wild flowers in the spring. The only downfall is there isn't a big picnic area, but it's a great place to come and hike. Our kids were able to hike 6 miles, and not lose a positive attitude. It was really fun for our kids to wade in the river above the falls, as it is very sandy and shallow. The parking lot is not large, and the park is monitoring numbers. If you are trying to visit on the weekend, come early, or be prepared to park on a private farm next door to the park and walk in.
10. Afton State Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 108 reviews
Located near St. Paul, this 1,700 acre-park offers camping, hiking, biking, swimming and cross-country skiing.
Reviewed By JEBtravel2018 - Coon Rapids, United States
Finally got to hike Afton. The park is on the river. There is a nice flat trail you can walk that is about 1.5 miles one way. There are a lot of other trails with lots of diversity. You can climb up hills. Go through prairie grass and walk through pine trees. This is a strenuous hike so be prepared. There are picnic tables too. We went in November and there were a lot of people so I’m assuming this park is really busy in the summer. The views on top of the hill are beautiful.
