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 Things to do Good for Adrenaline Seekers 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. Soudan Underground Mine
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 250 reviews
Minnesota's first iron ore mine-the Soudan Mine-opened in 1882. Operations went underground by 1892 since the ore body continued deep into the ground. The mine's value was in the special kind of ore it produced. The ore's high oxygen content was used to make high-quality steel in open-hearth furnaces. When technology changed, the ore from the mine was no longer needed. Low-cost ores of the Mesabi Range took over, and Soudan Mine closed in 1962. Today, you can travel 1/2 mile underground and ride a train car back to last area that the miners worked.
Reviewed By TeamAAR13 - Dayton, United States
I arrived early because I knew I wanted to explore before my tour. All of the buildings open at 9:30 and they are touch-feel-see for the most part because you can walk through and touch the machinery or see how the different parts of the mine worked. If you go to the engine house 15 after the tour starts you can watch the cable move as the car goes down the mine shaft. Our tour guide was Karel and he was AWESOME! very knowledgeable since he worked in a mine for 32 year before working at the state park. He was very personable and learned all the children's names in our tour and even some of the adults. He made it a point to tell us that ear protection was the number one thing he wanted us to take away from his tour. We didn't see any bats since white-nose syndrome practically wiped all of them out a few years earlier. Next time I will be sure to get a front-facing seat on the train ride because the train moves so fast that if you are facing backwards you don't get to see much. I wore a sweatshirt and jeans into the mine and I wasnt cold at all.
2. 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)!
3. 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.
4. Chilly Dogs Sled Dog Trips
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 222 reviews
All visits and appointments by reservation only, PLEASE! Located near Ely, Minnesota, a special little town known far and wide as the Gateway to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in the Superior National Forest, we provide exciting dog sledding adventures to individuals, families, and groups of all kinds. Our knowledgeable, seasoned guides accompany you as you drive your team of eager, friendly, sled dogs over scenic wilderness trails. That, combined with our thorough trip preparation, top-notch equipment, comfortable facilities, and convenient proximity to Ely, makes a Chilly Dogs Sled Dog Trip the perfect winter activity.
Reviewed By L3998PYkeiths
Our whole family 8 of us had the time of our lives. The picture perfect scenery, highly educated and experienced guides and the most beautiful, friendly Alaskan huskies were the highlights. The grounds are very well maintained and the property was set up so well for these dog sledding tours. They have a rental shop for items you may need or want along with a great apparel section. We would go back in a heart beat. Amazing job Chilly Dogs!
5. Drive A Tank
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 34 reviews
Reviewed By DonN352
My son really enjoyed his experience. The shooting range was an impressive array of weapons. He really liked driving the armored vehicles. The topping was the Sherman tank, one of the few survivors from WWII. My wife and I could ride with him and take pictures. It was worth the long trip from Texas.
6. Palisade Head
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 120 reviews
Reviewed By jgroh415 - Princeton, United States
This is a short drive to the top for some truly incredible views. A word of caution do not leave young children unattended it is a shear drop of hundreds of feet. on almost any day in the summer you will see rock climbers ascending the various routes on the cliff face. The view is so dramatic that several motion pictures have been filed at this location. Another plus is that this area of the Minnesota north shore of lake Superior has the highest concentration of waterfalls anywhere in the contiguous United States. We have visited many of them over a dozen times times and are still awestruck. I should make a separate review of the high fall of the Baptism river inside the state park in silver Bay a few miles away. You will run out of time before you run out of amazing scenery.
7. Kerfoot Canopy Tour
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1,084 reviews
In 2019, Kerfoot Canopy Tour was voted the #2 aerial adventure in the United States by USA Today's Ten Best. Located in the beautifully remote Minnesota River Valley, Kerfoot Canopy Tour offers exhilarating outdoor experiences that let visitors explore nature from a higher, faster, anything-but-everyday perspective. Zip over 1 mile on our 14-line canopy tour with suspension bridge, or challenge the Adventure Park’s 3 stories of outdoor fun. Great for kids and families. The Adventure Park is for ages 7+, and the zip line tour is for ages 10+.
8. Mall of America
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 5,855 reviews
Mall of America(R) is one of the top tourist destinations in the country! The Mall welcomes more than 40 million visitors a year from across the country and around the world to enjoy over 520 retail and specialty stores including Nordstrom and Macy's. Experience unique dining and entertainment at over 50 restaurants plus enjoy leading attractions like the nation's largest indoor theme park, Nickelodeon Universe(R) indoor theme park, SEA LIFE(R) Aquarium, LEGO(R), A.C.E.S. Flight Simulator, Moose Mountain Adventure Golf and more! By hosting more than 400 events each year, the Mall has become the place where fans can meet and greet their favorite celebrities or take part in interactive, one-of-a-kind events.
Reviewed By kevinhC5722CY - Mold, United Kingdom
Visited Mall of America for a second time and left just as impressed as my first visit several years ago. Great range of unique stores over a number of levels, clean and well maintained and enjoys a great food offer too. The centre piece though has to be the fun fair in the middle of what is a vast shopping centre. And car parking is easy with lots of space available. Also loved the many electronic find-what-you-are-looking for electronic stands that are easy to operate and guide you to any store, restaurant, fast food outlet or just the nearest rest room you may need to find. All in all a great shopping experience.
9. Nickelodeon Universe
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,294 reviews
Reviewed By cynthiamM7775VM - Saint Paul, United States
Bought an all-day pass for rides and the kids took off. Some rode the same ride three times in a row, a couple tried a "scary" ride for them and liked it and the usual Ferris wheel, swings, and carousel were favorites. It is a bright, noisy and exciting place for a day of fun. For the adults, it is great people watching and finding a bench to sit and have a cup of coffee while watching and visiting.
10. Sugar Loaf
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 45 reviews
Eighty-five foot tall limestone mountain located on a 400-foot bluff.
Reviewed By 408wadea - New Brighton, United States
The highlight of the trip.. trail itself is very good and at the top of the bluff there is a popular rock formation... amazing views
