You might know Minnesota as the land of 10,000 lakes, however there is so much more than water sports (boating, swimming, skiing, fishing, ice fishing…). With so much space to cover, I’m going to focus on the Minneapolis / St. Paul area, known as the Twin Cities.

My husband, Alan and I love to travel and it is fun to play tourist right here in town!  There is so much to see and do, however I would like to highlight just a few of my favorites!

Como Park Zoo & Conservatory is one of the greats here in the Twin Cities. There is truly something for everyone here. Como Zoo is free (donations accepted) and has a brand new Polar Bear exhibit! Some of my other favorite animals here are the penguins, giraffes and sea lions. They have many exhibits and plenty of space to spend an afternoon in the sun (or snow!).  Alan and I  visit the Conservatory throughout the year. Our favorite seasonal event is the Orchid show in January. In the summer, the amusement park, Como Town, is also open. They have several family friendly rides and attractions.

Minnehaha Park is one of our favorite spots to spend an afternoon. The waterfall provides  beautiful back drop to the 193 acre park.  There are walking/hiking/biking trails, disc golf, a wading pool for kids, picnic shelters and an off-leash dog park.  After an afternoon walking through the park, we often stop at the Sea Salt Eatery for homemade icecream.

There are many other great parks and places to just hang out. Lake Harriet is a peaceful area to walk and enjoy the water. Free summer concerts, trolley rides, and water craft rentals are also available. For the super adventurous, legend also has it there is an elf who lives in a tree. If you leave this elf a question, there will reply waiting after a couple of days.

The Japanese Garden at Normandale Community College is must see hidden treasure.  The koi pond, trees, water fall and bridged path make one wonder if they are really in a metro area.

There are many local parks that offer winter ice skating, however if you feel like ice-skating in the middle of summer, check out The Depot.

There are so many places to see in the Twin Cities area. I hope you have the opportunity to visit soon!  Here are a few others to check out!