Minneapolis and St. Paul surround the heart of the Mississippi River and form the major metropolitan city in Minnesota. As these cities blur together, they’ve become known as the Twin Cities. There are so many fun things to do in the twin cities. From nature, to culture, to history, to local craftsmen, the twin cities offer a plethora of fun and unique options.
Very few large cities can boast as many natural spaces as the twin cities. With an extensive park system, a river flowing through, and lakes dotting the city, you’ll find plenty of fun (and free) things to do in the twin cities that are focused on being outdoors. However, if you prefer the refinements of a city, you’ll find that here as well. The twin cities are home to some great museums, art centers, sports arenas, foodie stops, and cultural hubs. Whatever you prefer to do, you’ll find something that will entertain you in the twin cities.
Continue reading for our favorite things to do in the twin cities! We live close to the twin cities and have visited numerous times over the past 10 years to create this list. We’ve included everything that we think is worth a stop, including some amazing FREE things to do as well as some great value destinations. If you have any questions, don’t forget to leave them in the comments at the bottom of the post, we’d be happy to share any additional information with you.
Events to Attend
Visit a Theater for a Show
With numerous theaters throughout the twin cities, attending a show is a great evening activity for families. Theaters in the area put on plays, operas, ballets and musicals. Our favorite theater is the Orpheum theater which regularly brings broadway shows to Minneapolis.
Cost: $40-$200
See a Sporting Event
With professional sports teams aplenty and some amazing stadiums, taking in a professional sporting event is a fun thing to do in the twin cities. You can see the Minnesota Twins play in Target Field, the Minnesota Vikings play in the new US Bank Stadium, the Minnesota Timberwolves play at the Target Center or the Minnesota Wild play at the Excel Energy center. We’ve seen them all play. If you don’t really care what sporting event you attend, we’d recommend going to see the Minnesota Twins, they have some of the most inexpensive tickets and some of the best stadium food.
Cost: varies – but this is one of the most expensive things on this list
Fun for the Family
Minnesota Children’s Museum
The Minnesota Children’s Museum provides a fun and interactive way to spend the day for families. This place looks like a giant playground for kids. So let them run wild and free and get their learning on.
Cost: $14.95 (all ages)
Science Museum of Minnesota
This is one of our favorite things to do in the twin cities. We even were members here for several years. The Science Museum of Minnesota is one of the best science museums we’ve been to with plenty of interactive exhibits. What’s even better is this museum host nationally recognized exhibits so make sure to check out the temporary exhibits on a regular basis to see if something fun is showing. This interactive things here also make this a great place for the whole family.
Cost: $15 + extra exhibits
Como Park Zoo and Marjorie McNeely Conservatory
This is one of our all time favorite things to do in the twin cities! We love zoos and gardens so the fact that these two are combined and that they’re free just amazes us. The zoo is full of really spectacular exhibits with amazing animals, including one very playful polar bear. Before leaving the zoo, make sure to take a walk through the conservatory filled with plants from around the world including some amazing bonsai exhibits. Como is definately a top thing to do in the twin cities.
Cost: FREE – donation suggested
Minnesota Zoo
As a family who loves a good zoo, we love that the twin cities has two to choose from. The Minnesota Zoo has a great organizational structure, organizing their animals by environment. This zoo has some great big cat habitats as well as some awesome penguins. However, if you’re choosing between the two zoo, we’d recommend Como Park based on the less expensive price and the combination with the conservatory.
Cost: $19.95 (adults)
SEA LIFE
The SEA LIFE aquarium is located in the lower level of the Mall of America. Top highlights of the museum include the amazing tunnels below the aquarium where you can walk under the marine life. We also really love the “petting zoo” section of the aquarium where you can touch stingrays, sea cucumbers, sea urchins and more.
Cost: $24.99
Nickelodeon Universe
Nickelodeon Universe is also located in the Mall of America is is the largest indoor theme park in the US. There are tons of rides to hop on and enjoy. Middle aged children are sure to love this stop. Pricing for this attraction can be done per ride or buy timed wristbands, much like a fair. So even if you don’t want to spend the whole day here, you can still ride an indoor roller coaster just to say you did.
Cost: $7.60 and up
Outdoor Activities
Bike the Grand Rounds Scenic Byway System
The Grand Rounds Scenic Byway is an (almost) circular path around the twin cities. If you love biking, you’ll love these amazingly well marked and well groomed trails. Some trails are dedicated bike and pedestrian trails while some merge with the roads. If you enjoy biking, this wonderful system is a fun thing to do and a great way to explore all that the twin cities has to offer.
Cost: FREE
Minnehaha Regional Park
One of the most amazing – and popular – parks in the twin cities is the Minnehaha Regional Park. Visiting Minnehaha park is one of our favorite things to do in the twin cities. This park is home to the 53-foot Minnehaha Falls as well as gardens, walking trails, outdoor recreation areas, performance spaces, restaurants and more.
Cost: FREE
Chain of Lakes Regional Park
This park is one of the best places in the twin cities to gain lakefront access. With sprawling trails around the lakes, this is a great place to take a walk, visit a beach or rent a kayak or paddleboat for exploring the water further.
Cost: FREE
Art
Minneapolis Sculpture Garden
If you’ve looked up things to do in the twin cities, you’ve likely seen a picture of the famous Spoonbridge and Cherry one of the most iconic and instagramable things in Minneapolis. It’s no wonder that this destination is high on everyone’s list. This garden is a beautiful green space int he heart of the city filled with amazing outdoor art. The combination of the gardens and the art make this a great place to visit for everyone.
Cost: FREE
Walker Art Center
The Walker Art Center is right next door to the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden so consider adding it to your trip if you enjoy art. This art center is home to a great collection of contemporary art in a beautifully designed building.
Cost: $15 (adults)
The Minneapolis Institute of Art
The Minneapolis Institute of Art, or MIA as those in the know call it, is an impressive home to pieces of art from around the world. This museum displays pieces from cultures around the world and from various points of history. This is a great place to spend the day and the actives that the museum creates for children makes this a fun place for the whole family. If you only want to visit one art museum, this is the one we recomend.
Cost: FREE
Weisman Art Museum
The Weisman Art Museum is a pretty good free art museum. The real treat is seeing the amazing architecture of the building itself designed by Frank O Gehry. This museum is filled with some very specialized and unique collections that art lovers will enjoy.
Cost: FREE
Prince’s Paisley Park
We’ve included this in our list because it seems to be on top of everyone’s list these days for things to do in the twin cities. However, as we aren’t big Prince fans and the price tag of this experience is hefty compared with other things so we haven’t been yet. But Paisley Park is quickly becoming a top tourist destination in the twin cities and is on our list of things to do. Prince’s private sanctuary where he lived and recorded music is now open from public tours. If you’re a fan, this is for you.
Cost: $45
History
Minnesota State Capitol
St. Paul is home to the Minnesota State Capitol. Visiting the state capitol will give you an impressive view of the architecture and art of the capitol. You can take a free guided tour of the capitol that will give you a look into the art and history of the building as well as an inner look at the state’s governmental process.
Cost: FREE – donation suggested for tour
Minneapolis City Hall
This piece of history and architecture is a fun free stop in Minneapolis. You can see the building which once had the largest clock tower in the world and was the tallest building in the city. The architecture of the building is a fun visit as well as some of the sculptures that are in and around the building.
Cost: FREE
Minnesota History Center
The Minnesota History Center is home to exhibits explaining the history of the state. This includes the history of the land and the people that have inhabited it. They also host temporary exhibits with a narrower focus.
Cost: $12 (adults)
Wabasha Street Caves
Explore the urban hollows that were used for illegal activities during prohibition. The 40-minute tours provide you with history of the caves and the mobsters that made use of them. For lovers of local history or urban legends, you’ll enjoy this.
Cost: $10 (adult)
Stone Arch Bridge
This historic bridge is the oldest existing bridge in the twin cities. You can visit this bridge to see the amazing historic design and take in the skyline of Minneapolis. You can also take a stroll across the bridge as it’s now a walking bridge.
Cost: FREE
Explore a Historic Home
Historic homes are located throughout the city. You can easily drive through historic neighborhoods to see these gems from the outside. Summit Avenue is one of the best streets for seeing historic homes. If you are interested in touring a historic home, check out the list of historic houses put together by the Minnesota Historical Society.
Cost: $6-$12
Mill City Museum
The Mill City Museum presents a unique piece of twin cities history to its visitors. This museum focuses on the cities history as a leader in flour production and brings to life the flour milling process.
Cost: $12 (adult)
Historic Fort Snelling
Explore the former military fort and experience the history of the region, including the various cultural groups who have lived, worked or travelled through the twin cities area. A visit to Fort Snelling will include a lesson in history brought to you in a remarkably interactive way, from the historic reenactments to the wildly knowledgeable employees.
Cost: $12
American Swedish Institute
With the large population of people of Swedish decent, it’s no wonder that the American Swedish Institute has made its home in the twin cities. You can explore displays about Swedish culture, Swedish art and Swedish influence in the region.
Cost: $12 (adult)
Uniquely Minnesota
The Mall of America
The largest mall in America is a must see for all visitors to the twin cities. You can enjoy shopping the multistory monstrosity at the high end shops or the budget conscious stores. If shopping isn’t your thing, simply go to have fun. The Mall of America is home to an amusement park, an amazing aquarium, plenty of eateries, a hotel and more. There are plenty of people who visit Minneapolis solely for the experience of this impressive mall.
Cost: FREE
Try a Juicy Lucy Burger
The most “Minnesota” of foods, the Juicy Lucy is a hamburger stuffed with the cheese. This famed burger is rumored to have been invented in the twin cities area. Two bars are still fighting over the invention of this burger, the 5-8 Club and Matt’s Bar. While these two bars consistently top the best Juicy Lucy lists, you’ll find this Minnesota treat on many bar and grill menus.
Cost: $10-$20
Nicollet
This downtown area, formerly known as the Nicollet Mall, is one of the twin cities most unique shopping destinations. This mile long stretch of shops and resturants is connected by the Skyway System. The Skyway connects 9.5 miles of buildings via second story bridges. This is a great way to explore the downtown shops without braving the Minnesota weather.
Cost: FREE
Saint Anthony Main
This is one of the oldest neighborhoods in the twin cities and this pretty cobblestone street is home to many local shops and eateries. We’ve found some amazing restaurants just wandering this street.
Cost: FREE
Visit a Brewery
The Midwest loves a good brewery. And the twin cities have plenty of them. Spend some time exploring a microbrewery. Find a full list of them here. We can recommend Lakes and Legends as a great place to grab a brew and enjoy some fun games.
Cost: $5+
We hope you’ve added plenty of fun things to do in the twin cities to your personal itinerary. We hope you enjoy this beautiful green city as much as we do!
