12 Favorites for your Minneapolis/St. Paul Family Getaway

12 Favorite Minneapolis / Saint Paul Adventures for Your Next Minneapolis Getaway

We love visiting the Minneapolis - Saint Paul area and always find new things to uncover. We revel in a rich blend of nature and city amenities. History, local makers, waterfalls, great food, microbreweries, art, views and so much more welcome us back visit after visit. Every jaunt to the Minneapolis - Saint Paul area offers us a fantastic Minnesota vacation full of outdoor exploration, small business discoveries, wonderful flavors, art inspiration and so much more. Enjoy meandering through a few of our Minneapolis - Saint Paul favorites:

Stone Arch Bridge and Mill Ruins Park: We love a nice walk over the architectural marvel -- the Stone Arch Bridge! City, Mississippi River and St. Anthony Falls views can be enjoyed from the bridge. Nearby, explore the ruins of a flour mill along the river bank.

The Stone Arch Bridge crossing the Mississippi River in Minneapolis is an architectural marvel.

Mill City Museum: A visit to Mill City Museum provides for a fascinating exploration of Minneapolis' flour milling history. You will observe the remnants of one of the city's flour mills and nearby ruins. Additionally, one of the best views in Minneapolis can be savored from the museum. The Stone Arch Bridge and Mill Ruins Park are right there to explore as well. Plus, the gift shop purveys made in Minnesota gifts!

Shadow Falls: A hike at Shadow Falls in St. Paul treated us to a lovely ravine hike spiking a spring. We spotted the falls from above and could hike down to them. Truly a beautiful spot! Before descending down into the ravine, be sure to catch the Mississippi River views.

Minnehaha Falls: From first glance, we fell in love with Minnehaha Falls. The 53-foot waterfall rushes over a rocky ledge creating some true wilderness right in Minneapolis. We have visited Minnehaha Falls on several visits and enjoy going beyond merely viewing the waterfall by hiking on the trails of the preserve.

Minnehaha Falls at golden hour.

Grand Ole Creamery and Grand Pizza: Satiating our love of things sweet with locally churned ice cream is a must on our travels. In Saint Paul, we love popping into Grand Ole Creamery for a few scoops of delicious, homemade ice cream. Flavors range from traditional to something with a little flare like chocolate malt banana. Grand Ole Creamery has several locations and has been a Twin Cities favorite since 1984.

Chain of Lakes: The range of natural spaces within the Twin Cities continue to amaze us. They certainly inspire us to return again and again! Chain of Lakes features five lakes connected by trails. We have explored each and have found each to display their own unique scenery and vibrance. At spots, you can see the Minneapolis skyline which delights.

Capture some true whimsy mini golfing at Can Can Wonderland in Saint Paul.

Can Can Wonderland: Can Can Wonderland is a whimsical indoor mini golf course in Saint Paul. The holes are incredibly unique and designed by local artists. Additionally, the festive spot maintains a collection of vintage pinball machines and arcade games. 

Minneapolis Sculpture Garden: Wander through large-scale sculptures at the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden. The garden has been open since 1988 and has grown ever since. Spoonbridge and Cherry is a favorite sculpture but truly there are so many creations to explore.

Spoonbridge and Cherry delights at the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden.

Como Park Zoo and Conservatory: Located in Saint Paul, Como Park Zoo and Conservatory offers visitors plenty to discover. Visit with the animals of the zoo or admire the floral displays under the glass of the conservatory. We even spied a sleeping sloth in a hybrid zoo/conservatory portions called Tropical Encounters! Nearby is Como Lake which is quite a peaceful spot to walk and perfect for birding.

Surly Brewing Co.: The Twin Cities offer a wealth of opportunities to sip on local microbrews. We love to visit Surly Brewing Co.'s Beer Hall because you can relax with a microbrew and order some gastropub temptations. If pizza strikes your fancy, you can order a pie upstairs at the hall. With foodie fun, Surly is fun for the family -- even those not ready for brews!

Grab a Juicy Lucy: When in the Twin Cities, you need to try the Juicy Lucy at least once. The Juicy Lucy is a beef patty oozing with the juicy goodness of cheese in the center. There are a number of favorite spots to grab one including Matt's Bar, Bluedoor Pub and the 5-8 Club.

Ingebretsen's maintains the Scandinavian history of Minneapolis. We love to shop there for Scandinavian foods and gifts.

Ingebretsen's: Ingebretsen's in Minneapolis is a fantastic Scandinavian market full of Scandinavian foods including a butcher counter and cheese. Additionally, Ingebretsen's purveyors a range of Scandinavian gifts, home goods, children's items and more. Ingebretsen's first opened in 1921 and has been a touchstone to the history of the region's Scandinavian immigrants ever since.

What are your favorite Minneapolis - Saint Paul discoveries? I would love some more ideas for my upcoming visit!