With an abundance of lakes, parks, and beautiful weather, Minneapolis is a great summer vacation destination with kids!
No trip to Minneapolis in the summer is complete without some time spent at (or on) one of the many nearby lakes. If you only have 3 days or a long weekend, I suggest you divide your time as follows: one city day, one lake day, and your last day exploring the Minnehaha neighborhood and Mall of America before heading to the airport.
In this post, I describe some of our favorite activities to do in and around Minneapolis with kids. I hope it inspires your family to check out this great city!
Day 1: The City
The Stone Arch Bridge
The Stone Arch Bridge is a great place to start your day in downtown Minneapolis. The walk out onto the Stone Arch Bridge offers an impressive view of the mighty Mississippi and St. Anthony Falls.
Dating back to the 1880s, the Stone Arch Bridge was built as a railroad crossing and is the second oldest bridge on the Mississippi. Today the bridge is a pedestrian walkway.
If you look back to the West from the Bridge, you will see the flour mill ruins and the Mill City Museum, which is where I recommend you head next.
Note: the Stone Arch Bridge is undergoing renovations starting in 2024. The work is scheduled to take a couple years to complete. Expect full or partial closures during this time. We were able to walk half of the bridge during our visit in 2024.
The Mill City Museum
The Mill City Museum is fabulous. Not only is the museum informative on Minneapolis’ flour milling industry, but it has several interactive displays that will keep the little ones engaged. At the time of our visit, the Mill City Museum was only open Thursday – Sunday. Check their website to confirm the Museum’s hours.
Lake BDE Maka Ska and Lake Harriet
Lake BDE Maka Ska and Lake Harriet are right in the city and are surrounded by beautiful historic homes and city parks. Taking a walk or drive along the lakes is a great way to spend a warm summer day in Minneapolis with kids. You will see people out enjoying the parks along the lakes, playing volleyball, biking, and just having a good time.
Ride a Streetcar
On the Northwest side of Lake Harriet, you will find the Como-Harriet Streetcar Line. Visitors can take a short, but scenic ride on a historic street car. The street car runs often and was a big hit with our little ones. Buy your tickets/tokens in the Museum shop.
Sebastian Joe’s Ice Cream
If you are looking for some delicious ice cream after exploring Lake Harriet, check out Sebastian Joe’s. It is only about a 10 minute walk from the Como-Harriet Streetcar Line/Museum. Sebastian Joe’s serves a variety of flavors, including their well-loved Nicollet Avenue Pothole (named after Nicollet Avenue downtown).
Twins Game at Target Field
Being so far north, summer days are long in Minnesota. One great way to enjoy the extended daylight is to attend an evening Minnesota Twins game at Target Field.
Day 2: Lake Day on Lake Minnetonka
When visiting Minneapolis with kids, a lake day is a must! Lake Minnetonka is a wonderful place to soak up Minnesota lake life and is only about a 20 minute drive from the city.
Wayzata and Excelsior are two great lake towns that I suggest you check out. They each have their own vibe and are only about 20 minutes apart, so it’s easy to visit both. Wayzata is a high-end town with many shopping and dining options. Excelsior has a lot of Americana charm and plenty to do with kids. I recommend stopping by Wayzata but spending the bulk of your day in Excelsior.
Wayzata
Wayzata is a resorty town with high-end restaurants and shops. Stroll along the river front, walk out onto the docks, and admire the impressive homes lining the lake.
Trains once connected Wayzata to downtown Minneapolis. While trains no longer stop at Wayzata, you can visit the Wayzata Depot Museum at Wayzata’s Great Northern Railway Depot to learn more about Wayzata’s history.
Excelsior
Excelsior is a charming lake-front town that has many boutique shops, family-friendly food, and a waterfront park with public beaches. Once you have soaked in Water Street (Excelsior’s main drag), head down to the lake and watch the boats come and go.
Check out the city of Excelsior’s website for information on community events. During the warm months, there are free, weekly concerts in the park at Commons Pavilion, which is only a short walk northwest of the town center.
Numerous restaurants line Waters Street. Maynards, which is just a short walk from Waters Street, is also a great option for a meal on a sunny afternoon. Maynards has a massive water front patio where you can fill up on a variety of American food options while enjoying the Minnesotan lake life.
For ice cream, will it be Adelle’s or Licks? That is the big debate. Both are tasty and in their own categories. Adelle’s is where you go for creamy, custardy ice cream. Licks has all sorts of creative concoctions that are fun to sample and taste delicious.
Enjoy the water
Multiple companies offer lake cruises and private charters that depart from both Excelsior and Wayzata. Boats are also available for rent.
Alternatively, spend the afternoon on a lakefront beach. If you walk northwest from downtown Excelsior to Excelsior Public Beach you will find a playground and two small sandy beaches. Lake Minnewashta Regional Park is another lake front park in the area with a beach.
Minnesota Landscape Arboretum
Beautiful nature walks, manicured gardens, sculptures, and mazes! If you have time in your day, the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum is worth a stop. The Arboretum hosts several family-friendly activities and events, like story time and discovery booths. The Arboretum is managed by the University of Minnesota’s College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences. Check out their website for more information and to see what is scheduled. This place is huge and has so much to offer visitors of all ages.
Day 3: Explore the Minnehaha Neighborhood, Fort Snelling, and the Mall of America
We really enjoyed exploring this side of town. The airport is nearby, so some or all of these sites could be tacked on to your trip to or from the airport.
Minnehaha Regional Park, Minnehaha Falls, and Fort Snelling
Minnehaha Regional Park is a scenic park with an extensive trail system along the Mississippi River. Minnihaha Falls is one of the park’s highlights. There are food options within the park, as well as places to rent bicycles, surreys, and other kinds of wheels.
The trails connect to Fort Snelling State park. You could spend days exploring these parks and their trails. If you just have time for the highlights, stop by Minnihaha Falls (parking nearby), and then head over to Fort Snelling for a history lesson and to observe some historic demonstrations (depending on the time of year).
Drive up Minnihaha parkway and admire the charming homes lining this beautiful street before heading to Lake Nokomis.
Lake Nokomis
Lake Nokomis is surrounded by another large, beautiful park. You will find lots of walking trails, public beaches, coffee shops, and places to eat. You can also rent a variety of watercraft (swan boats, paddle boards, kayaks, etc.), bicycles, surreys, and other kinds of wheels.
Try a Juicy Lucy at the 5-8 Club
If you are looking for something to eat in Minneapolis with kids, try the Juicy Lucy.
This is not a food blog. While we enjoy plenty of good meals on our trips, for the most part I leave the food blogging to the foodies. The Juicy Lucy, however, is a unique take on a hamburger that has cheese inside the patty and is quite notorious around Minneapolis. This fun twist on a hamburger was a big hit with my kids.
Multiple restaurants serve the Juicy Lucy, but the 5-8 Club (originally a speakeasy) claims to have invented the famous burger. If you want to see what all the hype is about, the 5-8 Club is an easy stop as you explore Lake Nokomis, the Mall of America, or head to the airport.
Mall of America
If you are in Minneapolis with kids on a rainy day, I suggest checking out the Mall of America.
The Mall of America is huge and you could easily spend a whole day exploring the place. If just have a couple hours, the Lego Store and the Nickelodeon Universe (an amusement park inside the mall) were big hits with our kids.
The Mall of America is right next to the airport and there is a metro train connecting the two, making it an easy stop before heading to the airport. You can pay to store your luggage in lockers while you walk around the mall (see the guest services page of the mall’s website).
Until Next Time!
And there you have it – a little bit of everything! Our three days in Minneapolis sure flew by!
If you are looking for an easy summer destination with a little bit of everything for your family, I recommend putting Minneapolis on your list.
