Benable — create shareable lists of things you recommend!
E.g., products you love, local businesses, travel recs - you can add anything to a Benable list!
Places to play, relax, and learn - Minneapolis, Saint Paul, and Greater Minnesota
20
items This state has so much to offer. We have parks in the cities that seem like they should be in the middle of nowhere, shopping, restaurants, and more.
Map
Sections
6
Go play outside
Museums, Libraries, and History
Shop, shop, shop
Awesome Events - Nerd out or just have a great time
Good eats - Sit down restaurants
Get Cozy With Great Coffee Shops
Go play outside
Our winters can be rough, but summers, springs, and falls are glorious. Even in the cold of winter, you can still enjoy the outdoors. My family loves these places and the activities they host.
This is our go-to nature center. The staff is extremely friendly, and the ambassador animals are well cared for. They also have gear you can check out year-round to help you get a more in-depth experience of the park.
Carl W. Kroening Nature Center
Como Zoo and Conservatory are both incredibly fun in their own ways. The small zoo has well cared for animals and an easy layout. The Conservatory is full of gorgeous plants, including a corpse flower. The surrounding park is huge, with regular activ...
Como Zoo
The Minnesota Zoo is huge and extremely active in conservation. When I visited Minnesota every year growing up, visiting the zoo was a regular thing. Now, my daughter continues that tradition. Her favorites are the llamas, the farm (feeding goats is ...
Minnesota Zoo
This garden is more like a park with wide pathways and a boardwalk over the wetland portion. Each time I've gone, it's been wonderfully peaceful, and since the seasons change so much in Minnesota, there's always something new to see. It's lovely even...
Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird Sanctuary
This is an amazing park for kids and their grownups. The playground is huge, there's a sandy beach on the lake, walking trails, and spaces you can rent for indoor or outdoor parties. My sister rented out a little boathouse-looking structure for aroun...
Clifton E. French Regional Park
This is a favorite nature center for my little one's nature preschool and playdates with friends. They have a great playground surrounded by woods and with unique play equipment. There's a climbing hill with a built-in slide and a water feature in th...
Westwood Hills Nature Center
Museums, Libraries, and History
Minnesota is known for so many things that its museums and history get overlooked. If you visit, be sure to check these faves out.
This amazing museum is usually overlooked even by locals, but it's worth a visit (or 3). It has 3 floors of interactive exhibits, including temporary exhibits. The last time we went, my daughter couldn't get enough of the prairie exhibit with an earl...
Minnesota History Center
My little one regularly begs to go to this museum, and I take her every chance I get. There is a huge variety of exhibits, including a section on medical quackery (my favorite) and dinosaurs (my daughter's fave).
Science Museum of Minnesota
This is our go-to library. The staff rotates toys in the kids section, and they have events almost every day. Most events are free, too, and the staff is always friendly. There's also a little room where you can take out of circulation books to keep ...
Brookdale Library
Shop, shop, shop
The Mall of America is a lot of fun, but we have so many independent shops of all kinds that need some love. I can't get enough of these places, and I'm sure you can find some treasures, too.
I don't get to hit this store as often as I'd like, but every time I go, there are different goods to browse and unique prices to puzzle over. If you love antiques and downright weird things, you'll love this place.
Hunt and Gather
This little bookstore is right across the street from one of my favorite coffee shops. They have a great selection, especially for such a small space, and two friendly, sweet shop cats who love to greet guests as they browse the shelves.
Big Hill Books
I had a Groupon for this place and we just went today. It was so much fun!!! My daughter and I both made our own slime (both of which basically became hers when we got home). They also had some great toys and games to play with, too. We'll definitely...
Twin City Slime | Maplewood MN
Awesome Events - Nerd out or just have a great time
Every year, there are so many events to check out. Some of these events, I've gone to year after year, others just haven't worked out schedule-wise, bit I had a blast at.
Before becoming a mom, I attended this convention every year and still have the friends I've made there. They offer special guests each year, a variety of panels, gaming, and crafts for the kids. At night, there are all sorts of great themed party ro...
CONvergence Convention
This yearly market is packed with locally grown goodness that evolves with the seasons. We actually got the flowers for my little wedding at this market, and I've picked up seedlings for my garden from there before, too.
Minneapolis Farmers Market
We went to this parade this year, and had a blast. Osseo is a small enough town that there weren't huge crowds, and everyone loved seeing little kids there. The local marching bands, bagpipe band, and dance groups were fantastic. The kids got LOTS of...
Annual Osseo Lions ROAR Information
Good eats - Sit down restaurants
From quirky to casual, we have it all. These restaurants stood out from the crowd for me, and I go back every time I can.
The food is always soo good and the staff is so friendly! They also have a cool waiting area with a '50's era tv, juke box, arcade game, and other memorabilia.
50's Grill
Not to be confused with Gordon Ramsay's Hell's Kitchen, this is a gem in downtown Minneapolis. The deco is unforgettable, and the food is amazing. They have some fantastic spicy dishes and live music. Their bloody marys are the absolute best.
Hell's Kitchen Minneapolis
Get Cozy With Great Coffee Shops
I absolutely love coffee shops; especially independent shops. These are my favorites so far!
This coffee shop is one of my happy places. The staff are fantastic, and I have yet to have a drink I didn't like there. It's my girl's and my weekly afyer-preschool ritual. If you get the chance, try their apple fritters.
Cuppa Java
This is a brand new fave. Their toffee coffee is amazing, and the food has been wonderful. The staff is super friendly, and the environment always lifts my spirits.
Just Love Coffee Cafe - Champlin
This little gem is right between the Brookdale Library and the government center. My little girl and I love stopping for a handmade drink and treat after we're done at the library. Their bubble teas are the best, and we love their mixed berry smoothi...
City Cafe