5 Reasons To Visit Minnesota For Winter Break
When you tell someone you're from Minnesota, you might get asked about Mall of America, or someone might tell you how they visited Minneapolis once and how nice it was. What seems to happen every time, however, is a question about the brutal winters. They ask, "How do you survive? How can you live there?"
Well, so what if it's cold? Spend winter break here and see for yourself why Minnesota is great in December.
Rice Park And Wells Fargo Winter Skate
109 W. 4th St
St Paul, MN 55102
(651) 632-5111
www.wellsfargowinterskate.com
Rice Park looks great no matter what time of year, but with icicles hanging from trees, the snow lining park benches and street lamps glowing in the cold air, and the 80-foot christmas tree lit up and towering above it all, the park is especially striking in the winter. Across the street, at the base of the palatial Landmark Center an ice skating rink is full of people skating, ringing with laughter and voices, the warming house nearby waiting with hot chocolate to warm chapped lips and red cheeks. This is what winter is all about.
Hockey In Minnesota
Xcel Energy Center
199 Kellogg Blvd W
St Paul, MN 55102
(651) 265-4800
www.xcelenergycenter.com
Minnesota has earned its title as the state of hockey. The Wild's season is in full swing in December, where you can enjoy the sport from the warmth of the Xcel Energy Center, and the bars along 7th, an always festive stretch in the winter, are waiting for you when you leave. But there is more than major league hockey that makes hockey in Minnesota special. Ice rinks dot the landscape across the state, and bundling up, playing hockey (or taking part in leagues or events like the U.S. Pond Hockey Championships) outside with the ice kicking up from your skates and your breath turning to clouds is a bucket list-worthy experience.
Go to www.rinkfinder.com to find the ice rink closest to you.
North Shore Winter Activities
www.northshorevisitor.com
From showshoeing to dog sledding, skiing alpine or cross-country style, snowmobiling, ice-fishing, and plenty of other activities for people of all ages, the winter is packed pretty full in the northern part of the state. There are plenty of places to stay as well, including rustic lodges or fully-furnished rooms, and plenty of restaurants as well. Meet the elements halfway — it's not just about dropping temperatures, it's about the fun you can have when the world is frozen over. It's an experience you won't find anywhere else.
Indoor Water Parks
Water Park of America
1700 American Blvd E
Bloomington, MN 55425
(952) 854-8700
www.waterparkofamerica.com
As the enclosed mall was retail's answer to frigid temps, these indoor water parks let you have all the lazy rivers, water slides, wading pools and hot tubs while it snows outside. You can head out to resorts like Arrowwood in Alexandria, or Edgewater in Duluth. But, as with the Mall of America right down the street, Water Park of America might be your best option. Step out of the cold and into the tropical warmth and a day, or two, or three, in the water.
All Of The Lights
Minnesota glows with a million twinkling lights during the Christmas season. Whether you're going to Bentleyville in Duluth for "America's largest free walk through lighting display," taking a short trip around Lake Phalen in St. Paul for Lights In The Park, or heading over to the Christmasota display at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds for over a mile of drive-through lights, it's a magical time to be here. But just driving around neighborhoods streets, shopping districts and parks will show just how beautiful a winter evening can be.
Related: Best Places For Winter Outdoor Adventures In Minnesota
Adrian Schramm is a resident Saint Paul writer with a passion for all things local. Through his work with Saint Paul Almanac and Minneapolis Examiner at Examiner.com, as well as in the kitchens of bars and restaurants around town, he has discovered what truly makes the Twin Cities tick.
