Five Reasons To Visit Minnesota In 2015
Thinking of skipping your planned trip to Minnesota and heading somewhere tropical instead? Think again. Minnesota has a ton of activities and fun events coming up in 2015 to make a visit worthwhile. With so much square footage, Minnesota houses city life, country life and river life for those who are looking for something specific. Enjoy the entertainment and crowds of the Twin Cities or travel up north for a quiet weekend on the lake. State parks and outdoor adventures also await you. Find your reason to visit Minnesota here.
It's no secret that Minnesota welcomes long and cold winters every year. However, it would be hard to know that considering the amount of outdoor activities and fun that is available year-round. Travelers from all over the world come to Minnesota to take part in fantastic outdoor adventures and enjoy the vast miles of National Parks.
A favorite destination in Minnesota for the adventurer is the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, or BWCA to the locals. This area consists of 1,500 miles of canoe routes and a million acres of hiking and camping fun. Bring a backpack and a tent if you are a camper and find a beautiful spot along the vast area of lakes and wilderness to spend the day. Not a camper? Find yourself in a beautiful cabin or resort located along the entryways to the BWCA.
Other outdoor adventures in Minnesota include snowshoeing, skiing, boating and biking. Minnesota has many miles of paved bike trails throughout the state. Enjoy the Mesabi Trail or the famous Paul Bunyan Trail for a longer weekend ride or just rent a bike inside the metro area for a fun way to tour the Twin Cities.
Too cold or muggy out to commune with nature? Luckily there are dozens of activities that take place indoors throughout the year in Minnesota. With the diverse population and wide range of cultures that live in Minnesota, we are lucky to have 11 Indian tribes that reside in the state and run 18 casinos throughout Minnesota. Casinos are a fun way to pass the time and try out your Blackjack skills while enjoying world-class entertainment. Mystic Lake, the largest casino in Minnesota, is located just outside of the Twin Cities and is open 24 hours. Play the slot machines, stay in the hotel, enjoy a great meal or just go for the entertainment.
Casinos not your thing? Minnesota is full of great shopping malls including the Mall of America and dozens of outlet malls and indoor shopping areas throughout the state. Enjoy quaint sections of small town Minnesota that contain specialty shops and find something strictly Minnesotan on your travels.
Minnesota is proud to house over 30 art museums and a thriving performing arts scene that reaches all corners of the state. Aside from museums displaying priceless works of art, Minnesota is home to museums dedicated to sports, transportation, history, science, nature and anything else you can think of.The metro area of the Twin Cities houses the world-famous Minnesota Orchestra and several blocks of historic and renovated theaters such as the Orpheum, the Pantages, the State Theatre and the Shubert. Children are also invited to take place in the love of art and culture through museums and theaters geared especially towards the younger population. Bring your children to one of Minnesota's Children's museums or Children's Theaters to enhance their own love of art and culture.
Related: Biking The Iron Range's Mesabi Trail
Minnesota is a haven for family fun and games. Find your way to one of the great aquariums or zoos located in the state for some education and fun. The Mall of America houses an underground aquarium that boasts one of the best freshwater exhibits in the country. Learn about the other residents of the planet at the Minnesota Zoo in Apple Valley or the Como Zoo in St. Paul. Another fun and fantastic aquarium is located north in Duluth, where the Great Lakes Aquarium provides an entire day of fun.If your family is in search of more adventurous fun, visit one of the indoor waterparks in Minnesota, located throughout the state. The Waterpark of America is a huge attraction located in a hotel by the Mall of America. Here you can stay for the night and splash around all day long before visiting Nickelodeon Universe, an amusement park just steps away inside the mall. Travel outside of the Twin Cities to the Big Splash Arrowhead Resort in Alexandria, the biggest indoor waterpark in the state. The options for fun and amusement are endless.
The Twin Cites of Minnesota host a thriving and fantastic music scene. Many of the best small venue stages in the country are located in Minnesota and have been visited by some of the biggest names in the music business. First Avenue, a well-known night club in downtown Minneapolis, welcomes local acts and a wide range of talent to its stages every weekend. Many of the performers that are now Grammy-winning artists have started their career on a stage at First Ave.Stay up late and enjoy the music scene in the eighth best music city in America. Clubs all over the state welcome genres from jazz to folk, to world and rock music on a nightly basis. The summer also welcomes a huge outdoor concert series at the Minnesota Zoo with performances from cult favorites and even big names in the business.
