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If you are planning a trip to the Minneapolis, Minnesota area and you’re bringing kids, then I’m sure you’ll want to find fun activities in Minneapolis that kids will enjoy. Here at Green Vacation Deals, we’ve picked out the 25 best things you can do with your children in Minneapolis that will make your family trip a sure success!
1. Nickelodeon Universe
One of the greatest attractions in the Minneapolis area is the Mall of America in nearby Bloomington, so a lot of the attractions on this list are actually in the Mall of America. One of those is Nickelodeon Universe, an actual amusement park located inside the mall. This is a great place your kids would enjoy – and if you have someone else on your trip watch your kids, then you can even get in some shopping while they spend time doing fun rides!
You can search for availability of this attraction here:
2. SEA LIFE Minnesota Aquarium
A fun activity your whole family can enjoy together at the Mall of America is SEA LIFE Minnesota Aquarium. They have a lot of great exhibits where you can enjoy seeing beautiful sea creatures, like sharks, clownfish, seahorses, etc. plus there are a lot of great experiences like feeding stingrays and even snorkeling with fish! You can get discounted tickets by purchasing your tickets ahead of time online.
You can check for availability of this attraction here:
3. Moose Mountain Adventure Golf
Another fun activity at the Mall of America is Moose Mountain Adventure Golf. This is a weather-proof miniature golf option that is indoors. Miniature golf is an activity both adults and children can enjoy together, making it a great choice.
You can check for availability for this attraction here:
4. Amazing Mirror Maze
Want even more fun in the Mall of America? Try the Mirror Maze, where the whole family can enjoy making their way through this mirror maze. And you can purchase discounted tickets for your family by clicking here.
5. Crayola Experience
Yet another fun experience you and your kids can have at Mall of America is the Crayola Experience, where there are over 22 hands-on activities blending technology, creativity, chemistry and of course fun! Thousands of crayons will be at you and your child’s disposal so you can create whatever you want at the Ultimate Coloring Station and if you can’t find the crayon you want, you can even wrap and name your own crayon! You’ll even be able to take a behind-the-scenes tour of how crayons are made. A definite must if your kids like coloring, and you should purchase your tickets here if you like saving money.
You can check for availability for the Crayola Experience here:
6. Rainforest Cafe
There are a lot of great restaurants at the Mall of America, but perhaps the most family friendly is the Rainforest Cafe. Children and adults alike enjoy the fun atmosphere and great animal animatronics, not to mention the periodic “storms” that occur during your meal. You can save money here, too, by joining the Landry Select Club.
7. Great Wolf Lodge
If you’re in the Mall of America area, then head to the 75,000 square foot indoor waterpark at the Great Wolf Lodge! You can enjoy great attractions like the River Canyon Run (a 4-story raft water slide), a 4-story treehouse with a 1,000 gallon tipping bucket, the Cub Paw pool for younger kids, etc. You can enjoy these features without staying at the Great Wolf Lodge – but if you want to stay at the Great Wolf Lodge, you can get a discounted stay by clicking here.
8. Valleyfair
One of the top amusement parks in the country is located in the Minneapolis area, and that is Valleyfair. It has over 75 attractions & rides including 8 roller coasters. It is opened seasonally and if it is open when you visit Minneapolis, your kids will definitely enjoy a visit! You can get discounted Valleyfair tickets here.
9. Wild Mountain
Another great water park in the Minneapolis area is Wild Mountain. It is located in Taylors Falls. They have multiple water slides, a lazy river, alpine slides, and even go-karts.
10. Complete Equestrian Company
A lot of children (and adults, really) think farm animals are so adorable. You can see horses, mini pigs, and goats at the Complete Equestrian Company. You can meet and learn about the animals at the Complete Equestrian Company as part of the Farm Experience package. You can also play games, and have fun. You can add on a horse riding session, too.
You can save 34% on one of these experiences here.
11. The Park Tavern
Your kids can enjoy great burgers or pizza and bowling while you can enjoy a wonderful drink menu of domestic & imported beers & wines. You can save 59% on tickets by clicking here.
12. AMF – Bowlero
How about a day or afternoon when you can combine bowling, laser tag, a state of the art arcade with 4-D adventures, domed screens and amazing game experiences, like the World’s Largest Pac-Man, The Walking Dead, Mario Kart DX, NBA Hoops Basketball & more? You can do this at AMF – Bowlero, which has multiple locations throughout the Twin Cities area – and you can save over half off game cards by clicking here.
13. Escape Room
Depending on how old your kid are, you have fun solving an escape room challenge with them. And there is a great escape room right in Mall of America!
You can check for availability here:
14. iFLY Minneapolis First Time Flyer Experience
iFLY Minneapolis is a state-of-the-art wind tunnel that allows you to feel the thrill of a simulated skydive. It is a great way to freefall in safety. In other words, you can give your daredevil child the feel of a skydive experience while doing it in a safe atmosphere. Click here to book this experience.
You can check for availability here:
15. Amazing Scavenger Hunt
Another fun thing you can do with kids is a scavenger hunt. It is a great way for your whole family to work together to solve clues. It is also a fun way to discover – or rediscover – the great city of Minneapolis. Click here to book this experience.
Check for availability for this experience here:
16. Sky Zone St. Paul
Do you have a child with an abundance of energy? Perhaps they could let off some of that energy on a trampoline. You can do that on trampolines at Sky Zone in St. Paul. Click here to book a 90-Minute Jump Pass with a discount of up to 10%.
17. Lilli Put Putt Putt
An activity I always liked doing as a child was putt putt golf. Minneapolis has a really cool, unique putt golf course. Lilli Putt is a glow-in-the-dark minigolf experience at an outdoor family-entertainment center. You can save up to 33% off your mini golf experience at Lilli Put by clicking here.
18. Lilli Putt Family Entertainment Center
Lilli Putt also has an entertainment center with bumper boat and go karts. You can click here to save up to 35% on these activities.
19. SeaQuest
Earlier I mentioned the SEA LIFE Minnesota Aquarium at the Mall of America. But that is not the only great aquarium experience in the Twin Cities. And that is SeaQuest Roseville. I tell you all about it, including how to save money on admission with a coupon, here.
20. Chuck E. Cheese
Chuck E. Cheese is a great place for children to go and really get to be kids. There are so many fun things for kids to do there.
You can also find great coupons for Chuck E. Cheese in Saint Paul here. There are coupons for 60-Minutes of All You Can Play Games and a Family Play & Pizza Package. You’ll save up to 43%!
21. St Croix River – Scenic Helicopter Tour
The St. Croix River is one of the few designated wild & scenic rivers in the country & is abundant with wildlife & rustic architecture. A great way for you to experience it and keep your children entertained is by taking an exciting St Croix River Scenic Helicopter Tour above it.
22. We Rock the Spectrum Kid’s Gym for All Kids – Brainerd Lakes
Kids of all ability levels can have fun at We Rock the Spectrum Kid’s Gym. They have a fun indoor playground with climbing structures, a trampoline, climbing structures, a variety of swings, and a zipline. And it is, of course, inclusive for kids of all abilities. Click here to book this activity of up to 27% off.
23. Minnesota Twins Games
You and your kids can enjoy a Minnesota Twins Game, and if you worry your child will get bored during the day, you’ll be happy to know about T.C.’s Den, a hands-on area where kids can release their energy. It is located on the club level of the stadium and it is a great place for your kids to go during the game when they get restless.
24. Trail Rides at Erik’s Ranch
If your children are 8 or older, then you can enjoy trail rides at Eriks Montana Adventures in nearby Edina, the ranch which was used in the popular movies “Horse Whisperer” and “A River Runs Through It”.
25. Minnesota Lynx Game
The Minnesota Lynx professional women’s basketball team games have a really wonderful atmosphere that are very kid-friendly. They have their games at the same place as the Minnesota Timberwolves, which is the Target Center in Minneapolis. You can get cheap tickets to these games here.
