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20 Reasons to Explore Minnesota

Discover some of the many reasons to explore Minnesota, listed here in no particular order.

1. Unique Accommodations

For many travelers, a hotel is much more than a place to sleep. If you're seeking a truly unique experience, many lodging properties throughout Minnesota offer sleeping quarters, history and other quirks that can’t be found anywhere else.

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2. Wonderful Sounds

Minnesota is home to a number of older stages that have been lovingly restored and continue to host live music today. Here are five notable venues where spectators can appreciate not only the talent onstage, but also the history of the venue within its community.

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3. Fishing Variety

Minnesota's great fishing starts with its many diverse bodies of water. The moniker "Land of 10,000 Lakes"--a considerable understatement--only hints at that variety. In fact, the state has more shoreline than California, Florida and Hawaii combined.

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4. World-Class Bike Trails

Minnesota's 4,000 miles of paved trails are a cyclist's dream. Many bike trails are along former railroad beds, offering secluded, scenic biking. Several are part of the Minnesota State Trails system, while other trails and routes are regional or metropolitan.

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5. Harvest Season

For many Minnesotans, the annual fall trip to a favorite orchard to pick a peck of perfectly ripe apples is essentially a holiday, a festival, and certainly an honored tradition. Families look forward to that sunny weekend afternoon picking and eating everybody's favorite varieties right off the tree.

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6. Family-Friendly Art

To some, art and theater come across as stuffy, sophisticated and best suited to adults. But not here. Multiple museums, theaters and performing arts groups in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area cater to the littlest ones in the family with special exhibits, performances and events created just for them.

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7. Scenic Byways

The Grand Rounds Scenic drive offers a little bit of everything: historic sites, modern and contemporary art, outdoor recreation, and great scenery along a chain of lakes, Minnehaha Creek, and the riverfront along the Mississippi.

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8. Pro Sports Teams

There's no shortage of sports teams to cheer in Minnesota, from professional leagues to college teams to local clubs. Whether you love Vikings football or Timberwolves basketball, you can watch top athletes compete at venues around the state.

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9. Homegrown Souvenirs

From Greyhound buses and snowmobiles to SPAM and Red Wing Pottery, Minnesota boasts a boatful of great inventions and beloved products that have been woven into American life for generations. Check out museums and factory tours devoted to the North Star state’s best-known creations.

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10. Farm-to-Table Restaurants

There are a few spots across the state that do an especially great job working directly with farmers to source local ingredients. Here’s a look at some places that say farm-to-table—and actually mean it.

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11. Community Theater

Minnesota’s top-notch professional theater scene gets plenty of well-deserved attention, but there’s a home-town exuberance and excitement that’s unique to community theater—plays performed by amateur actors out of civic pride and love of the art, with auditions typically open to all.

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12. Great Golf You Can Afford

Known as a top U.S. golf destination, Minnesota offers hundreds of courses characterized by beautiful natural settings, excellent conditions and affordability. Minnesota, in the last decade, has become one of the hotbeds of the game. Golf in Minnesota is a great story.

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13. Great State Parks

The great heritage of Minnesota’s state park system begins at the source of America’s greatest river. Itasca State Park, home to the headwaters of the Mississippi River, was established in 1891, launching what is now the second-oldest state park system in the nation.

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14. Craft Beer Galore

For years, domestic beer was viewed as wine's lowbrow cousin, suitable for drinking during sporting events or cookouts, and little else. The craft brew revolution has turned that thinking on its head, and the past five to 10 years have seen an explosion in artisan beer production in Minnesota.

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15. Light Rail Transit

Minneapolis and St. Paul have a lot of connections: The Mississippi River flows through them both, their residents root for the same sports teams, and their museums and theaters are world class. Now, they’re also physically connected by the Metro Green Line light rail, which runs between Minneapolis’ Target Field and St. Paul’s Union Depot.

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16. Festival Fun

Let Minnesota entertain you at its festivals and fairs, on its stages, and at its sporting events. Our calendar serves up plenty of fun year-round!

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17. Tax-Free Shopping

With no tax on clothing, shoes, food and medicine, Minnesota is a bargain hunter's dream. Plan a day or more around these highlights, within and beyond the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.

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18. Voyageurs National Park

Voyageurs National Park's 200,000 acres offers 240 sites designated for houseboats, tent camping or day use along the shores of four large, island-studded lakes, and dozens of smaller lakes, along the Canadian border.

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19. Wonderful Wildlife

Wildlife sanctuaries dedicated to wolves, bears and eagles offer fun and education for animal lovers of all ages. Plan a trip to the International Wolf Center and North American Bear Center in Ely, the Vince Shute Wildlife Sanctuary near Orr, and the National Eagle Center in Wabasha.

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20. Intriguing Heritage

Ojibwe (or Anishinaabe) and Dakota (Sioux) heritage figure strongly in Minnesota’s past and its present. Here are some of the best places to admire tribal artistry, learn about their histories, and appreciate their cultures through storytelling and music.

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