Attractions

Earlier this month, we visited our family in the Midwest and spent a week on a lake in Minnesota. And on that trip, I discovered five great activities that really made my vacation. My husband will argue that card playing (Whist, Pinocle and Hell’s Bridge) is his favorite way to spend the week, but for me, here are my five favorite activities at the lake:

Fishing

Fishing is always a great option, not that I caught anything to write home about. It is a relaxing way to spend the afternoon, bobbing about in a skiff, trying to catch one of the fish below. Apparently, if I was willing to get up at the crack of dawn, I would have had much better luck fishing! Read More »

Southeastern Minnesota is home to many caves.  A few years ago, my husband and I visited Niagara Cave near Harmony, MN.  It was beautiful, but one of the things I remember most was the number of stairs we had to climb during the tour.

When I took the kids to Historic Forestville, down the road from Harmony at Preston, and they asked to go to Mystery Cave, I hesitated, not knowing how one mom with four kids would do on a cave tour.  We learned the easy way that Mystery Cave is great for families.

Although both are in Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park, Mystery Cave is a few miles away from Historic Forestville.  A modern visitor center at the cave area welcomes visitors.  We paid our admission, and since we had forgotten our sweatshirts for the 48-degree cave weather, the ranger offered us jackets to wear during the tour.  Strollers are permitted in the cave, although backpack carriers are not.  If you’ve forgotten your stroller, they’ll loan you one of those as well.

The paths inside the cave are wide and level and well-lit.  There was only one spot where I had to leave the stroller behind temporarily; otherwise it was easy pushing throughout the tour.

Mystery Cave tours are led by state park rangers, and are more scientifically based than the touristy Niagara Cave.  We learned about stalactites and stalagmites and “cave bacon” and other formations in the cave.  My kids were captivated by the tour and appreciated the opportunity to ask questions of the knowledgeable ranger.

The basic Mystery Cave tour lasts for one hour; if you’re more adventurous, they have longer tours available periodically that go deeper into the cave.

If you have to wait for your tour to start, there’s plenty of room to roam, including a picturesque bridge across the creek near the cave.

Visiting Mystery Cave

$10, ages 13 and over
$6, ages 5-12
Free, ages 4 and under

A state park permit ($5 daily or $25 annually) is also required to enter the park.

21071 County 118
Preston, MN 55965

Main Park:(507) 352-5111, Mystery Cave (507) 937-3251

Photo credits:  minnemom on flickr.

Linda (minnemom) writes about family travel in Minnesota and beyond at Travels with Children.

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One of our favorite stops in St. Cloud, Minnesota, is the Stearns History Museum.  This museum, which showcases the history of Stearns County, has a variety of exhibits on different aspects of the locale.  Some of our favorites have been baseball uniforms from days gone by, a portrayal of a pioneer farm, and a replica of a granite quarry, which is a prime part of the area’s geology and economy.

Stearns History Museum

Read More »

World's Largest Twine Ball sign. Photo by minnemom on flickr.

World's Largest Twine Ball Up Close. Photo by minnemom on flickr.

World's Largest Twin Ball; nearby buildings for perspective. Photo by minnemom on flickr.

If you’re visiting the World’s Largest Twine Ball in Darwin, Minnesota, you’re not far away from the World’s Largest Underground Aquarium, Underwater Adventures at the Mall of America.  To see more photos that need no explanation, visit Wordless Wednesday.

Linda (minnemom) writes about things to do in Minnesota and more at Travels with Children.

Minnesota Air National Guard Museum. Photo by minnemom on flickr.

Have you ever sat in the pilot’s seat of a military helicopter? Or seen an F-16 up close?  If these experiences appeal to you, you’ll want to find your way to St. Paul, Minnesota, and the Minnesota Air National Guard Museum.

The Minnesota Air National Guard Museum is located on the Air National Guard base, and the museum is only open to the public on certain weekends, which are listed on the museum’s website.  Many of these are “open cockpit” days, when volunteers are on hand to answer questions about the various aircraft and visitors are allowed to sit in the planes.

Read More »

When my son turned 7, I promised him a special day out with me, where he could choose what to do.  I gave him several ideas, but he kept coming back to one thing:  The Science Museum of Minnesota.

The Science Museum of Minnesota overlooks the Mississippi River in downtown St. Paul.  It has several floors of exhibits that range in theme, from dinosaurs to light and sound to the river.  Some of our family’s favorites are the real tugboat and the chimes that play faster and louder when there is seismic activity somewhere on earth.

Science Museum of Minnesota Seismic Chimes. Photo by minnemom.

In the Big Backyard, open seasonally, visitors can pan for jewels or play a game of mini-golf for an extra charge.  Additional indoor fun can be found in the omnitheater where a variety of films is shown.

Science Museum of Minnesota Big Backyard. Photo by minnemom.

Traveling exhibits change from time to time; last summer’s hit was Star Wars, and this year there’s a Titanic artifacts exhibit.

In the museum lobby is the National Park Service’s visitor center for the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area.  There’s also a set of musical lights in the lobby near the gift shop, and a large map near the ticket counter, where my kids love jumping from country to country.

If you want to spend a family day in downtown St. Paul, the Science Museum of Minnesota is only about a block away from the skyway system that connects to the Minnesota Children’s Museum.  The Minneapolis-St. Paul area has several other family-friendly museums that you may want to consider.

Linda (minnemom) writes about Minnesota family travel and more at Travels with Children.

New York has the Empire State Building.  Chicago has the Sears Tower.  St. Louis has the Gateway Arch.  Seattle has the Space Needle.  Many cities have tall buildings from which visitors can get a birds-eye view of the city and its surrounding area.

Did you know that Minneapolis has a beautiful building that offers this feature?  It’s no longer the tallest building in the city, although it held that title for 43 years, and it still stands as the second-tallest skyscraper, behind the Empire State Building.

Foshay Tower. Photo by minnemom.

The Foshay Tower was built by Wilbur Foshay and opened in 1929.  Its grand opening was grand indeed, and included a march written especially for the occasion by John Philip Sousa.  Shortly after the building opened, the stock market crashed and Foshay lost his fortune and was convicted of fraud.

The building itself was inspired by the Washington Monument’s obelisk shape, and stands 32 stories tall.  In 2008, renovations were completed and the tower reopened as part of the W Hotel.

Today, visitors can once again ascend the elevators to the 31st floor, where there is a small museum and access to the observation deck for a beautiful view of Minneapolis, St. Paul, and the surrounding area.  The admission fee is paid at the hotel’s welcome desk in exchange for a key that allows elevator access to the observation area.

Foshay Tower Observation Deck. Photo by minnemom.M

If you’re a fan of tall buildings, don’t miss the Foshay Tower.  Although no longer the tallest in Minneapolis, it is still elegant and an icon in downtown Minneapolis.

Information credits:  Wikipedia, Foshay Tower, Foshay Tower.

by Linda (minnemom) of Travels with Children

Historic Fort Snelling. Photo by minnemom.

Stepping back in time in the Twin Cities is possible at a number of historical sites and other museums.  Historic Fort Snelling is one of our favorites.

Historic Fort Snelling is a restored 1820’s-era military post that overlooks the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers.  A visit to the fort brings encountered with costumed characters from that time.  Visit with the sutler in his store or help the blacksmith in his shop.  If you’re lucky, you might get a chance to taste some fresh-baked bread or speak with the Commandant at his home.

Kids at Fort Snelling especially love going up in the round tower, which affords a good look at the fort as well as the nearby rivers.  There are other vantage points located around the fort as well.

Although Historic Fort Snelling is usually set in the 1820’s, they host special events that transform it to the Civil War and World War II eras.  Through these weekends, visitors learn about different parts of history and how Fort Snelling was utilized in those times.

A visitor center has an exhibit area and gift shop.  Parking is free, and Fort Snelling is also accessible by a bike trail.

To make a full day of early Minnesota history, visit the Sibley House just across the river as well.

by Linda (minnemom) of Travels with Children

Mill City Museum. Photo by minnemom.

Minneapolis once had so many flour mills that it was dubbed “Mill City.”  Today most of these are gone, but what remains is a museum dedicated to the milling industry and its impact on the city:  Mill City Museum.

One of the newest sites of the Minnesota Historical Society, Mill City Museum sits in the ruins of the Washburn A Mill.  Upon entering, you see a boxcar on rails before heading down to the museum area.

Mill City Museum Boxcar. Photo by minnemom.

Displays about the milling industry and food preparation from days gone by dot the museum floor, and there are several hands-on activities for children, including a water-table room where they can move “logs” down the “river.”

Mill City Museum. Photo by minnemom.

In the baking lab, kids can practice rolling their own dough while adults taste the fresh-baked goodie of the day.

A ride in the Flour Tower tells the history of the mill. (Just be aware that there’s a “boom!” involved.)  At the top, you can look out over St. Anthony Falls and the Stone Arch Bridge.

Don’t miss Kevin Kling’s humorous film, “Minneapolis in 19 Minutes Flat,” which will entertain kids and adults alike.

Seasonally, the ruins courtyard is open for lingering,  and special events are held frequently at the museum.  A gift shop and cafe round out the museum.  A bike and walking path runs just behind the museum along the Mississippi River.

Mill City Museum is fun for all ages.  My kids beg to go back time after time, and I plan to take my parents there as well.

by Linda (minnemom) of Travels with Children

At the Harkin Store, visitors step back into an 1870’s general store.  Located on the Minnesota River, the Harkin Store was the hub of West Newton Township for many years.  Here, local farmers would come to purchase goods and get their mail.  When the store closed, many of its items were left on the shelf.

Harkin Store. Photo by minnemom.

Costumed guides tell of the history and highlights of the store, and are great in showing the store to children.  My kids love to go there to see if they have any mail (none yet), and to practice on their slates.  They can try on period hats, and do some chores.  (Coffee grinding and carding wool are their favorites.)  Before we go, they always want to play a game of checkers or sit on the front porch with a stick of candy.

Harkin Store. Photo by minnemom.

On Sunday afternoons, the store provides special programs.  We’ve been there for homemade ice cream for Dairy Month, heard old-time music, and seen examples of wildlife from the Minnesota River Valley.  These programs are included with the admission cost.

The Harkin Store is run by the Minnesota Historical Society and Nicollet County Historical Society.  It is located approximately eight miles northwest of New Ulm on County Road 21, on the north side of the Minnesota River.

A visit to the Harkin Store is a reminder of what life was like in days gone by.