St. Paul, Minnesota has so much to do! You are going to need two trips, one in the summer and one in the winter!
Hockey is a big deal in Minnesota so if you are visiting during hockey season take in a Minnesota Wild hockey game at the Xcel Energy Center. This stadium is a state-of-the-art facility with several restaurants in the building. If your kids have never been to a hockey game, St. Paul is the place to start! The NHL regular season runs October through March, click here for the schedule.
Minnesota has several museums for those educational moments. For younger kids ( 6 and under) we recommend a trip to Minnesota Children’s Museum. This museum is five stories of interactive play and learning that is sure to wear them out. For the older kids, you definitely want to stop by the Science Museum of Minnesota. You will especially like the dinosaur exhibit and the “Museum of Quackery.” There are usually some great traveling exhibits and the museum balconies over a gorgeous view of the Mississippi River. If you have a train loving kiddo, you may want to consider the Twin Cities Model Railroad Museum.
There is of course a zoo in St. Paul, but we also recommend a visit to The Raptor Center. The Raptor Center rehabilitates around 800 sick and injured raptors each year, while helping to identify emerging environmental issues related to raptor health and populations. Here you can really learn about birds and get up close and personal with beautiful eagles, hawks, etc.
If sightseeing and history are your thing, you might want to work in a visit to Historic Fort Snelling and the Fort Snelling State Park. It’s an absolutely beautiful area with a history that was both fascinating and heartbreaking. The area was once the home of hundreds of Native Americans until the white man showed up and a massacre took place. Honestly it’s not the first time I’ve been to a historic landmark and felt shameful of my race. But the Fort offers breathtaking views of the Mississippi and Missouri River. Bring a picnic lunch and plan to spend half the day. The Fort Snelling State Park has some nice walking/biking trails that are also used for Winter sports such as cross country skiing and snow shoeing.
No trip to a new town is complete without some sightseeing. You can’t leave St. Paul without getting your picture taken in the The Big Green Chair. Let me be clear that there is nothing truly exciting about The Big Green Chair . . . it’s just a travel requirement so you have to do it. I have a great appreciation for old Catholic Churches and the Cathedral of St. Paul is one of the most gorgeous churches in the United States. It’s definitely worth checking out, but only if you have well behaved children or a babysitter; you don’t want to disturb those who may be praying in the sanctuary.
Hope you have a great time in St. Paul. Let us know what you like to do there!
Amy Artizenbox
Thursday 6th of August 2015
This made Minnesota sound like a place I'd like to visit- and I can't say I'd ever thought about it before. Thank you
Mrs. G
Thursday 6th of August 2015
I've never been to Minnesota before, but this looks like a nice family destination. I love that Big Green Chair!
Charlene
Wednesday 5th of August 2015
It look beautiful there. I might need to vacation there for sure.
Johlene@FlavoursandFrosting
Wednesday 5th of August 2015
Oh my word that photo in the big green chair had me laughing! Love it!
Caressa
Wednesday 5th of August 2015
[* WordPress Simple Firewall plugin marked this comment as "pending". Reason: Human SPAM filter found "ipad2" in "user_agent" *] 5 stories of fun at the children's museum? I am sold! Lol. I am excited about that one. Visiting the raptors seems pretty neat and quite nerve wrecking at the same time. Thanks for sharing. :)