Things to do in Minnesota in winter - whether you love or hate the cold! - travel and lifestyle blog

Looking for things to do in Minnesota in Winter? You’ve come to the right place. Here are my favorite winter activities, both indoor and outdoor, to help you embrace the cold and enjoy Minnesota!

Update January 2023

Things to do in Minnesota in winter – Outdoor activities

Ice skate outside

If you visit Minnesota in the winter, ice skating is a must-do! There’s so many places you can skate around Minnesota and my friends at Explore Minnesota put them all in one spot in this article! Our favorites are Winter Skate in downtown St. Paul, Centennial Lakes in Edina, and Maple Grove Central Park Loop!

Experience an immersive museum

The Museum of Illusions, conveniently located in the Mall of America in Bloomington, offers a captivating and immersive experience. We spent over an hour exploring its fascinating exhibits, which feature more than 60 unique illusion rooms, holograms, and interactive displays. Each exhibit is designed to trick your eyes and challenge your perception, making it a delightful adventure for visitors of all ages. Whether you’re planning a fun family outing or a unique date night, this museum promises hours of entertainment and wonder. Don’t miss out on this engaging attraction—get your tickets here and prepare to be amazed!

Take a llama on a walk

You can visit these guys all year long, but visiting Carlson’s Lovable Llamas in the winter means you will most likely be the only person on site. Meet famous llamas, take them on a walk, and learn all about these awesome animals! Located in Waconia, about 45 minutes west of the Twin Cities.

Try your hand at curling

One of the most iconic winter activities is curling. Try your hand at this unique sport at Brookview Golf Course in Golden Valley or Forgotten Star Brewery in Fridley. Brookview uses faux ice and Forgotten Star uses real ice. Both offer drinks while you curl!

Visit the Minnesota Ice Maze

The Minnesota Ice Maze is such a treat! Located at Viking Lakes in Eagan. Make your way through the ice maze, slide down the ice slides, and visit the on-site curling and ice rink!

Take a winter staycation

Winter staycations are so cozy! And Minnesota has lots of unique spots to stay. All of our favorites can be found here!

Hit the cross country ski trails

You’ll find cross country ski trails all over Minnesota…some people even commute to work that way! In Minneapolis, definitely check out Theodore Wirth Park for some of the best trails around. We also love Como Park Ski Center in St. Paul where they also have rentals!

Find a frozen waterfall

One of the most amazing sights is a frozen waterfall – I think they’re the coolest! See the most famous Minnesota waterfall right in Minneapolis at Minnehaha Falls. Be careful to not get too close, it’s super slippery, so wear the right equipment! If you find yourself up north, visit Gooseberry Falls near Duluth. Awesome falls and hiking!

Explore an ice castle

Find ice castles at the Minnesota Ice Castles in New Brighton or the Ice Palace at Fountain Hill Winery in Delano. Photos are beautiful during the day, but they light up at night too, which is pretty awesome! Buy tickets in advance, dress warm, and do some ice slides while you’re there!

Take a winter hike

Don’t let the cold and the snow stop you from taking a hike in the winter. Our favorite spots are along the north shore of Lake Superior. Gooseberry Falls and Palisade Head, right near Duluth, are absolutely stunning!

Snowshoe or hike by candlelight

When the snow gets too deep to hike, snowshoeing is the best option. Parks all over the state offer candlelight snowshoeing with lit trails, fires, and plenty of hot cocoa. It makes for a magical winter night! Check out all the 2023 candlelight events in Minnesota here.

Try the ice bars at Social Ice

Social Ice is an ice bar event that takes place in Rochester each year. All the local bars in the city create ice bars and specialty drinks that you can enjoy while you listen to live music, sit by the fire, hang out in the igloo, and play “ice” hockey! It’s SO MUCH FUN!

Downhill ski along the North Shore

Downhill skiing is my favorite on my list of things to do in Minnesota in winter. Minnesota might not have big mountains, but it has great snow! Our top location to ski in Minnesota is Lutsen. It’s located near Duluth and has the longest runs and best views in the state!

Visit Rush River Ice Sculptures

This activity takes places my favorite neighboring state, Wisconsin. Specifically Maiden Rock, WI which is about an hour SE from the Twin Cities. These ice sculptures are created by a family each year with water fountains and are so fun to explore! It’s open to the public with a free will donation. Make sure you know you’re exploring at your own risk and things get VERY slippery! Wear good winter boots and snow pants!

Dine in an igloo

Find Igloo dining at Duke’s on 7 in Minnetonka or Grand View Lodge in Nisswa. Grand View Lodge is such a winter wonderland! Eat in an igloo, take a horse drawn sleigh ride, go sledding, ice fishing, play hockey, and so much more! We love it there so much!

Things to do in Minnesota in winter – Indoor

Play indoor games at Victoria Burrow

Victoria Burrow is an all-in-one fun day out. It’s great for families and groups of friends and is located in Victoria, about 45 minutes west of the Twin Cities. It offers indoor mini golf, axe throwing, hammerschlagen, food, and drinks.

Make a cool craft at Upstairs Circus

Located in the North Loop of downtown Minneapolis is Upstairs Circus. Here you can make your own crafts that you will actually use! Everything from leather luggage tags to jewelry to wall decor. Great for girls and guys – and drinks to make things even more fun!

Golf an artist created course at Can Can Wonderland

Think of the craziest mini golf course you can and then double that. Can Can Wonderland is an artist designed indoor mini golf course in St. Paul. Every hole is more unique than the last, and it’s fun for all ages! Make sure to also check out their crazy food and drink menus, as well as their retro games! Pro tip – head upstairs to the brewery before or after!

Take a cooking class

A cooking class is the best way to start a nice winter hobby. We just did a class with Sur La Table in Woodbury where we made our own pasta from scratch. The class took 2.5 hours and we learned so much, and ate such a good meal!

Laugh till you cry at Brave New Workshop

Need some more laughs in your life? The Brave New Workshop is an improv comedy show and it’s sure to make you laugh! Located downtown Minneapolis, tickets are affordable and the actors and actresses are hilarious!

Gather your friends and see if you can escape

Who doesn’t like solving riddles? The Escape Game has 5 immersive escape rooms for all skill levels. Located in the Mall of America, the experience is easy to book online and each room holds between 7-8 people.

Become a lumberjack with axe throwing

Be a true Minnesotan and try your hand at axe throwing. We love Bad Axe Throwing in Northeast Minneapolis. It’s actually much easier than it seems!

Learn how to carve a Nordic wooden spoon

Another very Minnesotan thing to do is to carve your own nordic wooden spoon. We took this class early in the winter and left feeling so accomplished with our hand carved spoons! Book this experience on Airbnb, perfect for a woodworker or woodworker wannabe!

Tour the iconic Minnesota Faribault Mill

Head an hour South of Minneapolis to Faribault, Minnesota which is home of the famous Faribault Woolen Mill. Tour the factory and learn about how these blankets have been made for more than 100 years, and how the process hasn’t changed! A great piece of Minnesota history that every Minnesotan should do in their lifetime.

Eat, Drink, and Shop Local at Keg and Case Market

If indoor shopping is your thing, keep it local and visit Keg and Case Market in St. Paul. It’s full of local vendors, restaurants, makers, and treats like ice cream and cotton candy! A great spot for brunching and shopping.

Eat your way through Midtown Global Market

Want more markets? Midtown Global Market in Minneapolis has some of the best ethnic and local food you’ll find all in one place. You could spend all day eating your way through this market. Make sure to stop at the brewery while you’re there!

Try Pub Skittles Bowling at Royal Foundry

Royal Foundry is a great craft distillery in Minneapolis. Sip on some drinks while you try your hand at Pub Skittles Bowling which is really similar to candle pin bowling. It’s super fun! If that’s not your style, play some badminton on the indoor court. Definitely a great place to visit with a group of friends!

I hope you enjoyed this list of things to do in Minnesota in winter. Thanks for reading and exploring my favorite place, Minnesota!

Diane Fondie

January 15, 2020 at 11:51 am

Did you know there’s a huge part of Minnesota north of Duluth? Loved your segment on things to do in the winter in MN but there’s plenty to do way up north! Coming up next weekend is the longest running Finnish Festival in the US! Laskiainen )LUK -key eye men) then there the John Beargrease dog sled race… just to name a couple. Good luck in Australia and New Zealand!