Summer is coming! We will experience three months of warm weather, sunny days and endless fun outdoor activities. The Twin Cities (St. Paul and Minneapolis) offer lots of activities during the summer – don’t miss out! Following are some of our favorites: 

Summer Festivals

Festivals are happening almost every week during the season.  Most are free or for a small cost.

• Music in Mears, June 9th to August 25th
• Twins Cities Pride, June 25th and 26th
• The Loring Park Art Festival, July 30th and 31st
• Uptown Art Fair, August 5th to 7th
• Minnesota State Fair, August 25th to September 5th 

4th of July Fireworks and Parades

Nothing beats seeing the famous fireworks celebrating Independence Day. In Minneapolis you can see the Red, White & Boom fireworks from the Stone Arch Bridge, the Mill City Museum Observation Deck (paid entrance ticket and only 35 people allowed), Lake Calhoun (from a distance), and restaurants with rooftops. Fireworks start around sundown, but get there early as these spots fill fast.

There are plenty of other activities in the Twin Cities to celebrate Independence Day. Check out Edina 4th of July Parade and 4th in the Park in St. Paul for races, parade routes and music events.

The Minnesota Twins

Baseball is one of America’s favorite sports. From April to September, the Twins play over 160 games. Summer is perfect weather to watch the game at the Target Field and support the Minnesota Twins without wearing your thick winter jacket!  Single home game tickets can be purchased at a reasonable cost at http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/.

 

Cycling the Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway

If you like to bike (and it’s free!), Minneapolis is one of the top places in the country for bicyclists. The Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway links park areas in Minneapolis with special corridors for pedestrians and cyclists. It has about 50 miles (80 KM) of trails through parks, lakes, wetlands, gardens, woodlands, some of the best nature sites in town. Eight miles cycling per week during the summer is a healthy (and fun) summer activity!

If you don’t want to complete the entire byway, take a cycle around “The Chain of Lakes.”  The route is within the Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway’ area and it covers trails around Lake Harriet, Lake Calhoun, Lake of the Isles, Cedar Lake, Brownie Lake, Lyndale Park and Lyndale Farmstead Park. Minnesota is famous for its 10,000 lakes and this route will take you to five beautiful lakes in the Twin Cities.

For more information on the Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway go to:

https://www.minneapolisparks.org/parks__destinations/trails__parkways/grand_rounds_scenic_byway_system/#group_0_239852

Picnic at the park

Did you know that June 18th is International Picnic Day? A picnic is a great way to spend your summer day outdoors with delicious homemade food, friends and family, and getting close to nature (that includes the ants and squirrels at the parks). There are several popular places around the Twin Cities for picnics such as Hidden Falls (St. Paul) and Minnehaha Falls (Minneapolis). You may need to reserve the picnic area if you come with a large group of people. But don’t worry, there are plenty of picnic sites for a small number of individuals on a first-come, first-served basis. 

More information about picnic locations in the Twin Cities can be found on the parks websites: St. Paul Parks and Minneapolis Parks.