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city guides
Minneapolis/St. Paul
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Happening Now
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Now through August 10:
30th Annual Irish Fair of Minnesota.
Dance to fantastic Irish bands from near and far, make crafts, watch sheep-herding, soccer matches, and an 'Idol' contest, and listen to storytellers together at this free weekend festival. Aug 9th at 9am features a Family Fun-Run/Walk before the fair and its Run With the Celts marathon. On Harriet Island. (website) Hide details
Circus Juventas presents Ravens Manor.
The amazing juvenile acrobats of this troupe are back with a new and spooky show. You'll be wowed by the cool stunts, flips, and aerial twirling of these junior circus gymnasts. At the Circus Juventas Big Top. (Tix) Hide details
Family Fun Tuesdays.
Every Tuesday the Caponi Art Parkhosts Family Fun Tuesdays with outdoor programs ranging from international folk dances and storytelling, to puppets and Shakespeare. At the Caponi Art Park and Learning Center. ( website) Hide details
Run! Jump! Fly! Adventures In Action.
This exhibit is a brand new environment at the Children's Museum where you take your grandchild through an exciting array of "action star training" adventure scenes including snowboarding, kung fu, trail hiking, yoga, and dance. At the Minnesota Children’s Museum. ( website) Hide details
2008 Summer Concert Series at Lake Harriet.
Daily and free outdoor summer concerts kick off at the Lake Harriet Bandshell. The lake provides a lovely backdrop for all styles of live acoustic music. Free concerts also happen several days per week at a few other parks around town. At Lake Harriet. ( website) Hide details
Minnesota State Fair.
It's an end-of-summer tradition: Enjoy the petting farm, 4-H fare, food-on-a-stick, much music, and rides at this classic Minnesota event. At the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. (website) Hide details
Blooming Butterflies Exhibit.
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Help With This Page
In the City Guides section, you'll find the best things to do with your grandchildren. To get started, choose a city below or select from among movies, home activities or things to do in the car. Whatever you do, have loads of fun with your grandchildren.
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| | Great parks, 24 lakes, and a thriving downtown area, Minneapolis/St. Paul is just an all-around nice place to be. It's also host to tons of activities, from arts and cultural happenings to outdoorsy fun. —Compiled by Joslyn Layne | |
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Maybe your grandchild is a budding NPR fan, or you're hoping to turn him or her on to the wholesome wonders of a radio variety show, or maybe you just get a good laugh out of Garrison Keillor and want to develop your grandchildren's tastes. You can go see a live taping of Prairie Home Companion at the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul and be part of radio-making history. You'll need to plan way in advance as tickets generally sell out far ahead of time.
Info: Admission: $48 and younger, varies by seating
Hours: September-May, Saturday at 4:45pm;
Seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Age: Child, Pre-teen, Teen
Live Performances
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Putter along together at Adventure Gardens Mini Golf, where you can hit 18 holes on this nicely landscaped course in Richfield, for ages 6 and older. For other mini-golf around town, there's Lava Links in Roseville (651-628-9956, www.lavalinks.net) an indoor course that's half-tropical, half lava themed, and blacklit. Lava Links also has an arcade and a laser tag room, so bring the friends. Each summer, the Science Museum of Minnesota in St. Paul also opens up its family-friendly Big Backyard, complete with mini-golf course. So deck yourselves out in plaid (or not) and hit the links with your little tiger.
(Weekdays before 5pm) ages 18-54 $4, 6-17 and 55 and older $3, all additional rounds $2>Info: Admission: (Weekends and after 5pm) ages 18-54 $7, 6-17 and 55 and older $5
(Weekdays before 5pm) ages 18-54 $4, 6-17 and 55 and older $3, all additional rounds $2
Hours: (Memorial Day-Labor Day) Friday-Sunday, hours vary by season;
Seasons: Spring, Summer
Age: Child, Pre-teen, Teen
Outdoor Fun
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We may live in cities, but live farm experiences are close at hand. Introduce kids to chicks, pigs, cows, goats, and even deer, donkeys, and llamas by visiting one of the area's petting farms. See and touch farm friends that are feathered or furry, and learn about life on the farm. Springtime tours feature more baby animals.
Info: Admission: adults $7, ages 2-16 $6, 2 and younger free; Pony rides $3 per child; Animal food $1 per bag; Group admission available
Hours: (May-September) Monday-Friday 10am-5pm, Saturday-Sunday 10am-6pm (October) weekends only, weather permitting; Saturday-Sunday 10am-5pm;
Seasons: Spring, Summer
Age: Toddler, Child, Pre-teen, Teen
Animals & Nature
Animal Farms — Hugo Animal Farm
9441 180th Street, North
Hugo, MN 55038
(651) 433-4455
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Info: Admission: $7 per person; $6 per person for groups of 25 people or more; Special events and evening tours available
Hours: Tours: (spring and autumn only) Monday-Friday 8am-3pm, Saturday 10am-12pm; Spring Tours: late April-June; Autumn Tours: all of October; reservations required for all tours;
Seasons: Spring, Summer
Age: Toddler, Child, Pre-teen, Teen
Animals & Nature
Animal Farms — Minnesota Zoo Family Farm
13000 Zoo Boulevard
Apple Valley, MN 55124
(952) 431-9500
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Info: Zoo Admission: adults $14, ages 65 and older $9, 3-12 $8, 3 and younger free; Zoo Parking: cars $5, buses $10, motor coaches $15, zoo members during zoo hours can park free
Hours: (April-October) hours vary seasonally;
Seasons: Spring, Summer
Age: Toddler, Child, Pre-teen, Teen
Animals & Nature
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Art-A-Whirl
2205 California Street NE
# 118
Minneapolis, MN 55418
(612) 788-1679
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Smaller in scope than the massive St. Paul Art Crawl, the Nordeast's Art-A-Whirl is an annual event in which this arts district opens its doors for a tour. You can show curious older grandchildren the inner workings of artists' studios and art galleries centered along 13th Avenue (neighborhood of the delicious Modern Cafe and many art galleries). See art in all mediums being made in this artist's quarter of Minneapolis, as well as a few live performances. Much of this event is for older grandchildren who can resist fragile pieces within reach!
Hours: Third weekend of May, days vary yearly, hours vary by venue;
Seasons: Spring
Age: Pre-teen, Teen
Local Unique
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Bakken Museum
3537 Zenith Avenue, South
Minneapolis, MN 55416-4623
(612) 926-3878
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This gorgeous mansion off Lake Calhoun hosts an extensive library and exhibit on all things electricity, including some cool hands-on electrics. Watch video footage of virtuosos as you try to play the theremin or put your hand on a ball and get charged with static, making all your hairs stand on end. Each Saturday is Family Science Day, with presentations and hands-on workshops, and they also host Girls Only science day camps, and other events. If you notice a common "heart" theme in their special events, it's no coincidence because the founder, Earl Bakken invented the first pacemaker. The grounds are beautiful, the library for scholars only, and the museum is modest but fun, interactive and educational. Afterwards you can hop across the street for a run around Lake Calhoun to put all that new heart knowledge to work.
Info: Admission: $7, ages 62 and older and students $5, 3 and younger free
Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 10am-5pm, Thursday 10am-8pm;
Seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Age: Toddler, Child, Pre-teen, Teen
Museums & Exhibits
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Any crafty grandchildren with a penchant for jewelry will gladly spend hours inside this shop and learning studio. Bead Monkey sells and teaches you to put together every kind of beadwork imaginable. From handmade glass and natural seeds to charms and pearls, you and your grandchildren can create a dream piece of jewelry, something sure to last like a proper keepsake. If you're ready, but not sure where to start, enroll yourselves in one of the available beginner's classes, the helpful staff will hook you up with kits and plenty of design ideas.
Info: Admission: varies
Hours: Monday-Friday 10am-8pm, Saturday 10am-6pm, Sunday 12pm-5pm;
Seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Age: Child, Pre-teen, Teen
Classes & Workshops
Bead Monkey
3717 West 50th Street
Minneapolis, MN 55410
(952) 929-4032
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Info: Admission: varies
Hours: Monday-Friday 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Sunday 12 p.m.-5 p.m.;
Seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Age: Child, Pre-teen, Teen
Classes & Workshops
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Big Brain Comics
1027 Washington Avenue, South
Minneapolis, MN 55415
(612) 338-4390
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If your grandchild is into comics, Big Brain is a comic fan's paradise. This independent store run by young folks in the know is filled to the brim with everything from underground comics to anime, and hardcover collections from all eras. The shop is high ceilinged, clean, and sunny with a relatively small but choice selection. Sample the comic culture and encourage your grandteen's hobby. And if you're ready to go before they're done delving into the stacks, you can always check out The Open Book coffee shop and gallery next door. It's for the older grandchildren only, as there's no room for running around and includes uncensored material.
Hours: Monday-Saturday 12pm-8pm, Sunday 12pm-5pm;
Seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Age: Pre-teen, Teen
Shopping
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