Twin Cities Guide to Family Activities This Weekend: July 30-31, 2022

weekend family guide

Things to do in Minneapolis & St Paul this weekend!

This Twin Cities Family Weekend Guide covers the weekend of July 30-31, 2022. To find our most recent guide, click here.

Looking for extra inspiration? As always, you can jump over to our JULY FAMILY GUIDE, our 2022 ULTIMATE TWIN CITIES SUMMER FUN GUIDE or our fully-stocked FAMILY FUN CALENDAR for more fun ideas on what to do this weekend in the Twin Cities with your kids! 

Looking for ideas on what to do with your kids in the Twin Cities this week? Definitely jump over to our TWIN CITIES GUIDE TO FAMILY ACTIVITIES THIS WEEK.

Twin CIties festivals this weekend for the family

Festivals in the Twin Cities are full force during the month of July. For further weekend planning, check our July Family Festival Calendar. This weekend we’re highlighting a couple of the county fairs taking place around the Twin Cities. These could be a good alternative for kids to the big-time MINNESOTA STATE FAIR, taking place in late August.
 

Anoka: Anoka County Fair

This could be a smaller, less intense experience for children than the Minnesota State Fair. Lots of free entertainment and carnival rides plus all that fair food. All weekend, July 30-31, 2022. $5-$10/pp, 6 & under FREE.

Chaska: River City Days

Arts & crafts fair, kids games and fire department water fights (Sat) & the parade (Sunday, 1pm). All weekend, July 29-31, 2022.

Crystal: Crystal Frolics

Family festival with fireworks (Fri), Kidsdance DJ & carnival, and llamas! (Sun). All weekend, July 29-31, 2022.

Jordan: Scott County Fair

This could also be a good starter fair experience for children than the Minnesota State Fair. Lots of free entertainment, the carnival, baby animals, activities for kids. All weekend. FREE admission, $10/parking.

Little Canada: Canadian Days

Lots of activities for kids including a Kids Parade, games & free face painting plus fireworks & the Sunday parade. All weekend, some activities may require a $3 button. July 29-31, 2022.

fun outdoor activities in Twin Cities parks this weekend

How to narrow down all this summertime family fun?

Featured here for the weekend is just a taste of all that’s going on across the Twin Cities. You can get the full schedule on our FAMILY FUN CALENDAR or browse the links below to search for local fun events & things to do with kids this weekend.

SOME FUN FAMILY IDEAS FOR THIS WEEKEND

Loring Park Art Festival

1382 Willow St, Minneapolis, MN 55403
Artists, interactive art, family events, food, music and unique entertainment around the walking paths and duck ponds of Loring Park—an idyllic setting for an outdoor art festival. The park also features a wading pool and playgrounds for kids. All weekend, July 30-31, 2022.

Living history open houses

 

Try visiting a new park or nature center!

Check out the links on our big list of Twin Cities nature & interpretive centers for details on which buildings are open; all of these locations have outdoor trails to hike. Did you know that several of these nature centers have natural playgrounds nestled within them? You can build with natural materials, climb, balance, even wade and garden at some of the more elaborate spaces. This weekend’s featured photo comes from the nature play area WHITETAIL WOODS REGIONAL PARK in Farmington. You might want to dress for a sandy mess!

Find our list of the best Twin Cities Nature Playgrounds.

FEATURED TWIN CITIES PARK EVENTS THIS WEEKEND

STORY THEATRE WITH CHILDREN’S THEATRE COMPANY

Peavey Plaza, 1101 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN 55403
Bring your little ones on a trip downtown to explore storybooks through imaginative play and music with the Children’s Theatre Company every Saturday this summer. July 30, 2022. Sessions offered 12-12:30 and 12:30-1 p.m.

EXPLORE MORE KID-FRIENDLY FUN IN DOWNTOWN MINNEAPOLIS.

UNIVERSE IN THE PARK

Eastman Nature Center, 13351 Elm Creek Rd, Maple Grove, MN 55369
Get to the park early to make sure there’s time to explore the nature center exhibits, outdoor boardwalk, huge playground and nature play area and possibly the silky smooth bike trails around ELM CREEK PARK RESERVE. Then, get down to business with a short outdoor talk about astronomy followed by the chance to observe the night sky through telescopes. July 30, 2022. 8:45pm, FREE.

Featured Park: Elm Creek Park Reserve in Maple Grove, Minnesota - Rainbow playgrouned

Cool off this weekend in the twin cities

This summer has been awesome in terms of temperature! We’ve done more exploring than usual of new splash spots – go ahead and browse the finds in our complete TWIN CITIES ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE BEST BEACHES, POOLS, WATERPARKS & SPLASH PADS or continue for more ideas:

  • MINNEAPOLIS WADING POOLS are fun, free and some are splashy and elaborate. We try to highlight a new location each week. Try the pool & playground (and indoor facilities if you need some AC) at WAITE PARK, or find our complete list at the link.
Waite Park Wading Pool
Waite Park Wading Pool
  • We include our family favorites in our list of 20+ BEACHES, PARKS & PLAYGROUNDS TO TRY THIS SUMMER. Each week we’re excited to share a new beach one of our FFTC families has discovered – this weekend we’re highlighting SCHULZE LAKE BEACH in Eagan. The long, sandy beach is conveniently located right next to a parking lot, making it very easy to tote in your kids and swim gear. This is a no-frills beach, but has the woodsy feel of a spot away from the city bustle.
Kids playing in water at Lebanon Hills Park in Minnesota
Lebanon Hills Park
  • Swimming pools are always a hit for their slides and fun features. Have you tried the JIM LUPIENT WATERPARK in Minneapolis yet? Fun features include 3 large water slides, a log water walk & a spray pool for tots. Go after 5pm and admission is just $3!

  • Don’t forget that splash pads are a perfect place to cool off without the full commitment and cost of a day at the pool. This week we highlight the splash pad at LAKE PHALEN PARK & BEACH in St Paul. It’s a simple splash pad but twice as nice with a beach right nearby.

Many outdoor pools in the Twin Cities offer special tot swim hours so littler ones can get some splash time in before the big kids arrive. You can find these tot swims at the following pools this weekend:

SATURDAY TOT SWIMS

  • CASCADE BAY: Little Mates Tot Swim – select areas of the waterpark open from 9:30-10:30am. $6/child, one adult free. 1360 Civic Center Drive, Eagan, MN 55122.
  • CRYSTAL COVE: Little Splashers Pool Time is for kids ages 7 & under to enjoy the zero-depth entry pool. 10-11:30am, $3/child, adults free. 4848 Douglas Dr N, Crystal, MN 55429.
  • HIGHLAND PARK AQUATIC CENTER: Tot time for kids 6 & under. 9:30-11am. $4/pp children and adults. 1840 Edgcumbe Rd, St Paul, MN 55116. 
  • RICHFIELD OUTDOOR POOL: Kids ages 7 & under get the zero-depth-entry wading pool and water play equipment to themselves. 10-11am, $9/kids, $11/adults. 630 East 66th Street, Richfield, MN 55423.

SUNDAY TOT SWIMS

  • CASCADE BAY – Little Mates Tot Swim (see above)
  • COMO REGIONAL PARK POOL: Tot Time swim is for kids ages 6 & under. 9:30-11am. $4/children and adults. 1151 Wynne Ave Saint Paul, MN 55108.

Find our complete list of Tot Swims, including many that offer cheaper rates for this limited swim time.

more ideas for things to do this weekend in the twin cities

Open Eye Figure Theater Show & Ice cream social

506 E 24th St #3732, Minneapolis, MN 55404
Watch performances of the Driveway Tour show TUCKER’S ROBOT (12:30, 1:30 & 2:30pm), play carnival games, try puppet making and cool off with free ice cream! July 30, 2022, 12-3pm.

Kid-Friendly Theater - Kids standing by Open Eye Theare's Puppet Wagon
FFTC kids at Open Eye Figure Theater’s annual ice cream social.
YOU SCREAM, I SCREAM: TWIN CITIES ICE CREAM SOCIALS

A sultry July evening pairs perfectly with a slightly melty cone to slurp up before its melting point. At the link, find FREE and very low-cost ice cream socials in Twin Cities parks across the Minneapolis-St Paul metro area.

COOL OFF BY VISITING A WATERFALL!

We’re all familiar with the very urban MINNEHAHA FALLS – the most picturesque and famous waterfall in Minneapolis has trails above it and along the river below it. My kids love to descend the stairs to the creek and find the calm wading spot downstream on a hot day. Where else might a family find a beautiful waterfall to visit? Get our list of 8 Twin Cities Waterfalls less than an hour away.

Vermillion Falls in Hastings, Minnesota

TAKE A FAMILY BIKE RIDE!

Here are some suggestions for a trip that’s not too taxing to do with kids:

Carver Lake Bike Park
Carver Lake Bike Park. Image courtesy of the City of Woodbury.

TAKE A FAMILY DAY OR ROAD TRIP!

Summer weekends are prime for jumping in the car and exploring outside the city. We have fun itineraries sketched out for destinations within an easy drive from Minneapolis & St Paul:

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