Things to do in Minneapolis & St Paul this weekend!
This Twin Cities Family Weekend Guide covers the weekend of Aug 27-28, 2022. Find our most recent guide here.
This weekend, the MINNESOTA STATE FAIR is upon us! If you choose to go, we have some ideas for having a great time with the family. If you’re waiting until next year, we hope you’ll check back with us when it rolls around again. And if you’ve never been a fan of the Fair, we have plenty of other ideas for this weekend. You can always consult our AUGUST FAMILY GUIDE or our fully-stocked FAMILY FUN CALENDAR for more last-chance summer fun ideas on what to do this weekend in the Twin Cities with your kids!
Going to the Minnesota State Fair?
The Minnesota State Fair starts Thursday, Aug 25 and we’ve got a family guide for you bursting with tips and our picks for the best FREE family entertainment on the Fairgrounds. Discount admission and ride tickets are still available through Wednesday, Aug 24. Skip to our quicklinks:
- Minnesota State Fair 2022: 20 Ideas for Free Family Fun
- Best Bets for Live Family Entertainment at the 2022 Minnesota State Fair
- 50 Things To Do For Families at the Minnesota State Fair
More Family Festivals this weekend in the twin cities
fun outdoor activities in twin cities parks this weekend
How to sort out all this summertime family fun?
Summertime may be seriously winding down, but featured here for the weekend is just a taste of all that’s going on across the incredible Twin Cities park systems. You can get more ideas on our FAMILY FUN CALENDAR or browse the links below to search for local fun events & things to do with kids this weekend in the parks.
- FIND COMMUNITY FAMILY EVENTS IN THE TWIN CITIES NORTHWEST METRO
- FIND EVENTS IN THE NORTHEAST METRO
- FIND EVENTS IN THE SOUTHEAST METRO
- FIND EVENTS IN THE SOUTHWEST METRO
SOME FUN FAMILY IDEAS FOR THIS WEEKEND
It’s only natural that, as the largest park in the Minneapolis system, we would include THEODORE WIRTH PARK in our series of weekend featured parks. We recommend not missing a single piece of it if possible, but if you must pick and choose between parcels, here are some highlights we’ve enjoyed:
- Wirth Lake beach – Sandy, smooth and clean, this beach is one of our favorites in Minneapolis. There’s a large playground and Park & Rec often drops by with activities for kids.
- Quaking Bog – The boardwalk loop hike through a tamarack bog gives you the feeling of being far from the urban hustle.
- Eloise Butler Wildflower & Bird Sanctuary – A lovely, peaceful respite located near the south end of the park. It hosts family wildflower walks, children’s programs and other self-guided activities during the temperate months.
THEODORE WIRTH PARK is just one on our list of the 10 Best Picnic Spots in Minneapolis!
Featured Twin Cities Park Events this weekend
Nature Art Exploration at Lowry Nature Center
Take to the trail with a naturalist and make art from things you collect. Learn more about LOWRY NATURE CENTER, including the sweet nature playground! Aug 27, 10:30am-12pm, FREE.
Family Fundays at North Mississippi Regional Park
5116 N Mississippi Dr, Minneapolis, MN 55412
Explore seasonal themes through self-directed scavenger hunts, nature walks, and interactive skills development such as bird watching or animal tracking. Pre-registr
Nature Centers Without WallS
7025 Victoria Dr, Victoria, MN 55386
Activities may include animal interactions, outdoor displays, nature challenges and checking out free exploration materials. Held at LOWRY NATURE CENTER. Aug 27, 1-3pm, FREE.
Pond Dakota Mission Park: Whimmy Diddles
401 E 104th St, Bloomington, MN 55420
Hands-on living history programs fun and free of charge located in POND DAKOTA MISSION PARK in Bloomington. New themes each Saturday. Drop in Aug 27, 2022, from 1-4pm.
Cool off this weekend in the twin cities (some last chances!)
We don’t want to be the ones to make the call that swimming season is over in Minnesota so we’ll let these beaches & pools do that instead. It’s LAST CHANCE WEEKEND for the following:
- BUSH LAKE BEACH, BLOOMINGTON
- ANOKA AQUATIC CENTER
- APPLE VALLEY SWIMMING POOLS
- CASCADE BAY, EAGAN
There is still a good assortment of swimming beaches open through Labor Day weekend. We include most of our own family favorites in our list of 20+ BEACHES, PARKS & PLAYGROUNDS TO TRY THIS SUMMER. Each weekend this season we’ve tried to highlight a suggestion to try, such as SCHULZE LAKE BEACH in Eagan. Located within LEBANON HILLS REGIONAL PARK, it has the feel of being woodsy without also being far from the metro.
There are still a few swimming pools open if the weekend is warm enough (imagine that – after the summer we’ve had!) BUNKER BEACH WATERPARK in Coon Rapids may be just the place to close out the season (kind of a splurge at $16/pp but it’s Minnesota’s largest outdoor waterpark with tons to do.
Finally, we’ve been spotlighting a new splash pad each weekend this season as well. These are ideal for cooling off without the full commitment and cost of a day at the pool. This week we feature the splash pad at HARMON PARK in West St Paul. It’s trim, tidy and lots of fun.
more ideas for things to do this weekend in the twin cities with kids
Apples & flowers weekend
Pick your own at Afton Orchard
The apples are ripening and the fields are nodding with sunflowers. Come pick your own! There is an admission charge of $5-$7/pp to enter the orchard; this covers the giant playground, hayrides, the barnyard and lots more activities. You can cut your own beautiful sunflowers starting at $3/bloom.
Get started planning your fall trip to the apple orchard with our GUIDE TO THE BEST APPLE ORCHARDS IN THE TWIN CITIES.
Visit the Minnesota Landscape Arborteum
Eye-popping colors, space to run free, and hands-and-feet-on exhibits are just what kids might need with summer slipping away and the schedules of fall beckoning. And kids are always admitted FREE (adults $15). Check out our list of 10 Things for Kids at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum.
Bluegrass & Lemonade at Gammelgarden Museum
You don’t need to take a formal tour to enjoy the outdoor GAMMELGARDEN MUSEUM in Scandia (but they’re available if you’d like, free for kids). Instead, roam the grounds and see how many colorful Dala horses your kids can find. Enjoy the music and free lemonade! Aug 28, 2022, 2-4pm.
Always free to visit weekends: