In Minnesota, family fun outdoors means embracing all four seasons. If you are on this page because you are looking for a new Twin Cities-area park, playground or nature center to explore, hundreds of entries can be found through our Parks & Playgrounds Search feature. Or, continue searching hundreds more ideas of things to do with kids in the Twin Cities through our Family Directory, including family outings, services, classes, camps, birthday parties and more.
Family Fun Directory of Things To Do with Kids:
Union Depot, St. Paul – Train Station
Union Depot is one of America’s great rail stations from the early 20th Century. By the numbers, it’s 250,000 square feet on 33 acres near the Mississippi River in downtown St. Paul. It was originally completed in 1926 and was fully restored in 2011-2012. But as anyone who’s ever been here will tell you, numbers alone fail to describe Union Depot. It is a fun place to come watch trains, buses and boats. There are also fun activities hosted year round. It even has a Little Free Library.
Union Depot Son takes on Mother
Games Galore at Union Depot
On Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 8 pm., families can drop by the station to play giant-size versions games like Chess, Checkers, Connect Four, Dominoes, Jenga, Tic Tac Toe and others. The games are free and open to the public and, if you prefer, you can bring your own games to sit and play. This program was designed to offer fun options for people of all ages who seek a board game challenge and a friendly competition.
Choose Your Own Experience at Union Depot
If you are looking for a family adventure, the Choose Your Own Experience page of the depot's website has several quick guides created to inspire outing ideas. Experiences include:
- Shopping in St. Paul
- A Scavenger Hunt for the State Fair
- A Twin Cities Music Tour
- A Bike Adventure
- Day Trips
Little Free Library at Union Depot
Union Depot installed the first Little Free Library in St. Paul. It can be found on a colorful train cart in the Waiting Room. As with any Little Free Library, guests are invited to take and leave books. Gently used or new travel guides, travel memoirs, transportation history, transportation books for children and local history books are especially appreciated at this location.
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