THINGS TO DO IN EAGAN WITH KIDS & FAMILY
Welcome to Eagan! The city has often won praise for being considered one of the best communities to live in Minnesota. Just south of the Mississippi River, Eagan is a quick drive from the excitement of Minneapolis & St Paul and convenient to major shopping districts. But Eagan also manages to quiet and green, filled with parks and lovely natural spaces. We’re excited to share all there is to do with your kids and family – read on for the best Eagan, Minnesota Family Fun!
Eagan Quick Links
KID-FRIENDLY EVENTS THIS WEEK NEAR EAGAN, MINNESOTA
Find this week’s Eagan, Minnesota Family Fun, including the nearby southeast suburbs of the Twin Cities: Apple Valley, Burnsville, Cottage Grove, Hastings, Rosemount, West St Paul & Woodbury. Find our full Twin Cities Family Fun Calendar here.
SPECIAL EVENTS, FESTIVALS & SEASONAL ACTIVITIES IN EAGAN
Spring in Eagan: Festivals & events
Holz Farm Spring Festival
Holz Farm Park, Holz Farm, 4665 Manor Drive
Old-fashioned farm activities, including a hayride and tours of the historic farmhouse. May 19, 2024, 11am-3pm. Ticket s $3/pp, available online or at the door.
Eagan Arbor Day Celebration
Blue Cross Road 3590, Eagan MN 55121
An Eagan tradition, Arbor Day celebrates the devotion to Being a Tree City with a ceremony and family friendly event to occur at Sky Hill Park. 2024 date TBA.
Find more spring festivals near Eagan on our Twin Cities Spring Festival calendar.
Eagan Big Rig Rally
Eagan Central Maintenance Facility, 3501 Coachman Pt.
Celebrate National Public Works Week in Eagan with a tour and up-close look at the city big rigs: fire trucks, police cars, mowers, plow trucks and the garbage truck. Activities will include face painting, refreshments and giveaways. May 23, 2024, 4-7pm. FREE. FIND OUR COMPLETE TWIN CITIES TOUCH-A-TRUCK CALENDAR.
Easter egg hunts near Eagan
We haven’t yet come across any community Easter egg hunts in the city of Eagan, but there are several events close by in the Twin Cities southeast metro communities of Apple Valley, Burnsville, Cottage Grove, Farmington, Inver Grove Heights, Mendota Heights, Newport, Rosemount, South St Paul & Woodbury, Minnesota. Find them all on our huge list: EXPLORE OUR GIANT LIST OF 2024 EASTER EGG HUNTS ACROSS THE TWIN CITIES METRO!
Spring registration for summer camps
Yes, it’s about that time to start planning summer camp opportunities for your kids! As many camps open registration as early as February (and many fill almost as quickly), we strive to publish our 2024 GUIDE TO TWIN CITIES SUMMER CAMPS accordingly. We work closely with local businesses and camps to provide a wide variety of activities and concentrations. Some camps we are proud to highlight in Eagan, Minnesota, include:
Dakota County Parks Summer Camps
Lebanon Hills Regional Park, 860 Cliff Road, Eagan, MN 55123
Camps for kids ages 4-15 include activities like archery, mountain biking, wilderness survival and naturalist exploration. Registration beings February 1 and spots fill quickly. Sessions offered June 12-August 21, 2024. $55-$200/camp.
Dance-Twirl Minnesota
525 Diffley Rd, Eagan, MN 55123
Participants choose from single-day clinics or classes taken weekly. Explore baton twirling, cheer, ballet, jazz, tricks and more themes. Summer session 2024 dates TBA.
Holz Farm Camp
4669 Manor Drive, Eagan, Minnesota 55123
Experience life on a 1940’s era farm. Morning sessions for ages 5-9; afternoon sessions for ages 10-12. June 24–27, July 8–11 and July 15-18, 2024. Camp fee: $94.
Winter in Eagan: Sledding, snow tubing & ice skating in Eagan
SNOW TUBING AT EAGAN’S TRAPP FARM PARK
Trapp Farm Park, Wilderness Run Road, Eagan, MN 55122
The best place for snow tubing in Eagain is at TRAPP FARM PARK, located on Wilderness Run Road. It offers approximately 75 winter tubing tubes for rent. Personal tubes and sleds are not allowed on this hill. This site does not offer tow ropes, so tubers will need to be able to climb the hill on their own (or maybe by parent power!). While the City of Eagan aims for a mid-December open date, the tubing hill requires a solid base of 6-8 inches of snow to open and is weather-dependent. Take note: 2-hour tubing tickets must be purchased in advance – $5/pp. More Twin Cities tubing hills: Snow Tubing for the Family: Best Twin Cities Hills.
Outdoor ice skating rinks in Eagan
The City of Eagan maintains outdoor ice skating rinks at 13 community parks. Eight parks feature rinks just for hockey. 10 of the rinks are lighted and five have warming houses. Eagan parks include: Bridle Ridge Park, Bur Oaks Park, Carnelian Park, Clearwater Park, Goat Hill Park, Highview Park, Lexington Park, Pilot Knob Park, Rahn Park, Ridge Cliffe Park, Sky Hill Park & Woodhaven Park. Weather hotline: 651-675-5511. Learn more about Eagan’s outdoor ice rinks here.
Skate the Omni at Viking Lakes
2685 Vikings Cir, Eagan, MN 55121
Free activities at the Winter SKOLstice Festival include open skate, hockey and curling on the ponds and and the large, front lawn skating rink (weather-dependent, BYO skates). See more below for festival fun! A waiver is required prior to skating.
Winter festivals in Eagan
Eagan Frosty Festival
Eagan Community Center Festival Grounds, 1501 Central Pkwy, Eagan, MN 55121
Sled to the DJ’d music, build a snowman, enjoy hot cocoa and cookies and get some great winter photos. January 12, 2024, 5:30-7:30pm. Tickets $5.
Christmas & holiday events in Eagan
Winter SKOLstice at Viking Lakes – Magic of Lights
2685 Vikings Cir, Eagan, MN 55121
Activities at the winter festival include the drive-thru spectacular Magic of Lights holiday display – coming for the first time to Viking Lakes during Winter SKOLstice. Don’t miss the 32-foot-tall animated Christmas Barbie doll and a decked-out monster truck. November 17-December 31, 2023. Mon-Thu: 5:30-9 PM, Fri-Sun: 5:30-10 PM. 5:30-10 PM Nightly starting Dec 8th. $15-$35 per car, date & time dependent.
Eagan Community Tree Lighting
Eagan Community Center, 1501 Central Pkwy, Eagan, MN 55121
Tree lights up at 5pm followed by indoor and outdoor activities and an outdoor lighted trail. December 5, 2023, 4:30-7pm.
Santa and Live Reindeer Visits at Eagan Outlets
Twin Cities Premium Outlets, 3965 Eagan Outlets Pkwy, Eagan, MN 55122
You may pet the reindeer and take pictures with them and Santa.
Old Fashioned Holiday at Holz Farm
Holz Farm Park, 4665 Manor Dr, Eagan, MN 55123
Say hello to Santa when the annual holiday event returns to the farm. Take a tractor-pulled hayride and warm up around the bonfire. December 3, 2023, 12-3pm. FREE.
Christmas & Holiday Lights Displays in Eagan
Burdick’s House | 3863 Mersey Way, Eagan, MN 55123
Toy donations for Sharing & Caring Hands will also be collected that day. Submitted by homeowner in 2019.
FIND MORE HOLIDAY LIGHTS DISPLAYS NEAR EAGAN ON OUR HUGE LIST and hundreds of holiday events in our 2023 TWIN CITIES CHRISTMAS & HOLIDAY GUIDE.
More winter fun near Eagan
For more outdoor winter fun in the Twin Cities check out our round up of free outdoor ice skating rinks our Winter Survival Guide and our Winter Family Festival Calendar – all filled with ways to enjoy the cold season.
Summer In Eagan
Summer in Eagan: Festivals & activities
JULY 4TH FUNFEST
Parade, carnival, music and fireworks. Eagan Community Center festival grounds. July 2-4, 2023.
EAGAN MARKET FEST
The Eagan Central Park grounds buzz with weekly concerts and themed nights including one devoted solely to families. Get some fresh produce and let the kids enjoy the splash pad. Ongoing Wednesdays, 4-8pm starting June 7, 2023.
EAGAN COMMUNITY PARKS
- SPARK! MOBILE PUPPET WAGON – Bring a blanket for the 20-minute shows, spread throughout ten of Eagan’s parks and the Westcott Library. Mon-Fri starting June 20, 2023.
- SPARK! IN THE PARK – Puppets and live musical performances in Eagan parks and the Eagan Art House. Thursdays, June 22-August 3, 2023, 6:15pm.
- ALL PLAY SERIES – A free traveling recreation program coming to three Eagan parks this summer. Select Tuesdays & Thursdays, June 6-August 15, 2023.
Swimming & beaches in Eagan
CASCADE BAY WATER PARK
1360 Civic Center Dr, Eagan, MN 55122
Cascade Bay Water Park is an outdoor water park in Eagan. Features include zero depth entry, a large leisure pool, the lazy river tube ride, Sandpiper Beach and seven waterslides. The park was recently renovated and updates include new decking and floors, re-coated slides, new shade structures and an upgraded sound system. Cascade Bay offers exclusive water time to children 0-6 years old between 9:45 and 10:45 a.m., every day except Wednesdays for $6/child (one free adult per paying child). Only the sprays and bubblers and Sandpiper Beach will be open and available for play. Toddler Times run all season. Open June 9-August 27, 2023. $11-$13 per 4-hour session.
Find more Tot Time Open Swim at Twin Cities Pools & Aquatic Centers.
EAGAN CENTRAL PARK SPLASH PAD
1507 Central Pkwy, Eagan, MN 55121
Central Park Splash Pad opened the summer of 2018 and has quickly become one of the most popular splash pads in the Twin Cities. This free water play feature has sprays and bubblers for kids to enjoy. It’s open from 9am to 8pm daily. The city has splash pad rules on its website. Find it next to the Eagan Festival Grounds Pavilion near the Eagan Community Center. Find More Splash Pads: Cool Off at Twin Cities Area Splash Pads & Wading Pools.
SCHULZE LAKE BEACH
860 Cliff Road, Eagan, MN 55123
The beach is just one of the gems in LEBANON HILLS REGIONAL PARK. We’ve included in on our list of the top picks for beaches in the Twin Cities.
Schulze Lake Beach, Lebanon Hills Regional Park
EAGAN SUMMER LIBRARY EVENTS
The WESCOTT LIBRARY is a branch of the Dakota County Library system. The library is large, bright with murals and packed with interactive materials for kids. See the library events calendar for upcoming summer programs.
Summer reading program: Read, write, draw and play to keep up your skills during Summer Discovery. Starts June 12, 2023.
Fall in Eagan
Fall in Eagan: festivals & events
Holz Farm Harvest Festival
4665 Manor Dr, Eagan, MN 55123
Old fashioned fun farm includes pedal tractors, kids coin hunt, animals in the barn, fun farm chores & more. September 23, 2023. 11am-3pm, $3/admission.
Caponi Art Park Leaf Fest
1220 Diffley Rd, Eagan, MN 55123
Enjoy the changing colors of the forest and all the fun that comes with it: the annual leaf pile, arts and crafts activities, make-your-own treats, and more. TBA October 2023. FREE! More Ways to Enjoy Fall Colors in Minnesota.
FIND MORE TWIN CITIES FALL FESTIVALS NEAR Eagan!
More fall fun near Eagan
Fall fun near Eagan – the best apple orchards, pumpkin patches and corn mazes to take the kids and enjoy a beautiful fall day in Minnesota. Our guides are bursting with ideas for things to do.
Eagan Halloween events
Eagan Halloween Trail Walk
Viking Lakes, 2685 Vikings Cir, Eagan, MN 55121
Dress up and trick or treat through Legends Crossing at Viking Lakes. Other stations will include music and Halloween-themed games. Dress for an all-weather, outdoor event. October 28, 2023. 11am-2pm. $6 (advanced registration required).
Halloween Costume Parade
Wescott Library, 1340 Wescott Rd, Eagan, MN 55123
Halloween-themed story time, followed by a costume parade. Best for ages: 2–6. October 31, 2023.
FIND MORE TWIN CITIES HALLOWEEN EVENTS NEAR Eagan, MINNESOTA!
COOL PLACES TO TAKE KIDS IN THE EAGAN AREA
Gleason’s Gymnastics
2015 Silver Bell Road, Eagan, MN 55122
Gleason’s Open Gymnastics drop-in program is simply a lifesaver when you’ve got energetic kids in Minnesota’s cold season (that is, half the year). Our own kids loved having the run of the equipment! They can jump on the trampolines, launch themselves into the foam pit, walk the balance beam, follow obstacle courses, swing from the trapeze and more. Wed & Fri 9:30-11:30am. Ages 0 to Kindergarten. Pre-Register: $8/child or $10/family; Drop-In: $10/child or $15/family.
EAGAN INDOOR PLAYGROUNDS
Anyone who raises kids in Minnesota understands that we desperately need places where they can bounce off someone else’s walls during the winter. Check out our Twin Cities Indoor Playground Guide for more open indoor play options near Eagan!
Good Times Park
3265 Northwood Cir #100, Eagan, MN 55121
Get the outdoor feel here when your neighborhood playground is out for the season at GOOD TIMES PARK. Purchase your play passes online and receive a code to enter the building. Enjoy the run of the jungle gyms, pillow jumper, basketball court and open turf for the entire day! Open 7 days a week, 7am-9:30pm.
Rockin’ Jump Trampoline Park
2015 Silver Bell Road, Suite 195, St. Paul, Minnesota 55122ROCKIN JUMP is one of our own kids‘ most-requested family outings year-round. Included in the wristband are these super fun and often challenging activities: trampolines for open jump, dodgeball, slam dunk basketball zone, ninja challenge course, a balance beam and fidget ladder, a soft playground for smaller kids, and a climbing wall. A 90-minute jump pass runs $21; we usually scour Groupon to find discounts. Parents of kids up to age 6 might want to take advantage of Rockin’ Tots.
The Blast Indoor Playground
1501 Central Pkwy, Eagan, MN 55121
THE BLAST is a space-themed indoor playground located within the EAGAN COMMUNITY CENTER. The Blast & Play program combines a visit to the play area with access to the gym. Passes are just $5/child to age 12.
Find more indoor play areas near Eagan in our TWIN CITIES INDOOR PLAYGROUNDS GUIDE.
EAGAN, MINNESOTA, FREE FAMILY FUN AT PARKS & OUTDOOR PLAY
Eagan is an incredibly fun place to get out and play. It was quite the challenge to pick from 60 city parks to create our list of the 10 BEST PARKS IN EAGAN. The picks are a great place to get inspired for outdoor play no matter the season. Our PARKS SEARCH tool also covers most of these parks – just type “Eagan” into the location search space. Some parks not to miss when searching for things to do with kids outdoors in Eagan:
Free Family Fun:
- Cool off during the summer at CENTRAL PARK & SPLASH PAD. Plus, don’t miss the ninja playground!
- Tour the funky sculptures at CAPONI ART PARK at your own pace.
- The best beach in Eagan can be found at LEBANON HILLS REGIONAL PARK.
- Living history is tons of fun at HOLZ FARM PARK
- Don’t miss the nature playground at PATRICK EAGAN PARK
- Brand new at WOODHAVEN PARK is an all-inclusive playground.
More Active Fun:
- Splashy summer fun at CASCADE BAY WATERPARK.
- The best winter snow tubing at TRAPP FARM PARK.
- Free archery at WALNUT HILL PARK archery range (bring your own set).
Lebanon Hills Regional Park
860 Cliff Rd, Eagan, MN 55123
The largest park in Eagan, LEBANON HILLS REGIONAL PARK nearly comprises the entire southern boundary of the suburb. It offers year round family fun from playgrounds for the younger kids to mountain biking, canoeing and kayaking with older children. We rate the tranquil Schulze Lake Beach as one of the best in the Twin Cities. This park even offers camping right in the Twin Cities metro. More ideas for fun: We offer 10 Ideas for Summer Family Fun (plus more ideas for winter) at Lebanon Hills.
Caponi Art Park
1220 Diffley Road, Eagan, MN 55123
We recommend bringing a picnic and preparing to expend some energy exploring the 60 acres that make up this woodland sculpture garden. Art pops up in unexpected places, down meandering paths, and begs for interpretation. During the open season, the park hosts a variety of family-friendly events including a fall festival and summer arts performances. Admission is typically free; some programs may request a fee.
RESTAURANTS WHERE KIDS EAT FREE OR CHEAP NEAR EAGAN
Andiamo Italian Ristorante
1629 Lena Court, Eagan, MN 55122; (651) 289-2000
Day/Time: Mondays; All Day
Deal: Kids eat free with purchase of regular sized pasta or entrée.
Verified: 6/22/21
Celt’s Craft House
7083 153rd Street West, Apple Valley, MN 55124; (952) 683-1533
Day/Time: Sundays & Mondays; All Day
Deal: Kids eat free – One free kid’s meal per adult entrée purchased (excluding Sunday Breakfast Buffet)
Verified: 6/21/21
Dickey’s Barbecue Pit
3090 Courthouse Lane #100, Eagan, MN 55121; (651) 905-7725
Day/Time: Sundays, All Day
Deal: One free kid’s meal per $10 purchase. Valid at participating locations. (Limited time delivery/carry out code: KEFOLO)
Verified: 6/22/21
Pizza Ranch
15662 Pilot Knob Road, Apple Valley, MN 55124; (952) 431-3333
Day/Time: Tuesdays, 4:30pm-7:00pm
Deal: Kid’s Night: One child 12 & under per paying adult.
Verified: 6/21/21
Find More Twin Cities Restaurant Deals: Kids Eat Free or Cheap Twin Cities List.
EAGAN PERFORMING & FINE ARTS
Located within PATRICK EAGAN PARK, the EAGAN ART HOUSE offers classes, special events, and exhibits to the public. It’s mission is to encourage people of all ages to live creatively through visual arts education, exhibitions and community engagement. Don’t look for a large modern gallery, the Eagan Art House is a small 1950s rambler. Annual events include the Eagan Art Festival in June, Harvest of Art in September, and the Winter Art Sale in November.
Watch for more events near EAgan in our FAMILY PERFORMING ARTS PLAN-AHEAD CALENDAR.
EAGAN, MINNESOTA, FAMILY FUN MAP
FIND MORE THINGS TO DO IN THE TWIN CITIES WITH KIDS!
Eagan is just the beginning! FAMILY FUN TWIN CITIES tries hard to be the best resource when it comes to finding things to do with your kids and family in the Minneapolis-St Paul metro area of Minnesota. We strive to cover a wide range of communities and share activities and events we have personally experienced with our own kids in tow (all 12 of them!) We call the Twin Cities HOME and are excited to share the area with you! Visitors to Eagan, Minnesota particularly love these Twin Cities attractions:
Find things to do this weekend in Eagan on our Weekend Family Guide
