Welcome to Family Fun Twin Cities! We’ve been exploring the Twin Cities with kids for almost 20 years individually and together. In 2013, Anne, Gianna and Joy merged their individual family fun websites to bring you the best of Minnesota family entertainment and attractions all in one place. We have visited plenty of playgrounds, acres of parks, and tons of museums and historic places. We share our experiences and the experiences of our reader community here with you.
Here are some of our favorite things to get started exploring:
Top 6 Twin Cities Kid-Friendly Museums to Explore
Find our full list of MINNESOTA MUSEUMS & HISTORIC PLACES here. This short list includes some of the most family-oriented museums in the metro area:
1. Minnesota Children’s Museum
10 West 7th Street, Saint Paul, MN 55102
A great starter museum for even the youngest family members. MCM has galleries geared toward crawling babies and toddlers, plenty of preschool investigation opportunities and fun activities for school-age kids.
Read More: Minnesota Children’s Museum
2. Walker Art Center & Minneapolis Sculpture Garden
725 Vineland Pl, Minneapolis, MN 55403
Visit on a Free First Saturday to get both free gallery admission and kid-friendly activities to help families delve into the current exhibits at this world-famous art museum. Get outside and explore the sculpture garden when you visit. It is lovely year round, but a must-see in the summer.
Read More:Â Walker Art Center
Explore Further:Â 12 Minnesota Sculpture Parks to Visit with Kids
3. Science Museum of Minnesota
120 W Kellogg Blvd, St Paul, MN 55102
With three floors of exhibits and an Omnitheatre, there is so much to see at the science museum, that you can’t do it full justice in one visit.
Read More:Â Science Museum of Minnesota
Explore Further:Â STEM Fun: 6 Places for Hands-On Science with Kids in the Twin Cities
4. Mill City Museum
704 S 2nd St, Minneapolis, MN 55401Â
Who would think a museum about the flour industry would offer so much family fun, but this former flour mill located in downtown Minneapolis delivers. Visit in the summer, so you can get outside and explore the Mill Ruins and the Stone Arch Bridge for a full-day of fun.
Read More:
5. Minnesota History Center
345 W Kellogg Blvd, St Paul, MN 55102
Research Minnesota history with hands-on exhibits.
Read More:Â Minnesota History Center: Top Things for Kids
Explore Further: 61 Twin Cities Museums & Historic Sites
6. Minnesota Transportation Museum
193 Pennsylvania Ave E, St Paul, MN 55130
Lesser known than the top 5 museums, this hidden gem in Saint Paul is a train-loving kid’s dream come true. Families can explore a maze of train cars inside the gallery, take a short ride on a real train and even play with toy trains.
Read More:Â Family Fun: Minnesota Transportation Museum & Jackson Street Roundhouse
Explore Further:Â Minneapolis/St. Paul: A Train Lover’s Destination
Have a Day of Fun at the Mall of America
Gianna has enumerated the best entertainment for the whole family at the MOA in her comprehensive Floor-by-Floor Guide the the Mall of America. Here are some of our 4 favorite fun things to do when shopping the largest mall in the United States.
1. Nickelodeon Universe
5000 Center Ct, Bloomington, MN 55425
You can’t really have a family day at the Mall of America without at least visiting Nickelodeon Universe. If you get all-day wristbands, you can spend your entire mall visit at this indoor amusement park. Kids of all ages will find something to do at Nick Universe.
Read More:Â Nickelodeon Universe at the Mall of America
2. Crayola Experience
300 South Avenue Level 3, Bloomington, MN 55425
Fun for a one-day visit or frequent visits. A membership is a good deal if you plan to visit the mall often and want to stop off to play in the indoor playground and make some art together.
Read More:Â Crayola Experience, Mall of America
Explore Further: Arts and Crafts for Kids Around Town
3. Sea Life Minnesota
No matter how bustling the mall may get, Sea Life is a calm and quiet oasis where visitors can get close to ocean life.
Explore Further:Â Family Fun: Aquariums in Minnesota
4. LEGO Store Play Area
Parents can take a load off and rest while the little ones build with LEGO blocks at this small play space right outside Nickelodeon Universe.
Read More:Â LEGO Imagination Center, Mall of America
Explore Further:Â Â Got Preschoolers? Twin Cities Spots to Entertain & Educate All Week Long
Many visitors choose to stay at the nearby GREAT WOLF LODGE with its indoor water park, when the Mall of America is their destination.
Read More:Â 7 Tips for Visiting Great Wolf Lodge Bloomington
An Adventure at the Zoo
The metro area has two zoos. Both have their charm and deserve a family day of their own:
1. Minnesota Zoo
13000 Zoo Blvd, Apple Valley, MN 55124
The Minnesota Zoo is huge with both indoor and outdoor trails to follow. If the weather is not agreeable, you can spend the day indoors and not run out of interesting animals to visit.
Read More:
- Minnesota Zoo, Apple Valley
- 7 Ways to Get Minnesota Zoo Discounts
- Family Fun: Minnesota Zoo Farm Babies
2. Como Park Zoo & Conservatory
1225 Estabrook Drive, ST. Paul, MN 55103
Como Zoo is the FREE Zoo located inside of Como Regional Park in Saint Paul. Besides the zoo, the park holds the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory, Como Town Amusement Park, mini golf, Cafesjian’s carousel, a historic streetcar station, a small water park and more.
Read More:Â Family Fun: Como Park Zoo & Conservatory Summer Checklist
Twin Cities Parks Highlights
Minneapolis and Saint Paul both have award-winning park systems and then their are the amazing county and suburban parks. Find a park or playground to fit any family day out in our giant park directory, sort by area of the metro, amenity or name. Anne has reviewed the Top 10 Twin Cities Playgrounds here or try these popular favorites:
1. Bde Maka Ska Park
3000 Bde Maka Ska Parkway, Minneapolis, MN 55408
Formerly known as Lake Calhoun, both the Minneapolis Parks Department and the Minnesota DNR have recently returned to the Dakota name for this lake and the park surrounding it. This is the largest of the Chain of Lakes and is a popular biking and skating park.  There is also a beach at this park.
Read More:Â Bde Maka Ska Park and Beaches, Minneapolis
2. Minnehaha Regional Park
4801 S Minnehaha Drive, Minneapolis, MN 55417
Best known for the beautiful Minnehaha falls, this park has plenty of room to picnic, three public gardens, historic sites to explore, hiking and biking paths, a disc golf course, a wading pool and playground area and public events throughout the year.
Read More:Â Minnehaha Regional Park, Minneapolis
3. Hidden Falls Regional Park
1313 Hidden Falls Drive, St Paul, MN 55116
A little off the beaten path. Hidden Falls park also has a waterfall, picnic areas, and hiking trails along the Mississippi River.
Read More:
Things to Do This Weekend in the Twin Cities!
- Twin Cities Weekend Family Guide
- Family Fun Calendar
- Best Twin Cities Escape Rooms for Kids
- Twin Cities Quests, Scavenger & Treasure Hunts for Families
- 20+ Twin Cities Beaches, Parks & Playgrounds to Try This Summer
- 10 Free Things To Do With Kids In Downtown Minneapolis in Summer
- 35 Family-Friendly Twin Cities Spring & Summer Farmers Markets
Looking For More Information?
Need more ideas for Exploring the Twin Cities with Kids? Sign up for our Weekly Newsletter to receive a list of current events each week in your inbox:
Weekly Newsletter: FFTC’s Family Planning
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Super Secret Family Fun Resource Library”
Just moved here from 6 1/2 hours north by the Canadian border with my hubby and four kids, aged 15,13,12 and 8. We are always looking for adventure! We are a but north of the cities in Scandia, and have llamas, alpacas, bunnies, chickens, dogs, cats, birds, and a hedgehog named Daisy! I enjoy taking the kids on day trips that teach them and they can grow closer as siblings and closer to friends. I am looking for friends I can hang our with now and then, too ! Thanks for your site!
Thank you for reading our site! We’re kind of amateurs compared to you. We’ve only just started the double-digit parenting this year. We’d love to hear what works with the teens and what doesn’t. We are all sort of dreading that day when our oldest children no longer want to participate in our adventures.