THINGS TO DO IN HOPKINS WITH KIDS & FAMILY

Welcome to Hopkins, Minnesota! The city is small and friendly with a feel-good Mainstreet stocked with local businesses. We recommend dropping your vehicle in the municipal lot near the main drag – parking is free for up to 3 1/2 hours – and exploring on foot. Shop, eat, make and see art, even take in a live theater performance all within a few block radius. While feeling removed from the hustle, Hopkins also manages to be a quick drive from the heart of Minneapolis and provides easy access to the western suburbs. Read on for the best family fun we’ve discovered in Hopkins.

Hopkins Quick Links

KID-FRIENDLY EVENTS THIS WEEK NEAR HOPKINS, MINNESOTA

Find this week’s Hopkins, Minnesota, family fun including the nearby western suburbs of the Twin Cities: Eden Prairie, Edina, Golden Valley, Minnetonka, St Louis Park & Wayzata. Find our full Twin Cities Family Fun Calendar here.

HOPKINS SPECIAL EVENTS, FESTIVALS & SEASONAL ACTIVITIES

Spring in Hopkins: Festivals & activities

Hopkins Mainstreet Day 

Excited to get out and about now that the weather is lovely? Shop the annual arts and craft fair on the main drag of Hopkins plus live entertainment, food vendors and activities for kids. May 18, 2024, 9am-4pm, FREE admission.

Take a spring walking art tour

Get outdoors in the spring and explore Hopkins with a walking art tour down Mainstreet in downtown Hopkins. The “ArtStreet” sculptures change annually, but you can find the latest installations here, including a map and descriptions so you can take a self-guided tour. New art goes up in June and stays up through the following May. The sculptures displayed are eligible to win an Adult People’s Choice Award and a Children’s Choice Award. After touring ArtStreet, fill out a ballot with your kids to vote for your favorite piece (one ballot per person per year).

Art in Hopkins, MN
Find Art on Main Street in Hopkins

Easter egg hunts near Hopkins

We haven’t been successful at tracking down any Easter egg hunts within the city of Hopkins – so if you know of one, please drop us a line! However, we have dozens and dozens of hunts listed by city in our massive GUIDE TO EASTER EGG HUNTS IN THE TWIN CITIES for 2024. You’re bound to find a few within an easy drive of Hopkins – we have listings in Eden Prairie, Edina, Golden Valley and St Louis Park.

Easter egg hunts & activities in the Twin cities

Summer in Hopkins: Festivals & Activities

Hopkins Raspberry Festival

The festival includes Family Day in Central Park with art activities, fireworks and other entertainment and a Grande Day Parade.  July 12-16, 2023.

Hopkins Sunset Series Outdoor Concerts

Free live music shows performed in DOWNTOWN PARK. Get the concert lineup at the link. Thursdays, June 15-August 13, 2022, 7pm. 40 9th Ave S, Hopkins, MN 55343.

Hopkins swimming & beaches

Shady Oak Beach & Play Area

5200 Shady Oak Road, Minnetonka, MN 55345
The address claims this highly kid-centric beach for the city of Minnetonka, but it’s a mere 2-minute drive to Hopkins’ Mainstreet. A sandy beach spans 76 feet across the shoreline of a clear spring-fed lake. Lifeguards are on duty when the beach is open. The lake is deep enough to allow the beach a high dive and kids will go wild for the play equipment and space to dig in the sand. Visitors can also rent canoes, kayaks and paddleboards. Parents will enjoy the patio area with umbrellas. We rate this one among our
BEST BEACHES IN THE TWIN CITIES. Open June 10-August 20, 2023. $6/pp, twilight discount of $3/pp after 6pm.

Sand Play Area sign in front of climbing structures at Shady Oak Beach in Minnetonka Minnesota

FIND MORE OF THE BEST TWIN CITIES BEACHES AND PLAYGROUNDS.

Hopkins Halloween events

Halloween in Hopkins

Main Street between 7th & 13th Avenue, Hopkins, MN 55343
Trick or Treat at businesses, take a haunted jail tour at the police department, games at the artery, spooky story walk at Cream & Amber, fun at Stages Theatre, costume contest at kiddywampus, cookie decorating at American Legion and dog costume contest at Elks Lodge Patio. October 28, 2023, 11am-2pm. FREE.

Winter in Hopkins: Sledding, snow tubing, skiing & ice skating in Hopkins

Outdoor ice skating rinks in Hopkins

Outdoor ice skating rinks and warming houses (except for Hilltop Park) are operated at six Hopkins parks. Five have designated hockey rinks. The parks include:

Small boy playing hockey on outdoor rink
Saint Paul Outdoor Ice Rinks

The skating season typically runs from mid-December through mid-February. Call the weather hotline at 952-939-8355 for ice conditions, closings and updates. Looking for an indoor skating option? The HOPKINS PAVILION offers ice skating for a reasonable fee of $4/child and $5/adult. Please note that helmets are required for skaters under 18 and skates are not available to rent. View the season’s skating schedule here.

The best sledding hills in Hopkins

HILLTOP PARK: The city of Hopkins suggests this park for a winter sledding hill. 2020 4th Street N, Hopkins, MN 55343. Find more of the best sledding hills near Hopkins here.

sledding hills

Winter festivals & activities in Hopkins

Minnetonka Kids Fest

Hopkins Pavilion, 11000 Excelsior Blvd., Hopkins
Free wintry stuff to do! Dog sled rides, horse-drawn trolley rides, face painting, ice sculptures, crafts and more. Traditionally held in early February.
Find more WINTER FESTIVALS near Hopkins, Minnesota.

Christmas & holiday events in Hopkins

Beauty and the Beast, Jr.

Stages Theatre, 1111 Mainstreet, Hopkins, MN 55343
An all ages tale as old as time just in time for the holiday season. Tickets: $21-$33/pp. November 17-December 27, 2023. Discounts: Pay What You Can Performance November 18, 2023, 4pm. (Note that you need to reserve these tickets in advance)

Metropolitan Ballet’s Nutcracker

Auditorium at Hopkins High, 2400 Lindbergh Drive, Hopkins, MN 55305
Metropolitan Ballet celebrates 17 years of this family friendly holiday tradition. The classic story comes to life with fresh choreography and a cast of talented artists under the direction of Erik J. Sanborn of the Metropolitan Ballet. Tchaikovsky’s brilliant score is masterfully performed live by the Kenwood Symphony Orchestra. Tickets: $42-$69. December 16-17, 2023.

Find Discount Holiday Shows through our affiliate, Goldstar*: Half-Price Tickets

More holiday fun in Hopkins

Christmas and Holiday Guide Twin Cities

More winter fun near Hopkins

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.

COOL PLACES TO TAKE KIDS IN THE HOPKINS AREA

The western half of Hopkins is roughly bisected by a highly walkable Mainstreet, dotted with kid-friendly shops, stops, eateries and even a brewery we promise the whole family can get into. As a destination, we recommend exploring Mainstreet when skies are sunny – perhaps paired with a trip to nearby SHADY OAK BEACH (see more below) or Hopkins’ hometown summer RASPBERRY FESTIVAL

Kiddywampus

1023 Mainstreet, Hopkins, MN 55343
KIDDYWAMPUS is our top pick for toy store in the Twin Cities with the most laid-back, creative attitude. We love the fact that they stock unique toys that can withstand real play. This would be the place to go if you want to inspire creativity in your children or pick out a gift that is sure to please. Both the Hopkins and Chanhassen locations offer camps, classes, and birthday parties too. Winter Storytime at Kiddywampus: Jumping In a Book with Jen – interactive stories and songs, both educational and fun for kids ages 2-5 with caretakers (and siblings welcome). Wednesdays, Jan. 11th through Feb. 15th, 2023, 10:30am.

kiddywampus - an inspired place for kids - square logo

LTD Brewing Company

725 Mainstreet, Hopkins, MN 55343
Need a midday break along Mainstreet Hopkins? LTD Brewing is a very family friendly brewery with house made root beer, root beer floats, and games available at all times for kids in the taproom. An annual summer block party encourages families to come out and make the most of the fleeting warmth. Typically held the first Saturday of June.

Kids enjoying Rootbeer & Popcorn at LTD Brewing

Mess Hall

Mess Hall, 906 Mainstreet, Hopkins, MN 55343
Let the studio take care of art and crafts mess so you parents don’t have to! Special for kids: Book Messy Jessy parent-child studio times for ages 4 to 11 (available Saturday and Sunday mornings), Messy Monsters for parents and tots ages 2-6 (Friday mornings) or Family Mess on weekends, when the whole family can join in.

Tuttle’s Eat Bowl Play

107 Shady Oak Rd, Hopkins, MN 55343
Less than a block off the Mainstreet drag, Tuttle’s serves as the area’s bowling alley and arcade. Attention, kids, this stuff is for you: Tuttle’s participates in the
Kids Bowl Free program each summer. Want to have a bowling birthday party? Let your grownups know that packages for kids ages 12 and under start at $17.99/person for a 2-hour party, with party favors, pizza & soda. Add ice cream for $3/pp. Weekly specials: Sunday 10am-12pm – $2.99 games.

Hopkins Pavilion

11000 Excelsior Boulevard, Hopkins, MN 55343
The Hopkins Pavilion is a year-round arena that serves the community with activities including ice skating, broomball, soccer, lacrosse, inline skating, rugby, baseball, softball, concerts and other community and private events. The arena is able to shift from an indoor skating rink (September–February) to indoor turf (March–May) to dry floor (June–August) – so versatile!
FOR KIDS AT HOPKINS PAVILION: 
Back for Spring 2024, Turf Tots playtime moves to the indoor turf where there’s more room to run! Kids 5 & under can play with bounce houses, climbing wall, sport balls, crawl tunnels, blocks, trikes and more for kids ages 1-5. March 4 through May 4, 2024; Mon-Fri, 8am-1pm. $5 per session per child.

Twin Cities Tot Times and other activities to do with my preschool child.

HOPKINS, MINNESOTA, FREE FAMILY FUN AT PARKS & OUTDOOR PLAY 

Hopkins is on the smaller side compared to many of the western suburbs, but does not lack for quality parks, playgrounds and more natural spaces to explore. Our Parks Search tool covers most of these parks – just type “Hopkins” into the location search space. Some parks we were delighted to find when searching for things to do with kids outdoors in Hopkins:

Free Family Fun:

More Active Fun:

3rd Lair Overpass Skatepark

100 Washington Ave S, Hopkins, MN 55343
Unique to the Twin Cities (as far as we know), this is an outdoor skate park constructed under the shelter of the Highway 169 bypass in Hopkins. Definitely not for beginners, the web describes the facilities including piano banks, fun boxes, kinked rails and staircases. Appropriate for daring boarders, inline skater and BMX bikers ages 10+. Open mid-June through Labor Day, Wed-Sun. Cost is $5 per day for residents of Hopkins, Minnetonka & St Louis Park and $10 for non-residents. Read more about the Overpass Skatepark, operated by 3rd Lair.

RESTAURANTS WHERE KIDS EAT FREE OR CHEAP NEAR HOPKINS

KONA GRILL

11997 Singletree Lane, Eden Prairie, MN 55344; (952) 941-3262
12235 Wayzata Blvd, #1068, Minnetonka, MN 55305
Day/TimeSunday, 2pm-Close
Deal: Up to 2 FREE kids meals per adult entrée. Verified: 12/5/22.

PATRICK’S BAKERY AND CAFÉ

Southdale Square, 2928 West 66th St, Edina, MN; (612) 861-7570
Day/TimeTuesdays; 4pm-close
Deal: Kid’s Night: Kids eat free – 1 child (12 & under) eats free per adult entrée purchased. Entertainment by Lulu the Clown.
Verified: 2/18/22

PINSTRIPES

3849 Gallagher Drive, Edina, MN 55435; (952) 835-6440
Day/Time: Monday-Thursday; All Day
Deal: $1 Kids Club Special – $5 kids meals & $1/hour gaming with purchase of adult meal
Verified: 2/18/22

STATION PIZZERIA

13008 Minnetonka Blvd, Minnetonka, MN 55305; (952) 426-3273
Day/Time: Monday All Day

Deal: Kids eat free off the kids menu. (Thanks, Nicole)
Verified: 2/18/22

Find More Twin Cities Restaurant Deals: Kids Eat Free or Cheap Twin Cities List.

HOPKINS PERFORMING & FINE ARTS

Hopkins Center For the Arts

This venue is the home of STAGES THEATRE COMPANY and hosts music and events throughout the year. It is also a fun, free way to introduce children to art without overwhelming them as the gallery is relatively small. The rotating exhibits are mostly provided by local artists and there is no admission charge. Find out what is currently on display at HOPKINS CENTER FOR THE ARTS. A show at Stages is a fun and relatively inexpensive outing with kids if you desire an opportunity to introduce them to a live theater performance. Stages produces kid-friendly plays starring students & adults based on fairy tales, classic books and local authors. Junior versions of kid friendly Broadway plays are often offered. While they employ some adults, the majority of their actors are children and teens.  1111 Mainstreet, Hopkins, MN 55343.

HOPKINS MINNESOTA FAMILY FUN MAP

FIND MORE THINGS TO DO IN THE TWIN CITIES WITH KIDS!

Hopkins 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 Hopkins, Minnesota particularly love these Twin Cities attractions:

Find things to do this weekend near Hopkins on our Weekend Family Guide!

children in a family bike ride

Scroll to Top