Rice Park

Rice Park is a lovely bit of green located in the heart of downtown Saint Paul. This public space is nice for picnics and exploring public art including a delightful fountain and whimsical Peanuts sculptures. Keep an eye on our FAMILY FUN CALENDAR for kid-friendly festivals, concerts and events held year-round in Rice Park or read on to plan a fun family day out in the area.

Fun family attractions near Rice Park

We suggest packing a picnic in the summer to best enjoy the revitalized and refreshed historic space. The walkways are lined with benches and a few tables, and there is plenty of green space to spread a blanket. Rumors aside, residents of the area have assured us that Rice Park and Lowertown Saint Paul are perfectly safe for day-time picnics and public events. Mere steps away are several beautiful and historic buildings worth a visit including:

• LANDMARK CENTER – a gorgeous castle of a building borders Rice Park to the north. Pop inside to explore the super kid-friendly and completely free SCHUBERT CLUB MUSIC MUSEUM. Get little hands all over some instruments and feel free to make some noise!
• ORDWAY CENTER – forming the western park border, often produces child-friendly Broadway-caliber shows and hosts the annual Flint Hills Family Festival each June.
• GEORGE LATIMER CENTRAL LIBRARY – to the south of the park is another beautiful building that begs a wander. Kids will love the library’s children’s reading room. Most Saturdays offer free programming such as storytime, puppet show, musicians and STEAM activities.

More walkable attractions from Rice Park include the Science Museum of Minnesota (about two city blocks) and Minnesota Children’s Museum (about four city blocks). Union Depot is about a 15-minute walk and CHS Field closer to 20, but it’s possible to shave off time if you hop on the Green Line train.

Public art in Rice Park

Take a public art scavenger hunt during your picnic between Rice Park and Landmark Plaza to see if you can find:

• A statue of F. Scott Fitzgerald
• A bronze sculpture of a woman walking in the fountain called “The Source”
• Several bronze Peanuts characters created by artist Tivoli Too: Charlie Brown, Linus, Sally, Lucy, Schroeder, Peppermint Patty and Woodstock.
• LightWave, an animated LED light installation by artist Jeff Bartlett.

Public events in Rice Park for families

In the summer, Landmark Center has hosted walking tours from the park (geared more for adults and teens) and there is typically a weekly concert series. November through snowmelt, the park is cheerfully lit with holiday lights (see our video posted below). Come January and early February paths glitter with amazing ice sculptures of the St Paul Winter Carnival. All of these public events in Rice Park are free to attend. For the most current entertainment offerings, please refer to the City of St Paul’s Music in the Parks page.

Free Rice Park holiday lights show

The Salvation Army is pleased to present a dazzling and FREE holiday lights show in Rice Park this year. To keep things fresh, the show changes up its tunes and projections each week. Catch it running every fifteen minutes starting at 5pm daily. Enjoy the magical lights that decorate the park’s trees any time during the holiday season. Here’s our sneak peek of the light show, included in our giant directory of Twin Cities & Greater Minnesota Christmas & Holiday Light Displays:

What you won’t find at Rice Park

Rice Park does not have a traditional playground. There is no splash pad, swings or slides. There are no grills or a shelter. Visitors will not find restrooms in the park; the closest ones are located inside Landmark Center. There is no designated parking lot for Rice Park, but there are metered spaces on the surrounding streets (free on weekends). It does not have a stop on the Metro Green Line, but there is one about 3.5 blocks away. St Paul WinterSkate is no longer held at Rice Park.

More information & useful links

• Saint Paul Winter Carnival: Top Family Activities
• Learn about Henry Mower Rice at MNopedia
• Saint Paul Garden Club
• You can learn more about St. Paul music in the parks here.
• Learn more about the bronze Peanuts characters
• Saint Paul Winter Carnival: Top Family Activities
• Light It Up: Twin Cities & Greater Minnesota Christmas & Holiday Light Displays