Things to do in the Twin Cities Southeast Metro this weekend – with kids & family!
This Weekend Family Guide includes events and activities near the Twin Cities, Minnesota, communities of Afton, Apple Valley, Burnsville, Cottage Grove, Eagan, Farmington, Hastings, Inver Grove Heights, Lakeville, Mendota Heights, Rosemount, West St Paul & Woodbury.
This guide covers the weekend of February 3-4, 2024. Not locating the city you’re looking for? We also cover tons of fun family events in the areas of:
Welcome to February in the Twin Cities!
We had been eyeing the weather forecast and fervently wishing we could promote a “classic” winter weekend for you here. However, as temps inch up it’s more about what we can salvage in the name of family fun. We’re still armed with suggestions for outdoor activities, but also a mix of things to do this weekend indoors. There’s still plenty to choose from, especially if you incorporate our FEBRUARY FAMILY GUIDE or our FAMILY FUN CALENDAR.
Winter festivals this weekend in the Twin Cities Southeast Metro
Rounded up in our Twin Cities Winter Festival Family Calendar are the best picks of the Twin Cities’ seasonal celebrations this weekend and beyond. In the Southeast Metro keep an eye on this Saturday festival:
APPLE VALLEY Mid-Winter Fest
Johnny Cake Ridge Park West, 14255 Johnny Cake Ridge Road, Apple Valley, MN
Classic winter outdoor activities (weather permitting) plus unique-sounding events like frozen kite flying and cart train rides. And a warming bus! The evening is capped off with live music and fireworks. February 3, 2024, 3-7:15pm. FREE admission.
More Twin Cities-area community winter festivals this weekend:
- BLOOMINGTON: Pond Dakota Winter History Fest – Outdoor frontier games and historic house tours. February 3, 10am-2pm.Â
- COLUMBIA HEIGHTS: SnowBLAST – Mini pony rides, free popcorn & smores and winter activities (weather permitting). February 3, 4-7pm.
- CRYSTAL: Winterlude – RC car racing, music and outdoor winter activities (weather dependent). February 3, 11am-1pm. CANCELLED.
- EDEN PRAIRIE: Winter Blast! – Wintry activities if possible and a roaring bonfire. February 3, 2-4:30pm.
- MAPLE GROVE: Wonders of Winter – Skate on the refrigerated rink, wagon rides and a firepit with smores. February 3, 1-4pm.
- MINNEAPOLIS: Art Shanty Projects – Interactive, artsy ice houses, fun for all ages. All weekend, 10am-4pm.
- MINNETONKA: Kids Fest – Horse-drawn trolley rides, face painting and STEM activities with Snapology. February 4, 11am-2:30pm.
- ST PAUL: Winter Carnival – Snow & ice sculptures and an indoor family fun day. February 3-4.
For further planning, don’t forget that our  Twin Cities Winter Festival Family Calendar keeps track of the best Twin Cities’ seasonal celebrations from top to bottom of the Metro area.
Fun outdoor activities in the Twin Cities Southeast Metro parks this weekend
We’re bringing you the scoop on dozens of outdoor activities this weekend in Twin Cities parks carefully curated on our FAMILY FUN CALENDAR. Here’s a sampling of our top picks in your area of the metro – some fun family ideas!
Midwinter Family Fun at Belwin
1553 Stagecoach Trail S, Afton, MN 55001
Snow or no – the outdoor activities will commence: naturalist-guided hikes (including one for kids under 5), stargazing opportunities, and smores around a campfire. Note, this is an evening event. February 3, 2024, 5-7pm. FREE.
Twin Cities Southeast Metro winter activity update
Exploring the Twin Cities’ best ice rinks
We’d encourage you to get out and take a slide down a thrilling slope listed in our sledding hill guide or glide on one of the free ice skating rinks – but this hasn’t been a typical winter. We’ll continue to monitor the outdoor activities this weekend. Here’s what still hanging on in the Southeast Metro:
- Winter SKOLstice ice rink at Viking Lakes – You can ice skate for free on one of the outdoor refrigerated rinks (5-10pm Sat & until 9pm on Sun, BYO skates or rent a pair for $5). Ice is scheduled to be open January 27 & 28, 2024. Please check the website to confirm as status may change with the weather. 2685 Vikings Cir, Eagan, MN 55121.
- M Health Fairview Sports Center, Woodbury: Free ice skating on a refrigerated rink, skate rental $6.
Snow tubing in the Southeast Metro
TRAPP FARM PARK, Eagan: Trapp Farm’s winter recreation offers more than 70 winter tubing tubes for rent. (Please don’t bring your own; they’re not permitted.) This site does not offer tow ropes, so tubers will need to be able to climb the hill on their own. $5/pass. 841 Wilderness Run Rd, Eagan, MN 55123
BUCK HILL, Burnsville: The tubing lanes are currently open and were discounted to $18/2 hrs when we last checked. There is an onsite restaurant for your warm-up and snack-craving needs. 15400 Buck Hill Rd, Burnsville, MN 55306.
More ideas for things to do this weekend in the Twin Cities with kids – Southeast Metro
Need indoor activity ideas? Try a new indoor play space
12425 River Ridge Boulevard, Burnsville, MN 55337
When it’s no longer park & playground weather, the parents and kiddos of the Twin Cities still need sanity-saving play spaces where energy can be expended followed by a good naptime (or bedtime) for all. During the months of November through March we feature the best indoor playgrounds in the Minneapolis-St Paul area on our site, hoping to help you discover something new. This weekend we highlight Grand Slam Sports in Burnsville. This is a particularly good indoor play option if you have a span of ages in your family. My older kids enjoy Grand Slam for the trampolines, laser tag, batting cages, bumper cars and pirate-themed mini golf (whew). We like the Daytime Special – $12.95 for unlimited Play Zone, trampolines and mini golf, Mon-Thurs, 12-4pm. Some blackout dates apply.
MORE INDOOR PLAY SPACES IN THE TWIN CITIES SOUTHEAST METRO:
- APPLE VALLEY:Â Millz House
- BURNSVILLE:Â Grand Slam Sports
- EAGAN:Â The Blast Indoor Playground
- WOODBURY:Â Lookout Ridge Indoor Playground
FIND OUR ULTIMATE LIST OF TWIN CITIES-AREA INDOOR PLAYGROUNDS!
Marcus Theatres Kids Dream Family Film Series
15280 Carrousel Way, Rosemount, MN 55068
Marcus Kids Dream series entitles ticket holder to two free passes to the movie of the weekend. You do need to get an e-voucher prior to the show! Grab popcorn and drink specials for just $3.50 each plus tax. This weekend screens Charlotte’s Web. February 2-4, 2024.Â