Twin Cities Spring Break Ideas – 2026

Sticking close to home with your crew this Spring Break? (Same here. Hence all this research.)

Why spring break?  Because a Minnesota winter wrapping up — even as mild as this one — is worth celebrating. Craft a fun staycation “Spring Break Trip” for your own family whether you have big kids or little kids. Be tourists right in the Twin Cities!

Spring Break in March in the Twin Cities?

March 2-8, 2026

Ideas for the first week of spring break in the Minneapolis-St Paul metro area! Many of these activities you can do all month long. 

Grab a tee time at a Twin Cities indoor mini golf course

A classic vacation tradition in our family, there are a number of creative courses in the Minneapolis-St Paul metro. Here are some we recommend for a special outing:

• CAN CAN WONDERLAND MINIATURE GOLF, St Paul: Who’s the quirkiest of them all? Probably this course, where each artist-designed hole is an attraction in itself. A cover charge (pick a Tuesday, it’s cheapest at $11) includes unlimited play at their massive arcade and any live entertainment. Mini golf is an extra fee of $15/pp. 755 Prior Ave N Suite #004, St Paul.
• PUTTSHACK, Minneapolis & Edina: Particularly family-friendly are golf balls that keep auto score – even your youngest can play along and know their scores are accurate. Bigger kids will have fun with the interactive challenges at different holes (i.e., trivia, connect 4, foosball, roulette) that offer bonus points. $9-$14/9 holes or unlimited golf option. North Loop: 700 N 3rd Street, Minneapolis & Southdale locations.
• ROCK OF AGES BLACK LIGHT MINI GOLF, Mall of America: Golf a round to music by decade, start in the 50s and work your way up. $11.99/18 holes or save with a $38.99/family four pack.

FIND MORE TWIN CITIES INDOOR MINI GOLF COURSES TO TRY THIS SPRING BREAK WITH KIDS!

Can Can Wonderland Mini Golf

 

Puttshack – North Noop & Edina

Rock of Ages Mini Golf

March 4 Tots & Trains at Jackson Street Roundhouse

193 Pennsylvania Ave E, St Paul, MN 55130
Got kids who love trains? They will adore this place. It’s filled with train stuff to tinker with, real train cars to run through, train play tables, a craft and storytime. 10am-12pm. $6-$11/pp or a $36 family pack available.

March 5 Como Zoo Little Explorers Thursday

1225 Estabrook Dr, St Paul, MN 55103
March weather not cooperating for outdoor plans? Stay as toasty as the tropics wandering the indoor gardens and exhibits. The animal enclosures are heated, too. Best day of the week to visit with toddlers and preschoolers is Thursday for special free programming from 10am-noon. March 5th’s theme is Jr Gardener. FREE, donations appreciated.

March 6 More than shopping at SCHEELS!

8301 Flying Cloud Dr., Eden Prairie, MN 55344
Who knew you could spend the day being entertained at the sporting goods store? This generation’s variety features a 65-foot Ferris wheel, mini-bowling, a candy shop, archery range and arcade. No trouble getting the teens to join me on this outing! Visit anytime.

March 8 Troll Tales Cave Tour

Wabasha Street Caves, 215 Wabasha St. S, Saint Paul 55107
A tour of the caves tailored especially for kids with a “troll” guide, craft and photo opp. These are real, urban caves that naturally occur in the sandstone bluffs on St Paul’s West Side. Lots of history lurking in the caverns – but we promise it’s kid-friendly! Tours for kids are available March 8 only, 2026, 12:30pm. $11/pp.

March 9-15, 2026

Ideas for the second week of spring break in the Twin Cities – with kids.

Explore downtown St Paul with kids

Within about three city blocks of each other, set in a roughly linear north-south fashion, are three St Paul landmarks you could plan a Sunday around with kids:

• LANDMARK CENTER: Aptly named and beautiful, the historic building is free to explore and hidden within you’ll find the delightfully interactive SCHUBERT CLUB MUSIC MUSEUM, complete with instruments to clang away on.
• The equally gorgeous GEORGE LATIMER CENTRAL LIBRARY: Spend some time reading and playing with STEM materials in the children’s room.
• World-class SCIENCE MUSEUM OF MINNESOTA: During Omnifest

  five films are screened back-to-back daily with fascinating themes such as space exploration and exotic wildlife. One film is included with museum admission; add-ons are $10 each. Now through April 5, 2026.

  FREE at the Science Museum: Did you know there is a Mississippi National River and Recreation Area visitor center tucked into the lobby with some interesting hands-on exhibits? Kids can play at fishing, boat or canoe, try birdwatching, and take a virtual bike ride or hike along the river.

Connecting these venues is RICE PARK, home to sculptures of the Charlie Brown Peanuts gang and author F. Scott Fitzgerald. Meters around the park are free on Sundays but if you’re planning to spend time at the Science Museum, you’ll want to park in the museum ramp.

Schubert Club Music Museum

George Latimer Central Library

Science Museum of Minnesota

 

March 11 Wee Wednesday at Midtown Global Market

920 E Lake St, Minneapolis, MN 55407
In partnership with Walker Art Center, art, music, storytelling and other creative activities are offered the second Wednesday of March & April, perfect for preschool-aged kids. The is situated amidst a crossroads of delicious food vendors so you can try a new lunch spot after the program. March 11, 2026, 10am-12pm. FREE.

March 11-12 Bell Museum Pi Day

Bell Museum of Natural History, University of Minnesota 2088 Larpenteur Ave W, St Paul, MN 
Help the museum to continue the Pi Day chain they started in 2019. Add your own link to this endless number. This popup program will continue all weekend. The museum and planetarium are wonderful to explore, filled with hands-on natural history exhibits and intricate wildlife dioramas. March 11 & 12 only, 2026 during open hours. $12-$15/pp, planetarium shows additional.

MARCH 14 Minneapolis St. Patrick Day Parade

The parade will start at 6pm, followed by a Blarney Blast at Murzyn Hall. The Parade is FREE. Blarney Blast is $10/ages 12+ and $5/ages 6-11. Free for 5 and under. March 14.

Beyond visiting Minneapolis & St Paul

Outdoors brought in at Good Times Park

Good Times Eagan, 3265 Northwood Cir #100, Eagan, MN 55121
Good Times Woodbury, 7805 Hudson Rd ste 188, Woodbury, MN 55125
We love Good Times Park for its indoors-but-outdoor feel: soccer turf, multi-level basketball hoops, huge jumping pillow, play equipment and ability to entertain a wide range of ages. Open daily, 7am-9:30pm, $13/pp ages 1-17. Admission is bought online in advance, space is limited.

Visit the Mall of America & Nickelodeon Universe on your own schedule

March 16-22, 2026

Ideas for the third week of spring break in the Twin Cities!

Minneapolis & St Paul St Patrick’s Day events in the Twin Cities – March 17, 2026

• Saint Patrick’s Day Irish Celebration – A day of Irish culture with music, dance and vendors. March 17, 9am-5pm. $7-$9/pp.
• Saint Paul St. Patrick’s Day Parade – Starts at Rice Park (5th St & Market St in downtown St Paul) and ending near Mears Park (5th St & Sibley St), traveling along 5th Street. March 17, noon.

For more ways to celebrate the Irish holiday, see our list of Twin Cities St Patrick’s Day events.

March 18 & 20 Gleason’s Preschool & Up Open Gym

2015 Silver Bell Rd #180, Eagan, MN 55122
A trip to Gleason’s for open gym is an instant mood-lifter. The kids will love the opportunity to bounce on trampolines, scoot through obstacle courses, and play on the gym equipment. Register in advance for a discount. And hey, teens and tweens! There are open gyms for you, too. March 18 & 20, 2026, 9:30 – 11:30am. $10 per child or $15 per family (online)-$15 per child or $20 (at the door).

For further ways to work the wiggles out, check our list of Twin Cities Indoor Playgrounds. Have the kids bounce of someone else’s walls for a change!

March 21 Visit Como Planetarium – One World, One Sky

780 W Wheelock Pkwy #1315, St Paul, MN 55117
This could be a special event to attend with your starry-eyed young ones – take a trip to the moon with Big Bird & Elmo. March 21, 2026 only, show at 10:15am. $6-$8/pp.

Maple syrup weekend in the Twin Cities

March 21 Maple Fest at Minnesota Landscape Arboretum

3675 Arboretum Dr, Chaska, MN 55318
Your ticket includes the maple syrup programming and admission to the Arboretum – this is a wonderful place to explore with kids! For more maple syrup family events, try our Maple Syruping with Kids in the Twin Cities list. March 21, 2026, 8:30am-3pm. $15-$25/adult, children 3-10/$5. Reserve tickets in advance.

March 23-29, 2026

Ideas for the fourth week of spring break in the Twin Cities!

Head for the Tropics at Shoreview Community Center

Swim your cold weather cares away at Tropics Indoor Waterpark – with its Bamboo Bay addition. Add a run through Tropical Adventure indoor playground to give your day an extra boost of warm-weather vibes. Daily passes to the Shoreview Community Center run $9.25-$14/pp.

March 26 Family Night Thursdays Rollerskating

3075 Coon Rapids Blvd NW, Coon Rapids, MN 55433
Skate to throwback prices and tunes. Just $7.75 to skate plus $5 skate rental fee (or bring your own). March 26, 2026 or ongoing Thursdays, 5-7:30pm. For more rink locations, try our 6 Twin Cities Roller Rink Family Deals.

Sunday Funday 

March 28-29 It’s Tapping Time! at Harriet Alexander Nature Center

Harriet Alexander Nature Center, 2520 Dale St N., Roseville, MN 55113
A FREE event of outdoor activities — with tours and stations for identifying maple trees, tree tapping, sap cooking, and sampling maple flavor. Craft kits to take home. March 28-29, 2026. 10am-4pm on Saturday and 12-4pm on Sunday. 

March 29 Urban Expedition: Uruguay

Landmark Center, 75 5th St. W, St Paul MN 55102
Travel the globe and learn about a new culture without hopping a plane! Experience through music, food, crafts and exhibits. March 29, 2026, 1-4pm. FREE.

Spring Break in April in the Twin Cities?

March 30-April 5, 2026

Love cats? Visit the Cafe Meow!

3524 Winnetka Ave N, New Hope MN 55427
1718A Lexington Ave N, Roseville MN 55113
My daughter absolutely loves cats but mean old mom isn’t up for having a pet. Our solution? We book an hour at this sweet rescue coffee shop and she gets a fix without extra responsibility. On spring break this week? Kids ages 7+ (with a parent) can play with the kitties and sip a warm beverage. 11am-6pm, $11.50/pp for one hour on weekdays.

Twin Cities Nature & Interpretive Centers

April doesn’t always want to commit to spring in Minnesota. However, nature centers across the metro offer the best of both worlds — nature play areas and trails to hike outdoors AND engaging indoor exhibits. We have two dozen of these wonderful centers dotting the Twin Cities; find a new place to explore at the link.

APRIL 2 Learning is anything but dull at Minnesota History Center

345 W Kellogg Blvd, St Paul, MN 55102
There’s never a dull moment for kids here, we promise; the museum takes special care to install exhibits that are highly hands-on and kid-friendly. Read about our all-ages favorites for families here. We suggest heading to the History Center on a Thursday night because admission is FREE from 4-8pm. (Regular admission $8-$15.)

So many Easter egg hunts in the Twin Cities!

Easter is celebrated Sunday, April 5 in 2026 so the weekend before is one to keep on the radar if your kids are interested in egg hunts and bunny meets. We keep a GIANT master list of all the Easter egg hunts in the Twin Cities, organized by region of the metro area. Browse it to plan ahead for some Easter fun at the end of the month!

Discover new bike trails

Spring can make you want to get the bikes out from winter storage and explore. Anne has mapped out her favorite bike paths for a family ride:

• The Best St Paul Bike Trails for Families
• The Best Minneapolis Bike Trails for Families

Day trip ideas for the whole family

Are you looking for a day trip during your Spring Break? Wanna get away but not for an extended period of time or at a large financial cost? Try one of these ideas.

Lake Superior and the North Shore

You can explore Lake Superior in Duluth or along the North Shore. 

However, it’s really good to head up there with a short itinerary.  There are so many things to do that it’s really easy to become overwhelmed and turn around without doing anything. (Ask me how I know).

For Duluth, I recommend the Great Lakes Aquarium and Canal Park’s Lake Superior Maritime Museum.

Along the North Shore, you could drive all the way to Grand Marais if you wish. There are lots of fun places to pull over and enjoy the lake along the way to Two Harbors. (Remember to bundle up.  It will still be chilly.)

Southern Minnesota and the Mississippi River

We have been traveling to Rochester and heading into southern Minnesota quite a bit these past few months. We are starting to discover some of the fun things to do in the area. Check out Red Wing, Wabasha, or Albert Lea. If you wanted to head a little southwest, explore New Ulm.

Looking for the right summer camp for your kiddos this summer? 

We’ve got the best included in our 2026 Guide to Twin Cities Summer Camps. 

Got an event you want to share? Find our submission form and guidelines here.