Twin Cities GUIDE TO FAMILY ACTIVITIES THIS WEEKEND: September 25-26, 2021
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Things to do in Minneapolis & St Paul this weekend!
This Twin Cities Family Weekend Guide covers the weekend of September 25-26, 2021. To find our most recent guide, click here.
September is that glorious month in Minnesota where it’s still possible to run around in shirtsleeves, enjoying the sunshine. We like to make every late summer day count and We like to make every early fall day count – and prove it with weekends packed full of festivals, craft fairs, farm fun and other reasons to run around in the outdoors. We’ve listed our picks for this weekend below. For more ideas on what to do this weekend in the Twin Cities with your kids hop over to our SEPTEMBER FAMILY GUIDE, our ULTIMATE FALL FUN GUIDE or our FAMILY FUN CALENDAR.
Family Festivals this weekend in the twin cities
We can’t get enough of the fresh outdoor fall festivals that populate every corner of the Twin Cities this time of year. Here we feature one we think is worth your time this weekend; plan for more on our FALL FAMILY FESTIVAL CALENDAR.
Gibbs FArm Apple Festival | Falcon Heights
All things apple! Treats, games, crafts, a tour through the orchard, and all food included. Gibbs Farm is a wonderful place for families to take a step back in time. Walk through the historic farmhouse and one-room school, explore how native Minnesotans lived on the prairie, and pay a visit to the farm animals. Sept 25, 10am-4pm $5-$8/pp.
More fall festivals this weekend around the Twin Cities metro:
– Afton Art in the Park
– St. Louis Park Roctoberfest
fun outdoor activities in the parks this weekend
Featured here for the weekend is just a taste of all that’s going on across the incredible Twin Cities park systems. You can get more ideas on our FAMILY FUN CALENDAR or browse the links below to search for local fun events & things to do with kids this weekend in the parks.
SOME FUN FAMILY IDEAS FOR THIS WEEKEND
POND DAKOTA MISSION PARK is a 40 acre Bloomington park on the bluffs of the Minnesota River. The park is a living history site that works to preserve the history of of the early Minnesota settlers, the Christian missionaries and the Dakota people of the mid-nineteenth century. It also works hard to get kids warmed up to the idea of learning while having fun.
The best days to visit the park in 2021 were during the Saturday drop-in open houses. These featured free hands-on historical activities that my kids have really enjoyed. Plus, if you are interested in the historical and cultural significance of the land, families can visit the park and explore the grounds any day. If these open houses continue into the fall of 2021, you can be sure they’ll be listed on our FAMILY FUN CALENDAR. In the meantime, there’s a chance to fit in a fall festival at the Pond House this weekend:
Pond Dakota River Rendezvous
Experience the life of Minnesotans between 1800 and 1870 through story-telling, games and interactive demos. The Pond House is located in Bloomington. Sept 25 & 26, 10am-5pm, $10/adults, $5/children.
Featured Twin Cities Park Events this weekend
National Public Lands Day is Saturday, September 25! Some ideas to make the most of the weekend outdoors:
Spring Lake Trailgate | Prior Lake
There’s all kinds of outdoor fun to be had: families can try rock climbing, slacklining, and geocaching, borrow bikes to explore the park trails and changing leaves. 11am-3pm. All activities are FREE.
Leaf Chromatography at Lowry Nature Center
Try chromatography experiments and discover the science behind fall leaf colors. LOWRY NATURE CENTER is located within CARVER PARK RESERVE in Victoria. If this program is full, here are some other fun things to do at the park: explore the nature center and the nature playground. Bonus Fun: Plan a Family Fall Color Drive to pair with this experience. Sept 26, $5/pp, register in advance.
FREE FAMILY FUN DAY with Three Rivers parks
Each Sunday in September, MISSISSIPPI GATEWAY REGIONAL PARK hosts a FREE FAMILY FUN DAY with drop-in activities from 1-3pm. If you’re from the SW Metro: RICHARDSON NATURE CENTER in Bloomington also hosts this program. Want to explore more nature centers? Check out the links on our big list of Twin Cities nature & interpretive centers for all the details.
Minnesota Migrators at French Regional Park
Drop in to learn about migrators, take a fun challenge and stay to play on the awesome playground equipment! Sept 25, 10am-12pm, FREE.
Visit a tiwn cities apple orchard this weekend
Most smaller orchards are thrilled just to get you in the door (with the hope that you’ll purchase the privilege of picking their fresh apples, of course) and offer free admission. And our favorites are the ones that not only don’t charge to enter, they don’t nickel-and-dime you for activities as soon as you’re in. Some highlights from the orchards we recommend:
Sunrise River Farm | Wyoming
Take a short walk into the orchard to pick your own apples, pet a few farm animals, play some games, take a mini-train ride and hang out on the playground. (Even tweens and teens will find something to like here!)
LuceLine Orchard | Watertown
Apples are now pick-your-own while supplies last! There are lots of other activities onsite to stay busy, including some that are open on weekdays such as the hay mountain, petting farm, corn boxes and swings.
Fisher’s Croix Farm Orchard | Hastings
This is a beautiful apple orchard run by a multi-generational family. A sampling of some of the ways to spend a fall day: Scout for apples (pick-your-own and pre-picked), climb the hay pile, or take a wagon ride out to the corn maze ($3/pp, weekends only).
Get our complete guide to Twin Cities apple orchards!
Kids in the Corn (Mazes)
Love them, fear them, however you feel about corn mazes, they are a staple of outdoor fall fun in Minnesota. Several are opening this weekend, or are already open to challenge you with their latest design. Opening this weekend:
Pine Tree Apple Orchard Corn Maze | White Bear Lake
This might be a maze for the big kids; plan to spend 20-30 minutes in the corn. Get the complete lineup of fall entertainment at Pine Tree’s website.
Pearson Family Farm Corn Maze
Corn maze, antique tractors, games for the kids, popcorn pit. Weekends include hay rides and food trucks. Wristbands for the activities are $5/pp or $30/family. 10am-6pm.
Twin Cities Harvest Festival Corn Maze | Brooklyn Park
This is the king of all Minnesota corn mazes at 20 acres. Admission includes access to the pumpkin patch, sunflower field, corn pit and other activities. Weekend tickets $11/pp.
Find more of our suggestions for the best TWIN CITIES CORN MAZES.
more ideas for things to do this weekend in the twin cities
Drop in for big rigs!
Big Truck Day | Woodbury
This is nirvana for those kids who are fascinated by the big vehicles. They can climb inside a fire truck, garbage truck, ambulance and more. Head for the east parking lot. What if it rains? Woodbury’s Central Park is a lovely place to spend a day inside – kids can enjoy Lookout Ridge Indoor Playground, a branch of the Washington County Library, and the landscaped indoor atrium. Sept 25, 9am-noon, FREE.
Schubert Club Museum Grand Opening
The SCHUBERT CLUB celebrates the new Music Museum’s Grand Opening this weekend. We visited over the summer and loved tinkering around with the new instruments! Sept 25, 9:30am-noon. Always free to visit!
ALWAYS FREE TO VISIT WEEKENDS
MINNEAPOLIS INSTITUTE OF ART – FREE BUT TICKET REQUIRED.
MINNEAPOLIS SCULPTURE GARDEN – adjacent to the Walker Art Center. Follow the link to reserve your required tickets to visit the museum.
COMO PARK ZOO & CONSERVATORY – ADVANCED RESERVATIONS REQUIRED.
Find hundreds more things to do in Minneapolis & St Paul with kids!
