The Mall of America (mallofamerica.com) is the largest indoor shopping mall in the United States. It offers four levels of shopping, dining and entertainment for people of all ages. Nickelodeon Universe (nickelodeonuniverse.com), a seven-acre family amusement park with more than 30 rides and attractions is located in the center of the mall. LEGO Land (legoland.com), also located inside of the mall, offers four stories of LEGO sculptures. There are more than 90 models of buildings, animals and landmarks, as well as a large selection of LEGO blocks for kids to enjoy during their visit.
The Children's Theatre Company (childrenstheatre.org) offers kid-oriented live theater productions and exposes families to the performing arts and entertainment. The Science Museum of Minnesota (smm.org) is located right on the Mississippi River and offers 370,000 square feet of exhibits, films and hands-on science fun. Exhibits change on the regular basis, so families can visit several times each year without getting bored. The Mill City Museum (millcitymuseum.org) offers hands-on history activities for kids. This is a fun way for families to learn about the history of the Twin Cities and Minnesota.
Valleyfair (valleyfair.com) is the state's largest amusement park, offering 60 thrill rides and access to Whitewater Country Waterpark. Visit the animals at the Como Park Zoo and Conservatory (comozooconservatory.org) in St. Paul. The zoo is home to giraffes, gorillas, flamingos, polar bears, zebras and other animals. Visitors also enjoy miniature golf, carousel rides, several gardens including Bonsai and traditional Japanese, and a marketplace with snacks and gifts. Lake Harriet is another popular outdoor destination in Minnesota. Kids can swim, play or visit the miniature troll house and leave a note for the mysterious troll.
Indoor activities are appropriate during the winter months in Minnesota and St. Paul. Bryant Lake Bowl (bryantlakebowl.com) offers bowling, movies, snacks and special events. Waterpark fun is available during the winter indoors at two Twin City hotels. The Depot Minneapolis, a Renaissance Hotel (thedepotminneapolis.com) is located along the Riverfront and also features an ice skating rink. Grand Rios Indoor Waterpark Hotel (grandrios.com) features a lazy river and hurricane plunge and offers daily admission to the water park for those not staying at the hotel. The Midtown Global Market (midtownglobalmarket.org) is an educational way for families to learn about other cultures. The market features foods from around the globe, crafts, a farmers' market and free dance lessons.
