Things to do in Minneapolis

One of the last free zoos in the United States, Como is home to a wide array of animals (from monkeys to polar bears) and exotic plants and welcomes visitors 365 days a year. Located next to Como Town Amusement Park, the historic Cafesjian's Carousel, and in Como Park, the zoo and conservatory are great fun for visitors of all ages.

Located just minutes south of Mall of America, the Minnesota Zoo brings education and entertainment to life! The zoo is home to penguins, a lush tropical forest and aviary, marine center, boreal forest, tundra and a family farm. With more than 4,300 animals, you're bound for a new adventure on every visit! The zoo also has banquet facilities and picnic rentals available and group discounts for 20 or more.

The nation's largest professional dinner theatre features three separate theatres under one roof to enjoy spectacular Broadway musicals and comedies, served with delicious dinner. Chanhassen Dinner Theatres (CDT) came to be in 1968. It was the vision of founders Herb and Carol Bloomberg to bring a “little bit of Broadway to the Midwest.” They loved traveling to New York to enjoy great Broadway productions and felt audiences deserved a quality musical theatre experience here in the Twin Cities. They acquired land in Chanhassen, Minnesota, a tiny rural community with a population of less than 500 people. The 90,000 square foot dinner theatre was built on what was then cornfields and countryside. At its core Chanhassen Dinner Theatres is about Entertaining YOU! So whether you are coming with a group, celebrating a birthday or anniversary, having a date night or enjoying an evening with good friends, It’s the place where generation after generation comes to make lasting memories. And that’s its proudest accomplishment.

Minnesota's largest public garden on 1,000 acres, the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum is open year-round and offers seasonal tours of beautiful display gardens and plant collections.

Surrounding the Convention Center on the southern edge of downtown Minneapolis, the Loring Park District is a walkable residential neighborhood of historic institutions and cultural attractions.

Built into the ruins of what was once the world’s largest flour mill, Mill City Museum is located on the historic Mississippi Riverfront. Here, visitors of all ages learn about the intertwined histories of the flour industry, the river, and the city of Minneapolis.

At the Science Museum of Minnesota, the science that shapes our daily lives comes to life through hands-on exhibits, larger-than-life Omnitheater films, and a world-class collection of fossils and artifacts.