If the rides at the Mall of America aren't enough, drive out to this full-scale amusement and water park 22 miles southwest of Minneapolis in Shakopee. The animatronic dinosaur park ($5 extra) is a big hit. Save big money by booking tickets online. Parking costs $16.
Valleyfair
Minneapolis
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
14.42 MILES
The first-class art center has a strong permanent collection of 20th-century art and photography, including big-name US painters and great US pop art. On…
14.49 MILES
This 19-acre green space, studded with contemporary works such as the oft-photographed Spoonbridge & Cherry by Claes Oldenburg, sits beside the Walker Art…
14.3 MILES
This museum is a huge trove housing a veritable history of art. The modern and contemporary collections will astonish, while the Asian galleries (2nd…
16.26 MILES
The Weisman, which occupies a swooping silver structure by architect Frank Gehry, is a university (and city) highlight. The airy main galleries hold cool…
-
15.93 MILES
Head inside the cobalt-blue Guthrie Theater and make your way up the escalator to the Endless Bridge, a far-out cantilevered walkway overlooking the…
6.56 MILES
After Prince died in 2016, his family opened his 65,000-sq-ft home to the public for tours. Fans have been streaming to the mod, boxy white mansion ever…
15.35 MILES
The late, great Mary Tyler Moore (of '70s TV fame) put Minneapolis on the pop-culture map. The spot, at the corner of 7th St S and Nicollet Mall, where…
-
20.5 MILES
The Schubert Club Museum has a brilliant collection of old pianos and harpsichords – some tickled by Brahms, Mendelssohn and the like – as well as old…
Nearby Minneapolis attractions
6.56 MILES
After Prince died in 2016, his family opened his 65,000-sq-ft home to the public for tours. Fans have been streaming to the mod, boxy white mansion ever…
11.4 MILES
The amusement park in the Mall of America offers around 28 rides, including a couple of scream-inducing roller coasters. To walk through will cost you…
11.44 MILES
The state's largest aquarium – brimming with sharks, jellyfish and stingrays – is in the Mall of America. Combination passes with the Nickelodeon Universe…
13.18 MILES
You'll have to travel a ways to get to this respected zoo in suburban Apple Valley, which is 20 miles south of Minneapolis. It has naturalistic habitats…
13.91 MILES
Fort Snelling is the state's oldest structure, established in 1820 as a frontier outpost in the remote Northwest Territory. Guides in period dress show…
6. Minneapolis Institute of Art
14.3 MILES
This museum is a huge trove housing a veritable history of art. The modern and contemporary collections will astonish, while the Asian galleries (2nd…
14.42 MILES
The first-class art center has a strong permanent collection of 20th-century art and photography, including big-name US painters and great US pop art. On…
8. Minneapolis Sculpture Garden
14.49 MILES
This 19-acre green space, studded with contemporary works such as the oft-photographed Spoonbridge & Cherry by Claes Oldenburg, sits beside the Walker Art…