La Salle Lake State Recreation Area, Minnesota's newest such area established in 2011, spans about 1,000 acres in Hubbard County near Solway, roughly 35 miles north of Park Rapids, centering on the namesake 221-acre lake that's Minnesota's deepest inland body at 213 feet with excellent fishing for walleye, northern pike, crappie, bluegill, and perch.
Crow Wing State Park sits at the confluence of the Mississippi and Crow Wing Rivers, just south of Brainerd in central Minnesota, preserving the site of Old Crow Wing—a bustling 19th-century frontier town that faded after the railroad bypassed it, now explored via interpretive boardwalks and signs recounting fur trade, Native American history, and a 1768 Dakota-Ojibwe battle.
The Escape Game Minneapolis, located in the Mall of America in Bloomington just outside Minneapolis, offers immersive escape room experiences where teams have 60 minutes to solve puzzles and complete missions such as escaping a prison, repairing a spaceship on Mars, or stealing back a piece of art from a museum.
Lake Carlos State Park, located about 10 miles north of Alexandria in Douglas County, Minnesota, spans over 1,200 acres around the northern shores of the 2,600-acre Lake Carlos, a deep glacial kettle lake reaching 163 feet.
Forestville State Park in Minnesota includes the historic village of Forestville, preserved to represent a 19th-century town, and is managed by the Minnesota Historical Society.
Indeed Brewing Company Northeast TapRoom in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is a well-known craft brewery founded in 2011 by friends Thomas Whisenand, Rachel Anderson, and Nathan Berndt.
Bear Head Lake State Park in northeastern Minnesota near Ely surrounds the 670-acre Bear Head Lake and three smaller fishing lakes across 5,400 acres of northwoods terrain, offering a wilderness-like experience similar to the nearby Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness with road access and modern amenities.
St. Croix State Park in Pine County, Minnesota, is the state's largest at over 33,000 acres, stretching 21 miles along the St. Croix River—a National Scenic Riverway—and including the final seven miles of the wild Kettle River.
Tettegouche State Park in Minnesota is a stunning natural area along the North Shore of Lake Superior, covering nearly 9,400 acres and known for its dramatic cliffs, waterfalls, and diverse landscapes.
The Vince Shute Wildlife Sanctuary, located near Orr, Minnesota, is a 360-acre forested refuge dedicated to the preservation and study of black bears in their natural habitat.
SEA LIFE at Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota, is a large public aquarium showcasing 1.3 million gallons of freshwater and saltwater marine life.
The Bell Museum in Minnesota is the state’s official natural history museum and planetarium, located on the Saint Paul campus of the University of Minnesota.
Interstate State Park, Minnesota's first state park established in 1895, covers 298 acres straddling the Minnesota-Wisconsin border along the dramatic Dalles of the St. Croix River gorge near Taylors Falls, featuring the world's largest collection of glacial potholes including the famous 60-foot-deep Bottomless Pit carved by Ice Age meltwaters.
The Weisman Art Museum, located on the University of Minnesota campus in Minneapolis, is renowned for its striking building designed by architect Frank Gehry, completed in 1993, which features an abstract, stainless steel facade that contrasts with the natural Mississippi River bluff it overlooks.
