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Day Trip: Downtown Minneapolis

By Stephany Wiestling

Downtown? With kids? Absolutely! Spending the day in the city can be a cultural ego boost for anyone, even kids. If you can, plan your trip around a live stage show or a ball game. Going to a theater or stadium can be a lifelong memory in itself. Seeing a few other sights just adds more value to it. Here are some of our favorites.

-Library. The new Hennepin County Library has an interactive children's area on the ground floor and a very cool area just for teens upstairs.

-Water Park. Yes, there is a water park downtown. In the Depot, a Marriott Residence Inn, the indoor water park is pricey, but fun.

-Light rail. My little guy loves trains. Sometimes we take the light rail from downtown to the Mall of America or the Minnehaha Falls.

-Macy's candy counter. Kids always seem to remember Macy's candy counter.

-Mississippi River. Minneapolis is a river town. The Stone Arch Bridge is a pedestrian bridge crossing the mighty Mississippi. On the other side, and a few blocks north, you'll find the city's oldest restaurant (Pracna on Main) on the city's oldest street (St. Anthony Main). Stop in for kid-friendly food with breathtaking views of the downtown skyline.

-Mill City Museum. Visit the Mill City Museum for a bit of history and fun. In the summer, they have live outdoor music every Thursday night.

There is no shortage of things for kids to do downtown Minneapolis. So spend the day in the city. You might be surprised at what the kids get out of it.

Stephany is a travel writer mom who lives in Minneapolis and loves to explore this and other cities with her family. You can find more travel tips at Stephany's website, BestKidFriendlyTravel.com