Tag Archives: Holiday Events

5 Winter Activities to do in Minnesota

Skiing, ice-skating, and snowboarding are all famous activities to do in the winter. But, what else is there to do? Minnesota can be really cold during the winter, (understatement of the year?) and it’s normal to think that there’s not much to do other than sit around and read books. So, for those eager to go out and explore snowy Minnesota here’s a compiled list of 5 Winter Activities to do In Minnesota.

1. Visit the Holidazzle Village

Located in Downtown Minneapolis the Holidazzle starts off on November 28th with a parade, fireworks, lights, and a whole lot of singing. Although the parade only happens, to open up the festivities, the celebration continues. Take a stroll down Nicolette Avenue with family and friends, and you will come across the Holidazzle Village. It’s free of charge, and takes place from November 28th to December 21st. We bet we’ll be “dazzled”!

2. Go to Bentleyville,”Tour of Lights”

A successful and annual event in Duluth, MN. Be ready to be really cold!! Due to the Lake Effect Duluth is always a bit chillier than the Twin Cities.

If you decide to go to Bentleyville (which we totally recommend you do), put on extra layers and be ready to have fun! It takes about an hour to go through all the tour. But, people usually take up more time to stop for hot cocoa and cookies served throughout the tour. There is also the option of getting marshmallows, which you can enjoy over a fire with some hot cider. However, don’t take our word for it! Go, and let us know what you think!

3. Snowmobiling

After doing some research on where to do this, we came up that Ely, MN was one of the best places to go snowmobiling in. The trails seem to be famous, and one of them cross over three state forests! There are several options as to how long you can decide to go. For example, the 170 mile Taconite Trail, or the 80 mile Tomahawk Trail, both of them providing amazing scenic routes. There are other several options to choose from, of course, but those two seem to be the most famous ones.

4. Skijoring and Dog Sledding

What is Skijoring you ask? Well, if you’ve ski or dog sled before, you probably already have a good idea. Basically, Skijoring is skiing while you have a dog pull on you. Almost like a mix of dog sledding and skiing, if you will. There are six different parks at which you can do this at. All of them are under the link provided by the Three Rivers Park District. All six of them have different trails, and distances you can choose from.

5. Participate in the Saint Paul Winter Carnaval

This Carnival takes on a little later in the year. Starting off on January 22nd and resuming on February 1st, the Carnival is filled with family-fun, day-to-day activities. Mostly all taking place in Rice Park, you can expect a day with up to 23 different events all going on throughout the day. So, you can pick and choose whichever you want to go to!

The story behind the St. Paul Winter Carnival stars with a New York journalist describing St.Paul as “another Siberia, unfit for human habitation” during winter. Offended by the journalist’s remark, the Saint Paul Chamber of Commerce decided to prove otherwise, thus the Saint Paul Winter Carnival.

So, dear reader that’s where we end our post. Have you done or are thinking about doing any of these activities? Let us know, and until next time!

8 Great Holiday Events Happening in the Twin Cities

Looking for a good way to unwind after you’ve finished wrapping your gifts? Haven’t started wrapping your gifts and looking for new ways to procrastinate? Read up on these 8 great holiday happenings in the Twin Cities. Click the headings for links to each event.

Macy’s Santaland

Nothing says Christmas like taking the kids to see Santa Claus and Macy’s remains the quintessential place to do it.  The trip through the magical elf village on the way to Santaland will only have the kids more excited to meet Saint Nick and share him in on the Christmas lists they’ve been drafting for the past month and half.

 

Holidazzle

The Holidazzle has filled Minneapolis streets with floats, costumes and lights since 1992. Sadly, this 22nd year will be Holidazzle’s last. So to those who have never been, this will be your last chance to see Holidazzle before its finale bow Saturday night. Organizers are promising a successor though and it’ll be exciting to see what they have up their sleeves for next year.

 

Ugly Sweater Crawl

Four downtown Minneapolis bars will play host to the fashionably heedless looking for drink specials this Saturday night. The ugliest  best sweater will walk away with a cool $100 in cash.

 

Ugly Sweater Party

Looking for something a little more stationary than a crawl but still want to show off that turtle-necked atrocity you call a sweater? Well, you’re in luck. The Living Room Bar in the Foshay Tower is hosting an Ugly Sweater Party that will be a little more refined than the nearby crawl. Classy bars and ugly sweaters: two great tastes that go great together.

 

Winter Solstice Celebration

Celebrate winter’s longest night around a bonfire in the Enchanted Forest at the American Swedish Institute. If that doesn’t sound like a fun time, your name probably rhymes with ‘Drooge’ and you have a sibling with children (your Uncle Scrooge is what I’m getting at here). Tours of the Turnblad Mansion’s holiday exhibit will be available as well a festive dinner featuring glögg, a Swedish mulled wine. Translation? Zero bah humbugs.

 

Wells Fargo Winterskate

Get the skates out of the attic (and knee pads) and head to Saint Paul for some free skating at Landmark Plaza. Skate rentals are available and, for those less enthusiastic about any activity preceded by waiver signing, so is the option of heading to the warming house for hot chocolate and significantly fewer concussions.

 

Holiday Lights in the Park

See more than 50 holiday sculptures and animated displays in Saint Paul’s Phalen Park from the comfort of your warm car in this drive-through holiday experience.  Pro tip: hot chocolate can also be consumed in a moving car.

 

Holiday Flower Show

Trick your mind into thinking you’ve fast-forwarded into Spring by surrounding yourself with the sights and smells of blooming flowers at the Como Zoo Conservatory in Saint Paul.

Just don’t forget about all those gifts that still have to be wrapped.