Of course you already know that Bloomington, MN is home to the largest indoor shopping center in the country – ahem, Mall of America – but did you know that the city is also a true winter wonderland? With plenty of cold weather activities to keep you entertained through the loooong Minnesota winters, you might even begin wishing that spring would hold off just a little bit longer…then again, maybe not.
Winter Fete is an annual weeklong celebration held at the end of January, which features a bevy of everyone’s favorite frosty activities, including ice skating, sledding, and an International Ski Jumping Competition. Prefer to just wrap yourself in a warm blanket and relax? Then we recommend taking a horse-drawn sleigh ride at the Pond-Dakota Winter History Festival.
Hyland Park Ski and Snowboard Area is one of Minnesota’s premier winter sports destinations. The park includes both designated snowboarding slopes and Nordic ski jumps, the latter of which are maintained by the Minneapolis Ski Club. The Club has produced several U.S. Olympic ski jumpers and it even hosted the 2013 Junior National competition. The Hyland Lake Park Reserve grounds are also occupied by the Richardson Nature Center, and the Hyland Greens Golf and Learning Center is located just down the street.
Normandale Community College’s Japanese Garden is a beautiful oasis located in the heart of Bloomington, open to the public year-round. Although the garden reaches its peak of loveliness and full blooming glory in the spring and summer, it is still absolutely stunning during the winter. A Twin Cities favorite location for weddings and photo sessions, it’s a can’t-miss snow-covered haven!
Who knew gardens were the place to be during the winter? The Bloomington Ice Garden (known affectionately by locals as BIG) holds three skating/hockey rinks, one of which is Olympic-sized. This fact made it a clear choice to act as one of the hosts for the 2016 U.S. Figure Skating Championships. If you’re a fan of ice skating, this will be a must-see, once in a lifetime opportunity!
Speaking of “big,” Bloomington is probably most well-known for its largest travel destination – the Mall of America. If you’re not a fan of outdoor activities, then this is the place for you. You could spend a day (probably a week, in actuality) exploring all that the world-famous shopping center has to offer. With nearly 5 million square feet to cover, remember to bring your comfortable shoes to check out the hundreds of stores, vendors, and restaurants. If you visit anytime from Black Friday through New Year’s, make sure you take the time to listen to some carols and other festive jingles, during the Holiday Music Festival. It’s the perfect place to get in the holiday spirit and tick off all the items on your holiday shopping list!
Before the MOA opened in 1992, the land was the site of Metropolitan Stadium, home to all of Minnesota’s major sports teams until the Metrodome and Target Field were built in the 1980s. Twenty-two years later, the Mall of America is now home to a different form of recreation: shopping ’til you drop. If whipping out your credit card in one of the 500+ stores sounds less than ideal, the mall is also home to the SEA LIFE Minnesota Aquarium, Nickelodeon Universe – at seven acres and with more than thirty rides it’s the country’s largest indoor amusement park – and the nearby Water Park of America, the ninth largest indoor water park in the country.
Still suffering from Black Friday shopping fatigue? (Happy Cyber Monday, by the way!) Skip the Mall and show out-of-town visitors the more cultured side of town by bringing them to the Bloomington Historical Museum, the Bloomington Theater and Art Center, Northwest Airlines History Centre, or The Works museum – a favorite for the kiddos.
Winter is not the only time that Bloomington really shines; there are tons of things to do for warm-weather lovers, throughout the spring and summer. The city offers more than eight thousand acres of parks and open space, including the Pond-Dakota Mission Park and Gideon Pond House. Located on the southeastern edge of the city, the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge caters to nature lovers, offering fishing, hunting, birdwatching and more recreational activities. This upcoming July, the city will host the 10th Annual Bloomington CVB Foundation Golf Tournament, which draws more than 150 yearly participants. Additionally, the Dwan Golf Club is one of the most popular courses in Minnesota and it’s home to the new FootGolf course as well. Also a summertime favorite among locals and visitors alike is the Bloomington Family Aquatic Center, open mid-June through Labor Day. Lastly, across town is Bush Lake Beach, one of the state’s most popular beaches, with more than 100,000 annual visitors.
One of the largest suburbs in the Twin Cities metro area, Bloomington is fully accessible from both Minneapolis and St. Paul via large highways and public transportation. Light rail’s Blue Line brings passengers directly to the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport and Mall of America stations, so you never even need to set foot outside during the most frigid months of the year.
Because of its proximity to both of the Twin Cities, many companies chose Bloomington to house their headquarters, including Ceridian, Donaldson Company, HealthPartners, Holiday Stationstores, Thermo King, and Toro. The Mall of America itself employees more than 11,000 locals, and 13,000 during the peak of holiday season. Residents of Bloomington also love giving back to their community, with one of the largest volunteer fire departments in the country. The city also holds multiple annual charity events, including the Thanksgiving Walk to End Hunger at the Mall of America and February’s upcoming Charity Wedding Gown Sale & Bridal Expo.
Boasting award-winning schools and lots of local amenities, Bloomington attracts families with small children and adolescents, while also providing enough recreational opportunities for young, active couples. With a variety of single-family homes, small apartment complexes, and gated communities, the city has a median home value of around $200,000 which is higher than Minnesota’s average. Bloomington truly has something to offer everyone!
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