Minnesota Outdoor Activities
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Relax, unwind and enjoy yourself. Wherever you are in our state, you will find yourself near great Minnesota trails that will take you into the wilds.
Play on--and in--Minnesota's famous lakes! Everything you've heard about Minnesota lakes and rivers is true! There are indeed MORE than 10,000 lakes in our wonderful, watery, state. We swim in our lakes, fish in our lakes, and canoe, boat, pontoon, water ski, snorkel and more.
When I was young our family always lived within walking distance of a lake. Swimming, boating and water skiing were how we spent the long summer days. If your family did not own a cabin on the lake, or a boat, your friends or relatives did.There are so many ways to get out on the water. Some of our other favorite water adventures include:
- Packing a picnic lunch and sharing a lake cruise on a pontoon with a group of friends
- Taking a riverboat cruise down the Mississipi or St. Croix river
- Renting a houseboat for a weekend family reunion
- Jet-skiing
For the ultimate Minnesota outdoor activity on the water, plan a trip to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
Fishing Minnesota lakes and rivers is a family tradition; a tradition we are passing on to the next generation! Fishing is a major recreational pursuit in our state. More fishing licenses are sold in Minnesota than in any other state. Fishing is enjoyed by men, women and children of all ages. Your fishing experience can be on a charter boat on one of our major lakes or as simple as tossing a line in from the riverbank or a dock on a lake. Most Minnesota resorts have boats, canoes and pontoon boats for rent.
A bad day of fishing is better than a good day of work.
~Author Unknown
Minnesota Camping: With five children to raise, we needed low cost ways to enjoy the outdooors together. Camping was the perfect solution. Campsites in Minnesota can be found in our beautiful Minnesota state parks or in a private campground. Daily fees are minimal and the ameneties unsurpassed! Create your camping list and head out to one of our many Minnesota campgrounds.
Our favorite way to camp is with a group of friends. At one point we were part of a group of 10 families who camped together all over northern Minnesota. Though our children are now all grown, the memories we created never fade.
Our first set of camping equipment was pretty basic. It included an old canvas tent, a propane lantern and a few sleeping bags. Meals were cooked over a campfire and baths were taken in a lake or stream.
As our family grew, we invested in more, and more elaborate, camping equipment. At one point we even bought a pull-behind pop up camper with stove and refrigerator. After the kids started leaving home we scaled back down to a tent and I still love the feeling of being "right there" in the outdoors that a tent offers.
Despite the beauty of nature, kids can sometimes be bored without some structured activity. A great book is Nature's Playground: Activities, Crafts, and Games to Encourage Children to Get Outdoors.
Nature viewing in Minnesota is a natural!
Minnesota is home to a wonderful and wild assortment of creatures. The state is inhabited by moose and deer, bears and wolves, otters and badgers, lynx and mountain lions, songbirds, eagles, snowy owls, fish by the hundreds of species and so much more!
Anyone who visits Minnesota hopes to catch of glimpse of as many of these animals as possible. With a little planning and guidance your chances are greatly increased.
Minnesota Winter Sports
Winter came down to our home one night
Quietly pirouetting in on silvery-toed slippers of snow,
And we, we were children once again.
~Bill Morgan, Jr.
Minnesota and ice skating are a natural combination. When I was a child, as soon as the lakes would freeze over, we would grab shovels in one hand and skates in the other and off we would go to clear an area for skating. Of course, the state is amply supplied with both indoor and outdoor rinks as well for skaters who want to make a try for the Olympics or just simply experience the thrills and spills of this wonderful winter activity.
Minnesota--the "State of Hockey"--also avidly follows our "Minnesota Wild" pro team and the "hockey Gophers" that represent the University of Minnesota. Children, both girls and boys, join local hockey programs from Ely to Albert Lea--and every town in between. There are dozens of places where our kids can learn to ice skate.
Though we lack "real" mountains, we have enough hilly terrain to accomodate lots of skiing and snowboarding. I learned to ski on "Detroit Mountain," near Detroit Lakes and others indulge their downhill passion at Lutsen, Afton, Buck Hills and other locations.
Most large parks in Minnesota have groomed trails for cross-country skiing. The Gunflint Trail in northern Minnesota has miles of well maintained trails. The Three Rivers Park District around Minneapolis has more lighted ski trails than any other place in the nation. Maplelag Resort near Detroit Lakes and Giant's Ridge ski area both have hosted World cup events and Olympic ski trials.
Check out this list of winter sports to find more ways to enjoy year-round Minnesota winter activities.
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