Minnesota VacationsOnline Vacation Planning
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Your ideal Minnesota getaway vacation might be just what is depicted in this photo: a lake and a secluded cabin. Add that you can have all of this while nestled in a Minnesota pine forest and things couldn't be much better. I'll have to admit that is one of our favorite ways to get away from it all in Minnesota.Or you might like a more active vacation experience full of outdoor adventure and exploration. A Minnesota vacation is the perfect opportunity for outdoor activity in all four seasons of the year.
Whatever form your Minnesota vacation takes, one thing will always be the same: you will experience some of the most beautiful and diverse scenery to be found anywhere. Explore the
Twin Cities metro area, the boreal forests of the northeast, the tallgrass prairies of the southwest, the rocky Lake Superior shoreline, the bluff country south of the Twin Cities, and the lakes that are everywhere. Add to all of that, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness that is unlike any other place you have ever been.
In addition to the online vacation planning we offer, you will want a Minnesota travel guide to carry with you as you travel around the state.
Our favorite guidebooks to Minnesota have always been the Moon Minnesota (Moon Handbooks).
Northeast Minnesota, or the "Arrowhead Region," is considered by many to be Minnesota's star attraction. Between Lake Superior and the Canadian border you can visit:
- The North Shore of Lake Superior
- Some of our oldest historic sites and intriguing museums
- Some of Minnesota's most interesting towns
- The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness
- The Minnesota Iron Range
The Northeast is a great Minnesota vacation spot for winter getaways as well. You will find thousands of miles of trails for skiing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing or even dog-sledding. With snowfall that can average 100 inches a winter as well as Lake Superior's "lake effect snow" that adds as much as two feet of snow at a time, Minnesota trails are ready all winter long.
The Northwest and Central Lakes area is often called "Minnesota's backyard." This area of the state features Minnesota's largest lakes and is the source of the mighty
Mississippi River. Vast forests and some of the best opportunities in the state to view wildlife add to the joy of a northwestern Minnesota vacation.
All of this can be found just a couple hours drive from the Twin Cities. On every summer weekend about half of the vehicles driving north are pulling a boat, a camper or a trailer with a 4-wheeler---or maybe all of these! Just a few "must see" northwest and central lakes Minnesota vacation spots:
- Itasca State Park and the Mississippi River Headwaters
- The Chippewa National Forest
- Mille Lacs Indian Museum
- Judy Garland Birthplace and Museum in Grand Rapids
Southern Minnesota and the "bluff country" south of the Twin Cities features valleys capped by limesotne bluffs with rivers and streams meandering through all of it. The Mississippi and Minnesota river valleys are populated with some of Minnesota's most historic, and most pictuesque, towns and villages. In this area of Minnesota you will find both the cosmopoitan city of Rochester and Minnesota's largest Amish settlement. Some of the places you will want to visit on your bluff country Minnesota vacation:
- Drive the Great River Road
- Visit the Great River Bluffs State Park
- Hike the Blufflands State Trail
- Eagle Watching in Winona
- Amish Tours in Harmony and Lanesboro
- Visit the Forestville/Mystery Caves State Park
Twin Cities Minnesota vacations offer all the excitement of the St. Paul and Minneapolis metro area. Their downtowns are just 8 miles apart and the Twin Cities are divided by the Mississippi River. St. Paul is renowned for its European charm and arts and culture. Minneapolis is known as a more cosmopolitan city. The two cities are united by their ability to offer a visitor to Minnesota an exciting variety of things to do. And, you don't have to head out of town to enjoy Minnesota's great outdoors. Enjoy the many beautiful riverside parks, the 800 or so lakes that lie within the metro area, and the wnderful trails and scenic drives. While in the Twin Cities area, be sure to experience the art and culture of the metro area. Explore:
- Science Museum of Minnesota in St. Paul
- St. Anthony Falls Heritage Trail in Minneapolis
- Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chanhassen
- Historic Fort Snelling
- Minnesota History Center
- Minneapolis Institute of Arts
- Minneapolis Sculpture Garden
- Summit Avenue in St. Paul
- Grand Avenue Shops in St. Paul
- Mall of America
What is Your Favorite
Minnesota Vacation Spot?
Do you have a great Minnesota vacation spot that you would recommend to others? Share it!
What Other Visitors Have Said
Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...
St. Anthony's Falls & Mill City Museum
I had a marvelous time over at St.Anthony's Falls.
The trails there are excellent for both walking and biking. I had the chance to do both. Everyone ...
Pumpkin Patches and Apple Orchards
Not rated yet
We love to take the kids and visit Minnesota apple orchards and pumpkin patches in the fall. It's a cheap family getaway day and the kids always love it....
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