Minneapolis Suburbs' Special Attractions

Experience A Racetrack, Casino, Zoo, Lake, Pioneer Village and More

Aug 14, 2008

Minneapolis' suburbs provide attractions appealing to a broad spectrum of visitors. From an up-to-date casino to a pioneer village, variety equals added entertainment.

The Minneapolis Metro Area is composed of the city plus dozens of satellite communities. Each one of them offers its own attractions. The places in parenthesis below are the names of the suburbs in which the attractions are located.

With thoroughbred racing from May thru Labor Day, the park offers several viewing options; outside on the terrace or in the grandstands and higher up glass-enclosed grandstands, dining service, corporate boxes and the like. Racing post times vary, so it’s a good idea to check out the park calendar. General admission to the track is $5 for adults. Grandstand and Clubhouse admission require additional payment and clubhouse dining adds $3 per person to the tab.

Largest of Minnesota’s Native American casinos, the exterior of Mystic Lake looks like a futuristic teepee. Inside, décor is typical casino with,000 slot machines, 100 blackjack tables and five restaurants. Entertainers who appear in the showroom’s concerts include Merle Haggard, LeAnn Rimes and Kenny Rogers. The 600 hotel rooms include the full range of amenities and there’s an adjacent golf course with a 2,500-foot stream and four waterfalls. The casino is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Showtimes vary.

On the Minnesota River, about 20 minutes southwest of central Minneapolis, 88 acres of natural beauty provide the setting for Eagle Creek, a recreated village of the 1880s, an 1840s fur-trading fort and a historic 1850s farm. Costumed interpreters demonstrate pioneer skills and special events occur monthly. In one of the dwellings, kids are encouraged to play house with old time domestic aids such as laundry wash tubs, cooking pots and pans. There are costumes to try on, too. To get from one place to another, you can ride the trolley pulled by Percheron draft horses or wander along tree-shaded paths. $6, adults; June-October, Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Sunday, noon-5 p.m.

Ten minutes south of Mall of America, the zoo shows off more than 2,000 exotic animals in environments created to replicate their natural homes. Divided into four areas – the Minnesota Trail, the Northern Trail, Tropics Trail and Discovery Bay –each of them focuses on animals that live in a particular environment. Minnesota natives like raccoons, coyotes, gray wolves and beaver live in the Minnesota Trail sector. You can experience the seasons by walking along the ¾ mile Northern Trail or view it from inside the climate controlled Monorail. The Tropics Trail includes a rain forest with lush foliage and Discovery Bay incorporates an interactive estuary and tide pool. Dolphin and bird shows, a Coral Reef Diving show and the shark feeding are scheduled for various times throughout the day. To be sure you don’t miss anything, check at the Guest Services desk upon arrival. $12, adults; May 24-September 31; daily, 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.; September 2-30, May 1-23, Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., Saturday-Sunday, 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.; October 1 - April 30, daily 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Lake Minnetonka, a large urban lake with about 150 miles of shoreline has been a popular spot for decades. It’s a popular residential area, too, with cottages and mega-mansions on its shores. The best way to see the lake is by boat. And fortunately for visitors who don’t have friends living on the lake, public watercraft – both for shuttling between population centers on the lake and for sightseeing – are available. For instance, the steamboat Minnehaha’s regular schedule calls for a 10:40 cruise from Excelsior to Wayzata and a 1:20 cruise back to Excelsior. At 12 noon, the boat leaves Wayzata dock for a one-hour cruise. At 2:40 p.m. After the boat arrives back in Excelsior, it makes three more trips -- around Big Island, to Carson’s Bay and to Gideon’s and Lafayette Bays for the last cruise of the day. Picnic lunch cruises, bunch cruise buffets and dinner cruises are other options offered by the various cruise lines that ply the lake. Prices of the rides vary.

The copyright of the article Minneapolis Suburbs' Special Attractions in Minnesota Travel is owned by Connie Emerson. Permission to republish Minneapolis Suburbs' Special Attractions in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.