40 Things To Do This Summer in Central Minnesota
UNDATED -- Looking for something to do this summer? Look no further.
Here's a list of 40 fun things to do with your partner, kids, and friends. Many of the activities are free or very low cost.
Most are outdoors so you can take in our beautiful Minnesota summer.
40 things to do in Central Minnesota this summer:
1). Go tubing. Two Rivers Campground in Royalton offers tubing seven days a week throughout the summer.
2). Get picking. The Wright County Swappers Meet in South Haven is held every Saturday.
3). Feel the need for speed. The Brainerd International Raceway has a variety of racing events scheduled.
4). Girls trip. Spend a full day shopping in downtown St. Joseph they have several new shops and eateries that have opened in the past few years.
5). We all scream for ice cream. Mr. Twisty has two locations in St. Cloud and Sartell, and there’s Jupiter Moon Ice cream in St. Joseph.
6). Under the stars. We have two great drive-in movie theater options in central Minnesota Starlite Drive-In in Litchfield and Long Drive-In in Long Prairie.
7). Check out a water ski show. The Little Crow Ski Team in New London performs every Friday evening in Near Park.
8). Get fresh. Stroll through the St. Cloud Area Farmers Market. It is held every Saturday morning in downtown St. Cloud.
9). National acts. This is the first full season at The Ledge Amphitheater in Waite Park with a number of national performers set to take the stage.
10). Play ball! The St. Cloud Rox minor league baseball team will be playing home games all summer long over at the Municipal Athletic Complex.
11). Live theater. The Paramount Theater and Pioneer Place on Fifth both in downtown St. Cloud have performances scheduled all summer long.
12). Hop on a bike. The Lake Wobegon Trail offers miles of paved trail bike riding. Don’t have a bike, check out the Bike Share Program in St. Joseph and Waite Park.
13). Stop and smell the roses. Munsinger and Clemens Gardens are a gem along the Mississippi River.
14). Lots of live music weekly. Summertime by George in St. Cloud, Rock the Riverside in Sauk Rapids, Swing into Summer in Sartell, Woodfired Wednesdays in St. Joseph, just to name a few.
15). The quarry. Quarry Park & Nature Preserve in Waite Park offers bike trails, fishing, rock climbing, and swimming.
16). Get wild! Central Minnesota has three zoo options for you to choose from (Or check out them all) Hempker Park and Zoo in Freeport, the Pine Grove Zoo in Little Falls, and Safari North Wildlife Park in Brainerd.
17). Summerland Family Fun Park in St. Cloud. Water fun, go karts, batting cages, and mini-golf.
18). Get crafty. Sit on a patio at our local breweries and enjoy a locally made beer at Beaver Island, Pantown, Bad Habit, or Back Shed Breweries.
19). Sip on cider. Milk and Honey Cidery in St. Joseph has been named the top cidery in the United States by USA Today. They have a new performance stage for this summer too.
20). Get zippy. The Brainerd Zip Line Tour has seven zip lines for you to try.
21). The Charles Lindbergh House and Museum in Little Falls. Explore the museum, tour the house and walk the trails on the property.
22). Get artsy. Art in Motion in Holdingford has artwork from local artists, and their BoHo Café offers local beers, wines, and specialty coffee.
23). Fair time. The Benton County Fair in Sauk Rapids is one of the largest county fairs in Minnesota every summer. This year’s dates are August 2nd through the 7th.
24). Make a splash! The St. Cloud metro area has a number of splash pads a perfect way for the kids to cool down on a hot summer day.
25). Check it out. Get a good book to read this summer from the Great River Regional Library. They have branches in St. Cloud and Waite Park with a locker system in Sartell.
26). I was on a boat that day. Rent a boat from Your Boat Club on the Horseshoe Chain of Lakes in Cold Spring/Richmond.
27). Paddle down the river. A canoe trip on the Mississippi River is a great way to spend the day. Clearwater Outfitting in Clearwater has kayaks and canoes available to rent.
28). Town ball. Stearns County has long been known as a hot spot for amateur baseball. Head to the ballpark this summer and support your local team.
29). Disc Golf. It is a fast-growing sport and there are some great courses around the area including Riverside Park in St. Cloud, Hidden Lake Park in St. Augusta, and Millstream Park in St. Joseph.
30). Gone Fishin’! There are lots of great lakes in central Minnesota, but just in St. Cloud you can fish Lake George, the DNR stocks it with fish every year, and try casting a line from the banks of the Mississippi River.
31). Go back in time. The Stearns History Museum offers a number of special events throughout the year along with the exhibits inside the museum.
32). Take a dip. The Foley Municipal Pool is one of the few outdoor aquatic centers in the area. The pool is open seven days a week throughout the summer.
33). Don’t just skate by! Check out the newly rebuilt Heritage Skate Park in St. Cloud.
34). Relax with a glass of wine. Millner Heritage Winery in Kimball is open Wednesday through Sunday. Check out their special tastings and tours.
35). St. John’s Abbey and Arboretum has more than 2,500 acres of lakes, prairie, oak savannah, and forest.
36). Take a stroll downtown. Explore historic St. Cloud on your own schedule and at your own pace with your smartphone as your guide.
37). Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge. They have special events and activities planned throughout the summer.
38). Baby you’re a firework. Be sure to check out the 4th of July Fireworks shows in St. Cloud and St. Joseph.
39). Life’s a beach! Spend some time at a local beach this summer there’s Avon beach on Middle Spunk Lake and Warner Lake beach near Clearwater.
40). Take a road trip! Check out Minnesota’s Great River Road which follows the Mississippi River for 565 miles.