There are a lot of great places to take the family for a good time in Minnesota. Mall of America with Nickelodeon Universe, the zoos, parks, lakes, etc... the list is essentially endless.

Maybe it's just because my kid is a certain age or because of the memories I have throughout my life from going there but, to me, Valleyfair is the best entertainment venue in the state.

Admission is $50 for adults, which seems a bit steep on its surface but that price includes every ride in the place (as many times as you want to go on them) and a massive waterpark, as well as numerous shows and attractions throughout the park.

You can also re-enter the park freely, so we pack lunches in a cooler and come out for a picnic when we get hungry.

A couple of weeks ago I spent $35 to take my four-year-old bowling for one hour, so with that being used as the basis for comparison this is a no-brainer. Plus, kids under six can get in free with a 'passport' acquired in advance through the companies' website.

We arrived at Valleyfair at about 10:30 a.m. and got into the park quickly. My son got to ride on a Monster Jam vehicle, we spent about four hours in the various swimming areas and then had fun in the park's extensive kids area, "Planet Snoopy."

We played until nearly 7 p.m. when one of the kids essentially begged us to go home due to exhaustion. I would say we only saw about 30% of the park over our nine hours!

The park was well-staffed and friendly and every ride and attraction seemed to be open, which is rare in 2022. Some of the concession stands were closed but that may have just been due to the fact it was a slow Wednesday at the park.

 

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