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Minnesota Summer Family Bucket List
Strawberries first, since the window is short, then outings and day trips for a Minnesota summer with kids.
A real, editable checklist below — tick, tap a line to rewrite, drag to reorder.
Tick the circles, tap any line to change it, drag the dots to reorder.
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Summer here goes fast, so berries lead this list. MinneMama Adventures says strawberry season takes place in June and July, and a warmer spring means earlier berries. That blog ranks picking first for the same reason: it happens fast. After that, the order is yours. Day trips, a drive-in, splash pads and a few splurges fill out the rest, and most ideas are aimed at kids. Many sit near the Twin Cities. The North Shore makes the list too. Prices, tickets and opening hours aren't covered, so check before you head out.
Why these items are on the list
- Go strawberry picking. MinneMama Adventures puts strawberry season in June and July, earlier after a warm spring. Don't put it off.
- Take a Taylors Falls day trip. MN Bucketlist Mom puts it about an hour northeast of the Twin Cities. Food, views, outdoor fun.
- Visit Fawn Doe Rosa. MinneMama Adventures puts it in St. Croix Falls, where deer walk up and nibble food from your hand.
- Cool off at a splash pad. MinneMama Adventures finds it cheaper than a pool, often free, with the same cooling off.
- Take a Jordan day trip. Sweet treats, outdoor fun and iconic attractions, with no overnight stay needed.
- See a drive-in movie. MinneMama Adventures says Starlite in Litchfield has two screens, one often for kids' films. Expect mosquitoes.
- Drive the North Shore. MN Bucketlist Mom's itinerary: candy stops, waterfalls, lighthouses, black sand beaches. MinneMama Adventures says day trip, weekend, or full week.
- Walk Canal Park in Duluth. MinneMama Adventures' kids get a kick out of the lake, boardwalk and lift bridge.
- Hike Gooseberry Falls. MinneMama Adventures' kids seriously love it. Jay Cooke State Park is another favourite.
- See Split Rock Lighthouse. Pebble Beach is another hiking pick on the same North Shore list.
- Eat pie at Betty's Pies. MinneMama Adventures suggests Betty's Pies or Portland Malt Shoppe as a reward after the hiking.
- Plan a Lake City weekend. MN Bucketlist Mom says it's under two hours from the Twin Cities, a good family weekend away.
- Sleep in a tent. Backyard tents count. MinneMama Adventures calls Whitewater State Park notorious for very few mosquitoes, thanks to running water.
- Spend a beach day at Father Hennepin. MinneMama Adventures calls it a nice little beach, right inside the state park.
- Visit a Minnesota playground. Slides, swings, splash pads and climbing walls. MN Bucketlist Mom keeps a curated list.
- Hit an early farmers market. MinneMama Adventures lists Linden Hills Sundays only, Mill City Saturdays only, St. Paul both. Check first.
- Run a lemonade stand. Let the kids choose a charity for the profits.
- Try a unique swimming pool. MinneMama Adventures splurges on unique pools like SandVenture in Shakopee, which has a sandy pool and drop slides.
- Swim at Edina Aquatic Center. MinneMama Adventures lists surfing, a zip line and a kiddie area at Edina's pool. Another unique pick.
- Make your own adventure cards. Write ideas on cards, pile them up, draw one. MIX949 suggests that could settle where the family goes.
Tick things off on your phone as summer rolls by, and let the kids pick the next one. Skipped items just sit there, and nobody's keeping score.
When to use it
Use it all summer, but start with strawberry picking, since MinneMama Adventures puts the season in June and July.