St. Paul Winter Carnival
Saint Paul, Minnesota, celebrates winter in grand style with the nation's oldest and biggest winter festival. Approximately 350,000 visitors take in carnival events during ten days in late January and early February, including the crowning of a festival queen and king, parades, ice carving and snow sculpting competitions, a medallion treasure hunt, a puzzle contest and many other activities.
The Saint Paul Winter Carnival
St. Paul, MN (various locations)
winter-carnival.com
Snow Tubing at Eagle Mountain
Sliding down a steep hill on an inflated inner tube is a winter activity children of all ages can enjoy. The rental shop at Eagle Mountain provides the tubes and the 1,462-foot hill to ride them on, but don't worry-- there's a tow rope to take guests back to the top of the hill. Eagle Mountain, located 40 miles northwest of St. Cloud, Minnesota, accommodates families as well as large groups for day and night tubing.
Eagle Mountain
33861 Breezy Dr.
Burtrum, MN 56318
eaglemountainge.homestead.com
Ice Skating at the Depot
Ice skating and Minnesota winters are a perfect combination. A popular destination for ice skating in Minnesota is the Depot in downtown Minneapolis. This former train shed has been transformed into a modern indoor rink, which has been ranked among the top ten places in the United States to ice skate, according to MSNBC. With floor-to-ceiling glass walls, the skating rink provides views of the city's skyline. The Depot skating rink is open annually from Thanksgiving weekend through the weekend following the first day of spring. Typical winter weekend hours are from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.
The Minneapolis Depot
225 Third Ave. South
Minneapolis, MN 55401
612-375-1700
thedepotminneapolis.com
Dog Sledding
Dog sledding has been growing in popularity in northeastern Minnesota, with opportunities to watch and to participate. For spectators, the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon starts on the last Sunday in January in Duluth, Minnesota. The racing teams head north to Poplar Lake, which is just a few miles away from the Minnesota-Ontario border, and then turn around and go back to finish in Duluth on Wednesday. For children who want to ride a dog sled, various outfitters from Ely to Two Harbors, Minnesota, offer opportunities ranging from a few hours to several days of dog sledding.
John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon
Ordean School Athletic Field
105 South 40th Avenue East
Duluth, Minnesota 55804
superiortrails.com
