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Harriet Island
St. Paul, MN 55107
Phone: 800-543-3908
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Among the favorites in St. Paul are the Padelford riverboats, docked on the shoreline at Harriet Island. This small fleet of riverboats has been open for business since 1969. Passengers aboard ship get a taste of what it must have been like to ride the steamships up and down the river in the age of Mark Twain.
Science Museum of Minnesota
120 West Kellogg Blvd.
St. Paul, MN 55102
Phone: 800-221-9444
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Inside the museum, eight acres of Interactive displays, fascinating exhibits, and an IMAX theater combine to bring the natural world to life for young and old alike. Outside, visitors can get one of the best views in St. Paul, and they can even watch the launch of one of the riverboats from Harriet Island.
St Paul Winter Carnival
Various locations
St. Paul, MN 55102
Phone: 651-223-4700
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An annual tradition in St. Paul, the Winter Carnival is full of special events, ice sculptures, and fun. The highlight of the carnival every few years is the unveiling of the Ice Palace, an icy engineering marvel. Three other annual events in the Twin Cities area are the summertime Aquatennial, a celebration of Minnesota’s life on water, Taste of Minnesota, a music and food festival on Harriet Island, and the medieval themed Renaissance Festival, held in late summer.
The Park at MOA™
Mall of America
Bloomington, MN 55425
Phone: 952-883-8600
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Smack dab in the middle of the mall are seven acres of rides and excitement. From the intensity of the Timberland Twister, to the soggy fun of Paul Bunyon’s Log Chute, to more kid friendly fare like the Bloomington Express, there’s sure to be something to tickle your fancy at the Park at MOA.
Mall of America
Bloomington, MN 55425
Phone: 952-883-0202
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This aquarium takes visitors under the sea, literally! A glass tunnel is one of the highlights here, where guests can get a down-under peek at both familiar and exotic marine life. Back on the surface, kids can stop in at Starfish Beach where you can actually reach out and touch a shark or ray swimming in the shallows.
University of Minnesota Showboat
Harriet Island
St. Paul, MN 55107-2022
Phone: 651-227-1100
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Tickets for these crowd-pleasing comedies and melodramas are available through the Padelford Riverboat company, which also offers various Mississippi river tours.
Valleyfair!®
One Valleyfair Drive
Shakopee, MN 55379
Phone: 800-FUN-RIDE
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This is Minnesota’s largest theme park.Located about thirty minutes southwest of Minneapolis in the city of Shakopee, Valleyfair serves up over 75 rides and attractions covering 90 acres of terrain. Highlights include the 27 story blast and drop of the Power Tower, and the zero gravity spins of Rip Tide.
Wabasha Street Caves
215 South Wabasha Street
St. Paul, MN 55107
Phone: 651-292-1220
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In the days of prohibition, these out-of-way little grottos were the perfect place for St. Paul’s bootleggers to ply their trade. The spirit of that shady past is still alive today, with guided tours of the caves given on a daily basis. Especially of interest is the historical gangster tour, as well as the weekly Swing Nights.