West Metro
West of Minneapolis, Lake Minnetonka, with its scenic
bays and inlets, is the largest lake in the metropolitan
area. This was once a resort area, and in the early 1900s,
streetcar boats ferried passengers around the lake. One of
these, the Minnehaha, has been beautifully restored and
now offers trips across Minnetonka between Excelsior
and Wayzata. Both towns are noted for their boutique
shops and restaurants. The Queen of Excelsior features
Sunday brunch cruises on the lake. From the shore, one
of the best places to view the lake is Noerenberg
Memorial Park, with its beautiful flower gardens.
In Excelsior, the Old
Log Theater specializes
in comedies. Other west
metro theater companies
are the Plymouth
Playhouse and Stages
children’s theater in
Hopkins. Farther west
beside another large lake is charming Waconia, with a
marina, several shops and cafes, and nearby wineries
Parley Lake and Sovereign Estate.
Along highway I- 94 northwest of the Twin Cities
area are two major shopping destinations, the Albertville
Premium Outlets, with more than 100 stores including many
designer brands, and a large Cabela’s outdoor gear store in
Rogers. There’s a cluster of antique shops in the Buffalo
area. Northwest of here, Lake Maria State Park is reminiscent
of the“Big Woods” that once covered south central
Minnesota and is a great place for a hike near the city.
Excelsior Shop
Cedar Lake Bike Trail
Rush Creek Golf Club
North Metro
The communities just north of Minneapolis not only offer
numerous places to stay close to city sights, they also
offer a variety of family entertainment and outdoor
recreation. Kids enjoy the Grand Rios Indoor Water Park
in Brooklyn Park, the Tropics Indoor Water Park in the
Shoreview community center, and the outdoor Bunker
Beach Water Park in Coon Rapids, with giant slides and a
large wave pool. And they can zoom around in go-karts
at ProKart Indoors in Maple Grove.
There are many parks in the area for outdoor family
fun. The Coon Rapids Dam on the Mississippi River is a
favorite spot for fishing. The visitor center here has bike
rentals, and the six-mile North Hennepin Trail links the
park at the dam to the Elm Creek Park Reserve in Maple
Grove, a large park with hiking, biking, mountain biking
and ski trails.
This is a good area for golf, as well, with Edinburgh
USA in Brooklyn Park and Rush Creek Golf Club in
Maple Grove. On the grounds of the National Sports
Center in Blaine, the National Youth Golf Center has
multiple courses designed for young golfers developing
their game. The soccer fields of this complex are the site
of the largest international youth soccer tournament in
North America. The center’s Schwan Super Rink has four
Olympic-size rinks under one roof, making it the largest ice
arena in the country.
Shoppers find plenty of action in the north metro
area, too. In Maple Grove, there’s an eclectic mix of
upscale stores at the attractive Shoppes at Arbor Lakes.
