Things to Do in the Twin Cities Gateway

The Rum River Trail begins in downtown Anoka and follows the Rum River upstream to County Road 116. Though two small sections in downtown Anoka are on streets, these sections are short and the streets are bikeable even for beginners. Interpretive signs describe the history of the area. North of downtown, the trail is incredibly well maintained; it seems like it has been paved yesterday (and maybe it was). The trail follows the sharply winding river north through fields and forests. A wonderful ride.

Features

Running Aces Casino & Racetrack is a cutting-edge, Las Vegas-style card room with live summer horse racing and a trout fishing pond where “you catch’em and we cook’em.” Trout Air Tavern is a full-service restaurant with locally sourced ingredients for the hand crafted cuisine available 24/7. Running Aces also offers live music, monthly comedy shows and a full bar to make it a close to home entertainment destination for all ages. The poker room offers live cash games and daily tournament for every level of player. There is a wide variety of table games including Pai Gow Poker, EZ Baccarat, 3 & 4 Card Poker, $2 blackjack and much more all with no commission or antes on any game. We also have the largest and most fun Bac table in the state! Smoke-Free and open 24/7 just 20 minutes North of Downtown.

The Science Museum of Minnesota, founded in 1907, is a large regional science museum located on the banks of the Mississippi River in downtown St. Paul. The Science Museum's programs combine research and collection facilities, a public science education center, extensive teacher education and school outreach programs, and an Imax Convertible Dome Omnitheater to provide science education to our audience of more than a million people per year.

The museum's 70,000 square feet of exhibition space includes a 10,000-square-foot temporary exhibit gallery and five permanent galleries covering the topics of paleontology, physical science and technology, the human body, peoples and cultures of the Mississippi River, and the museum's collections. The Mississippi River flows just outside the windows of the museum and past the museum's ten acres of outdoor exhibits and programming space.

From hiking to biking and picnicking, Shoreview has the perfect setting to provide year-round enjoyment for residents. The rich and wide-ranging natural environments provide serene backdrops for family picnics, biking, touring, walking, hiking and cross-country skiing. Shoreview was one of the three communities in the state to be recognized as a "Bicycle-Friendly Community".

The Shoreview Community Center offers a complete fitness center experience with over 50 pieces of cardio equipment including treadmills, stair climbers and steppers, cross-trainers, elliptical trainers, rowing machines, upper body ergometer and NuStep trainers. Our full line of strength training equipment accommodates users of all abilities and body types and includes dumbbells, barbells, free weight benches and racks, functional trainers, TechnoGym and FreeMotion Strength machines, additional strength training tools and more.

The SweetRoll is a tier-one skating facility, located on the north side of the Shoreview Community Center, 4580 Victoria Street North, adjacent to the paved trail that runs under Highway 96. This allows access to the SweetRoll via the City of Shoreview's 41 miles of paved trails. The attractions include a wedge, a spine, a fun box, a quarter pipe, grind rails, and a mini ramp.

Come crawl through the caves, swing through the jungle, slip down the waterfall slide, and scream down the five level spiral slide.

General Information:

• Wristbands and socks are required
• The playground is an unsupervised area
• Parents and guardians are responsible for supervision of their children
• Children 6 and under must be accompanied by an adult
• Groups visiting the playground are posted at the entrance each week
• Playground is limited to children 12 years old and under

Southdale Center is the nation’s first enclosed regional shopping center. The center, which opened in 1956, is anchored by Macy’s, JC Penney and Marshall’s. Southdale also has more than 120 specialty stores, including Aveda, Coach, H & M, J. Crew, Banana Republic, LOFT and The Apple Store, as well as a state-of-the-art 16-screen AMC Theatre.

Springbrook Nature Center is a uniquely diverse natural area of native habitats and wildlife. It has 127 acres of native prairies, oak and aspen forests, oak savannah, and extensive wetlands. Springbrook is a popular City of Fridley park, and is a destination for people from the greater Minneapolis St. Paul regional metropolitan area. Its three miles of hiking trails, floating boardwalks, and interpretive center live animal exhibits are an attraction for families, children and friends.

Springbrook Nature Center is a jewel to be cherished and protected. Let the City of Fridley’s Springbrook Nature Center be your choice for a family adventure, or a quiet interlude, to learn about and enjoy the beauty and diversity of nature.