Wild Rumpus (2720 W. 43rd St.), in the suburb of Linden Hills, not only has a great selection of children’s books, it’s also home to cats, chickens, ferrets, doves, hairless rats and a tarantula. Filled with cozy nooks where you can revisit your own childhood via a treasured tome, this is a perfect place to take the brood on a wintry or rainy afternoon.
One of the most fun things to do with kids is to head to nearby Apple Valley for a day at the Minnesota Zoo (13000 Zoo Blvd.), where animals have plenty of natural habitat. Pet baby chicks, piglets and bunnies at the Wells Fargo Family Farm and observe the antics of black-tailed prairie dogs at the Northern Trail exhibit.
Teens
For shopaholic teen girls the Mall of America (60 E. Broadway) is where it’s at. The huge Forever 21 store will undoubtedly be at the top of their list, along with plenty of other fashion-conscious emporiums like Hot Topic and Rainbow. Guys gravitate to Abercrombie & Fitch and American Eagle Outfitters.Whether your teen is a picky eater or likes to be adventurous, Pizza Luce in St. Paul (1183 Selby Ave.) has a menu that’ll please most palates. The specialty pizzas with some adventurous options like the baked potato pizza are some of the more popular items, but delicious sandwiches and pasta dishes also are on the menu. As a bonus, vegan alternatives are available for several items.
First Avenue & 7th Street Entry (701 N. 1st Ave.), is a top Minneapolis club where homegrown talent Prince regularly appeared back in the 1980s. Check the concert calendar for occasional all-ages gigs; most shows are 18+, making First Avenue more of a hot spot for recent high school grads.
What to Do for All Ages
The wait for a table is often long at Tilia (2726 W. 43rd St.), so take the kids to this popular Linden Hills eatery for an off-peak weekend brunch. A lunch box filled with toy dinosaurs, crayons and other time-wasters will keep young ones happy while everyone else chows down on faves like French toast and biscuits with sausage gravy. And kids will scarf up the acorn squash puree with maple syrup.Minnehaha Park (Hiawatha Avenue and Minnehaha Parkway) overlooks the Mississippi River and is one of the Twin Cities’ prettiest places to enjoy the great outdoors. Hike or bike trails winding through lush woodland, and don’t miss Minnehaha Falls, made famous in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem “The Song of Hiawatha.” In winter the falls are quite a sight—they’re usually frozen solid.
The entire family will have a blast at Bryant-Lake Bowl (810 W. Lake St.) in Minneapolis' Lyn-Lake district, which also has a restaurant and theater on the premises. You can reserve a lane in advance for a group of 10 or more, but open bowling is available until 2 a.m. Wear socks; you can’t bowl without them.
Nickelodeon Universe , inside the Mall of America (60 E. Broadway), is a family action spot. There are rides and thrills galore, from kid-friendly Rugrats Reptarmobiles to the more death-defying SpongeBob SquarePants Rock Bottom Plunge coaster. For a real adrenaline rush, strap yourself into the Barnacle Blast Zip Line and get a bird’s-eye view of this indoor theme park while suspended 55 feet in the air.
An old-fashioned midway, big-name entertainment and anything that can be eaten on a stick (fried macaroni and cheese—who knew?) are part of the fun at the Minnesota State Fair (1265 Snelling Ave.), the year's biggest summer bash. Don't miss the Agrilympics events (cow milking, farm animal calling) and the variety of livestock exhibits.