Minnesota's Best Outdoor Activities During the Summer

Minnesota’s biggest city (Minneapolis) often trades places with Portland in nationwide rankings of the best urban spots for biking in the country. In a 2024 report, Walk Score put it all into perspective by writing, “Known for its cold weather, abundance of lakes, and numerous parkways and trails, Minneapolis is the most bikeable city in the U.S. Minneapolis earns its high marks in part due to its extremely flat terrain, interconnected parks, and robust cycling infrastructure.”

Put simply: Minnesotans love life on two wheels.

A great place to start is the Grand Rounds Scenic Byway, a 51-mile loop around Minneapolis’ famed chain of lakes, Minnehaha Creek (stop by Minnehaha Falls and enjoy an al fresco meal at Sea Salt), and the Mississippi River, including a mile-long stretch in downtown Minneapolis.

See more of our favorite paved bike trails, from the Paul Bunyan (the sixth-largest paved trail in the country) through the Central Lakes Region to the Gitchi-Gami, which extends 88 miles along Lake Superior.

More of a mountain biking aficionado? Duluth has IMBA-gold certified trails, and Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area is designated silver. But don’t stop there. See all of our expert picks for the best mountain biking in Minnesota and Minneapolis-St. Paul.

Read more about biking in Minnesota.

While you can absolutely camp in winter, it’s not quite the same as stepping out of a dew-wet tent into the hazy morning light as a placid lake shimmers in front of you. The best part about camping, of course, is that there’s about a hundred ways to do it. You can go ambitious and decide this is the year to go to the Boundary Waters or Voyageurs, but you can also car camp, reserve a yurt, RV camp, camp with your dog, or try glamping, which blends the great outdoors with some selected modern comforts.

Whether you’re headed to the most remote campsite you can find or just driving 30 minutes to one of Minnesota’s great state parks, you’re bound to experience why the Star of the North is the perfect place to unplug and unwind.

See our complete guide to camping in Minnesota.

Good thing Minnesota’s full of fun, family-style outdoor opportunities for all styles and skill levels, including epic playgrounds and splash pads, larger-than-life art, road trips, paddling, biking, hiking and geocaching. Go ahead. Pick an activity. Then take your own advice and get out and play — together. 

Find more fun this summer with these family-friendly ideas. 

Minnesota boasts more coastline than California (seriously), making it one of the nation’s premiere destinations for freshwater fishing. Walleye, bass, trout, panfish, northern pike, muskies, and more roam through the clear, clean water of our lakes, rivers, and streams.

Plan an epic fishing trip that starts in the Twin Cities and ends catching “Minnesota Gold” in Lake of the Woods, or find another perfect spot to snag your coveted walleye. Although, if you’d rather order your walleye than catch it, we’ve got your back.

Don’t get us wrong – it's not all walleye, all the time here. Minnesota is also a premiere destination for large and smallmouth bass, trout, panfish, and muskies.

Looking to get your kids into fishing? Check out the I Can Fish programs through the DNR, which offer free fishing lessons to kids (with an affordable adult registration) and access to equipment.

See where to go fishing in every part of our piscine-rich state.

Hiking is one of the easiest ways to get outside this summer. One of the best things about Minneapolis and Saint Paul is close, accessible nature. You don’t even need to leave the city limits to find a good hiking spot. Lace up your boots (or sneakers—most casual hikers are fine without an extra set of kicks) and hit one of our favorite hikes within an hour’s drive of the Twin Cities.

Feeling more ambitious? Minnesota's got options. Head north to the incredible cliffs and jaw-dropping lake views of the North Shore, or go south and experience the dramatic peaks of Bluff Country. There’s also the Chippewa National Forest, home to the Lost 40, an old-growth pine forest that was spared from logging due to a surveying error.

See some of our top summer hikes.

For those craving a bucket-list hiking experience, consider planning a journey along the Superior Hiking Trail, which Outside Magazine named one of the best 25 hikes in the world. The SHT features breathtaking, panoramic views of Lake Superior, often called the “freshwater ocean,” and lots of lodging options for those who don’t fancy a rugged camp.

See more about hiking in Minnesota, including best hiking spots for kids and dogs.

What is lake life, exactly? A way to wile away the weekend? A state of mind? A life philosophy? In Minnesota, it’s all of those things and more. Lake Life means a serene paddle in the Boundary Waters and golden hour on the pontoon. It means a fancy meal on a waterfront patio and a couple of cold ones in the cooler. It’s fishing and golfing and a long week at a sunny Minnesota resort.

Most of all, lake life is about spending long days with people you love, whether you’re looking out onto the endless horizon of Lake Superior, or purifying yourself in the waters of Lake Minnetonka.

Live la vida lake life.

There are more than 10,000 lakes in Minnesota, which means there are just as many opportunities to get out on the water. While kayaks are available for rental in Minnesota (and you’ll absolutely see them on the water), Minnesotans have always been especially keen on canoes. After all, this is the home of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, which is one of the few places in the world to be named an international dark sky sanctuary and an international quiet park.

See our beginner’s guide to the Boundary Waters.

Minnesota’s National Park, Voyageurs, one of the nation’s only water-based parks, is also an amazing place to rent a canoe and explore. But you don’t have to go on a three-day journey and learn to portage to enjoy a serene Minnesota paddle. In fact, there are lots of places to paddle (with easy, affordable rentals) in and around the Twin Cities.

Check out more paddling content, including paddleboarding, and where to canoe and kayak with kids.

Looking for the best place in the U.S. to see the stars and the Northern Lights? Minnesota is home to some of the darkest skies in the nation, including an International Dark Sky Park (Voyageurs National Park) and an International Dark Sky Sanctuary (Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness). 

Learn more about Minnesota's darkest skies and how you can see the stars this summer.

Don’t overthink it. After all, wiling away an afternoon on a patio absolutely counts as “getting outside.” So does going to an outdoor music festival, taking the family to a zoo or nature center, journeying to the prairielands to experience bison up-close, going for a run, or hanging out at a brewery.

See more things to do this summer.