Adventure
Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Experience this Minnesota must-see for outdoors-loving families; paddle to your heart's content —1,500 miles of phenomenal canoe routes; spot bald eagles, great blue herons, pine martens, and other native wildlife. Superior National Forest, 8901 Grand Ave. Pl., Duluth, MN; + 1 218 626 4300. Fee.
Chippewa National Forest Glide down the gentle Shingobee River in a kayak or canoe; cast for walleye in some of the state's best fishing waters; spot bald eagles perched in massive nests or soaring overhead; meander along some of the park's 298 miles of peaceful hiking trails; feast on wild blueberries before setting up camp. 200 Ash Ave. NW, Cass Lake, MN; + 1 218 335 8600.
Dogsledding in Ely—Wintergreen Dogsled Lodge Learn to mush along snow-packed trails behind a team of athletic Canadian Eskimo sled dogs; explore the snowy wilderness with famed Arctic explorer Paul Schurke or one of the many other dogsled guides in Ely. 1101 Ring Rock Rd., Ely, MN; + 1 218 365 6022 or + 1 218 365 6123. Fee.
Northland Arboretum Explore this wonderland on cross-country skis in the winter; strap on your boots for a youth Nordic ski lesson in January; hike through preserved jack pine savanna in the fall. 14250 Conservation Dr., Baxter, MN; + 1 218 829 8770.
Outdoor Winter Ice Skating Glide across the ice at one of 23 outdoor rinks each winter, run by the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board. Minneapolis, MN. + 1 612 230 6400.
Paul Bunyan State Trail Create your own tall tale as you bike, roller-skate, skateboard, or snowmobile along this 100-mile trail, 80 miles of which are paved. Brainerd Lakes, MN.
Roseville Skating Center Test your skates on the OVAL, the world's largest outdoor refrigerated skating facility; bring your boards, bikes, and tricks—during the summer it doubles as the Midwest's largest skate park. 2661 Civic Center Dr., Roseville, MN; + 1 651 792 7007. Fee.
Superior Hiking Trail Trek one of the most scenic trails in the country; backpack up the ridgeline above Lake Superior all the way to the Canadian border through seven state parks, or take a short five-to-ten mile day hike past waterfalls, brooks, and the Sawtooth Mountains; keep an eye out for moose, deer, and beavers; snack on wild raspberries and blueberries. Superior Hiking Trail Association offers guided day hikes. Headquarters: 731 7th Ave., Two Harbors, MN; +1 218 834 2700.
Taylors Falls Voyage down the St. Croix River on a paddlewheel boat tour and check out the rock formation known as the Old Man of the Dalles, or just take a lazy canoe trip. For more excitement, shoot down water and alpine slides at Wild Mountain; take to the slopes in the winter on one of the mountain's 25 ski and snowboard runs or bounce down the mountain on a snow tube. Taylors Falls, MN; + 1 651 465 6315.
Voyageurs National Park Canoe, kayak, or motorboat through the vast interconnected lakes to one of the area's 900 islands; learn French songs and paddle salutes on a North Canoe Voyage with costumed interpreters; cast for walleye, smallmouth bass, and northern pike from a lazy houseboat; howl with the wolves and keep a lookout for bald eagles and bears from your campsite. Headquarters: 3131 Hwy. 53, International Falls, MN; + 1 218 283 6600.
