Sunrise over the St. Croix River after driving 900 miles from Pennsylvania
When you have two little hockey players in the family, the summer road trip has to include a stop in Minnesota. They call Minnesota “The State of Hockey”, so we enrolled both boys in the Top Dog week long hockey camp. While they spent their days on ice, Ryan and I were free to roam St. Paul and explore the state park where we were camping. Here’s how our family spent the week in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota.
Hockey
This was Liam’s first hockey camp, and Ryan and I weren’t sure how he would handle eight hours of hockey each day. The staff at Top Dog made the experience so much fun. There was a great mix of skating and off-ice activities that made the days fly by. Jack was like a shark on the ice, playing a mix of offense and defense, and working hard to stand out. I was proud of both of them for their hard work all week! And of course we had to visit Bauer Hockey Experience, a flagship store for Bauer with an ice rink inside, a knee hockey area for kids, and all the hockey equipment you could ever wish for.
St. Paul
View of Raspberry Island from the Wabash Bridge
While the boys were at hockey camp, Ryan and I explored the city of St. Paul. We especially enjoyed the area around the Capitol Building, with several memorials and monuments, a big open area with beautiful flowers, and a whole line of food trucks for lunch. We spent one afternoon wandering around the city, walking over the Wabasha Bridge to Raspberry Island, and exploring some of the historic area, filled with beautiful homes.
Although we enjoyed the city, St. Paul definitely needs to address their problems with homelessness, mental illness, and drug addiction. We couldn’t walk down a block without being approached for money, and we witnessed several unsettling incidents involving unstable individuals in our time there. I hope that Minnesota finds a way to get help for their residents that need it.
Mall of America
Celebrating after a long week of hockey camp
You can’t visit the Minneapolis/St. Paul area without at least one visit to the Mall of America. I do most of my shopping online and try to avoid a busy mall at all costs, but the best things about the Mall of America aren’t the stores for shopping. There is a full-blown amusement park smack dab in the center of the mall with roller coasters, thrill rides, and rides for little ones. On our first visit to the mall, the boys begged to ride, but we told them they had to do a good job a hockey camp and we’d take them on Friday night. They earned their visit, and they stayed at Nickelodean Universe until the mall closed.
While there, we also visited the aquarium. We went on a weekday evening, and it felt like we had the place to ourselves. The shark tanks were amazing, the boys fed the stingrays, and they even had a section where you could touch the marine life.
We had been to the Crayola Experience in Easton, Pennsylvania a few years ago, but Liam doesn’t remember it at all and was REALLY into the idea of visiting the Crayola Experience in the Mall of America. After one failed attempt at a visit (it closes at 6pm
Crayola Experience
some days, leading to a Liam meltdown) we finally made it there. They have a show explaining how crayons are made, plenty of opportunities to create your own artwork in really unique and engaging ways, and a whole play area for kids. The boys had a great time!
Lake Elmo State Park
Our campsite (#13)
We camped at Lake Elmo State Park because it was a very short drive to St. Paul. Most campground near cities aren’t great, so I was pleasantly surprised when we arrived. It was one of the cleanest and quietest campsites we’ve been at (and we’ve been to a lot!). Our campsite was large and shady, with a great spot to hang the hammock.
Wildflowers along the hiking trail
The park also had beautiful wildflowers growing everywhere, and plenty of well-marked hiking trails. Ryan and I took a long walk one afternoon, enjoying our break from the boys. It was nice to hike without hearing complaints about someone being tired or hungry or their feet hurt. The scenery was beautiful
One of the best things about Lake Elmo State Park was their man-made lake for swimming with a sand bottom and filtered water. The water was so clear that I joked I could drop my engagement ring and find it right away. Ryan didn’t encourage me to try. We spent an afternoon lounging in the sun, reading, and eating a picnic lunch. It was a much-needed low-key week for us.
Minnehaha Park
Waterfall in Minnehaha Park
If you’re in the Minneapolis area, be sure to visit Minnehaha Park. I’m used to having to hike for miles to see a waterfall this big and beautiful. The park has picnic areas, a seafood restaurant, and hiking trails. We also saw bike rentals and playgrounds. The area is a peaceful way to spend a couple of hours relaxing from the craziness of the Mall of America.
Our week in Minnesota was fun for the whole family. The boys got their hockey fix, Ryan and I got some freedom to explore on our own, and then we had some great family fun at the Mall of America!
On The Road Together 