The land of 10,000 lakes has always been a summer hotspot for anyone eager to bask in the great outdoors. But there’s much more to do in Minnesota than just fishing, hiking, and waterskiing––a sport invented in the state. Instead, Minnesota offers a wealth of activities for all seasons and sensibilities.

During colder weather, citizens can literally shop till they drop at Mall of Amerca where it would take nearly 86 hours to hit all 520 stores. The mall is also home to more than 50 restaurants, the nation’s largest indoor theme park, Nickelodeon Universe, and the underground SEA LIFE Minnesota Aquarium. While the snow is still on the ground, guests can explore the state’s 20,000 miles of designated snowmobile trails, or take a more leisurely approach with cross-country skiing.

Come spring, one of the best things to do in Minnesota is to enjoy the arts and culture that made St. Paul and Minneapolis both rank within the top 12 on BusinessWeek’s top 50 cities in the U.S. From the giant spoon sculpture at the Walker Art Center to the reverent architecture of the Cathedral of Saint Paul or the natural wonders inside Como Zoo and Conservatory, residents of the Twin Cities find a way to add some culture to their life, rain or shine.

In summer and fall, visitors can take a break from kayaking on Lake Superior and head South to explore historic sights such as the Jeffers Petroglyphs, where 3,000 sacred American Indian carvings–-some dating back 7,000 years––lay amongst the prairie grasses. In Pine City, the North West Company Fur Post invites visitors back in time to 1804 to learn about what life was like at this fur trading post that once served as a link betweenFrench traders and the Ojibwa tribe.

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