9 Amazing Minnesota Day Trips That Are Worth The Drive In 2025
Minnesota is a delightful state for day trips, especially for lovers of natural beauty and outdoor adventures. Nicknamed the Land of 10,000 Lakes for its abundance, this state is home to some of the country’s most unique natural treasures, including the start of the 2,350-mile Mississippi River, and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, where over a thousand miles of canoe routes and hiking trails offer unforgettable recreation. Beloved landmarks such as the Split Rock Lighthouse also sit proudly in this unique state, whose name translates to “Sky-tinted water” in the Dakota language. These amazing features make it appealing to just step on the gas and drive for hours around without getting bored. Thankfully, Minnesota also has some of the best roads in the nation, as well as multiple airports, including the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport is strategically positioned to provide quick access to the state’s top draws. With that said, relax and enjoy this entertaining read that extensively discusses the best day trips in Minnesota worth visiting in 2025.
Gooseberry Falls State Park
Gooseberry Falls State Park sits right on the North Shore of Lake Superior, where it flaunts some of Minnesota’s natural treasures, especially waterfalls. Located only an hour from Duluth International Airport, this park hosts multiple falls on the Gooseberry River, alongside unique rock formations, and wildlife such as white-tailed deer and American black bear. On a day trip here, travelers can hike some of the park’s over 20 miles of trails, like the one-mile Riverview Trail, which presents views of the Middle and Lower Falls, as well as Lake Superior and the Gooseberry River, which is also great for trout fishing. Sights of stunning bluffs and birds can also be enjoyed on this trail. For bikers, the park hosts a 2.5-mile section of the Gitchi Gami State Trail, a non-motorized trail projected to be 86 miles once completed. Day travelers are welcome to ride on the park’s section of the trail for more views of the Lower Falls, the river, and the country’s largest lake. For a longer adventure, bikers are welcome to ride 17 miles through woods and over rivers to Silver Bay.
Split Rock Lighthouse State Park
Split Rock Lighthouse State Park is a well-known attraction in Minnesota and a great place for a day trip. Like its name suggests, this park is built around a lighthouse beautifully positioned on a 130-foot cliff overlooking Lake Superior. This lighthouse is one of the most photographed in the US, and day travelers are invited to tour the 1910 structure while learning about the navigational history of the North Shore, which was marred with shipwrecks before the construction of the lighthouse in 1910. In the meantime, the park presents opportunities for fishing on the lakeshore and Split Rock River, plus it has trails for hiking, biking, and cross-country skiing, including a section of the Superior Hiking Trail, and a paved section of the Gitchi-Gami State Trail, which can be taken southward to Gooseberry State Park or northward to Beaver Bay. The Day Hill Trail, one of the park’s top trails, is recommended for day trippers as it is only two miles and leads to gorgeous views of the lake and the lush surroundings from a hill. Additionally, the park hosts picnic sites and Pebble Beach, where people can enjoy refreshing dips in Lake Superior. Split Rock Lighthouse State Park is only an hour from Duluth International Airport, making it easy to reach.
Itasca State Park
Itasca State Park, the oldest state park in Minnesota, protects one of the country’s top natural treasures - the headwaters of the Mississippi River, the second-longest in the US. From this park, the river begins its 2,350-mile journey, slicing through multiple states as it flows to the Gulf of Mexico. This single feature alone makes a day trip to Itasca State Park worth the drive, if only to see the origin of the river, which has played a great role in the survival of people and as a crucial mode of transportation for thousands of years. The park is less than three hours from Duluth International Airport and approximately 3 hours and 40 minutes from Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport. Besides the headwaters of the Mississippi River, Itasca State Park encompasses old-growth pine forests, over 100 lakes, and historic sites. Over 30 miles of trails provide access to these features, plus Lake Itasca and the park’s other lakes are ideal for paddling and fishing. The Brower Trail is recommended for day visitors as it is just two miles and winds through dense pine forests, and along Lake Itasca, offering opportunities to see and hear wildlife, or fish. Day travelers can also take the 10-mile Wilderness Drive for impressive scenery and easy access to the park’s treasures.
Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness
The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is an incredible destination in Minnesota for a satisfying nature-based day adventure. Covering over one million acres, this wilderness is endowed with over a thousand lakes, rivers, streams, pristine forests, and 1,200 miles of canoe routes. Ely, one of the towns near the entry points to the western side of the wilderness area, is just two hours from Duluth International Airport, while the eastern entry point near Grand Marais is around two hours and 40 minutes from the airport. The eastern entry point is particularly exciting, as the ride to the Grand Marais offers impressive views of Lake Superior. From the town, the 57-mile Gunflint Trail can be taken into the wilderness, where day travelers can hike the 7-mile out-and-back Eagle Mountain Trail to the state’s highest point, or canoe and fish on Seagull Lake.
Voyageurs National Park
The only national park in Minnesota is surely worth a day trip, not just because of its title, but also its long list of natural attractions and activities. Like the nearby Boundary Waters, this park is full of lakes ideal for fishing, paddling, and boating, as well as over 50 miles of hiking trails slicing through hardwood and boreal forests teeming with wildlife. Located only two hours and 19 minutes from Duluth International Airport, day travelers are invited to this park to hike the 2.9-mile Blind Ash Bay Trail through a boreal forest frequented by wildlife, or boat and fish on one of the area’s notable lakes, such as Rainy Lake. Day travelers can also visit the Ellsworth Rock Garden to see stone sculptures on Lake Kabetogama, or enjoy a short biking or hiking adventure on the Rainy Lake Recreation Trail, which winds through woodlands and rock outcrops.
Minneapolis Institute of Art
A museum with over 90,000 works of art spanning 5,000 years is definitely worth a day trip. Besides, it is right in Minneapolis, just 17 minutes from the state’s largest international airport. But despite the easy access, a day might still be insufficient to fully explore this monumental attraction, featuring artworks from around the world ranging from paintings and photography to textiles, sculptures, and more. The artworks are divided into different galleries, including Asia, Africa, Europe, Contemporary, and the Americas, with each gallery worth visiting individually. The museum also presents several events, such as art classes and special programs with live music every Thursday evening, to further keep everyone entertained and inspired. Meanwhile, outside the building are interesting sculptures, one of which is the Fighter of the Spirit, a bronze sculpture showing a winged man holding a sword on the back of a beast.
Tettegouche State Park
Tettegouche State Park is one of the special destinations where Minnesota’s coastal allure can be experienced undisturbed. It is on the North Shore of Lake Superior and features lakes, waterfalls, a beach, and stunning rock formations, all highlighting the rugged beauty of Lake Superior. The park can be reached in just an hour and 20 minutes from Duluth International Airport. That easy access leaves day trippers with ample time to enjoy the park’s facilities, including over 20 miles of trails, 12 miles of ski trails, rock climbing sites, and picnic areas. Some of the best ways to spend a day here include hiking the 3-mile Baptism River Trail to see the 70-foot High Falls and other waterfalls, or the one-mile Shovel Point Trail for unobstructed views of Lake Superior and its craggy coastline. For more adventures, one can hike the 3.5-mile Tettegouche Lake Loop Trail for a view of the area’s lush trees, which display some of the finest fall colors in Minnesota. In the meantime, the park also invites day trippers to fish on the Baptism River or kayak on the Mic Mac Lake.
Valleyfair
Minnesota is not all lakes and forests. It is also home to Valleyfair, one of the region’s largest amusement parks, covering over 90 acres. A perfect place for a family-friendly day trip, this park features dozens of rides and attractions, from roller coasters to swings, bumper cars, carousel, and even nostalgic train rides on replicas of 1800s locomotives. The park also hosts Soak City Waterpark, where fountains, wave pools, waterslides, a lazy river, and other water-based attractions deliver fun experiences. Moreover, the park is an amazing Halloween destination as it features several terrifying attractions and events, including ValleyScare, where horrors await at dark corners to overwhelm guests with fear on select nights from September 20 to November 1, 2025. Valleyfair is just 22 minutes from the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport, making it super easy to visit.
Como Park Zoo and Conservatory
Como Park Zoo & Conservatory is one of Minnesota’s premier wildlife destinations, worthy of a day trip, especially for families with children. It is located right in St. Paul, around 21 minutes from Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, and features a wide variety of animals from around the world. Some of the park’s creatures include arctic foxes, polar bears, the elusive snow leopard, and the emperor tamarin, famous for its unique moustache. The park also hosts several beautiful gardens, showcasing diverse plants, such as the Fern Garden, featuring a variety of ferns, some of the oldest plants on earth. Additionally, Como Park Zoo & Conservatory has dozens of sculptures, a lake, a fishing pier, and 2.3 miles of paved trails, plus an amusement park is next to the zoo with fun rides.
From the rugged coast of Lake Superior to the thousands of lakes spread out across remote wilderness areas, Minnesota is endowed with some of the nation’s finest features. Explore these attractions and more on these amazing day trips, most of which combine convenience with scenery and adventures like kayaking and hiking. Some of these day trips, like Boundary Waters, can be so exciting that they might require more days to be better explored. And even though not mentioned throughout the article, all parks and outdoor attractions mentioned have campsites, just in case of a last-minute decision to stay overnight.
