Explore the South of the River Suburbs this year!
Check out our list of 52 Fun Things to Do, South of the River
Enough ideas to fill your whole year, one weekend at a time!

Ideas for Spring

• Meet the brand new Farm Babies all April at the Minnesota Zoo in Apple Valley
• Take Mom out for brunch at the Chart House in Lakeville
• Sample local restaurants at the Taste of Lakeville in May at the  Lakeville Arts Center
• Get inspired to tackle those home improvement projects at the Lakeville Landscape & Home / Consumer Showcase Expo or the Apple Valley Home and Garden Expo in April
• Get creative with the whole family at the Crayola Experience at Mall of America
• Try Geocaching at a Dakota County Parks.  Go to Geocaching.com and enter your zip code
• Pack a picnic lunch, hike and view the spectacular Vermillion Falls and limestone ravine right in downtown Hastings, MN.  While you are there, be sure to check out the Historic Downtown shops.
• Get the wiggles out at Rockin’ Jump Trampoline Park, Eagan’s Indoor Trampoline Park
• Ready to do some spring cleaning or find that special treasure?  City wide Garage Sales take place in May in Burnsville, Lakeville, Rosemount & Apple Valley.
• Celebrate spring at the Holz Farm Spring Festival featuring food music and activities for all ages!

Ideas for Summer

• Kayak, swim, hike, bike, camp! Explore picturesque Lebanon Hills Park in Eagan!
• Take the kids to one of Lakeville’s Beaches.  Swim, play volleyball, picnic and explore the playgrounds.
• Farmington Dew Days!  Takes place every June.
• Lakeville’s Pan o Prog!  Takes place every July.
• Music in the Park at Kelley Park in Apple Valley on Friday evenings.
• Get your friends together for Frisbee Golf at Alimagnet Lake Park in Apple Valley
• Cool off at the Apple Valley Water Park
• Go Raspberry Picking at Applewood Orchard. Call for hours:952-985-5425
• Leprechan Days in Rosemount includes the Grand Day Parade, Midsummer Faire Carnival, Food and Music Events
• Come out and Play at the Dakota County Fair!  Musical entertainment, midway rides, lumberjack shows, grandstand events, livestock shows, grandstand events and of course, FOOD!
• See the current production of the Prairie Fire Children’s Theatre at the Lakeville Arts Center in mid July
• Play a challenging round at the breathtaking Legends Golf Course in Lakeville
• Rev it up at Elko Speedway!  They offer a wide variety of racing events.
• For a different type of racing, check out Extreme Race Day Ostrich and Camel Racing at Canterbury Park in Shakopee in mid-July.  Every Sunday is family day at the track and features pony rides and a petting zoo for the kids.
• Are you a resident of Savage, MN?  You receive a discount and admission to the Savage Lifetime Fitness Pool featuring a lazy river and water slide.
• Watch thrilling Boat Racing and Water Shows on the Mighty Mississippi during Hasting’s Rivertown Days
• Celebrate our area’s cultural diversity at the International Festival of Burnsville. Entertainment, food and family activities!
• Load up the car and take in a movie at the Elko Drive In Theater!
• Bluegrass and Beer at Caponi Art Park in Mid July!  Enjoy a music by Sawtooth Brothers, beer by Urban Growler Brewery and food from New Bohemia Wurst + Bier Haus

Ideas for Fall

• Explore Northfield MN at Jesse James Days.  Enjoy a family friendly reinactment of the failed bank raid!
• Join your fellow lords and ladies at the Renaissance Festival in Shakopee.  Over 250 artisan booths and 16 stages of entertainment.
• Beer or Wine lover?  Join a club at Lakeville Liquors – they offer 3 different adult memberships.
• Lakeville Arts Festival happens every September.  Peruse the artwork in a wide variety of media.
• Go apple picking and explore the corn maze & haystack at Applewood Orchard
• Take a hike, have a picnic and enjoy the fall leaves at Lebanon Hills Regional Park
• For Halloween Fun at the end of October check out
  • Haunted Forest Festival at North Park in Lakeville, or,
  • Haunted Wood Trail in Rosemount, or,
  • LeDuc Historic Estate in Hastings hosts a Harvest Haunting
• Go Fly a Kite! at Schaar’s Bluff
• Have you ever gone Sky Carting?  Get your adreneline rush at Smaash! at Mall of America
• Entertainment, fireworks, a carnival, food, wine tasting, beer tasting and more at the Burnsville Fire Muster in September
• Ramble Jam Country Rock Music Festival at the Dakota County Fairgrounds.  There is always a great line up!

Ideas for Winter

• Enjoy the decorations and have dinner while you do your holiday shopping at Mall of America
• Experience Holidazzle in Downtown Minneapolis
• Enjoy holiday music, trolley rides, hot food & refreshments at Village Holidays at Dakota City in Farmington. .
• Find that unique gift at the Holiday Art Sale at the Lakeville Arts Center in December
• December is a great time to visit the Minnesota Zoo. If you’re looking for that perfect holiday photo, bring your family and camera to the Minnesota Zoo to visit Santa!
• Take the family bowling at Apple Place Bowl.  For the adults, there is a DJ & Dance music on Saturday nights.
• Ice Skate at Hayes Park Ice Arena in Apple Valley
• Not a skier?  Go Tubing at Buck Hill in Burnsville
• Enjoy a winter wonderland while cross country skiing at Alimagnet Park in Burnsville.  Equipment is available for rent.
• Bed Race for Bridging at Buck Hill in Burnsville is great fun for a great cause. Stay for the post race event.
• Try your hand at gardening in March at Pahl’s Market Moss Basket Days.  You plant your basket and Pahl’s takes care of it until early May!
• Not all of the city celebrations are in the summer – check out the Apple Valley Mid Winter Fest!
• There is even more to do at Lebanon Hills Regional Park in the winter!  Try out snowshoeing, dogsledding, skijoring, kicksledding, candlelit hikes and more.   Rentals are available!
• Immerse yourself in holiday lights and be entertained by choirs at Burnsville’s Heart of the City’s Winter Lighting Ceremony