05 Jun Living in Apple Valley, Minnesota
A Few of the Many Great Things About Living in Apple Valley, Minnesota!
Not to be confused with our friends in sunny California, when you’re living in Apple Valley, Minnesota you’re living in a gem of Minneapolis’ Southern Metro. Whether you’re a current resident looking for things to do or are planning to move here in the near future, here are some of the highlights of this great city.
History:
Apple Valley’s roots lead back to the mid-1800’s when it was a farming community known as Lebanon Township.
The first settlers to the area were believed to have come from the east coast around 1855. The Township began to transform in the mid-1950’s. Residential neighborhoods began to develop in the spring of 1955. In 1963, Orrin Thompson began building in the area. Thompson selected the name “Apple Valley” for several of his plats on either side of County Road 42 located in the southwest corner of the City. Thompson had an apple tree planted at each home in the some of the new developments.
Entertainment:
Apple Valley is home to the Minnesota Zoo, a nationally renowned zoological garden housing thousands of animals from several distinct climatological zones. Among the notable species are Amur Tigers, African Penguins and the recently opened American Black Bear exhibit.
Apple Valley Family Aquatic Center. ‘Nuff said. This place is great if you’re looking to enjoy the summer sun with friends and family. The park offers tall Water Slides, Wading Pools and a Lazy River. This is a place the entire family can enjoy.
Apple Valley boasts numerous popular retail stores including a Super Target, Walmart, Burlington Coat Factory, SAMs Club, Michaels Arts and Crafts, Jo-Ann Fabrics, Savers, Ace Hardware, Kohl’s and Barnes and Noble (to name a few!).
Perhaps one of Apple Valley’s best features is the wide variety of restaurants within the city. From the home-grown and operated to iconic world-wide chains, there’s something for everybody in this city. A few notables include Rascals Bar and Grill, The Valley Tap House, and Raising Cane’s.
Located within the city limits is a large portion of Lebanon Hills Regional Park. This sprawling 2,000 acre park includes intense mountain-biking trails, hiking trails for those of us who prefer to get our adrenaline elsewhere, camping facilities along with natural wildlife and prairie reserves. From personal experience, this place is phenomenal for dog walking and nature lovers.
Education:
Award winning Apple Valley High School is one of the two located in the city. At the time of its completion in 1976 it was the second High School in the district. AVHS, as its commonly referred to, has a longstanding tradition of excellence in arts, academics, and athletics (apparently alliteration also.)
Down the road is the Eagle’s source of a healthy rivalry in Eastview High School. Much like AVHS, Eastview is a top tier school in the state of Minnesota and has been since its establishment in 1997. Students attending either one of these High Schools are given enormous opportunity for success in their future.
So there you have it! That’s our little snippet on the city of Apple Valley, MN. If you’re looking for further information on the city you can check the Chamber of Commerce’s excellent website here. Also, feel free to give me a call at 612-889-6496 or email me at [email protected] with any questions you may have. Thanks for reading!
