Shakopee, Minnesota

Located less than thirty minutes from downtown, Minneapolis, Canterbury Park is Minnesota’s premier card casino and racetrack. From mid-May through Labor Day, visitors can experience heart-pounding excitement with their live thoroughbred and quarter horse races, great for the whole family. The newly remodeled card casino provides legal adults the largest selection of table games in the state, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Omaha, Texas Hold ‘em, 7-Card Stud, Blackjack, EZ Bacarat, Pai Gow Poker, and Let it Ride are just a few of the classic games played here. The Park’s Special Events Center and Race Book is also open all year with daily action.

1100 Canterbury Road South, Shakopee, MN, Phone: 952-445-7223

Valleyfair is the largest amusement park in the Upper Midwest area. Open seasonally, from May to November each year, the park features more than 75 exciting rides and attractions. This includes eight daring and exhilarating roller coasters like the 230-foot tall tower, North Star. Delirious, the newest addition, is a 70-foot-tall, looping, stomach sinker. For visitors who prefer a calmer experience, Valleyfair also has a variety of family and kid rides as well as the Soak City Waterpark. A new family area named Route 76 was created within the park. Inspired by its 1976 roots, old favorites have reappeared, Antique Autos, the Scrambler, and a revamped Tilt-a-Whirl to name a few.

1 Valley Fair Drive, Shakopee, MN, Phone: 952-445-7600

The Landing is a living history event that takes place Wednesday’s through Sunday’s from Memorial Day to Labor Day and exclusively on Saturday’s and Sunday’s from Labor Day until October 30th at the end of the season. Taking place in the Minnesota River Heritage Park, participants reenact the lives of 19th century Minnesotans who established their lives on farmstead, frontier, and villages. The historic buildings are displayed as a timeline beginning at the pre-territorial era, ending in the late 1800s. Visitors can walk through the grounds and the river trail for free, or choose to join a tour participating in a few hands-on activities. Each event offers a different experience and chances to meet new historic special guests.

2187 Highway 101 E, Shakopee, MN, Phone: 763-694-7784

What to do if you are traveling with kids:

Paisley Park is the remarkable private estate and production compound of legendary musician, Prince, located less than 15 minutes away from Shakopee in the town of Chanhassen. Fans of the extraordinary performer have been given the unique opportunity to tour his private sanctuary where he created, produced, and performed many of his most famous hits. Throughout the tour guests will get the chance to view artifacts from the late singer’s personal archives. This includes his iconic concert wardrobe, musical instruments, awards, motorcycles, and artwork as well as rare video and music recordings. There are four ways visitors can tour the Park, from General Admission, a 70-mintue tour to the Ultimate Experience, a three-hour tour.

7801 Audubon Road, Chanhassen, MN

Located less than ten minutes from Shakopee, in the town of Chaska, the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum is a popular tourist attraction situated on over 1,200 acres. A premier northern garden, it was established in 1958, created by the University of Minnesota Horticultural Research Center. These impressive grounds feature woods, prairies, several tree collections, magnificent colorful gardens, and miles of beautifully landscaped trails. Visitors can view various nature-inspired exhibits in the onsite galleries, dine at the Arboretum Café, peruse the Anderson Horticultural Library, and explore the Bee and Pollinator Center. They also offer public tours by foot or on the Trumpet Creeper Tram led by knowledgeable naturalists.

3675 Arboretum Drive, Chaska, MN, Phone: 952-443-1400

Activities and Attractions for Couples:

The Stans Homestead and Museum Garden is located in the picturesque town of Shakopee at Scott County Historical Society. A Dutch Colonial Revival structure, it originally served as the boyhood home of Maurice Stans, an accountant and public servant who served under both President Eisenhower and President Nixon. This one-and-a-half story home boasts many of its original artifacts, furnishings, and embellishments, including its cross-grambel roof, a popular pattern used to style homes during this time period. It also boasts a completely renovated and redesigned outdoor garden featuring a stunning pergola, two butterfly gardens, and lovely gravel walkways. Tours of the grounds are offered by appointment only.

235 Fuller Street South, Shakopee, MN, Phone: 952-445-0378

Halla Greens Executive Golf Course & Driving Range is a fast, fun, and family-friendly golf facility featuring a 9-hole golf course and driving range. The course itself is ideal for beginner golfers and seasoned, advanced players trying to work on their approach shots into the green. All the holes are par-3 with the exception of holes 6 and 8 which are both par-4. The entire course can be played in less than two hours. Their driving range features a wide range of targets at varying depths, an excellent range for daily practice. The facility is also home to GolfTrack Academy, a place for Junior Golfers to improve their game, headed by PGA instructors.

495 Pioneer Trail, Chanhassen, MN, Phone: 952-252-2525

Located in Chaska, a town just ten minutes from Shakopee, the Chaska Curling Center has the biggest curling membership in the nation. Home to more than 1,200 curlers, the arena features six sheets, a player’s lounge, and locker rooms. First opened in December, 2015, the curling center welcomes visitors to learn about this amazing sport with their two-hour Learn to Curl classes which cover the games rules, etiquette, delivery, sweeping, and scoring. For those only interested in spectating, the club welcomes them to visit and watch live curling games from the comfort of the Crooked Pint Alehouse that overlooks the arena or at the Welcome Hall.

3210 Chaska Boulevard, Chaska, MN, Phone: 952-227-2475

Bluff Creek Golf Course is located Chaska, a neighborhood located roughly ten minutes from the city of Shakopee. This 18-hole golf course provides a relatively low-frills experience to visitors making it ideal for beginners. A majority of the holes are relatively straight shots with very few hazard areas, allowing for fun and quick play. This par-72 course is surrounded by rolling hills, towering trees, and ravines creating a beautiful atmosphere without interfering with game play. It’s walkable, playable, and affordable for all experience levels. Bluff Creek also provides a clubhouse with small snack bar and a 27,000-square-foot, grass tee driving range perfect for a warm-up before the course of for daily practice.

1025 Creekwood Street, Chaska, MN, Phone: 952-445-5685

Shakopee Brewhall is situated in the heart of city’s bustling historic district along First Avenue. Originally home to the Nyssen Brewery from the early 1900s, this space was completely renovated but still retains the limestone and timbers from the original and includes brick from city’s 1890 foundry. A warm and inviting atmosphere, Shakopee Brewhall provides guests with an industrially chic space to indulge on select craft beers. Their always changing collection of brews ensure visitors always have new flavors to try. They currently feature nine remarkable beers including the Nutty Mad, an American brown ale, Dry River, and IPA, and Shakopee Light, a light American lager.

124 1st Avenue E, Shakopee, MN, Phone: 952-582-4292