1. Have Fun Ice Skating on Minneapolis Lakes

It wouldn’t be winter in Minneapolis without a trip to one of our (many!) outdoor ice skating rinks. While many skating rinks are set up on dry ground at municipal parks by flooding athletic fields, you’ll find great spots to lace up your ice skates when the ice is thick enough at Lake Nokomis Park, Lake of the Isles Park, and Powderhorn Park. Most rinks offer free skating with a minor charge for ice skate rentals, and all rinks are lit daily from 4:30 to 9 pm, so the fun doesn’t stop at sundown. If you prefer practicing your Flying V at an indoor ice arena, check out the Parade Ice Garden for all-ages open skating times. Most of these indoor and outdoor rinks also offer opportunities to play some hockey, broomball, and pond hockey (but more about that later).

2. Try Snowshoeing the Mississippi River and Minnehaha Creek

While there are many trails around Minneapolis lakes and the Mississippi River that you can stroll with a good pair of boots, strapping on some snowshoes and going “off road” on urban trails is a fabulous way to escape the crowds and immerse yourself in the natural splendor of our local waterways. One of the best spots to snowshoe is Minnehaha Creek, running from Lake Minnetonka to Minnehaha Falls, offering 22 miles of snow-covered creek to explore. The Mississippi River Gorge Regional Park—the parkland flanking both sides of the river—also offers snowshoe trails starting at the end of the Ford Bridge in the Nokomis neighborhood, the Lake Street Bridge in the Longfellow neighborhood, or Franklin Avenue where it meets the river in the Seward neighborhood.

3. Take a Candlelit Evening Walk, Ski, or Snowshoe at Lake of the Isles’ Luminary Loppet

Prepare yourself for some true Midwest winter magic at the Luminary Loppet. One Saturday in February (February 3 in 2024), 1,200 candle-like luminaries line a trail across Lake of the Isles, as well as tents pouring hot chocolate, food trucks, local beer, and live music. This special event is part of the City of Lakes Loppet Winter Festival and serves as an annual fundraiser for the Loppet Foundation, offering accessible ways for all people to explore the outdoors. So head out under the stars and enjoy the candlelit frozen lake for an excellent cause!

4. Experience Minneapolis Cross-Country Skiing around the Chain of Lakes Trails and Hiawatha Park

Thanks to the abundance of lakes within Minneapolis city limits and the Chain of Lakes Trail that connects them, you can enjoy a continuous five-mile cross-country ski trip in Minneapolis around and across Brownie Lake, Cedar Lake, and Lake of the Isles with only two road crossings (find a ski trail map here). For another lakeside cross-country skiing trail, check out Hiawatha Regional Park along the shore of Lake Hiawatha. Note: Skiing on groomed trails in Minneapolis requires a ski pass, which can be purchased online or at The Trailhead at Theodore Wirth Park. Never had the opportunity to cross-country ski before? The Loppet Foundation’s Ski School offers group and private ski lessons (both skate-style and classic cross-country style) at Theodore Wirth Park!

Local tip: Snowshoe and cross-country ski rentals are available at The Trailhead in Theodore Wirth Park, REI, Hoigaards, Fort Snelling and other state parks, and the University of Minnesota Center for Outdoor Adventure.

5. Snap a Picture of the Frozen Minnehaha Falls

In many places, enjoying the ethereal wonder of a frozen waterfall requires a day trip to the countryside—but here in Minneapolis, the stunning sight of the blue and teal snowbanks and icicles of Minnehaha Falls is a short trip from Downtown Minneapolis. While the trail to the base of the 53-foot Minnehaha Falls is closed in the winter for safety, the park offers several ways to get excellent views of the frozen falls from multiple angles. Check out the footbridge above the falls and follow the paved trails from the parking lot to the far end of the falls’ canyon for breathtaking views and photo ops.

6. Play (or Watch) Pond Hockey in Minneapolis

Pond Hockey is a great North American winter tradition that’s alive and well in Minneapolis. Typically played with two teams of four—without goalies—pond hockey is a lot like indoor ice hockey but played on natural bodies of water outdoors (and typically with a lot less hard physical contact). Minneapolis Parks & Rec sponsored recreational Pond Hockey leagues every year, and you can watch pickup games at the Kenny Park and Nokomis Park outdoor ice rinks.

Fun fact: Minneapolis is home to the U.S. Pond Hockey Championships, where hundreds of teams compete for the Golden Shovel on Lake Nokomis every January.

7. Cozy Up in a Restaurant with a Frosty Winter Waterway View

After a full day of wintry outdoor adventures, you’ll surely need a hearty meal—but there’s no reason to leave the riverside or lakeside to enjoy it. Head to internationally celebrated Owamni for frozen views of the Mississippi and the Stone Arch Bridge. Take in more views of the Mississippi River in a romantic 130-building housing the Nicollet Island Inn. Peer over the frozen Loring Park with glimpses of the park’s frozen pond at ritzy Café & Bar Lurcat, and soon you'll be able to dine with views of the frozen Bde Maka Ska at the Mex-Tex focused menu, Chilango.

8. Try Your Hand at some Minneapolis Ice Fishing

While it takes a bit more heavy-duty equipment than most activities on this list—not all of us have our own ice auger and portable icehouse, after all—you can definitely enjoy the great Minnesota tradition of catching Walleye and Northern Pike through the ice of a frozen lake. Local bait shops are happy to give tips for good Minneapolis ice fishing locations, and ice houses are available for rent on Lake Minnetonka (along with all necessary gear) via Ice Fishing Warriors. You could also try to make friends with other ice fishers on the lake—we’re a pretty friendly bunch, after all.

9. Feel Like Frozen Royalty with a Tour of Minnesota Ice Castles

Channel your inner Elsa and take a short trip north of Minneapolis to Maple Grove for the annual Ice Castle display. A Minnesota tradition, these ingenious ice buildings—many featuring slides, caverns, crawl tunnels, and even ice bars serving winter cocktails—begin construction in November and open to the public in January. Check out ice sculptures, take in the stunning arrangements of ice blocks and icicles, and take a LOT of selfies.

10. Take a Polar Plunge in one of Minneapolis’ Frozen Lakes

Are you brave enough to actually jump INTO a frozen lake this winter? Head to Lake Harriet or Cedar Lake for a polar plunge into the invigorating icy water via holes cut in the lake’s seasonal blanket of solid ice. Be prepared to make friends with other cold-hardy locals, and be sure to follow the local protocols to keep you and everyone else safe as you take the plunge. While plunges happen throughout the winter, you can join hundreds of people raising money for Special Olympics Minnesota at the annual Polar Plunge on Lake Nokomis in March, complete with food trucks, live music, and a real lakeside party atmosphere. Click the video below to get a sneak peak...