Local Appeal — Minnesota Attractions in Your Area

Don’t get out those jackets and mittens just yet! There’s still a lot of summer left and plenty to do. Thinking about an end-of-the-season shindig with the crew? Why not explore some of the most entertaining and exciting attractions in Minnesota? They’re perfect for group gatherings, team building, and even corporate meetings.

Bell Museum, St. Paul

What You’ll See There — Recently relocated from the U o f M campus in Minneapolis to a modern, new facility on the St. Paul campus, the Bell Museum of Natural History features a state-of-the-art planetarium, permanent exhibit galleries, a Touch & See Lab, and Learning Landscape with green roof and observation deck.

What You Can Do There — Seventy-minute guided adult tours are offered in the Minnesota Journeys exhibit where you’ll witness the Bell’s world-renowned wildlife dioramas. Tours of the Whitney and Elizabeth MacMillan Planetarium can be added to the tour for an additional fee. Available weekday afternoons and weekends.

Great for Groups — Six different rental spaces are available at the facility featuring ample natural light and state-of-the-art AV equipment. Groups can take advantage of guided star gazing, museum tours, and hands-on activities. Catering options available.

Bonus — Group discounts are available for groups of 15 or more for admission to the museum gallery (not guided) or planetarium tickets. Room rentals for lunch and catered box lunch options are also available.

Canterbury Park, Shakopee

What You’ll See There — From early May to mid-September, visitors enjoy scheduled horse races from Thursday through Sunday. Both outdoor and indoor seating are available. Additionally, your guests are in luck with 24/7 poker and table game action including Blackjack, Mississippi Stud, EZ-Baccarat and more.

What You Can Do There — Canterbury Park schedules events year-round like August Simulcast Sundays, Live Racing Daily Betting Bonus, and Basset Hound Racing, plus $50 New Player Bonus, Card Casino Happy Hour, and Overnight Aces.

Great for Groups — Multiple food options let your group nosh without interrupting their play. Card Casino Tableside Dining includes Steak Street Tacos, General Tso’s Chicken, and Brisket Burger. Plus, there are several comfy hotel options nearby if you think your team will want to play and stay.

Bonus — MVP Rewards program is free to join and gives members instant access to a wide range of rewards, including food, programs, cash, discounts, valet parking, and more.

Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, Chanhassen

What You’ll See There — For 50 years, Chanhassen Dinner Theater has provided visitors with award-winning theater and cabaret shows along with a full menu of classic American cuisine. 

What You Can Do There — Productions on stage this season included “Newsies,” “The Gala,” “Holiday Inn,” “Stevie Ray’s Comedy Cabaret,” “JazzMN Orchestra,” “Kickin’ It Irish,” and the famous Concert Series featuring Minnesota’s finest musicians.

Great for Groups — Corporate functions are welcome at Chanhassen Dinner Theater. Two custom themes are available for groups, “Hollywood Red Carpet Party” or “007 Casino Night.” Each themed gathering includes room décor, activities, centerpieces, linens, and more. The theater also includes templates for invitations, special napkin folds, and other themed favors to make your event truly memorable.

Bonus — Group discounts are available for groups of 12 or more with special rates and benefits as well as enhancements, including a social package that includes one basic cocktail and a dessert package that offers one individual dessert for each guest from their menu.

Marcus Theatres, Various locations

What You’ll See There — With eleven theaters located throughout Minnesota, you’re sure to find one near you that suits your group. Depending upon the location you choose, your crew can enjoy the benefits of in-theater dining ordering from a complete menu, all from the comfort of a DreamLounger™ recliner.

What You Can Do There — At Marcus Theaters, you’re not just “going to the movies” anymore. Your team can view popular trending movies now playing or “event cinema” which includes a variety of live and recorded entertainment that goes beyond traditional films.

Great for Groups — These flexible venues allow you to host meetings, seminars, and conferences where you’ll enjoy the benefit of making an impressive presentation on the big screen with incredible cinema sound. Private movie screenings are also available to groups along with full, on-site catering options.

Bonus — Discount Movie Ticket Gift Cards are a great employee incentive or holiday gift. Buy in bulk and you receive a discount of up to 9.5 percent.

Minnesota Opera, St. Paul

What You’ll See There — The elegant and inviting Ordway Center for the Performing Arts is home to the Minnesota Opera, long considered one of America’s largest and most innovative opera companies. 

What You Can Do There — The upcoming opera season runs from October 2018 through mid-May 2019, and includes performances of “La Rondine,” “Silent Night,” “The Italian Straw Hat,” “The Fix,” and “La Traviata.”

Great for Groups — The Ordway Center for the Performing Arts in St. Paul boasts many lovely spaces to rent for corporate gatherings, including Music Theater, Concert Hall, Target Atrium, Orchestra Lobby, US Bank Rehearsal Hall, and Drake Rehearsal Hall. The Minnesota Opera Center, located in the Warehouse District of Minneapolis, has several unique spaces that are also available for rent for everything from non-profit galas, to benefits, to meetings. Extras available include tables, chairs, and pianos. Outside caterers are welcome. 

Bonus — Group discounts are available for groups of 10 or more with savings of up to 25 percent off the price of tickets for groups of 25 or more.

Minnesota Zoo, Apple Valley

What You’ll See There — Opening in 1978, the Minnesota Zoo offers cutting-edge exhibits, education programs, conservation programs, musical entertainment, and more. It is one of the first zoos to arrange exhibits by animals living in their natural environments rather than grouped by species.

What You Can Do There — There are a total of six themed areas at the zoo. Three of these are walking trails that are one to two miles in length. Guests will enjoy seeing animals in their natural habitats. For example, the Medtronic Minnesota Trail features animals native to Minnesota, such as wolverines, beavers, cougars, porcupines, bald eagles, and more.

Great for Groups — The entire zoo is available for rent for groups with a minimum of 2000 and a maximum of 15,000 guests. This affords the group admission to all exhibits, use of the Central Plaza Splash Pad and Woodland Adventure, World of Birds Show, retail food options and concessions, plus Full Guest Services staff on-site.

Bonus — Group discounts are available both weekdays and weekends and includes admission to all exhibits, animal shows, and demonstrations at the zoo.

Northern Star Scouting Base Camp, Fort Snelling

What You’ll See There — A great place for team building, Northern Star Scouting Base Camp is located at historic Fort Snelling in what was once known as the Calvary Drill Hall. They offer one-of-a-kind interactive experiences year-round.

What You Can Do There — For a valuable team-building experience, trained facilitators lead your team through a variety of activities that focus on small group problem-solving skills. These include challenges such as a high ropes course, archery, indoor climbing wall, belay training, and more. 

Great for Groups — Auxiliary rooms as well as the entire facility are available for rental. Smaller rooms include the Shuttle Room, Library, Conference Room and Classroom. Facility rental includes many amenities, such as projector and screen, TV cart with speakers, podium, seating for up to 160, complimentary parking, wireless microphones, and tables.

St. Paul Saints at CHS Field, St. Paul

What You’ll See There — Conveniently located in the heart of downtown St. Paul, CHS Field is host to the St. Paul Saints, members of the North Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball. The new ballpark opened in 2015.

What You Can Do There — The St. Paul Saints have a “Fun is Good” attitude, and if your group has never been to a game, they’re in for a treat. Between-inning promotions are quirky and creative and can range from sumo wrestling to tire races, usher training to trivia contests.

Great for Groups — Groups can participate in the on-field fun. Steal-a-Base allows a member of your group to attempt to take off from first and steal a team-autographed base. A Double Steal has two members of your group steal second and third. Participants get to keep the autographed base.

Or, you can arrange for one member of your group to throw out the final pitch of the night with the Ceremonial Last Pitch program.

Bonus — Several event spaces at CHS Field are available for rent for company field days, business meetings, corporate gatherings and more.

Valleyfair, Shakopee

What You’ll See There — This 125-acre amusement park features over 75 rides and attractions, including eight roller coasters, Soak City Water Park with slides and pools, shows and entertainment, along with drinks and dining.

What You Can Do There — Beginning September 22 and running through the end of October, guests thrill to Valleyfair’s annual tradition, Valley Scare. The after-dark fun includes 300 creatures and monsters, a dozen haunted attractions including mazes and walkway scare zones, along with fog and thrill rides.

Great for Groups — Valleyfair is a thrilling team building venue with several corporate-specific, fully-facilitated interactive programs, including The Appmazing Hunt™, The Appmazing Race™, Retro Game Shows™, and Tower Above the Rest™. On-site catering is available and includes a meal, two sides, and a dessert.

Bonus — Group discounts are available for groups of 15-99 and offer savings on front gate admission.

Walker Art Center, Minneapolis

What You’ll See There — A contemporary art center located in the Lowry Hill neighborhood of Minneapolis, The Walker Art Center features world-class exhibits and the renowned Sculpture Garden featuring the iconic Spoonbridge and Cherry sculpture that has come to be synonymous with the Twin Cities.

What You Can Do There — Enjoy enriching art exhibits, performances, and screenings, and until September 2, Skyline Mini Golf. The course boasts unbelievable views of the Minneapolis skyline and features ten unique artist-designed holes. 

Great for Groups — A distinctive venue with elegant event space and stunning cityscape views, the Walker Art Center affords your group the opportunity to gather in style. Rooms include the Garden Terrace Room & Terraces, the Walker Cinema & McGuire Theater, Galleries, Lounges, the Crosby Conference Room, the Skyline Room, and the Cityview Room. A variety of packages are available and are combined with award-winning catering options.