Augustana University

City: Sioux Falls, SD

🌳 Falls Park — Sioux Falls (iconic waterfall, playground & trails)

🎨 Washington Pavilion of Arts & Science — Sioux Falls (science museum + theater)

🦋 Great Plains Zoo & Butterfly House — Sioux Falls

🎢 Thunder Road Family Fun Park — Sioux Falls (mini golf, go-karts, arcade)

🛝 Sertoma Park — Sioux Falls (splash pad & picnic area)

🎭 Orpheum Theatre Center — Sioux Falls

🎳 Eastway Bowl — Sioux Falls

☀️ Downtown SculptureWalk — Sioux Falls

Family-Friendly Eats:

🍔 Burger Time — Sioux Falls

🍕 Tomacelli’s Pizza & Pasta — Sioux Falls

🥞 All Day Café — Sioux Falls

🌮 Mama’s Ladas Enchiladas — Sioux Falls

🍗 JL Beers — Sioux Falls

🍦 Stensland Family Creamery — Sioux Falls 

☕️ Coffea Roasterie — Sioux Falls

🥗 Kaladi’s Bistro — Sioux Falls

Bemidji State University

City: Bemidji, MN

🌳 Lake Bemidji State Park — Bemidji (beach, playground, hiking trails)

🎨 Headwaters Science Center — Bemidji (hands-on exhibits for kids)

🦋 Paul Bunyan & Babe the Blue Ox Statues — Bemidji (must-stop photo spot!)

🎢 Northwoods Mini Golf — Bemidji

🛝 Diamond Point Park — Bemidji (lakefront playground)

🎭 Historic Chief Theater — Bemidji

🎳 Bemidji Bowl — Bemidji

☀️ Paul Bunyan Trail — Bemidji (bike, walk, & skate path)

Family-Friendly Eats:

🍔 The 209 Bar — Bemidji

🍕 Dave’s Pizza — Bemidji

🥞 Red Stu Breakfast Bar — Bemidji

🌮 Mi Rancho Mexican Restaurant — Bemidji

🍗 Tutto Bene — Bemidji (Italian favorite)

🍦 Big River Scoop Ice Cream — Bemidji 

☕️ Raphaels Bakery & Café — Bemidji

🥗 Minnesota Nice Café — Bemidji

Concordia University, St. Paul

City: St. Paul, MN

🌳 Como Park Zoo & Conservatory — St. Paul (free family favorite!)

🎨 Minnesota Children’s Museum — St. Paul (interactive & educational)

🦋 Science Museum of Minnesota — St. Paul

🎢 Urban Air Adventure Park — St. Paul

🛝 Como Regional Park Playground — St. Paul

🎭 Ordway Center for the Performing Arts — St. Paul

🎳 Midway Bowling Center — St. Paul

☀️ Grand Avenue Shops & Cafés — St. Paul

Family-Friendly Eats:

🍔 The Nook — St. Paul (famous Juicy Lucy burgers!)

🍕 Cossetta’s Italian Market & Pizzeria — St. Paul

🥞 Day by Day Café — St. Paul

🌮 El Burrito Mercado — St. Paul

🍗 Pajarito — St. Paul

🍦 Nelson’s Ice Cream — St. Paul 

☕️ Cahoots Coffee Bar — St. Paul

🥗 Highland Grill — St. Paul

Minot State University

City: Minot, ND

🌳 Roosevelt Park Zoo — Minot (animals, playground & train rides)

🎨 Taube Museum of Art — Minot

🦋 Dakota Territory Air Museum — Minot (great for kids & aviation fans)

🎢 Lucy’s Amusement Park — Minot (mini golf & rides)

🛝 Oak Park — Minot (creek & splash pad)

🎭 Mouse River Players Theatre — Minot

🎳 North Hill Bowl — Minot

☀️ Downtown Minot Farmers Market & Murals — Minot

Family-Friendly Eats:

🍔 The Starving Rooster — Minot

🍕 Primo Restaurant — Minot

🥞 Homesteaders Restaurant — Minot (comfort breakfast!)

🌮 Mi Mexico — Minot

🍗 Ribfest BBQ — Minot

🍦 Charlie’s Main Street Café — Minot 

☕️ Prairie Sky Breads — Minot

🥗 Ebeneezer’s Eatery & Irish Pub — Minot

Minnesota State University, Mankato

City: Mankato, MN

🌳 Sibley Park Zoo & Playground — Mankato (petting zoo & splash pad)

🎨 Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota — Mankato

🦋 Minneopa State Park — Mankato (bison herd & waterfall hikes)

🎢 WOW! Zone Family Entertainment Center — Mankato (bowling, mini golf, laser tag)

🛝 Spring Lake Park — Mankato

🎭 Mankato Playhouse — Mankato

🎳 Victory Bowl — Mankato

☀️ Old Town Mankato — murals, boutiques & coffee shops

Family-Friendly Eats:

🍔 Tav on the Ave — Mankato

🍕 Pagliai’s Pizza — Mankato

🥞 The Wagon Wheel Café — Mankato

🌮 El Mazatlán Mexican Restaurant — Mankato

🍗 Blue Bricks — Mankato

🍦 Mom & Pop’s Ice Cream Shop — Mankato 

☕️ Neutral Groundz Coffeehouse — Mankato

🥗 Number 4 American Bar & Kitchen — Mankato

Northern State University

City: Aberdeen, SD

🌳 Wylie Park & Storybook Land — Aberdeen (storybook characters, rides & mini train!)

🎨 Dacotah Prairie Museum — Aberdeen

🦋 Aberdeen Aquatic Center — Aberdeen (splash pad & slides)

🎢 Thunder Road Family Fun Park — Aberdeen

🛝 Manor Park Playground — Aberdeen

🎭 Capitol Theatre — Aberdeen (family movies & plays)

🎳 Village Bowl — Aberdeen

☀️ Main Street Shopping District — Aberdeen

Family-Friendly Eats:

🍔 Maverick’s Steak & Cocktails — Aberdeen

🍕 Roma Ristorante Italiano — Aberdeen

🥞 The Flame — Aberdeen (breakfast spot)

🌮 Guadalajara Mexican Restaurant — Aberdeen

🍗 The Circus Sports Bar & Grill — Aberdeen

🍦 Twist Cone Drive-In — Aberdeen 

☕️ The Red Rooster Coffee House — Aberdeen

🥗 Palm Garden Café — Aberdeen

Southwest Minnesota State University

City: Marshall, MN

🌳 Independence Park — Marshall (lake, walking path & playground)

🎨 Marshall Area Fine Arts Council Gallery — Marshall

🦋 Camden State Park — Lynd (20 min — hiking & picnics)

🎢 SMSU Planetarium — on campus! (kids’ space shows)

🛝 Legion Field Park — Marshall

🎭 Marshall Community Theatre — Marshall

🎳 Sundance Lanes — Marshall

☀️ Downtown Marshall Farmers Market — Marshall

Family-Friendly Eats:

🍔 The Hitching Post — Marshall

🍕 Mike’s Café & Pizza — Marshall

🥞 Bagels & Brew — Marshall

🌮 El Rancho Mexican Restaurant — Marshall

🍗 Wooden Nickel Burgers & Brew — Marshall

🍦 Schwan’s Ice Cream Parlor — Marshall 

☕️ Daily Grind Coffeehouse — Marshall

🥗 The Kitchen Table — Marshall

St. Cloud State University

City: St. Cloud, MN

🌳 Munsinger & Clemens Gardens — St. Cloud (flowers, playground & views)

🎨 Stearns History Museum — St. Cloud

🦋 Quarry Park & Nature Preserve — Waite Park (20 min — swimming & hiking)

🎢 Summerland Family Fun Park — St. Cloud (go-karts, mini golf, batting cages)

🛝 Riverside Park — St. Cloud

🎭 Paramount Center for the Arts — St. Cloud

🎳 Great River Bowl & Partners Pub — Sartell

☀️ Downtown St. Cloud Art Walk — St. Cloud

Family-Friendly Eats:

🍔 Val’s Rapid Serv — St. Cloud (iconic burger shack)

🍕 House of Pizza — St. Cloud (local legend)

🥞 Brigitte’s Café — St. Cloud

🌮 Bravo Burrito Co. — St. Cloud

🍗 Granite City Food & Brewery — St. Cloud

🍦 Mr. Twisty — St. Cloud 

☕️ Kinder Coffee Lab — St. Cloud

🥗 White Horse Restaurant & Bar — St. Cloud

University of Mary

City: Bismarck, ND

🌳 Dakota Zoo — Bismarck (zoo train & family park)

🎨 Gateway to Science Museum — Bismarck (STEM fun!)

🦋 Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park — Mandan (30 min – trails, fort & views)

🎢 SuperSlide Amusement Park — Bismarck

🛝 Sertoma Park Playground — Bismarck

🎭 Belle Mehus Auditorium — Bismarck

🎳 Midway Lanes Bowling — Mandan

☀️ Downtown Bismarck Main Street — shops, cafés & murals

Family-Friendly Eats:

🍔 Blarney Stone Pub — Bismarck

🍕 Fireflour Pizza & Coffee Bar — Bismarck

🥞 Kroll’s Diner — Bismarck (retro fun!)

🌮 La Carreta Mexican Restaurant — Bismarck

🍗 Famous Dave’s BBQ — Bismarck

🍦 Big Boy Drive-In — Bismarck 

☕️ Boneshaker Coffee Co. — Bismarck

🥗 The Walrus Restaurant — Bismarck

University of Minnesota Duluth

City: Duluth, MN

🌳 Canal Park & Lakewalk — Duluth (shops, playgrounds, lake views & lighthouses)

🎨 Great Lakes Aquarium — Duluth (interactive marine fun)

🦋 Lake Superior Zoo — Duluth

🎢 Adventure Zone — Canal Park (arcade, laser tag & mini golf)

🛝 Bayfront Festival Park — Duluth (playground & concerts)

🎭 Duluth Children’s Museum — Duluth

🎳 Incline Station Bowling Center — Duluth

☀️ Enger Park & Tower — Duluth (best family view of the harbor!)

Family-Friendly Eats:

🍔 Grandma’s Saloon & Grill — Duluth

🍕 Vitta Pizza — Duluth

🥞 Duluth Grill — Duluth (Farm-to-table breakfast star)

🌮 Tacos Tacos Tacos — Duluth

🍗 OMC Smokehouse — Duluth (award-winning BBQ)

🍦 Love Creamery — Duluth 🍦

☕️ Duluth Coffee Company — Duluth

🥗 Lake Avenue Café — Duluth

University of Minnesota Crookston

City: Crookston, MN

🌳 Central Park — Crookston (playground, trails & splash pad)

🎨 Polk County Museum — Crookston (local history & train cars)

🦋 Highland Park Complex — Crookston (zoo animals & family sports fields)

🎢 Valley Bowling & Entertainment Center — Crookston

🛝 Highland Park Pool & Playground — Crookston

🎭 Historic Grand Theatre — Crookston (oldest in continuous operation in the U.S.)

☀️ Downtown Crookston Shops — Crookston

Family-Friendly Eats:

🍔 Irishman’s Shanty — Crookston

🍕 El Gordito Mexican Restaurant — Crookston

🥞 Brewed Awakenings Café — Crookston

🌮 Mi Mexico — Crookston

🍗 RBJ’s Family Restaurant — Crookston

🍦 Dairy Queen — Crookston

☕️ Fisher Coffee & Café — Fisher (10 min)

🥗 Scobey’s Pub & Grub — Crookston

University of Sioux Falls

City: Sioux Falls, SD

🌳 Falls Park — Sioux Falls (iconic waterfalls & playground)

🎨 Washington Pavilion of Arts & Science — Sioux Falls (STEM exhibits)

🦋 Great Plains Zoo — Sioux Falls

🎢 Sky Zone Trampoline Park — Sioux Falls

🛝 Sertoma Park — Sioux Falls (splash pad & picnic)

🎭 Orpheum Theatre Center — Sioux Falls

🎳 Eastway Bowl — Sioux Falls

☀️ Downtown SculptureWalk — Sioux Falls

Family-Friendly Eats:

🍔 JL Beers — Sioux Falls

🍕 Tomacelli’s Pizza — Sioux Falls

🥞 All Day Café — Sioux Falls

🌮 Sickies Garage Burgers & Brews — Sioux Falls

🍗 Carnaval Brazilian Grill — Sioux Falls

🍦 Stensland Family Creamery — Sioux Falls

☕️ Coffea Roasterie — Sioux Falls

🥗 Josiah’s Coffeehouse & Café — Sioux Falls

University of Minnesota Moorhead

City: Moorhead, MN

🌳 Gooseberry Mound Park — Moorhead (playground, sledding & river trails)

🎨 Rourke Art Museum — Moorhead

🦋 Red River Zoo — Fargo (10 min)

🎢 Sky Zone Trampoline Park — Fargo (15 min)

🛝 MB Johnson Park — Moorhead (splash pad & trails)

🎭 Fargo Theatre — Fargo (family movie nights)

🎳 Sunset Lanes — Moorhead

☀️ Downtown Fargo–Moorhead Shops — Moorhead

Family-Friendly Eats:

🍔 JL Beers — Moorhead

🍕 Rhombus Guys Pizza — Fargo (10 min)

🥞 The Boiler Room — Fargo

🌮 Vinyl Taco — Fargo

🍗 Wurst Bier Hall — Fargo

🍦 Moorhead Dairy Queen (The Original) — Moorhead (opened 1949!)

☕️ Atomic Coffee — Moorhead

🥗 Rustica Eatery & Tavern — Moorhead

Wayne State College

City: Wayne, NE

🌳 Wayne City Park — Wayne (playground, pool & walking path)

🎨 Wayne County Museum — Wayne (family local exhibits)

🦋 Cleveland State Recreation Area — Wayne (20 min – trails & fishing)

🎢 Bowling Alley & Arcade at Wildcat Lanes — Wayne

🛝 East Park Splash Pad — Wayne

🎭 Majestic Theatre — Wayne (family movies)

☀️ Downtown Wayne Main Street — boutiques & small-town eats

Family-Friendly Eats:

🍔 The Max Bar & Grill — Wayne

🍕 Godfather’s Pizza Express — Wayne

🥞 The Coffee Shoppe — Wayne

🌮 Tacos & More — Wayne

🍗 Runza Restaurant — Wayne (Nebraska staple!)

🍦 Udder Delights Ice Cream Shop — Wayne

☕️ Grain Train Coffeehouse — Wayne

🥗 Miss Molly’s Coffee Co. & Café — Wayne

Winona State University

City: Winona, MN

🌳 Lake Park & Bandshell — Winona (paddleboats, playground & ducks)

🎨 Minnesota Marine Art Museum — Winona (kid-friendly & colorful!)

🦋 Garvin Heights Lookout — Winona (panoramic Mississippi River views)

🎢 Westgate Bowl & Arcade — Winona

🛝 Levee Park — Winona (fountains & river walk)

🎭 Great River Shakespeare Festival — Winona (family shows in summer)

☀️ Downtown Winona Main Street — coffee, art & antiques

Family-Friendly Eats:

🍔 Bub’s Brewing Co. — Winona

🍕 Beno’s Deli & Pizza — Winona

🥞 Blue Heron Coffeehouse — Winona

🌮 El Patron Mexican Grill — Winona

🍗 Signatures Restaurant — Winona (upscale but family-friendly)

🍦 Lakeview Drive Inn — Winona 🍦 (classic car-hop style)

☕️ Mugby Junction Coffee — Winona

🥗 Acoustic Café — Winona