Minnehaha Park: What to do at Minnehaha Falls

What are the best activities to do while visiting Minnehaha Falls? If your next destination is in Minneapolis, here is a guide of the best fun things to do, and places to visit in Minnehaha Park.

Which fun activities can you do while in Minneapolis?

What sceneries and sites is Minneapolis known for?

Well, if you are visiting or planning to visit our great city, you can rest assured that fun is an integral part of Minneapolis.

First, locals here are known to be quite welcoming to visitors, a trait that earns the city its “Minnesota Nice” name.

Also, being the largest and most populous city in Minnesota, Minneapolis, will offer you more than you bargained for.

Right from numerous museums, vibrant nightlife, beautiful parks, and rivers, you can never run short of things to do in Minneapolis.

One of these sites which have gained immense popularity with people visiting the city is the Minnehaha Falls. With over 850,000 visitors annually, these falls are a place you must visit while in the city.

Located in Minnehaha Park, they are an incredible site, surrounded by various gardens, hiking and biking trails, historical landmarks, and a disc golf course.

There are numerous fun things to do and see in Minnehaha falls, and this article is dedicated to offering you some of these incredible activities.

But before you embark on your trip to explore Minnehaha falls, here are some things you should know:

Minnehaha Falls: Overview

What is Minnehaha Falls?

This is a magnificent 53-foot long waterfall, river overlooks, and limestone cliffs, found in the Minnehaha Regional Park.

The falls make this park one of the most visited sites in Minneapolis, with over 850,000 visitors each year. Minnehaha Falls is also one of the most photographed sites in the entire Minnesota State.

So if you are looking for places to visit when you come to Minneapolis, then these falls are an incredible place to start with.

The falls represents one of the best city waterfalls found in the US. This means that you don’t need to go too far from the city to enjoy nature.

The park, which is rich with oak, silver maple, elm, hackberry, basswood, cotton trees, and other native trees, offers just the best setting for recreation activities.

But where is Minnehaha Falls located? How do you access the falls?

Well, the falls lie on Minnehaha Creek, where the creek converges with the Mississippi River, and near Fort Snelling.

And in terms of access, Minnehaha Falls is quite easy to access. You access the area either from:

• Mall of American via light rail
• Downtown Minneapolis
• Airport

Don’t let your visit to our great Minneapolis city, end without a visit to these wonderful waterfalls.

Minnehaha Park Map

Let’s take a look at a map of the Minnehaha Regional Park and Falls.

Minnehaha Park History

Minnehaha Falls is rich in history that goes way back to the early 1800s. These falls are part of the Minnehaha Park found in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Minnehaha Park, officially known as Minnehaha Regional Park, is home to the Minnehaha Creek and spreads from the Mississippi National River to the Recreation Area.

The park is also a member of the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board system.

The Minneapolis Park Board bought Minnehaha Falls in 1889, making it the second state park in the US.

By that time, only New York owned a state park in the entire country.

By the following summer, after the purchase, the Park Board had already started to renovate the park, furnishing it with lavatories, seats, and tables.

And,  in addition to the pavilion, which was complete by 1893, the board also approved the construction of two rustic bridges. One bridge was built below the falls while the other one above them.

In 1905, a cafeteria was constructed on the park, meant to serve clean and wholesome refreshments to the falls’ visitors, at a low cost.

More renovations were made after the park was chosen as the center for winter sports in 1926. A ski jump was one of these constructions, with the board also purchasing toboggans for rental.

Also, retaining walls, stairs, and bridges were added by the federal WPA (Works Progress Administration) staff between 1936 and 1942.

Minnehaha Falls, which is the focus feature of Minnehaha Park, was also one of the favorite subjects for pioneer photographers like Alexander Hesler.

Even Poets like Henry Wadsworth Longfellow played a significant role in spreading the waterfall’s fame, even without having visited it.

This was through his famous poem, “The Song of Hiawatha.”

See Related: Do You Need a Car in Minneapolis?

What to Do at Minnehaha Falls

Minnehaha Falls Walking Tour

This is a free walking tour that helps the visitors to enjoy and view the various features and activities within Minnehaha Park.

The tour will include:

1. Breathtaking View of Minnehaha Falls

This is the first place to visit while in Minnehaha Regional Park. This 53-foot high waterfall is among the best and most iconic waterfalls in the entire country.

And before you can decide to explore more areas in the park, this will be your first attraction.

Minnehaha is a Dakota word meaning waterfall. The term originated from the Dakota tribe who originally lived on the islands surrounding the falls.

Minnehaha Falls started its fame journey in1853. This was after Henry Longfellow, the legendary New England poet, used the falls’ setting on his Song of Hiawatha poem.

During winter, these falls freeze to form a fantastic ice cave that reflects a beautiful spectrum of colors on the interior. you can’t miss this view.

The place is open for visitors all year round. This means that any time you are in Minneapolis, you can plan for your outdoor activities here.

If you are visiting the place during summer, you’ll also be able to enjoy the free Minnehaha Falls bandstand offered in the park.

See Related: Cascade River State Park

2. Taste of Minneapolis History at John Stevens House

In the history of Minneapolis, John Stevens is seen as one of the original settlers (non-native) in the city. Before he came to Minnesota region in 1849, John Stevens was a soldier in the era of the Mexican war.

He came to Minnesota as a historian and a farmer, and built his home near the Mississippi River on its west side in 1850

John’s house was the first authorized house to be built on the west side of Mississippi in the Minnesota territory. The house was initially built near the Hennepin Avenue Bridge on the Minneapolis Riverfront, although it has since been moved.

The most interesting thing about this house is that it became the birthplace of the Minneapolis city. This is because the decisions to establish Minneapolis and Hennepin County, took place inside this house in 1857.

Who wouldn’t want to see the place where the establishment of this magnificent city of Minneapolis took place? If you’re in love with history, this is one place that offers you’re the unaltered sense of the city’s history.

The relocation of the house to its current location occurred in 1896, around four years prior to John’s death. And after his death, the house stayed vacant up until the 1980s.

Some of the things you’ll see here include:

• The elementary school exams dating back to 1872
• Various photos of prominent Native Americans and early pioneers
• Steven’s bronze statue
• The tables and stools where the city’s planning took place

Visits to the house are allowed between May and September, either on Sundays and holidays from 12 pm to 4 pm.

There are also exclusive tours which are possible at any time of the year, with a 2-week notice for reservation. Adults pay a $3 entrance fee while kids pay $1.

See Related: Tettegouche State Park

3. Tour the Pergola Garden

Just when you thought you had it all, and are moving away from John’s house wowed, another great site draws your attention. The Pergola Garden! This is an incredible pergola, built-in 1995, and that is all covered with beautiful vines.

The amazing scene of beautiful tunnels and rows of flowers beneath the structure is just the perfect place for photography. Also, due to the blooming flowers, this area is full of gorgeous butterflies between June and September.

While still here, you can see the statue of Gunnar Wennerberg, the famous Swedish poet.

Also, although relatively snubbed, the Mask of Chief Little Crow, who served between 1810 and 1863, is visible.

He was a Dakota chief who saw the establishment of a peace treaty in 1851. When the US government broke the treaty, the chief had to face and fight the government. The Dakota tribe regards this place as sacred to them.

The visiting hours to the Minnehaha’s Pergola Gardens are quite flexible as you can visit any day from morning to evening.

See Related: Best Things to do in Hastings, Minnesota

4. Visit the Old Minnehaha Depot

The Old Minnehaha Depot is another landmark you can afford to miss during this tour. The depot was initially built in the 1870s, to cater to the trains which were operating between Minneapolis and Mendota.

This station building was quite stunning such that the employees used to call it “the princess.” Its gingerbread design is evocative of the Victorian era. The era represents a time when men in high collars and ladies in bustles, largely plied through rail transport.

The construction of this station was enabled by the popularity of the Minnehaha Falls. And by 1910, the rail transport had expanded, with trains making three round trips from Minneapolis to Milwaukee.

The route’s traffic hit its peak during the first and the second world wars. This was due to the high number of troops moving from Fort Snelling and back.

In 1963 however, Milwaukee Road closed Minnehaha Depot’s doors. The building later became a property of the City Parks Department.

See Related: Best Things to do in Mankato

5. Minnehaha Garden

Although you can never have enough of the Minnehaha Falls, the site becomes even better at a different angle.

Minnehaha Garden offers you just the right point to enjoy the most refreshing scenes of these waterfalls.

The garden itself also offers a serene and peaceful place to relax. It includes a central pedestrian round-about that is filled with charming flowers providing the best feeling of nature. There’s also a Tuscan-style epergne water fountain installed in 1994, that adds to the beauty of the whole garden.

But that’s not all with the Minnehaha Garden. There is also a plaque in the garden that gives a complete overview of how Minnehaha Falls has evolved over the past 10,000 years.

From the garden, you can also see Lower Glen (dry grassy valley), which was the original path of the river before it changed course. The dry section where the former waterfall used to be is also visible.

And to crown it all, a stone ring inscribed with words from Henry Longfellow’s poem “The Song of Hiawatha” surrounds the whole garden.

See Related: Best Things to do in Red Wing, Minnesota

6. Enjoy a Nice Meal or Beer at the Sea Salt Eatery

Sea Salt Eatery is a comfy beer garden situated right beside the Minnehaha Falls – if you want to take some refreshments while at the park, the eatery will be a great joint to do just that.

And if you are a fan of seafood, the place is famous for its wide variety of the same, as well as many other light foods.

The garden offers the best place in the park to relax and take a cold beer, or even ice cream for kids. It is the closest thing to a European beer garden that Minneapolis can offer.

So, if you are looking for the best Minnehaha Falls restaurant, Sea Salt Eatery is your spot.

If you have some extra time, you can always hire a bike from the “For Wheel Fun Bike Rental stand,” which is based just next to the eatery.

Whenever I visit the Sea Salt Eatery, biking is always something I do next. They even have cart bikes, covered with a canopy, for those hiking with kids.

For the hiking enthusiasts like me, the over 12 miles biking trails offer more than enough area to explore. This is ideal for those who want to explore more than what the walking tour can offer.

Visiting hours are from:

• April-Memorial Day 11 am to 8 pm.
• Memorial Day-Labor Day 11 am to 9 pm
• Labor Day-October 11 am to 8 pm

The eatery is, however, closed during the winter.

See Related: 12 Best Takeout Restaurants in Minneapolis

7. See the Famous Longfellow House

This is another incredible place to visit during the walk. Robert Fremont built the house in the early 20^th century. He named it Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, who was one of his most adore American authors.

Robert, on the other hand, came to Minneapolis in 1876, where he set up a large fish market along Hennepin Avenue. The place is currently in the center of Minneapolis.

Robert became incredibly wealthy from his fish importation business, as he imported oysters to Minnesota. He was typically known as the “Oyster King of Minneapolis.”

His love for the author of The Song of Hiawatha poem drove him to build a replica of the author’s house in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The house remains to be a key attraction for people visiting Minnehaha Park.

See Related: Best Restaurants on Lake Street Minneapolis

8. Hiawatha 18-Hole Golf Course

Besides site viewing and enjoying the rich history of Minneapolis, Minnehaha Parks offers even better stuff. The Hiawatha Golf Course offers an ideal spot for golf lovers.

Located near Lake Hiawatha, south Minneapolis, this 18 hole course is a place you ought to visit. The course consists of:

• Two fairways
• Four tees
• 12 ponds
• 30 sand traps

So, even if you are not a golf enthusiast, this is a perfect place to have fun.

See Related:13 Best Day Trips from Minneapolis

Minnehaha Falls: Conclusion

Right from biking and hiking, to enjoying the beautiful view of gardens and historical monuments, there are numerous things to do around Minnehaha falls. Whether you are simply walking or on a rented bike, the place offers the best sites for recreation and relaxing.

Don’t fail to visit some of these wonderful sites when you land in Minneapolis. You will surely carry back home, some of the most incredible memories.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About Minnehaha Park and Falls

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