CURLING

Minnesota knows a thing or two about curling. Many of the men’s and women’s curling Olympians call Minnesota home, including 2018 gold medal-winner John Shuster, who plays out of Duluth.

According to the Minnesota Curling Association, Minnesota has 37 established or emerging clubs. For local happenings, check out a club like Frogtown Curling, Saint Paul Curling Club, Chaska Curling Center, Vikingland Curling in Alexandria, Brainerd Lakes Curling, Duluth Curling Club, Curl Mesabi at the RRCC, and The Mankato Curling Club.

If you're new to the sport, check if a club or organization offers Learn to Curl (LTC) classes for a two-hour on-ice introduction.

Learn everything you need to know about curling in Minnesota.

DANCING

Dream of twirling and leaping across a dance floor? Ballet Co.Laboratory in St. Paul specializes in ballet and offers a variety of classes for beginners, intermediates, and gentle adults. You can sign up for a series of classes if you want to jump in head first or pick a few drop-in courses if you’d rather dip a toe.  

Zenon Dance School in Minneapolis is a well-known studio in the dance community for its variety of adult drop-in classes. Although the schedule refreshes every season, beginning jazz and beginning/intermediate modern classes are usually crowd favorites.

For more commercial and street-style dance, Hothouse in Minneapolis has you covered with a pop, jazz and contemporary combo. For a one-off date night idea, Wabasha Street Caves holds swing dances all year round with a 45-minute lesson before the live Big Band Orchestra starts. 

While you might think of aerials when you think of Fly Freak Studio in Minneapolis, it actually offers a lot of classes where you keep your feet on the ground, too. Land lovers can sign up for barre or chair dance classes, while silks, slings and lyra classes will feed your desire to fly. 

Learn more about Minnesota’s performing arts scene.

DOG-FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES 

Pups need indoor activities, too! Stone Mountain Pet Lodge in Blaine and Brooklyn Park transforms from doggy daycare and boardings to indoor dog parks on some weekends. Minnetonka's Indoor Zoomies has a playground designed exclusively for small dogs under 30 pounds and hosts various small pup events. Up the ante with some (human) beer and food options while your canine plays at Unleashed Hounds & Hops in Minneapolis and Brew Park in Plymouth.  

Make a splash at dog-centered indoor swimming pools like The Paw in Mankato or The Dog Tank in Mendota Heights. Both businesses offer a range of pass options to accommodate the dogs that melt at a drop of water to the hounds that love a cannonball. 

Check out more dog-friendly things to do. 

GOLF

Ever wish you could golf in January? You can, thanks to indoor golf centers like Top Golf in Brooklyn Center, which offers loads of fun for everyone with its interactive games, big-screen TVs, and climate-controlled hitting bays. Golf domes — typically housing dozens of hitting stalls, chipping targets and putting greens under one roof — can also be found in Edina, Brooklyn Park and Maplewood. 

If simulators are more your speed, Cragun’s Resort in Brainerd, Bulrush Golf Club in Rush City, Bunker Indoor Golf in Minnetonka, Bunker Hills Golf Club in Coon Rapids, and the PGA Experience at MSP Airport allow golfers to virtually visit Pebble Beach, St. Andrews and dozens of other world-renowned courses all from one tee. 

Indoor mini-golf is stepping up as a winter must-do. The new Puttshack in Edina taps into technology for a course loaded with interactive challenges. Their special golf balls track every shot so you can focus on your (friendly) competition.

If you prefer some drinks with your putt-putt, Can Can Wonderland in St. Paul and Puttery in Minneapolis have you covered. The Burrow in Victoria and Big Bear Mini Putt in Chaska give great Northwood vibes in indoor family-friendly courses. Another fun twist is black light mini-golf, available at Mall of America in Bloomington and Wow Zone in Mankato. 

ICE SKATING

It should be no surprise that the State of Hockey has a wide range of well-maintained indoor rinks. In addition to ice skating, most rinks have rental equipment available and/or other perks like concessions and special events.  

Look at our comprehensive list of indoor (and outdoor) rinks. 

PICKLEBALL

Not only is it the fastest-growing sport in America, but it’s also fun, gets you moving and involves pickles (maybe not that last one). Lucky Shots in Minneapolis is definitely a spot for everyone. It hosts open play times for all levels, offers court reservations, is home to competitive leagues, and is a great place for private event gatherings. Mega Pickle & Pong has two locations, Chanhassen and Minnetonka, where professional courts meet any skill level with a variety of leagues, lessons, open play sessions and tournaments.

For a low-key, “came for the vibes” type of outing, Pints & Paddle in Maple Grove might be more your speed. Their indoor pickleball courts are connected to a taproom and restaurant, serving up local brews and tasty bites. Outside of the metro, Duluth Indoor Sports Center, Chip Shots in Rochester, Picklebarn in Mankato and Courts and Pints in Moorhead are just a few locations that have indoor pickleball courts. 

Find more places to play pickleball in Minneapolis-St. Paul. 

ROCK CLIMBING

Blue Mounds State Park near Luverne, Barn Bluff in Red Wing and Tettegouche State Park on the North Shore are popular rock climbing destinations, but the sport is also lots of fun indoors. With locations in Duluth, Minneapolis-St. Paul and Bloomington, Vertical Endeavors offers lessons for all ages and abilities, as well as day passes and equipment rentals. First-timers can check out the monthly free climbing nights to get a taste of this exciting sport. Or check out the Minneapolis Bouldering Project for climbing without ropes! 

Beyond the Twin Cities, independent rock-climbing gyms can be found in Rochester, Monticello and at universities in Winona, Mankato, Bemidji, Collegeville and Moorhead. 

WALKING & RUNNING

Lace up your shoes (or your rollerblades!) and lap the concourse at U.S. Bank Stadium during Winter Warm-Up days. This is a new and warm way to see the Vikings stadium while jogging the upper concourse (the main concourse is reserved for roller skating if that’s more your scene). Tickets sell fast, so be sure to gather your crew before this opportunity ends on January 23rd.  

The Mall of America opens its doors to walkers two hours ahead of the stores so you can beat the rush. If you want a little challenge, be sure to check out the LiveWell map for routes that allow walkers to burn 80-100 calories in just 20 minutes. If walking and retail therapy aren’t hitting the mark, many community centers offer walking options, but the indoor walking tracks at Plymouth Community Center and Edinborough Park in Edina are top-notch. 

Run year-round with our helpful guide.

WATER PARKS

Taste the tropics at Minnesota's indoor water parks, zoos and conservatories. Great Wolf Lodge in Bloomington features an indoor climbing wall, as well as a ropes course, mini bowling alley, arcade and live-action adventure challenge called MagiQuest. Unlimited access to the resort’s water park is included with an overnight stay.

Other resorts with indoor water parks include The Edge in Duluth, Arrowwood in Alexandria, Paul Bunyan Waterpark in Baxter, Three Bear in Brainerd and Seven Clans Casino in Thief River Falls. Some offer day passes based on availability, so be sure to call in advance. 

ZOOS & PLAYGROUNDS

Zoos in Minnesota are all-weather destinations. In particular, the Tropics Trail at the Minnesota Zoo in Apple Valley keeps the animals — and their human visitors — warm year-round and hosts a tropical beach party complete with a giant sandbox every February. Penguins, snow monkeys and various sea creatures are also on view indoors.

In St. Paul, the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory at Como Park is another popular tropical escape — one that's free to attend and full of lush foliage. 

In the metro area surrounding Minneapolis and St. Paul, Maple Grove, Eagan, Edina, Golden Valley and many other towns have indoor playgrounds that range from standard to spectacular. Most charge a daily fee of $4-$9 per child depending on the location. Babies and parents are usually free.  

Find more things to do indoors this winter.