SAMPLE NORDIC CUISINE  

Housed inside the American Swedish Institute in South Minneapolis, FIKA Café whips up traditional wonders like Swedish meatballs served alongside potato purée, mustard, dill oil, cucumber and lingonberry; gravlax with black radishes, beets, dill crème fraîche and Danish rye; and open-faced smörgåsar sandwiches that keep things classic (shrimp, lemon dill aioli, cornichons, capers, fish roe and soft-boiled egg) or contemporary (pork belly, sweet and sour cabbage, maple pumpkin butter, pearl onion and chive). FIKA also reflects Sweden's coffee break culture with house specialties like a Hot Swede (coffee, cardamom syrup and whipped cream) and freshly baked cardamom buns.   

Over in St. Paul, the Finnish Bistro offers a traditional breakfast platter full of pickled herring, smoked salmon, salami, hard-boiled eggs, tomato, cucumber, Swiss cheese, capers, onions, homemade dill sauce and dark rye bread. Other breakfast options include cardamom-spiced buttermilk pancakes, an egg and veggie scramble wrapped in lefse, and an omelette stuffed with spicy reindeer sausage, Swiss cheese, potatoes, onions and spinach. 

Duluth's Vikre Distillery makes and serves two styles of the original Scandinavian spirit, aquavit: a light version infused with caraway, fennel, citrus and cardamom, and an aged riff that's rich and raisiny. Find the former in seasonal cocktails like Apple Rowin', a cutting-edge combo of aquavit, pecan orgeat, lime acid, aquafaba, rosemary, and a crisp apple cider reduction. 

In downtown Fergus Falls, Töast serves up Scandinavian fusion dishes for breakfast and lunch. True to its name, more than half of the menu is devoted to Danish-inspired specialty toasts topped with everything from Swedish meatballs to smoked salmon. 

For those looking for a more traditional Scandinavian meal, Minnesota also provides a veritable smorgasbord of lutefisk (whitefish, typically cod) and Swedish meatball dinners throughout the state. They're typically served up in small-town church basements during the fall and holiday season, which also happens to be the high season for ice-cold shots of aquavit.  

EXPERIENCE SCANDINAVIAN CULTURE & HANDICRAFTS

A number of museums across Minnesota celebrate Scandinavian roots and culture. Visit the American Swedish Institute  to tour the historic Turnblad Mansion, which hosts special exhibitions among sculpted ceilings, intricately carved wood, and exquisite porcelain kakelugnar. ASI's contemporary Nelson Cultural Center showcases prominent figures in Scandinavian design, art and photography right next door. 

Also in Minneapolis: the small but mighty Norway House, which turned 20 in 2024 and draws crowds to its Bergen-inspired Gingerbread Wonderland exhibit every year. Sweet treats and light bites (lefse-wrapped Polish sausage anyone?) can also be had at its Kaffebar if the holiday spirit leave you hungry. 

In Scandia — about an hour northeast of the Twin Cities — you'll find plenty of attractions that celebrate the history of Swedish settlement in Minnesota. The Hay Lake Monument honors the first three Swedish men who settled here in the early 1850s. Nearby, the Hay Lake School and the Johannes Erickson Log House Museum illuminate the lives of 19th-century Scandinavian immigrants. Tour the 11-acre Gammelgården Museum to see historic buildings built by Swedish immigrants in the 1850s, including Minnesota's oldest Lutheran church and a log home. 

From there, it's just another 15 minutes north to Lindström, or "America's Little Sweden." Swedish heritage abounds in this town, from a water tower in the shape of a Swedish coffee pot to the Glader Cemetery (the oldest Swedish burial ground in Minnesota), stately Gustaf Anderson House, and the Moody Barn that was built by Swedish farmers. 

You may already know Lindström as the fictional home of Karl Oscar and Kristina, characters in Vilhelm Moberg's popular emigrant novels. Tour the Karl Oskar House, a home that inspired Moberg's writing, and find statues in the town of Karl Oskar and Kristina. Go to nearby Chisago City to visit the Vilhelm Moberg statue.

Ready for some food? Stop by Lindström Bakery or the Swedish Inn for a traditional meal in a setting where you might hear the old Småland dialect still spoken here today.

The Hjemkomst Center in Moorhead brings Scandinavian heritage to life with its Viking ship, stave church, special exhibits and large seasonal festivals. Every May, you can find festivals that celebrate Syttende Mai (Norway's Constitution Day) in cities with strong Norwegian heritage, including Thief River Falls, Milan and Alexandria.

At the North House Folk School in Grand Marais, visitors can learn Scandinavian crafts like timber framing, basketry and boat building, or whip up such delicious food and drink specialties as rosettes, krumkake, rusks, hard tack, speculos, glogg and kringle. Sailing trips along Lake Superior's spectacular North Shore can also be arranged via the school's Hjørdis ship. 

SHOP LIKE A MINIMALIST 

Discover fine Scandinavian gifts, food, needlework and clothing at Ingebretsens, a South Minneapolis market that opened in 1921. Register in advance to take classes in traditional needlework and knitting, or make lefse, kransekake (a spectacular cake) or troll masks.

Venture south to Rochester, where The Nordic Shop features the largest selection of Dale of Norway and Oleana of Norway sweaters in the United States. It's also a leading source for Scandinavian dinnerware, collectibles and other clothing brands.

On Main Street in Stillwater, shoppers will find modern Swedish gifts and home decor at Designs of Sweden. Similar in spirit over in the historic Mississippi River town of Red Wing, the Uffda Shop carries unique Scandinavian gifts for all occasions, including fine porcelain, books, kitchenware, jewelry, clothing and more.

In Northeast Minneapolis, Steller Handcrafted Goods uses upcycled wool sweaters, blankets and other materials to create colorful Nordic-styled apparel you can't find anywhere else. From Twirling Katwise-style coats to Swedish sweater vests, Nordic mittens and wool Dala Horses, there's no question Steller Goods make stellar gifts. 

GIVE SKIJORING A GO

Skijoring is a unique and growing winter sport that combines cross-country skiing and dog sledding. Strap on cross-country skis, and a team of one to three dogs pulls you through the snow using harnesses and a rope. Derived from the Norwegian terms for “ski driving,” skijoring is offered at a handful of resorts and trails throughout Minnesota, with many resorts offering lessons.

Another mash-up of sports, bandy has elements of soccer, American football, hockey and field hockey. While it’s popular overseas, there’s only one bandy rink in the United States. And it’s in Minnesota! The John Guidant Rose MN Oval in Roseville is open to the public for visitors to try the sport. Minnesota is also home to both the men's and women’s national bandy teams.

Find out more about the many immigrant communities that have helped shape Minnesota.