Minnesota has history you can visit, wildlife and wildflowers to look for, 72 state parks, drive times between its cities, town guides and six ready-made itineraries. These are the guides we have written so far, grouped by topic, each with its own sources and the date we read them.
This page is an index. We do not repeat dates, prices or rules here, because they change: open a guide for the numbers. Heading out? Start with the visitor guide.
- 18Topic Guides
- 6Itineraries
- 4Town Guides
- 20State Symbols in Statute
Minnesota History
Six pages, each checked against an official page: the hub, a dated timeline, historic sites you can visit, National Historic Landmarks, tours and trails, and history events.
History and HeritageThe hub: Minnesota history, with links to every history page.Open →
History TimelineDated events from the first peoples to today, each row linked to its source.Open →
Historic SitesSites you can visit, with hours and admission read from each operator.Open →
National Historic LandmarksAll 25 on the National Park Service list we read, by region.Open →
Historic Tours and TrailsWalking tours, trails and ranger programs, with prices from each operator.Open →
History EventsReenactments, living-history days and candlelight tours.Open →
Nature, Parks and Facts
What lives and grows in Minnesota, where to go outdoors, and the official state symbols from the statutes.
- AnimalsWildlifeMoose, wolves, bears, loons and how to stay safe around them.
- PlantsWildflowers and PlantsThe lady slipper, prairie and woodland flowers, and plants to avoid.
- ParksState Parks GuideAll 72 state parks and recreation areas by region, with permit and pet rules.
- StatutesState Symbols and FactsThe 20 symbols in Minnesota Statutes, the motto, song and state facts.
Plan a Trip
Drive times you can trust, towns worth a stop, and plans that add up the road time for you.
Plan a VisitRegions, transit fares, day trips from Minneapolis and parks.Open →
Itineraries6 plans with measured road time, a clock and a map for every day.Open →
DestinationsDuluth, Minneapolis, Saint Paul and Stillwater.Open →
Drive TimesMeasured road time and miles between eleven Minnesota cities.Open →
Winter and Holiday Event Guides
Six guides to the big winter and holiday events, each reading its dates, times and prices from the organizer’s own page and saying “not yet announced” for anything the organizer has not published.
Dates are on each guide, read from the organizer and checked again before the event.
- DuluthBentleyville Tour of LightsThe holiday lights walk on the Duluth waterfront.
- MankatoKiwanis Holiday Lights MankatoThe drive-through holiday lights.
- ChaskaNorthern Lights at the ArboretumEvening lights at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum.
- Saint PaulSaint Paul Winter CarnivalThe winter festival: schedule and guide.
- MinneapolisLuminary LoppetThe lantern-lit ski and walk.
- North ShoreJohn Beargrease Sled Dog MarathonThe sled dog race.
Events by Region
Every guide above sits beside the events calendar. Pick a region to see what is on there.
- Twin Cities Metro
- St. Croix Valley & East Central
- Duluth & North Shore
- Iron Range & Voyageurs
- North Lakes
- Red River Valley
- South Lakes & Bluff Country
- Central Lakes & St. Cloud
- Minnesota River Valley & Prairielands
- All Minnesota Events
What We Could Not Verify
- Counts and descriptions on this page are copied from our own guides as they stood on November 1, 2026. If a guide has been updated since, the guide is right and this page is behind. Tell us on the Corrections page.
- Topics we have not covered yet: lakes and fishing, hiking trails, food and drink, and lodging. We have no guide for them and will not point you to one we have not read.
- The state tourism office’s own pages (Explore Minnesota) were not read, so no guide relies on them.
Questions People Ask
How many state parks does Minnesota have?
Our state parks guide lists 72 state parks and recreation areas, read from the state’s own pages, with permit and pet rules.
What is the Minnesota state bird?
The common loon, named in Minnesota Statutes section 1.145. See State Symbols and Facts for every symbol.
How far is Duluth from Minneapolis?
154.2 road miles and 2 hr 52 min, measured on November 1, 2026 without traffic. See Drive Times.
Where can I find Minnesota history to visit?
Start with the History hub: historic sites with hours and admission, National Historic Landmarks, and tours and trails, each read from an official page.
Sources
This index has no facts of its own. Each guide above carries its own numbered sources and the date we read them: History, Wildlife, Wildflowers and Plants, State Parks, Drive Times, State Symbols.
Checked November 1, 2026 by It’s Minnesota. Cite this page: It’s Minnesota, “Things To Do in Minnesota: Topic Guides” (itsminnesota.com/things-to-do/), checked November 1, 2026. Free to quote with a link.