Twice the fun

By Lori Erickson/Correspondent

MINNEAPOLIS - While the Twin Cities is often praised as one of the best places in the United States to raise a family, it deserves another accolade as well: It's also one of the best places to vacation with a family.

Throughout the year, the metro area abounds with offerings that please kids ranging from toddlers to teenagers. Even better, over the next few months, the metro area is offering an array of special events, exhibits and promotions perfect for parents and kids looking for a fun and economical vacation.

Any family with a budding paleontologist will want to visit the Minnesota Zoo for Dinosaurs! (the exclamation point is part of the exhibit's official title, which is probably justified given the size of the animals it features). Fifteen larger-than-life, sound-producing, animatronic dinosaurs will lurk on the zoo's Northern Trail from May 26 to Sept. 3, including a tyrannosaurus rex, giganotosaurus and brachiosaurus. Each animal has an electronic brain that controls its movements and vocalizations and will be displayed in a tropical-looking setting somewhat similar to the vegetation that existed when the dinosaur roamed the earth. In addition, there will be a tyrannosaurus photo-opportunity and a stegosaurus robot that provides a view of the internal workings of the machine.

If your kids love adventure and history, visit the Science Museum of Minnesota, which is hosting the exhibit “Real Pirates” until Sept. 3. The National Geographic exhibit explores the Golden Age of Piracy through the story of the Whydah, a slave ship launched in London in 1716. The boat became a pirate ship on her maiden voyage across the Atlantic after being captured by the notorious Sam Bellamy and his crew. After two years of raiding Caribbean waters and up the Atlantic coastline, the Whydah sank in a storm off Cape Cod and is North America's only authenticated pirate shipwreck.

The exhibit features more than 200 artifacts recovered from the ship, including swords, cannons and gold doubloons. Visitors can meet a cast of pirate actors, tie sailors' knots, climb aboard a large-scale replica of the ship's hull and learn about the wide range of people involved in skulduggery during this period, including female pirates, artisans from West Africa, American Indian and free black men, impoverished European sailors, political dissidents and children as young as 11. The exhibit shows the great risks - and potential rewards - of pirate life.

If you have a princess fan in your household, don't miss the Mall of America's exhibit “Diana: A Celebration,” which runs until June 10. Nine galleries display more than 150 items from the Princess of Wales, including her royal wedding gown, dozens of designer dresses and elegant jewels. Photographs, home movies, personal mementos and media clips help tell the story of one of the world's most famous women. The exhibit is worth visiting for the spectacular wedding gown alone, which has thousands of hand-embroidered mother-of-pearl sequins and a 25-foot train.

Those who are bored by princesses can opt instead for two other Mall of America diversions: Nickelodeon Universe, the amusement park located in the middle of all the shops, and Sea Life Minnesota Aquarium, home to more than 10,000 sea creatures. For an added treat, you can participate in one of the aquarium's special events, which include a night hike, scuba diving among the fishes and overnight camping amid the stingrays, moray eels, sea turtles and sharks.

Kids under 10 will love the Minnesota Children's Museum, recently named by Parents Magazine as one of the 10 best in the country. From May 26 through Jan. 27, the museum will offer “Curious George: Let's Get Curious.” The interactive exhibit explores concepts in science, math and engineering in displays based on the famous series of children's books featuring the beloved monkey and the Man with the Yellow Hat. From June 16 to Sept. 23, the museum also will have Cyberchase, which is a math-themed adventure based on the Emmy-award winning PBS series.

Come June, visit Eagan's Cascade Bay, the largest outdoor municipal water park in the upper Midwest. The park offers cool fun at exceptionally low prices (just $10 per child for a full day of splashing). Cascade Bay features waterslides, tube slides, a lazy river and a zero-depth swimming pool great for toddlers.

Finally, don't leave the Twin Cities without experiencing one of the parks that help make the metro area renowned for its natural beauty. Eagan's Lebanon Hills Regional Park is an 1,850-acre expanse of lakes, forests and prairie, with 35 miles of trails for hiking and biking. The park offers a full slate of family-friendly programming, including an introduction to bird-watching, parent-child canoeing, kite flying, wildflower walks and even a “Babes in the Woods Forest Frolic” for babies and toddlers.

Whatever age your children are, you're likely to find fun adventures in the Twin Cities this summer.

If you go

Pick your package

The suburb of Eagan, located south of Minneapolis and St. Paul, offers a Pick Your Package promotion that provides an economical and convenient way to vacation in the Twin Cities. Once visitors have booked a hotel room in Eagan, Pick Your Package gives them the choice of two free admissions to a range of attractions or a $20 gas card for a one-night stay or $40 for two or more consecutive nights. The suburban hotels have free parking and are a short drive from destinations in the urban center.

Sports fans will be especially pleased with one of the Pick Your Package options: two free tickets to a Minnesota Twins baseball game at the new Target Field. Eagan hotels provide free shuttle service to the city's light rail transit station, where you can catch a train that will take you right to the ballpark.

For information on the Pick Your Package promotion, contact the Eagan Convention and Visitors Bureau at EaganMN.com or 1-(866) 324-2620.

Plan your stay

For information on the Minnesota Metro Tourism Region, call 1-(888) 868-7476 or go to Mspvacations.com.