ENRICHING EXPERIENCES IN BEAUTIFUL PLACES
Minnesota is affectionately known as the “North Star State” and the “Land of 10,000 Lakes.” With a population of roughly 5.6 million residents, Minnesota has a high standard of living, a great education system and beautiful natural scenery. Minnesota boasts a number of exciting things to do outdoors and has 66 state parks, Voyager National Park, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, and more than 4,000 campsites. Its oldest state park was established in 1891 at Lake Itasca, the headwaters of the Mississippi River. Several scenic roadways provide breathtaking views of the river bluffs and natural habitat of the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers, the “North Shore” of Lake Superior, and beautiful vistas of Minnesota’s southern farming region, and the pine and deciduous tree forests and lakes of northern MN.
During spring, summer and fall, Minnesotans enjoy lake time and activities such as water skiing, boating, kayaking, canoeing, fishing, and more. Hiking and biking opportunities are never scarce, particularly with a number of designated paths throughout the metropolitan area. Minneapolis is known as the “City of Lakes” and boasts miles of pathways connecting all the lakes for eager bikers and hikers. In the wintertime, Minnesotans engage in ice and snow sports, including skating, skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, ice fishing, hockey, curling, and more.