Top 10 Accessible Activities in the Minneapolis/St. Paul Metro Area
Are you looking for wheelchair accessible activities in the Minneapolis/St. Paul Metro Area of Minnesota for individuals with disabilities? This fun and diverse list will promote community involvement and increase your access to all that the Minneapolis/St. Paul Metro Area of Minnesota has to offer in any season.
1. Visit An Apple Orchard
Minnesota is known for their beautiful landscape, leaving you wanting to spend time outdoors. One of the more popular Spring - Fall activities is visiting an Apple Orchard. Recently, more orchards are making strides to increase access for individuals with disabilities through wider paths, paved trails, and wheelchair ramps that make their activities accessible. One apple orchard with great accessibility is Aamodt's Apple Farm located in Stillwater, MN featuring paved paths and wheelchair ramps to make their apple barn and bathrooms accessible. Although we're featuring one that we know is accessible, this is just one of many Minneapolis/St. Paul Metro Area apple orchards that's increasing access for individuals with disabilities. We recommend calling ahead or confirming online to ensure additional apple orchards have similar access.
2. Spend Time in a Minneapolis/St. Paul Park
By Minnesota law, public parks must be accessible, yay! It is great to have a state that promotes community involvement for all, including individuals with disabilities. However, it is hard to know which park will best serve your needs before you visit. Get a better idea before you go with this list of 33 playgrounds and parks with increased access for individuals with disabilities.
3. Cross the Minneapolis Stone Arch Bridge
The Stone Arch Bridge is a downtown Minneapolis, MN must-do that's accessible for individuals with disabilities using wheelchairs. Parking is available at either end of the bridge where you can begin your crossing and take in the amazing Minneapolis skyline. If you can time it right, sunset will not dissappoint. The East end has restaurants and Father Hennepin Bluff Park, and the West features the Mill City Museum if you want to extend the experience.
4. Have Fun at Moose Mountain Mini Golf in the Mall of America
The Mall of America is located in Bloomington, Minnesota and offers a full day of community involvement and accessible activities. One fun thing to do is take advantage of their indoor mini golf course, which is perfect for Minnesota winters. Recently, Moos Mountain mini golf had an accessibility makeover. To that, we say “Way to go"! Go check out the completely wheelchair friendly Moose Mountain Golf Adventure.
5. Get in Touch with Your Artsy Side at the Walker Art Center & Sculpture Garden
Take your iconic picture at the spoon & cherry fountain at the Downtown Minneapolis Sculpture Garden! Open 365 days a year, you could snap a photo in every season. This is a more relaxed option where you can use their wheelchair accessible and flat paths to meander through and enjoy the unique art, both inside and out. This Art Center and Garden is accessible to all!
6. Science Museum of Minnesota
Want to do something educational? Head over to St. Paul Minnesota's Science Museum of Minnesota featuring interactive science and STEM themed activities for everyone. They also have feature rotating exhibits so you can keep going back to something new!
They strive to remove barriers and creative community involvement for individuals with disabilities. Read more about their inclusive accommodations and access here: https://new.smm.org/visit/accessibility-amenities
7. Attend a Minnesota Twins Baseball Game
There's nothing quite like a good ol’ American Hot Dog and a Baseball Game! The Target Stadium where the MN Twins play is a very accessible option for individuals with disabilities and is located in the North Loop Neighborhood of Minneapolis. Cheer on the Twins and have some fun this baseball season! To ensure guests with varying abilities can enjoy the game, you can purchase special seats that provide accessibility for wheelchairs.
8. Goof Off at the Zoo
Comfortably visit the Amur Tigers at the accessible Minnesota Zoo or the Polar Bears at the Como Zoo! Both are inclusive for people with disabilities and have the goal of increasing your access and community involvement. It never gets old to see these magical animal ambassadors and support conservation on your visit. Check out their educational programs and daily animal training too. Both of these zoos are extremely accessible for wheelchair users and individuals with disabilities. Trails, parking, and bathrooms are all very welcoming to all. Minnesota Zoo, although charges a fee, is the more accessible of the two. But Como Zoo is definitely a budget friendly alternative!
Minnesota Zoo: https://mnzoo.org
Reserve ahead at MN zoo for extra accommodation: https://mnzoo.org/accessibility/
Como Zoo: https://comozooconservatory.org
9. Experience the MN State Fair
The Minnesota State Fair is accessible to all. Go grab your favorite food on a stick! Gather with other Minnesota residents at the Great Minnesota Get Together and get involved in this amazing community event. They offer direct parking but that fills up quickly. Try their accessible park and ride! Park for FREE south of the State Fairgrounds at Oscar Johnson Arena, 1039 De Courcy Circle, St. Paul, MN 55108. ….. From there they will help you load onto a wheelchair accessible bus, they will help strap and unstrap the wheel chair and drop you off at the front steps of the fair!
Read more about accessible accommodations at the fair: https://www.mnstatefair.org/general-info/accessibility-guide/
10. Rent a Track Chair and Hit the Trails
In an effort to increase community involvement for individuals with disabilities, MN DNR launched an amazing program providing track wheelchairs for use in the summer of 2022! So this option is for people across our entire state. Everyone should be able to enjoy the great outdoors that our beautiful state has to offer, and this allows people with wheelchairs to do that. The best part… there is no fee to use the chairs. Only the start park parking pass is required. Parks with this increased access are Camden State Park, Crow Wing State Park, Lake Bemidji State Park, McCarthy Beach State Park, Maplewood State Park, Myre-Big Island State Park.
Read more about this program and reserve a track chair here:
https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/track-chairs.htm
We hope that this list of accessible opportunities is helpful as you plan to make your way out into the Minneapolis/St. Paul Metro Area of Minnesota. It is great to see that more and more activities are increasing access for individuals with disabilities. I hope you can try something new and exciting from this list! Contact us if you find something amazing that you think should be featured in the future!
Written by: Kayla Wildes, Direct Care Professional at ACR Homes
ACR Homes is a Minneapolis/St. Paul Metro Area group home company providing personalized and high quality care for people with disabilities. Visit our blog for more content featuring ACR Homes staff and residents.