Well, we made it. And by it, we mean the moment where another long Minnesota winter lapses and we all lean into spring with nothing but sun-baked patios and outdoor activities on our mind.
What better place to enjoy it than Edina, the smart Minneapolis suburb located just a short drive away from such top destinations as Target Field, the Minnesota Zoo, and the Mall of America? North America’s second largest shopping center doesn’t crush its 30th birthday cake until August, but its year-round festivities have already begun. Why not pair them with shop-til-you-drop stops at Southdale Center, 50th & France, and the Galleria, and make a long weekend of it whether you’re looking to book a staycation or see the Twin Cities for the first time?
Edina has got you covered on the accommodations front, too, whether it’s the Westin’s personalized “outdoor living” packages (sleeping bags included!), Homewood Suites’ discounted rates for active and retired military families, and Residence Inn’s custom running collab with Under Armour.
Here are five ways to make the whole family happy in Edina as spring gets into full swing….
Welcome the Edina Art Fair back for its 55th year.
After taking the past two seasons off due to the pandemic, Minnesota’s leading fine arts fair is finally ready to rock Edina’s bustling 50th & France neighborhood once again. Expect to see more than 250 local and international exhibitors display their work alongside thousands of canvas, sculpture, and clay hunters the weekend of June 3. Maybe swing by the newly opened Ama Sushi afterwards too?
Sharpen your mini golf skills at Centennial Lakes Park.
Players 8 years old and up are encouraged to pick up a putter at a par 51 course that’s nearly 1,700 feet long and studded with sand traps, ponds, boulders, and neatly trimmed planter beds. Eighteen holes costs $10 per person and should take about two hours to complete. If that sounds like a stressful way to spend an afternoon, Centennial Lakes also offers a more casual Scottish Links Putting course that costs just $6 per person, features nine holes, and can be completed in under an hour. The park’s other recreation options include lawn bowling, croquet, paddle boats, and a sprawling greenway that ties it all together.
Pretend you’re in New Orleans at Mr. Paul’s Supper Club.
Edina’s hottest new restaurant opened at the tail end of 2021, when the weather was rough and patio dining felt like it would never happen. Lucky for us, that was always part of the plan here — yet another piece in a NOLA-inspired complex that includes a cavernous, splurge-worthy dining room, a side room specializing in po’ boys, and a progressive drink program helmed by cocktail hero/Bittercube co-founder Nick Kosevich.
Keep your eye on Nolan Mains.
A multi-use development that keeps getting better and better (hello The Lynhall, Billy Reid, and Wilder Brothers!), Nolan Mains may make outsiders want to actually move to the very heart of Edina. Or at the very least, watch its Facebook page for free events in its public square, a unique space that stands alone with the greater metro area. Or as leasing principal Pete Deanovic said in an Mpls St Paul story last year, “We care deeply about establishing something that doesn’t exist in the Twin Cities. It’s got to offer a sense of discovery, an experience that makes you want to linger.”
Beat the heat inside Edina Cinema.
Better mark your calendar for later this summer because that’s when the long-awaited relaunch of the historic Edina Theatre is set to unveil its million-dollar renovation. The nearly century-old (okay, 1934) building hadn’t been updated since the ’80s, but don’t worry; it’s not losing its old Hollywood luster. “We did not come in and try to make something modern,” director of planning and economic development Kersten Elverum said in a Star Tribune piece. “We restored it back to its original feel and style.” To hammer that point home, they’ll be offering both current films and repertory/art-house releases alongside a welcome blast of air conditioning.
