Ames Center – All-Day Activities

Many people travel to Minneapolis when they go to Minnesota. But south of Downtown Minneapolis is the city of Burnsville. While not as thronged with tourists, Burnsville has many engaging and fascinating attractions. A visit to the Ames Center in Burnsville allows visitors to easily reach these sites.

This dynamic city has many activities to partake in that are a short car ride away from the Ames Center. You’ll want to dedicate a day to fully experience some of the attractions around Burnsville. If you have a free day with nothing to do, consider heading out to one of the below sites for some fun.

Buck Hill

Four miles from the Ames Center is Burnsville’s ski and mountain biking resort, Buck Hill. This resort is open year round. Buck Hill is a one-stop destination for anyone interested in skiing, snowboarding, mountain biking, tubing, and live music.

Those who wish to ski, snowboard, or go snow tubing can enjoy their 16 trails. If you’re new to skiing and snowboarding, you can opt to take a lesson from one of the instructors. There are also quite a few smaller hills for beginners, such as the Teacher’s Pet and Mouse Pass. Riders who are more experienced can go on the more challenging hills like the Deer Run and Olympic Dreams. Additionally, advanced riders can freestyle on the halfpipe or in the Rail Yard. But if you’re looking to relax and have an easy ride down the mountain, head to the snow tubing area and glide down the fresh powder.

When there is no snow being produced, there are still skiing and snowboarding options available on Thursday and Friday evenings and weekend afternoons. This begins in mid-September. The Italian company Neveplast created a synthetic surface that allows guests to imitate gliding on snow.

No snow also means mountain biking trails will be open. When it comes to mountain biking at Buck Hill, guests have the choice to take private lessons, ride down a single track, or practice in the skill area. On Thursday nights visitors can watch the Thursday Night Races hosted by Freewheel.

There’s more happening than just the Thursday Night Races, however. Weekly, there are concerts at the Black Diamond. Other events occur throughout the months as well, such as car shows and yoga fests.

Guests don’t even have to leave Buck Hill when looking for a bite to eat. There are three different eateries on site. First is the Black Diamond Restaurant, which serves Mexican and American cuisine that is all made from scratch. This restaurant also serves specialty cocktails. Another option is the Buck Hill Main Chalet. There the guests will find quick bites like pizza, chicken nuggets, chili, and more. Lastly, there’s the Buck Hill Waffle Bar, where waffles, donuts, and specialty coffee drinks are made to order. These sweet treats are a perfect way to warm up after a day on the slopes.

Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge

The Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge encompasses over 14,000 acres of land along the Minnesota River that provides a habitat for many waterfowl, fish, and other wildlife. This wildlife would have otherwise been threatened by commercial and industrial development in the area. The refuge provides environmental education and recreational opportunities for guests. To visit this site for a day outdoors, take a seven-minute drive over from the Ames Center.

There are two educational visitor centers at the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge. The closer of the two is the Bloomington Education and Visitor Center, and even though it is just over 11 miles from the Ames Center, you may want to visit it before heading into the refuge. Stopping there before you head out on a trail will give you a glimpse of the multiple habitats within the refuge.

Visitors can participate in a few different activities during their visit. Of course, hiking is a major draw when coming to such a large area. Wildlife viewing, particularly birdwatching, is a popular activity among guests. This experience is special due to the annual migrations of thousands of birds, such as waterfowl, songbirds, and more. Use the checklists available on the refuge’s website to see the types of birds you can identify. You can view wildlife while you hike, bike, snowshoe, or ski.

If you have a hunting or fishing license, there are designated areas in the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge where you can hunt and fish. Hunting opportunities, of course, also depend on the season and state and refuge regulations. As for fishing, shore and ice fishing are allowed on almost all refuge waters.

Photography has also become quite popular in the refuge. In fact, the refuge has two portable nature photography blinds that visitors can rent. The blinds fit in a backpack carrying case so they are easy to take on walks. Personal photographs are always welcome, but commercial use requires a permit. Keep in mind that drone use is not permitted.

Valleyfair

Whether you’re traveling solo, with friends, or with family, Valleyfair is a fun place to spend the day. Admission to this park gives guests access to thrill, kiddie, and water park rides. The Ames Center is under 10 miles from Valleyfair.

You can find excitement around every corner with more than 12 thrill rides in the park, from swings to roller coasters. Some of the most intense roller coasters are the Corkscrew, Wild Thing, and Steel Venom. After roller coasters, head over to the Power Tower that will drop you 275 feet or the Xtreme Swing that has swinging arms reaching 125 feet at 60 miles per hour.

There are also over 12 kiddie rides for those planning on coming to Valleyfair with children. Get ready for a crash course on the bumper cars. Then take a spin on the Monster, which twirls, twists, and drops guests all in one ride. Take a break from the thrills and take a hang out on the Ferris wheel to get a bird’s-eye view of the amusement park.

When the weather is warm, you can take advantage of Soak City in Valleyfair. Guests can go on more than eight different water rides. Feel the rush of three twisting slides on the Panic Falls Body Slides. If you’re at the park with friends and family, grab a multi-person raft and wind around curves of Hurricane Falls. Take a break from splashes and slides by gently floating down the Ripple Rapids.

Minnesota Zoo

Take a 15-minute drive from the Ames Center to the Minnesota Zoo and say hello to some furry friends. There are many animals, ranging from farm to jungle. In addition to the many animal exhibits, check the zoo’s website for an up-to-date list of events for the month. You might come across events like a cow milking demo, shark feeding, monk seal training, or adult night out at the zoo.

There are over 100 different animals living at the Minnesota Zoo. As previously mentioned, you can see many farm animals on the Wells Fargo Family Farm, such as pigs, chickens, cows, goats, sheep, and more. But in other areas of the zoo, there are many exotic animals as well. From tigers, wolverines, and primates to the popular brown and grizzly bears, you’re bound to fall in love with all these fuzzy creatures.

Como Park Zoo & Conservatory

If you want to see even more furry friends, visit Como Park Zoo & Conservatory. It is a 32-minute drive from the Ames Center. The drive is well worth it because you can definitely get a full-day visit out of this destination as it is more than just a zoo. Plus, it’s free!

When you arrive, start your day at the zoo. You’ll see some animals that weren’t at the Minnesota Zoo, such as polar bears, ostriches, and lions. Additionally, there’s a giraffe feeding activity as well. After feeding the giraffes, head into the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory. This area is where you can visit the Ribbit Zibit to see the various frogs that live there.

Besides the zoo, multiple picnic tables and playground areas are nearby. There are numerous gardens to explore both inside the conservatory and throughout the park. If you visit with friends or family, you might also want to play on the soccer fields, baseball fields, or ice rinks. There’s even an 18-hole golf course on the property. When you finish exploring the zoo and the gardens, relax by Lake Como.

Canterbury Park

Canterbury Park is a venue for horse racing, but it also has a 24/7 casino. Visiting this attraction could easily take up a fair amount of your day with its many pre- and post-race activities. This racecourse is just over 11 miles from the Ames Center.

You can watch the horses get saddled up in the paddock before the race begins. The paddock analyst gives tips and plays during this time. If you’d like, you can also place bets with live bet takers or self-service machines. After the race, head down to the winner’s circle. Some jockeys give their goggles away to people standing there.

Following the race, you can try your hand at the card casino. Guests can play blackjack, Texas hold ’em, and more. If the weather is nice, you can also partake in blackjack outdoors on the Bud Light Party Deck every Thursday through Saturday.

There are a ton of eateries at Canterbury Park too, so you don’t have to worry about leaving when you start to get hungry. With 11 places to have a meal or grab a snack, something is bound to satisfy your taste buds. Some of the top picks at the racecourse are the barbecue chicken pizza, noodle bowl, baked brisket macaroni and cheese, chicken and waffles, and salmon and asparagus. All of these customer favorites can be found at the Trifecta Cafe. Other restaurant options include Canterbury Catana, Pub Grub, Homestretch, and Little Chicago Chophouse.

Mall of America

Over 300 stores, an amusement park, an aquarium, and more than 400 events a year; you can find all of this and more at the Mall of America. With so much to see and do, it’s no wonder why over 40 million people visit each year. You can easily be one of those visitors too because the Mall of America is only a 12-minute drive from the Ames Center.

When you go to the Mall of America, shopping is just a portion of what you can do there. Near the Rotunda on the east side of the mall, there is a 1.3 million gallon, two-and-a-half-story Sea Life Aquarium. Guests can view sharks, turtles, jellyfish, seahorses, and much more. There are interactive touch pools as well where you can get up close and personal with certain sea creatures.

In the middle of the mall, visitors will find Nickelodeon Universe, the largest indoor amusement park in the United States. It spans seven acres and features more than 25 rides. You can even meet some of your favorite Nickelodeon characters there!

Other major attractions inside the mall include a movie theater, The LEGO Store, blacklight mini golf, and Crayola Experience. There’s also the FlyOver America, a flight simulation ride that takes guests to well-known landmarks from around the world. It is fully immersive, so you’ll even feel wind and mist.