Whether you are vacationing, visiting family, or enjoying some downtime, you can find a ton of fun things to do in Eagan, Minnesota. Located on the southern side of the Twin Cities, with nearly 70,000 residents, Eagan’s location and population offer great opportunities to explore, meet people and have fun. Begin your discoveries here with our top 15 favorite things to do in Eagan, Minnesota.
Get Some Fun Outside
Cascade Bay Waterpark – Summers in Minnesota can be short, so it’s best to take advantage of all the sunshine you can. There’s no better place to do that than the Upper Midwest’s largest outdoor municipal waterpark, Cascade Bay. For the adventurous sort, there are several water slides and a simulation wave pool. For those who prefer to take things easier, there are zero-depth entry points to the kid’s pool which features a pirate ship-themed water slide playground, a lap pool, and a lazy river. If water isn’t your thing, a nine-hole mini-golf course is also available. Concessions are available along with plenty of deck chairs for sunbathing.
Recreation Programs – The City of Eagan hosts a variety of recreation programs throughout the year for people of all ages. Preschool in the Park helps 3, 4, and 5-year-olds develop social skills, make friends, and get ready for kindergarten. For school-aged children and teens, there’s ice-skating lessons, take-home art kits, archery, disc golf, and more. Adults are not left out of the fun either! Seniors over age 50 can participate in a game of bunco, share a cup of tea, get creative with art projects, and stretch their bodies at a yoga class. If you’re new to town, these programs are a great way to meet your neighbors!
Lebanon Hills Regional Park – Over 2,000 acres of trails and lakes await you at Lebanon Hills Regional Park. Start at the Visitor Center to get information about the park, plus the educational courses and programs available there. Take some time to view the interactive nature displays and learn about the preservation initiatives the city has supported. You can also rent seasonal recreation equipment such as kayaks and cross-country skis there. A main attraction of the park is Schulze Lake Beach. This is a popular spot for families thanks to the soft sandy beach and clear water for keeping an eye on the kids. Pack your beach bag and some snacks for a great day in the sun!
Have Fun in the Community
Eagan Civic Arena – It just wouldn’t be Minnesota without a little hockey … or a lot. The Eagan Civic Arena has two regulation-sized sheets of ice that host open skating, skating lessons, and hockey games. You can also find the Eagan Ice Crystals Figure Skating Club, Eagan Skating School, Eagan High School Hockey, and the Eagan Hockey Association on the ice, as this is their home rink.
No skates? No problem! The facility rents out figure and hockey skates in sizes from toddlers to adults. The arena is also available to rent for a variety of events such as hockey games, dog shows, trade shows, karate tournaments, and much more.
Eagan Community Center – Getting together with your neighbors is one of the best ways to stay connected to the community. The Eagan Community Center has just the place! There are several spaces available for weddings, meetings, and conferences. The site also features a fitness facility and gym for open basketball, pickleball, and volleyball.
For kids, the indoor outer-space-themed playground is a blast, and you can frequently find senior activities in the Lone Oak Room. Walking trails surround the site which also includes a gazebo, Rotary Band Shell, outdoor playground, and fitness area. Keep an eye out for special events at the venue for some extra fun things to do in Eagan.
Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center – The TCO Performance Center is a sports complex built in 2018 by the Minnesota Vikings with Twin Cities Orthopedics. It houses the offices of Vikings staff and is their primary training facility. During the Vikings’ late summer training camp, you can visit the site for designated open practices. Along with this building, there are four practice fields and a 7,000 seat stadium.
This stadium can be used for high school sports events, concerts, trade shows, and nearly anything else you can think of. The Performance Center is part of the larger Viking Lakes development which is still in progress as of late 2021. The completed campus will include a hotel, retail shopping, and multi-family housing for true life, work, and play lifestyle.
Fun and Learning
Eagan Art House – Explore your creative side or learn a new skill at the Eagan Art House. There are several classes offered including ceramics, watercolor painting, and drawing. Classes are organized by age group, from youth and teens to adults and seniors. You can also pick up an at-home creativity kit for learning and creating in your own space.
Each month, the ArtSpark! program hosts workshops outdoors in local parks with guest artists to guide the group. If you really find yourself enjoying the Eagan art scene, you can become a member of Eagan Artist Connect and gain access to monthly meetings, a network of other artists, exhibit opportunities, and professional development trainings.
Holz Farm – In the 1870s, the Holz family settled on 80 acres of land which was passed down through the generations until 1993. At the time, some of the land was developed into residential housing, but in 1995 the remaining land was purchased by the Eagan City Council Members. Urged on by local residents, their vision was to transform the site into a living history farm.
Visitors get the opportunity to experience what rural family life was like from the Great Depression through World War II. Pick up a copy of the Walking Tour of Holz Farm booklet to get in-depth details about all the buildings on the property and the history of Holz Farm. Many special events are hosted throughout the year, including the popular Spring and Harvest Festivals.
Vikings Museum – Another part of Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center is the Vikings Museum. Just south of the TCO Stadium and next to the Vikings Locker Room Store, this 14,000 square foot facility hosts a variety of exhibits from the early days of football in Minnesota, to the Minneapolis Miracle.
Learn about the evolution of the Minnesota Viking’s logo and uniforms, the venues they’ve called home over the decades, and major accomplishments from players and coaches. Wear your best purple and yellow and be sure to have a full phone battery because there’s plenty of opportunity to snap a new profile photo for the true Vikes fan. Skol!
Fun for the Kids
Splash Pad – Summer break and the kids are bored? Not anymore! Eagan Central Park has a splash pad that’s free and open to the public. It has plenty of ways for kids to have fun. There are several water features that come up from the ground to spray at kids as they run through the splash pad.
The fountains and buckets of water overhead will certainly cool off any child. Encircling the splash pad is a low wall made of large, flat rocks that’s perfect for watchful parents to keep an eye on their little ones or those who may not want to play. When all the activity gets the kids hungry, grab a seat at one of the picnic tables under the sun shelter and pull out their favorite homemade snacks.
Rockin’ Jump – Winters in Minnesota can feel especially long to kids who don’t get a chance to run around outside and burn their energy. When being cooped up is getting to be too much, work off some of that cabin fever at Rockin’ Jump, an indoor trampoline park … and so much more! Kids of all ages can enjoy a wide range of activities including playing dodgeball and basketball on trampolines, racing their friends through a challenging obstacle course, seeing the sights from the top of the rock climbing wall, and trying out some new games in the arcade.
There is also a soft play area and designated trampoline zone for children under age six to safely play. Hours of entertainment await at Rockin’ Jump, which also makes it the perfect place for birthday parties, graduations, or pre-and post-parties for homecoming, winter formal, or prom.
Destination All-Play – Specially designed to accommodate children with unique abilities, Destination All-Play is an accessible playground at Woodhaven Park. All trails are made of rubber and no curbs exist. Paths through the playground are widened to be available for children with wheelchairs or other mobility equipment to easily and safely get around the park.
Children can play Bankshot basketball, go on the swings, take a ride down the slides, and even make some music with the sensory boards. All abilities, interests, and senses are engaged in the unique, colorful equipment. A fully accessible parking lot, pavilion, and restrooms are also part of the play space. You can’t miss the unique mural that was outlined by a local artist and painted in by the kids and parents of Eagan. The City hopes that Destination All-Play will allow children of all abilities to learn, play, and make friends at the park.
More Fun Things to Do in Eagan
Emagine Eagan – Going to the movie theater can easily be a lot of fun for kids and adults alike. However, you can turn it into a magical experience at Emagine. This movie theater features 14 large movie screens and angled stadium seating, so you’ll always have the best view in the house. Pair that with their expanded concession stand that includes pizza, hot dogs, and pretzels, alongside traditional favorites like hot buttery popcorn and candy. The venue is also available for private theater rental, school groups, birthday parties, and corporate events. Oh, and if you arrive a little early for your showtime, you can hit up the axe-throwing lanes or full-service bar while you wait to take your seat!
Twin Cities Premium Outlets – Get your shop on without spending a pretty penny at the Twin Cities Premium Outlets. There are over 80 stores available across the 409,000 square feet of space that can save you an average of 65% off retail prices. Connect to the complimentary WiFi, rent a stroller or wheelchair if needed, and wind your way through the covered walkways to your favorite clothing, shoe, and accessories stores.
Popular locations include Under Armour, Nike, ASICS, Gap, Bath & Body Works, Old Navy, and more. If all that shopping has you famished, visit the dining pavilion with indoor and outdoor seating. Conveniently located in the center of it all, you can take a seat to relax and regroup before continuing on.
Lutz Railroad Garden – What started as a simple backyard renovation in 1978 has grown over the years to become a hidden gem in Eagan. The first installments were a waterfall, river, arch bridge, and pond. The homeowners have since added flowers, trees, a bamboo deer chaser, and a bubble fountain. The space gets its name from the addition of a G-scale train, built in 2000, that winds its way through a miniature town with a granite retaining wall and second waterfall. During December, Santa Claus visits the Lutz Railroad Garden to hear what Eagan kids want most for the holidays. More features were added in 2020, so be sure to stop by during their open houses to see what’s new!
Eagan Explored and More
Have you explored any of these fun things to do in Eagan? What are you adding to your next trip? Let us know in the comments below!
If you are headed north of Eagan to the Twin Cities, check out our Life in Minnestoa Twin Cities information page.