If you are looking for a town that offers a great variety of activities and attractions, then look no further than Rosemount, Minnesota. You will find interesting and historic places to visit, both relaxing and adventurous activities to undertake, and lots of tasty food to eat in friendly eateries. The town is also very community-oriented.
Read on to find out more about 14 of the best places to go and things to do in Rosemount.
1. Central Park
First on our list of fun things to do in Rosemount gets you and your family outdoors. Central Park in Rosemount is not just another park. You will find everything you are looking for and more to keep you occupied, from skating for pleasure and playing hockey on the ice, to enjoying walking trails and picnics in summer. There is a playground for the kids and an enclosed shelter to use when the weather is not so great.
It is the amphitheater that makes Central Park special, though. It can seat 2500 people and is the venue where evening music programs are staged and the site of movies in the park. These are just some of the events hosted by Central Park that you can enjoy throughout the year.
2. Lebanon Hills Regional Park
The 2000 acres of Lebanon Hills Regional Park offers visitors the opportunity to follow the miles of tracks on foot, or bike. The Visitor Center is the site for information about the park, interactive displays and to rent the equipment you may need to enjoy the park.
In fine weather, you can have a picnic in one of the shelters, or spend a few days camping taking in the natural setting around you. In spring, summer and fall, go kayaking or paddleboarding or take the time to fish, hike, or hunt In winter, you can swop the water for the ice when you go ice fishing, or enjoy kick sledding, skate skiing, or sledding. You can also explore the park on your snowshoes. Cross country skiing and horse riding require permits.
3. Las Tortillas Mexican Restaurant
At Las Tortillas, every dish is made using fresh ingredients. The owners are Rosemount locals, who opened the restaurant’s doors in 2011, as a full-service Mexican restaurant that was chef-driven. Las Tortillas boasts a fresh spirit, with its ‘Mexican flair’, where the focus is on bringing people together by offering good food and drinks.
Las Tortillas is not only about food, but also about giving back to the community. The staff participates in community events and the business sponsors events run by schools and non-profits. The establishment of the Los Tortillas Community Fund was a statement about how the owners feel about the community.
4. Steeple Center
If you are looking for a taste of the history of Rosemount, then take a look at the Steeple Center, which is in the building of the former St Joseph’s Church, which has a 150-year history. The center is open to the public as a place to have a cup of coffee and catch up with friends. It is also the home of senior citizens activities and is home to the Rosemount Area Arts Council.
The Steeple Center is a versatile venue for events such as weddings, meetings, and parties. It also hosts various performances.
Rosemount Area Arts Council
The Rosemount Area Arts Council lives its community involvement through hosting exhibitions of community work, such as poetry and visual art. The council also hosts events such as music tributes and student art exhibitions.
5. Marcus Theatres
One of the most enduring ways to enjoy an evening out must be to take in a movie. In Rosemount, the Marcus Theatres is the place to do just this. With multiple big screens at the venue, you will certainly find a movie that suits your taste. You can find what you need to satisfy your hunger and thirst at the concessions.
6. House of Coates
At the House of Coates, you will enjoy fantastic service in a friendly atmosphere. The food is the ultimate drawcard. Although House of Coates prides itself on the wonderful hamburgers they offer. These range from full gourmet options, including the Swanee Burger, Big Canada Jack, and Vito’s Italian Burger, to those for the ‘more conservative eater’, so everyone’s taste is catered for.
If burgers are not your choice, then there are chicken and steak options, as well as salads, soup, and sandwiches. The food is complemented by the full bar, which means that the House of Coates is the best lunch and dinner venue you can choose.
7. Whitetail Woods Regional Park
Whitetail Woods Regional Park is open from 5 am to 10 pm and admission is free. It is the start of the Whitetail Woods and offers activity in all seasons, with the trails and sledding hill for when it is snowing.
Stay over in the park in one of the Whitetail Woods Camper Cabins, which can house 6 people. If you are a day visitor, then you can spend some time under the Empire Lake Shelter, enjoying the magnificent views. A park is never great if it doesn’t have a playground for the kids and Whitetail Woods goes above and beyond with the Fawn Crossing Nature Play Area, which is right next to the Shelter. Here, kids can build forts, play in the sand, explore a magical hollow or enjoy splashing around in puddles.
8. Lebanon Hills Regional Park
One of the greatest and most popular attractions of Lebanon Hills Regional Park is the trails. There is an option for a stroll, a family outing, or a more demanding hike. In fact, you can enjoy walking, biking, and running along any of the many trails. There are 13 trails that will suit an afternoon walk for all ages. Then the more adventurous can tackle the trails that gain anything from 30 feet (9 meters) to 567 feet (173 m).
The trails have interesting names, such as Lebanon Hills Loop, the Jensen Lake Trail, Northern Voyageur Trek, and the McDonough Lake Loop.
9. Rosemount Ice Arena
The single sheet Rosemount Ice Arena is the home to both competitive hockey and open skating. It can accommodate 1000 spectators, for games featuring the Rosemount High school teams and the Rosemount Area Hockey Association. The District 196 figure skating team also practices and performs at the venue.
If you are skating on a whole different level, the arena also hosts open skating sessions. You can rent skates at the arena and wearing a helmet is recommended. When you are looking for the perfect activity and venue for a party or event., then you should consider hiring the arena.
10. Ole Piper
Bring your appetite for the next item on our list of fun things to do in Rosemount. If you are looking for a Rosemount institution, then you have to visit the Ole Piper, affectionately known as ‘Pipers’. This is a family restaurant and sports bar, which has been around for what seems to be forever, which means over 30 years. Because the restaurant is family-run, everyone that walks through the doors becomes part of the community. The food is varied and tasty, the atmosphere friendly and inviting along with efficient service just for you.
11. House of Curry
The House of Curry is the home of genuine Sri Lankan cuisine, featuring authentic spices grown in Sri Lanka. These include saffron, clover, cardamom, ginger, and black pepper. Some of the spices have medicinal properties, such as ginger and cardamom, while others can be used to relieve discomfort, such as cardamom being used for stomach aches. Saffron has the effect of relieving depression to a degree.
You can choose to dine in at the House of Curry or pick up a takeaway. For over 35 years, this has been the best place to enjoy a curry in Rosemount, so head along and find out why.
12. Coates / Dakota county dog park
What dog owners look for is a safe place for their dogs to enjoy running around and having fun, particularly without the constraint of a leash. The Coates / Dakota County Dog Park is just the place to take your canine friend. Dogs are allowed off-leash and can run happily along the trails in the wooded areas and find water in the bowls around the park when they need to. The double gates mean that your dog will not be able to run out when other dogs and their owners arrive.
13. Rosemount Community Center
If the whole ai of a community center is to be about building the community, then Rosemount has it right. The center itself houses an ice arena, banquet hall, and open gym, which caters to different parts of the community. Then there are the events that the center hosts, such as the Home and Business Expo, where there is food, fun, and family activities.
Athletics in Rosemount
One of the initiatives linked to the Community Center is Athletics in Rosemount, which is run by the Rosemount Athletic Association. This is a volunteer organization dedicated to developing the children in Rosemount.
14. Holland Lake
Last, but not least on our list of fun things to do in Rosemount is a trip to Holland Lake. With its 38 acre expanse and depth of 55 feet (17 meters), Holland Lake guarantees a great fishing experience. You can expect to go after a range of species of fish, including Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, and Rainbow Trout. For some relief from the sun, or for the rest of the family to enjoy, the picnic shelters are available. Entrance to the lake is free and it is accessible for the disabled.
Something New
Rosemount is a town that will give you plenty of places to go and a variety of activities to take part in. You will definitely find something for every taste in this interesting town.
Which attraction would you like to try? If you’ve already tried some of the fun things to do in Rosemount, let us know which one you enjoyed the most.
- About the Author
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Born in Madelia, MN, to a now 5-generation Minnesota family, Ryan’s MN roots go deep.
A painter by day, Ryan founded Life in Minnesota in 2013 with his wife Kelly to chronicle their musings on everything Minnesota. Ryan and Kelly are raising their 7 kiddos in Maple Grove, MN.
When he’s not shuttling his kids around to hockey practice, you might find him in the shop working on his leatherwork. Undoubtedly, there will be a family trip to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area every summer, and of course weekends at Grandpa’s cabin up north in the summer.