Fun Things To Do In Roseville, Minnesota
We list fun things to do in Roseville, Minnesota as well as nearby Saint Paul and Minneapolis. Roseville is perfectly located to explore all three cities!
Fun Things To Do In Roseville
We were super excited to be invited by Visit Roseville to explore Roseville, Minnesota and the surrounding areas. This was our first trip to Minnesota! Along with five other bloggers, we got to see why Roseville is such an awesome city and why it’s in the perfect location.
**A big thank you to Visit Roseville for inviting us on this press trip. They paid for our lodging, attractions we visited, and most of our food in exchange for our honest review. As always, all opinions are our own.**
Where Is Roseville?
Roseville is located just north and in between Minneapolis and Saint Paul (picture a triangle where Minneapolis is on the left, Saint Paul in on the right, and Roseville is on the top). This makes Roseville perfectly positioned to explore all three cities, while providing much cheaper accommodations and a more relaxed atmosphere.
Rosedale Center
One of the fun things to do in Roseville is to head over to the Rosedale Center. The Rosedale mall has undergone massive renovations and is all about having an amazing experience.
The aquarium is one of the newest attractions inside Rosedale and the mall also has great restaurants and, of course, great stores. The Rosedale mall is rated a top shopping destination in Minnesota!
Seaquest Roseville
If you’re looking for things to do in Roseville with kids, definitely stop by Seaquest Roseville, located in the northwest area of the Rosedale Center. The aquarium has two floors of both sea and land exhibits. There are many interactive exhibits as well, so you can feed or hold some of the animals and even swim with stingrays!
Rose & Loon
Rosedale Center has about 160 retailers but the one we loved most was Rose & Loon. They’re all about the “maker movement” which is the belief that handmade items have a story before they’re ever taken home.
Rose & Loon wants to tell the story of these items and the passionate people that make them. So when you walk around the store and see these amazing handmade items, everything from jewelry to kitchenware, you’ll also see small placards that tell the story of each person that made the items. And most of the artisans are from the local area, so it’s a great way to support local businesses.
CRAVE American Kitchen & Sushi Bar
As we mentioned before, Rosedale Center has great restaurants. We visited CRAVE and were floored by their spectacular service, fun atmosphere, and delicious food.
Because there was a group of us, we ended up sharing six different appetizers and then ordering our own meals. The six appetizers were: Caprese Flatbread, Baked Crab & Artichoke Dip, Bamboo Bite Roll, Truffle Parmesan Fries, Firecracker Shrimp, and Chicken & Avocado Egg Rolls.
You can imagine we were pretty stuffed by the time we finished the appetizers, but we still managed to eat a Crunchy roll as our main meal, which had shrimp tempura, avocado, spicy mayo, masago, and sweet sauce.
Chianti Grill
Chianti Grill is another one of the great Roseville restaurants. It has a cozy and upscale atmosphere and their wine selection is amazing. Normally we prefer white wines, but we ordered a glass of Chianti, Davinci (because why wouldn’t you order a Chianti wine at a place called Chianti Grill?) and were surprised by how much we liked it.
For our meal we ordered the Tortellini “Straw and Hay” which had cheese and meat filled tortellini, smoked ham, sweet baby peas and fresh mushrooms in parmesan cream sauce. Each bite was flavorful, with all of the fresh ingredients marrying together nicely.
Pizza Lucé
You guys know we love pizza, so we were very excited to try out Pizza Lucé. They have a huge menu with yummy appetizers and specialty pastas and hoagies. We, however, were there for the pizza.
We tried their Margherita pizza with fresh basil, bruschetta tomatoes, toasted garlic, parmesan cheese and mozzarella on their bianca sauce. Yum! We loved the blend of parmesan and mozzarella cheese!
Question: Who has the best deep dish pizza in Chicago? Giordano’s or Lou Malnati’s?
Bent Brewstillery
A favorite for locals and visitors alike is Bent Brewstillery, the first combination brewery and distillery in Minnesota. It’s one of the top things to do in Roseville because of the relaxed atmosphere and the unique beers and spirits they serve.
Founded in 2012, they “bend” the rules slightly and come up with new styles and flavors, all while using only the best ingredients. We are not beer drinkers, but the others in our group seemed to enjoy their selections.
We were more excited to dry the rum, but unfortunately Minnesota law didn’t allow spirits to be served on site. So instead, we bought a bottle of their rum and drank it at the hotel. We loved how smooth it was!
Pro Tip: If you can time your visit to Roseville to be within the 12 days leading up to and through Labor Day, you have to go to the Minnesota State Fair! Even if only for the food!
Things To Do Near Roseville – Saint Paul
Because of Roseville’s great location, you can be in Saint Paul in just a few minutes. Here are a few things in the area we think you’ll enjoy…
Can Can Wonderland
Get ready for a sensory overload! This mini golf and arcade is an art lover’s dream. Can Can Wonderland sits inside the former home of the American Can Company (hence the name) and is now Minnesota’s first arts-based public benefit corporation.
Everything inside was done with a lot of thought and love. The 18 mini golf holes were designed by artists so they are all unique. Murals along the walls were also done by local artists. There are also retro games and vintage arcades.
They also have a ton of activities: from group tap lessons, to trivia night, to cabarets! They also have a full menu and bar with themed cocktails. And what we really love… they give back to the community. They are constantly giving money to local Twin City artists. So you can have fun at Can Can Wonderland and feel good about it.
Bell Museum
Located on the University of Minnesota’s St. Paul campus, the Bell Museum is Minnesota’s official natural history museum and planetarium. There are both indoor and outdoor exhibits as well as fun events throughout the year.
Our favorite parts of the museum were the animal dioramas (they look so real!) and the outdoor Green Roof that displayed local vegetation. They also have a great Touch & See Lab for the kiddos where they can touch and examine things like fossils and plants.
Como Park Zoo & Conservatory
If you’re on a budget and looking for free things to do, we recommend visiting the Como Park Zoo & Conservatory. The Marjorie McNeely Conservatory is absolutely gorgeous with all kinds of beautiful plants. Since it’s enclosed, we imagine it’s a good place to visit during Minnesota winters.
The zoo is also fun, with lots of animals, including polar bears! They also have daily Zoo Keeper Talks, where they talk about different topics every day.
The zoo and conservatory are open year round, including holidays. They do have slightly shorter hours during the fall and winter though. And although it is free to enter, we do recommend donating a few dollars to help keep this awesome place running.
Como Town
Right next door to the zoo and conservatory is Como Town. This amusement park is great for the kiddos. They aren’t open year round, but if you’re visiting between May and September it might be something to look into.
Cafesjian’s Carousel
Another fun attraction for all ages is the Cafesjian’s Carousel. It was originally built in 1914 and has been fully restored. Tickets to ride are $2 per person. The carousel runs six days a week from May 1 through Labor Day, and weekends through October.
Something to be aware of: The carousel does not operate when the temperature is below 45 or above 95 degrees.
Things To Do Near Roseville – Minneapolis
Roseville is also a great place to base yourself if you want to pop in to Minneapolis. We only visited one attraction in Minneapolis, but it only took us a few minutes to get there.
Betty Danger’s Country Club
This is a country club for the everyday person! Betty Danger’s Country Club is bright, colorful, and eclectic. They serve amazing food and drinks. And, they have mini golf… and a Ferris wheel!
As soon as we walked in we were hit by crazy, and what seemed like random, decorations. We went to the outside patio to check out the mini golf and loved that people could actually sit at tables placed on the mini golf course so players would have to play around them.
And of course, we loved the Ferris wheel. You don’t see that every day at a restaurant! Unfortunately on the day we visited there was too much wind so we couldn’t go up.
Once inside, we ordered a Stanford which had gold tequila, fresh berries, cucumber, and ginger. It was refreshing and really tasty! For an appetizer we had Deviled Eggs and for our main meal we had an Annenberger which had Black Angus beef, smashed avocado, cheddar and fontina, salsa fresca, and lettuce.
And we just had to get dessert, so we ended our visit with Mini Donuts that came with vanilla buttercream and chocolate frosting. Everything was so good!
Sometimes you worry that places like these focus more on being eccentric and not so much on the actual quality of the food and drinks, but Betty Danger’s definitely takes pride in what they serve.
Where To Stay In Roseville
We stayed at the lovely Courtyard by Marriott Roseville. It’s in a great location, minutes from Rosedale Center and all of the other attractions we mentioned. It’s been renovated recently and has amenities like a heated indoor swimming pool and fitness center.
There is also an onsite restaurant and bar as well as a convenience store. For breakfast, you can buy small items like bagels or muffins or you can order from their breakfast menu. We ordered the Avocado Toast and were surprised (in a good way) how well it was presented and how good it tasted.
Check rates for the Courtyard by Marriott Roseville
Final Thoughts On Things To Do In Roseville
Although it may often be overlooked because of its neighbors, there are fun things to do in Roseville. Plus, staying in a hotel in Roseville is less expensive than staying in Saint Paul or Minneapolis. Roseville truly is a gem, full of charm and friendly people.
Like this post? Pin it for later!
