Twin Cities families · October 30 to November 1, 2026

A wholesome weekend,
close to home.

30 free or cheap family outings across the Twin Cities, sorted by area so you can stay close to home. Forecast: Saturday 57° with a 20% chance of rain; Sunday 66° with a 10% chance of rain.

The plan
30 picksacross five areas
25 freethe rest cost a little
57° Saturday20% chance of rain
13 indoorson Saturday, if it rains

Short version

The plan

Three free picks in different corners of the metro. Everything else is below, by area.

Saturday · south

ParkTober

Free, 8 am to 8 pm. Get ready for a fall adventure with the Parktober hiking program!

Sunday · north

Drop-In Discoveries - Meet the Animal Ambassadors

Free, 1 to 3 pm. Drop in at any time to meet a few of our live animals up close and discover what makes these critters unique!

Sunday · St. Paul & east

Public Building Tour

Free, 12:30 to 1:15 pm. Join a Landmark Center volunteer tour guide for a free building tour.

Lake Minnetonka, Chanhassen, Plymouth, Chaska, Waconia

West metro

Library programs fill out each area.

Sat · free to $15 · 11:30 am to 4:30 pmFarm · Minnetrista · General Admission (3 years+)

Boo Bash 2026 - Halloween for Kids

It’s Halloween at Everly Farms! 👻🎃 Join us in the large event tent for our Halloween Boo Bash, packed with trick-or-treating, a bouncy house, a live DJ, kids’ dancing, Halloween crafts, games, prizes, and spooky fun!

Know: Cost: Price From $0.00 to $15.00. Sign up ahead.

Everly Farms, Minnetrista
Sat · free · 10 to 2Library · Victoria · indoors · ages 5 and up

Building Together

Ages 5 and up. We’ve got the supplies you bring your imagination to this self-guided building time with LEGOs, building bricks or Picasso tiles.

Victoria Library, Victoria
Sat · free · 10:30 to 11Library · Chaska · indoors · age 2+

Not Spooky Storytime

All ages with a focus on children age 2+. Children and their caregivers are invited to enjoy some Not So Spooky stories. Costumes encouraged but not required.

Chaska Library, Chaska
Sun · $10 to $14 · 3 to 5 pmPark program · Maple Plain · ages not listed

Campfire Cooking: Comfort Food

Come get cozy and comfortable around the campfire while making things that that people crave.

Know: Cost: $14 ages 16+; $10 ages 3-15; children under 3 free. Sign up ahead.

Baker Outdoor Learning Center, Maple Plain
Sun · free · 1 to 3Library · Hopkins · indoors · grades 3 to 12

Youth Game Day

Grades 3-12. Put your game face on. Board games, card games, puzzles, and Nintendo Switch provided by the library or bring your own games! Bring your friends and come make new ones for an afternoon of gaming together!

Hopkins Library, Hopkins
Sun · free · 2 to 4Library · St. Louis Park · indoors · grades 2 to 8

Pokémon Collectible Card Club

Grades 2-8. Come hang out and play Pokémon with like-minded friends at the library! Participants may bring their own cards or use cards provided by the library. All skill levels welcome.

St. Louis Park Library, St. Louis Park
Any day · free · hours varyNature center · Victoria · indoors and out · kids and families

Lowry Nature Center

Hike the trails, see seasonal exhibits and meet a live animal at the nature center in Carver Park Reserve.

Know: Open Monday to Saturday 9 to 5, Sunday noon to 5. Three Rivers parks are free to park and free to enter.

Lowry Nature Center, Victoria

Bloomington, Edina, Burnsville, Eagan, Shakopee

South metro

Library programs fill out each area.

Sat · $6 a person · 2 to 3:30 pmPark program · Bloomington · All ages welcome

Spooky Spiders

Celebrate Halloween by getting to know the sometimes feared, often misunderstood, always fascinating spiders of Minnesota.

Know: Cost: $6/person. Sign up ahead.

Richardson Nature Center, Bloomington
Sat · free · 9:30 to 10Library · Farmington · indoors · ages 2 and older

Halloween Storytime

Join us for a not-too-spooky Halloween Storytime. Enjoy stories and participate in activities to develop early literacy skills. For youth ages 2 and older with their caregivers. Siblings welcome.

Farmington Library, Farmington
Sat · free · 10 to 11Library · Eagan · indoors · kids

Halloween Dance Party

Try out your costume and move to great music played by our own DJ Jenni. Have fun, try out your costume, enjoy everyone else in costume and practice your trick-or-treat skills. Feel free to use our instruments and scarves.

Wescott Library, Eagan
Sat · free · 10:15 to 11Library · Farmington · indoors · ages 2 to 6

Costume Parade

Wear your costume and join us for a lively parade around the library. You can try out trick or treating with the library staff along the way. For youth ages 2–6. Siblings welcome.

Farmington Library, Farmington
Any day · free · hours varyNature center · Bloomington · indoors and out · kids and families

Richardson Nature Center

Hike the trails, see seasonal exhibits and meet resident raptors, reptiles and amphibians up close in Hyland Lake Park Reserve.

Know: Open Monday to Saturday 9 to 5, Sunday noon to 5. Three Rivers parks are free to park and free to enter.

Richardson Nature Center, Bloomington

Maple Grove, Brooklyn Park, Coon Rapids, Anoka

North metro

Library programs fill out each area.

Sat · $6 a person · 10 to noonPark program · Dayton · 5 Years and Up

Indigenous Food Systems with Chef Derek Nicholas

Explore the plants and animals around Eastman Nature Center with Derek and participate in an activity related to Indigenous food.

Know: Cost: $6/person. Sign up ahead.

Eastman Nature Center, Dayton
Sun · free · 1 to 3 pmPark program · Dayton · All ages welcome

Drop-In Discoveries: Microscopes by the Fire

Enjoy a fire to warm up by as we explore the tiny things around Eastman with microscopes.

Eastman Nature Center, Dayton
Any day · free · hours varyNature center · Dayton · indoors and out · kids and families

Eastman Nature Center

Hike the trails, see seasonal exhibits and meet a live animal at the nature center in Elm Creek Park Reserve.

Know: Open Monday to Saturday 9 to 5, Sunday noon to 5. Three Rivers parks are free to park and free to enter.

Eastman Nature Center, Dayton

Parks, museums and libraries across the city

Minneapolis

Library programs fill out each area.

Sat · free · 2 to 3:30Library · Minneapolis · indoors · families, kids

STEAM Activity

Join North Regional Library’s STEAM Squad and explore STEAM activities! You are encouraged to drop in and participate in a different project every session led by our STEAM Squad.

North Regional Library, Minneapolis
Sun · free · 2 to 3Library · Minneapolis · indoors · birth to 5 years

Junior Jams: Music Exploration for Families

For children ages birth to 5 years old and their caregivers. Sing, dance, and explore musical instruments together in this program designed to help build your child's early music skills. Siblings welcome.

North Regional Library, Minneapolis
Sun · free · 3:30 to 4Library · Minneapolis · indoors · babies, preschoolers, toddlers

Family Storytime

For children of all ages and their caregivers. Talk, sing, read, write and play together. Share books, stories, rhymes, music and movement.

Hosmer Library, Minneapolis
Any day · free · 6 am to midnightSculpture garden · Minneapolis · outdoors · all ages

Minneapolis Sculpture Garden

Walk among the outdoor sculptures beside the Walker Art Center. No tickets needed.

Know: Free and open daily from 6 am to midnight, all year.

Minneapolis Sculpture Garden
Any day · free · 10 or 11 to 5Art museum · U of M · indoors · all ages

Weisman Art Museum

A free art museum on the University of Minnesota's East Bank campus.

Know: Open 10 to 5 on weekdays, 11 to 5 on Saturday and Sunday. Garage parking is $3 an hour, $13 at most.

Weisman Art Museum

St. Paul, Roseville, Washington County, Dakota County

St. Paul and east

Library programs fill out each area.

Sat · free · 10:30 amZoo · St. Paul · ages not listed

Polar Bear Program

Join us in Polar Bear Odyssey to learn more about Como’s 4 polar bears, and perhaps observe special enrichment or training!

Know: Como Zoo and Conservatory admission is free.

Polar Bear Odyssey, St. Paul
Sat · free · 12 amLibrary · St. Paul · indoors · families, preschoolers, school age

Halloween Stamp Rally

Join Us at George Latimer Central Library for a special Halloween Stamp Rally! Come in costume (optional) to gather stamps and stickers by visiting all six rooms of the library.

George Latimer Central Library, St. Paul
Sat · free · 2:30 to 4:30Library · St. Paul · indoors · ages 7 to 11

FunLab

Drop in to hang out and make cool stuff at FunLab! Featuring crafts, science experiments, engineering projects, video games, and more. This program is designed for ages 7-11.

Arlington Hills Library, St. Paul
Any day · free · 10 to 4Zoo and conservatory · St. Paul · indoors and out · kids and families

Como Park Zoo & Conservatory

A free zoo, open daily, and the indoor Marjorie McNeely Conservatory, open Tuesday to Sunday.

Know: Free. A voluntary donation of $8 per adult and $5 per child is appreciated.

Como Park Zoo & Conservatory

National Weather Service

Weekend forecast

The National Weather Service forecast for the Minnetonka area, checked Saturday, October 31 at 1:19 pm.

57° · 20% rainThis Afternoon

Slight Chance Rain Showers

A slight chance of rain showers before 5pm. Cloudy, with a high near 57. Southeast wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

54° · 20% rainTonight

Cloudy then Slight Chance Light Rain

A slight chance of rain between 2am and 5am. Cloudy, with a low around 54. South southeast wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

66° · 10% rainSunday

Mostly Cloudy

Mostly cloudy. High near 66, with temperatures falling to around 63 in the afternoon. South southeast wind 5 to 10 mph.

55° · 40% rainSunday Night

Mostly Cloudy then Chance Light Rain

A chance of rain after 4am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 55. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Before you go

Good to know

A few things that change the plan.