Spring break staycation ideas for stir-crazy parents and kids

Key insights:

• No plane tickets, no problem! Plan hometown experiences this spring break for more affordable family fun.
• From movie marathons at home to days at indoor water parks and the zoo, there are so many ways to entertain your kids for the week.
• Put your kids in charge of some of the decisions so they feel involved and excited about the plans.

As plane ticket costs continue to rise, many families are planning to stay in town for spring break this year. But that doesn’t mean you have to spend the whole week at home or stick to your same-old routine! With these staycation tips and ideas, you can discover new parts of your hometown (and its surrounding areas) that you haven’t explored before. Let’s dive in.

Seven spring break “staycation” activities

1. Hit up the Mall of America

With longtime attractions like Nickelodeon Universe^Ⓡ, SEA LIFE Aquarium and the Crayola Experience, alongside newer options like the CocoMelon indoor playground, the mall has plenty of entertainment options for kids of all ages — and grown-ups, too! Plus, the food courts and mall restaurants make it easy to take a break to fuel up before you move on to your next activity.

Pro Tip: Save time and stress by purchasing wristbands and tickets to attractions in advance.

Make It Even Better: Add on an overnight experience at one of the many hotels that are attached or have easy transportation options to the mall.

2. Take a day trip and explore Minnesota

Small town charm is still thriving and a day trip away from home can be just the adventure you need. Pick an attraction and then see all the city has to offer from local eateries and roadside stops to unique shops and historic landmarks. Here are a few of our favorite city attractions. Be sure to check for hours before you set off on your journey:

• Red Wing: The world’s largest boot
• Kellogg: Lark Toys
• Moorhead: The Hjemkomst Viking Ship
• Hudson, WI: Octagon House Museum
• Chanhassen: Prince’s Paisley Park
• Duluth: Lake Superior Railroad Museum

Pro Tip: For longer drives, make your kiddos your co-pilot and let them pick the music, games and snacks for the car ride.

Make It Even Better: Turn your day trip into a scavenger hunt or game! Create one yourself or download and print road trip bingo cards.

3. Visit the Science Museum of Minnesota

With permanent exhibits dedicated to astronauts, the human body and the science of light, the Science Museum in St. Paul is always a hit. To keep younger kiddos interested in each exhibit, have them participate in the museum’s scavenger hunt — which features clues from each level of the building.

Pro Tip: Visit The Cafe on Level 5 for strong coffee and smoothies, or The Kitchen on Level 6 for full meal options.

Make It Even Better: Each ticket to the Science Museum includes one Omnitheater showing — but you do need to reserve tickets. From now through April 13, the museum’s Omnifest is running, which means there are five unique showings per day! Reserve your tickets here.

4. Have a movie marathon

Prefer to have an in-home movie marathon? Get the entire family involved by deciding on one film series that you can tackle during your spring break. Harry Potter, The Incredibles, Star Wars and Indiana Jones are all popular options. Older kids may enjoy Mission Impossible or James Bond. By selecting a franchise, rather than a series of random films, it will feel more like an event — and more of an accomplishment when the credits from the final movie start scrolling.

Pro Tip: Decide if you’ll want to watch the movies back-to-back after creating a cozy lair in your living room, or if it will work better to hunker down each night to watch the next film in the series.

Make It Even Better: Lean into the theme of the film series with thematic decor or snacks (such as moody candles for Harry Potter or martini mocktails for James Bond).

5. Splash around at a water park

We may not live in a climate where you can swim outside during spring break, but plenty of indoor swimming options are available! Many community centers, including in Shakopee, Maple Grove and Shoreview, have indoor pools with affordable day passes for families (whether you live in the city’s borders or not).

Pro Tip: Some pools have limited hours for water slides or open swim, so check in advance to ensure you go when everything is open.

Make It Even Better: Buy some new goggles, snorkels or pool toys and surprise your kids when you get there! You may just want to check in with the front desk to ensure they don’t have any rules against these items in the pool.

6. Have the kids plan their “perfect” day

Everyone has different ideas of what the perfect vacation, or staycation, entails. To keep your kids involved in the planning, challenge an older kid to come up with their ideal day. Whether they want to head to Half Price Books to load up on their favorite Manga series, an indoor golf dome to practice their drive, or a trampoline park followed by a cupcake date, they’ll love being in charge and calling the shots.

Pro Tip: Set a maximum budget for the day so they have some limitations. $50-60 should be good, especially if you return home for meals.

Make It Even Better: No one ever said a staycation had to be limited to your own family. Ask another parent and their kid or kiddos to join you to shake things up a bit!

7. Visit the zoo

Create a sense of adventure during your staycation by spending the day exploring the zoo. Explore the Tropics Trail at the Minnesota Zoo — a long, winding path that takes you past lemurs and monkeys, flamingos and a massive aquarium with dozens of colorful, tropical fish and sharks swimming by.

Pro Tip: Save plenty of time to look at the African Penguin exhibit and Discovery Bay Marine Education exhibit, which are also both fully indoors.

Make It Even Better: Offer your kids a stuffed animal from the gift shop on your way out, so they’ll have a souvenir from your staycation.

Ready, set, go!

Before spring break starts, try to tie up any loose ends that you may have with work or school responsibilities. Then relax and enjoy your spring break! Take advantage of adventurous days… and the bliss of sleeping in your own bed at the end of the day.