Contrary to what many people think, Mankato, Minnesota is not a small town. There are a ton of different things to do in Mankato to keep the whole family entertained. From sculpture tours to parks to tycoon mansions, there is something for everyone here.
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There are a number of great hotels in Mankato too, book your stay before you go so you can plan your itinerary.
List of the top things to do & attractions in Mankato
Mankato Walking Sculpture Tour
Address: 127 S 2nd St, Mankato, MN 56001, United States
Rating: 4.7 out of 5
In Mankato, Minnesota, the Mankato Walking Sculpture Tour is a popular tourist attraction. Mankato is a lovely city where local and foreign tourists can enjoy a number of spectacular works of art created by local artists.
The CityArt Walking Sculpture Tour is an exciting outdoor sculpture show in Mankato and North Mankato’s heart. The CityArt sculpture exhibition attracts thousands of community members and tourists each year, establishing the Greater Mankato arts community as one of the best in the state.
Twin Rivers (TR), Greater Mankato’s arts board, and the City Center Partnership (CCP), a downtown planning agency serving Mankato and North Mankato, partnered on the sculpture tour.
Both organizations are dedicated to using arts and culture programming to foster a vibrant community.
Year-round in Mankato and North Mankato, Minnesota, this thrilling exhibit of outdoor sculptures is on view. Artists join their sculptures for a year in the curriculum. The majority of the artists who participate in the tour hope to sell their work!
The sculptures are sold for sale to the general public. Artists will compete for cash prizes and the chance to have their work voted The People’s Choice and purchased by CityArt for permanent display.
Sibley Park
Address: 900 Mound Ave, Mankato, MN 56001, United States
Rating: 4.7 out of 5
In Mankato, Minnesota, Sibley Park is a beautiful tourist destination and a vibrant neighborhood park with a rich history. The park, which opened in 1887, is named after Henry Hastings Sibley, Minnesota’s first governor.
The park has previously housed a horse racing track, a regional zoo, clay tennis courts, a museum, a community bandshell, and well-known gardens.
Softball, tennis, swimming, and a sliding hill are among the park’s entertainment options on the north side. There are extensive landscape and gardens, a storybook farm site, open space, and picnicking areas on the park’s south side.
The mound’s hilltop is restored to an Oak Savanna setting, close to what once existed, through plantings and managed burns.
Sibley Park is ideal for organized sports, big group parties, loud music, and exclusive use. Family reunions, corporate meetings, company picnics, and large group events are common uses for the picnic shelters.
Outdoor weddings and photography sessions are typical at the gazebo and gardens. Many of these spots can be reserved in advance.
Within the park, visitors can enjoy a number of facilities such as the reservoir, the CHS Pergola, the Sibley Park Pavilion, and Sibley Farm. Visitors can also watch a video of the farm and playground, a unique Mankato attraction.
The Sibley HealthBeat outdoor fitness equipment and more than two miles of walking trails are located within Sibley Park and are divided into three levels: simple, moderate, and experienced.
Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota
Address: 224 Lamm St, Mankato, MN 56001, United States
Rating: 4.8 out of 5
Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota is a children’s Museum and tourist attraction in Mankato, Minnesota. It offers a variety of art and science programs on a daily basis.
An interactive quarry, a tree made of tree forts, and a vertical wind tunnel are among the indoor exhibits.
The Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota’s mission is to awaken every child’s natural curiosity through the power of play in a vibrant, awe-inspiring atmosphere. It’s a fantastic place for kids to play, learn, and develop.
Every exhibit and program is customized to provide the best possible experience for each child.
Individuals, families, and organizations can select from a range of membership choices at the Museum. The Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota membership provides unrestricted access to the Museum’s galleries during daily business hours, exclusive discounts in the Museum gift shop, and invites to members-only activities.
The Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota not only offers a fun place for kids to play, but it also allows them to learn through hands-on play because growing minds need challenges and experiences.
It is not only a wonderful place to play and have a lot of fun, but it is also very important for children’s health and well-being.
Hubbard House
Address: 606 S Broad St, Mankato, MN 56001, United States
Rating: 4.6 out of 5
The Hubbard House, also known as The R.D. Hubbard House, is one of Mankato, Minnesota’s finest examples of classic Victorian architecture. In the city of Mankato, it is a beautiful museum and a popular tourist attraction.
The R.D. Hubbard House is one of Minnesota’s most exquisite examples of French Second Empire architecture.
Only the Hubbard family (1871-1938) and the Blue Earth County Historical Society have lived in the Historic Hubbard House in its original form (1938-present).
The 16-room mansion of local flour mill tycoon R.D. Hubbard and his family, completed in 1905, is open to the public. Admission to the museum is paid for guided one-hour tours.
The Blue Earth County Historical Society maintains the Hubbard Building. It was once a private residence and is now a museum.
On June 7, 1976, this remarkable structure was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Rensselaer D. Hubbard, a wealthy businessman, had the house designed in 1871 for him.
Visitors will be amazed not only by the elegance of the building but also by the extensive tour of the house, stables, and carriage house.
Hubbard House is a Victorian home with beautiful woodwork and stained glass. It’s a fantastic tourist destination with outstanding guides who share stories behind the house and its wonderful history.
Riverfront Park
Address: 309 W Rock St, Mankato, MN 56001, United States
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Riverfront Park, one of the Mankato Park system’s jewels, provides breathtaking views of the Minnesota River that delivers as well as an amphitheater and playground.
In Mankato, Minnesota, it is a beautiful and popular tourist attraction. This location on the Minnesota River’s bank has served as the birthplace of Mankato’s industrial and commercial growth since the city’s founding in 1852.
The annual Ribfest festival, as well as other summer activities, are held at Riverfront Park. The Vetter Stone Amphitheater, which is located in the park, hosts both nationally recognized and local bands.
The park, which is located in Old Town, is close to several local shops and restaurants. The park has bathrooms, a water fountain, and a bike repair station, making it a convenient stop along the Minnesota River Trail.
The park has river access, which is suitable for kayaking and canoeing. The Mankato Piece, a large sculpture in the center of the park, is also worth seeing.
On the banks of the Minnesota River, Riverfront Park has been the birthplace of industrial and commercial growth in Mankato since its establishment in 1852. This area also served as a community center for power distribution (electricity, gas, and oil) and the greater Mankato region, and there is a retail marketplace.
Carnegie Art Center
Address: 120 S Broad St, Mankato, MN 56001, United States
Rating: 4.6 out of 5
Mankato’s Carnegie Art Center is a must-see tourist attraction. It was designed in 1902 with Carnegie funds as the Mankato Public Library and Reading Room.
A representative of Carnegie arranged for the company’s design to be performed by a New York firm. The Western League of Architects, which represents local architects, objected to this decision.
Since 1981, the Carnegie has used the visual arts, crafts, and architecture to record and present the contemporary culture of this particular area of Greater Minnesota. The museum’s exhibitions are continually evolving, and there is an annual member’s show where museum supporters and visitors can submit artwork.
The Carnegie Art Center is the area’s most significant visual arts exhibition venue, featuring monthly gallery exhibitions by local artists.
The Carnegie also provides affordable workshop space, grant-funded art education workshops, a gift shop that introduces the community to the work of regional and local artists, and ongoing maintenance and restoration of Mankato’s historic former Carnegie Library.
Carnegie Art Center, a long-standing Mankato art gallery, has been exhibiting local artwork for more than 36 years. In rotating exhibitions, local artists’ paintings, woodworking, sculpture, and other works are showcased.
In addition to artist studios, the building has a gift shop where visitors can buy local artists’ work.
Highland Park
Address: 950 Warren St, Mankato, MN 56001, United States
Rating: 4.3 out of 5
Highland Park in Mankato, Minnesota, is a great place to visit. It’s a perfect place for kids to play and enjoy the park’s playground, as well as adult tourists who want to work out while admiring the park’s beauty and views of Mankato.
There is plenty of space to roam around in the Highland Park and playground facilities, sand volleyball courts, picnic tables, and grills. It’s a perfect place for visitors who want to get some fresh air and relax after visiting some of Mankato’s best tourist attractions.
Since it opened to the public’s attention, the parks have seen a lot of changes. Highland Park’s park improvements were made possible by a city grant, and even neighborhood children had a say in the playground’s design.
Adults can use the park’s fitness equipment, which can be linked to a mobile app for workouts at each stop. Highland Park is the perfect place to enjoy a variety of outdoor activities with family and friends.
The park is also pet-friendly, and dogs on leash are welcome and accepted to stroll along the park’s walking trail. Visitors may either stroll around the area or enter a game with other visitors to make new friends.
Rasmussen Woods
Address: 555 Stoltzman Rd, Mankato, MN 56001, United States
Rating: 4.7 out of 5
Rasmussen Woods is an ideal destination for travelers who want to reconnect with nature. In the City of Mankato, Minnesota, Rasmussen Woods is a well-known tourist attraction.
Rasmussen Woods, situated just off Stoltzman Road in Mankato, is a city-centered nature preserve. Rasmussen Woods is a beautiful place to go for a run or a walk.
The Rasmussen Woods is surrounded by a lot of wildlife, including hills, lakes, meadows, birds, deer, and squirrels.
This fantastic tourist destination is rich in wildlife. It is a place where people of all ages can go hiking, enjoy the natural beauty of the region, and see various wildlife.
Rasmussen Woods is a beautiful place to visit to enjoy the abundance of natural beauty in its natural setting at any time of year. The Floating Trails at Rasmussen Woods provide access to wetlands.
Rasmussen Woods is a 5.8-kilometer mildly trafficked loop trail near Mankato, Minnesota, with beautiful wildflowers surrounding the area and a mild difficulty rating trail.
A gazebo, two floating trails, dolomite cliff formations, and a hillside park overlook await hikers.
The Elk’s Nature Center in the Rasmussen Woods is family-friendly, and dogs are welcome to use the trails as long as they are kept on a leash by their owners.
Sibley Farm
Address: 1080 Mound Ave, Mankato, MN 56001, United States
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Mankato, Minnesota’s Sibley Farm is a popular tourist destination. Sibley Farm, in Mankato’s Sibley Park, features a small zoo and a playground. Sibley Park has been a leisure area since 1893.
Sibley Farm, which is also in Sibley Park, allows visitors to pass through red barn-style buildings and see farm animals. It’s a lovely farm-style zoo with koi ponds and beautiful gardens.
Sibley Farm is a farm situated in the home of Sible Alpacas, goats, calves, peacocks, pigs, horses, lambs, chicks, and ducklings are among the animals cared for at Sibley Farm. In the farm’s pond, there are beautiful Koi fish.
Visitors to Sibley Farm can feed the animals by purchasing park licensed food from vending machines located throughout the farm for a few cents per handful of pellets. After checking out and feeding the animals, young visitors will play on the big playground.
Newscastic has named Mankato’s Sibley Farm playground in Sibley Park as one of Minnesota’s nine coolest playgrounds. Farm-themed play equipment, like a live tractor, can be found on the playground.
Sibley Farm is a perfect place to have a good time while being surrounded by beautiful farm animals. It’s a fun park to relax in, and there’s plenty to do and play on for the kids.
Land of Memories Park
Address: 100 Amos Owen Ln, Mankato, MN 56001, United States
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Land of Memories Park of Mankato, Minnesota, is a beautiful and popular tourist destination. Visitors of all ages will enjoy the hiking trails in Mankato’s Land of Memories Park, which wind along the Blue Earth and Minnesota rivers and through the forests.
The campground, which is close to Mankato and offers a rustic, relaxing camping experience, is one of the park’s features.
The campground has 39 campsites with a number of open grassy areas, shaded wooded sites, and secluded places for tents and recreational vehicles to camp along the Minnesota River (RV).
Restroom/shower buildings, electrical outlets, individual fire rings, picnic tables, picnic shelters, and playground equipment are all available at the campground. The campground is set on 100 acres and is surrounded by natural scenery with diverse wildlife.
Land of Memories Park, on the outskirts of Mankato, along the Minnesota River, offers spectacular scenery, including river views, green space, and woodlands. On the west side of the park, there are soccer and lacrosse fields that are used by local and international visitors.
There’s also an open space for Frisbee golf; bike trails; a boat ramp; and the Floyd Roberts Jr. Pavilion, which can be reserved for a variety of activities and events.
Sibley Park Gazebo
Address: 900 Mound Avenue, Mankato, MN 56001, United States
Rating: 4.7 out of 5
The Sibley Park Gazebo is a lovely place in Mankato, Minnesota, situated within Sibley Park. It’s a popular outdoor spot for picnics, afternoon tea, outdoor weddings, and photography sessions, and it’s a great place to spend a day with family and friends.
The Sibley Park Gazebo is a one-of-a-kind venue for an outdoor festival. Outdoor weddings and photography sessions are expected at the pavilion and Sibley Park’s flower gardens.
The Gazebo is a freestanding, open garden structure with a roof that is placed in Sibley Park’s beautiful garden as a focal point to be viewed. Its Gazebo offers shade, rain cover, a place to relax, and an attractive feature. Some public park gazebos are wide enough to be used as a bandstand.
Sibley Park Gazebo is a lovely spot for a wedding, whether it’s in the spring, summer, or fall, and is highly recommended by locals and the city of Mankato, Minnesota.
It’s mainly part of every directory to help couples locate a list of wedding services and locations in Southern Minnesota. Visitors to Sibley Park who are there for leisure can use the Sibley Park Gazebo as a shade and a place to relax and enjoy the park’s beauty.
Betsy-Tacy Society
Address: 332 Center St, Mankato, MN 56001, United States
Rating: 4.7 out of 5
In Mankato, Minnesota, the Betsy-Tacy Society is a historical tourist attraction. Maud Hart Lovelace (MHL), an author best known for her beloved Betsy-Tacy series as well as adult literature, was the inspiration for the home.
The Betsy-Tacy series is based on the author’s childhood memories of growing up in Mankato, Minnesota.
The Betsy-Tacy Society purchased Maud’s childhood home, Betsy’s House in 333 Center Street, and her lifelong best friend, Frances Kenney Kirch, the Tacy’s House in 332 Center Street to retain literary landmarks for future generations to enjoy.
Betsy’s house has been renovated and decorated as a museum to resemble the Hart family’s home from 1892 to 1906.
Tacy’s house has also been rebuilt, and the Society now uses it as an interpretive center and a repository for MHL archives. There is also a gift shop fund on the premises.
In 2010, the houses were named as a National Literary Landmarks. The Betsy-Tacy Society teaches about life at the turn of the century by using the stories as a base.
The Betsy-Tacy Society’s goal is to encourage literacy by ensuring that the Betsy-Tacy books are accessible to new generations of readers. The books are intended for people of all ages and promote family values and friendship.
Conclusion on the best things to do in Mankato
Mankato has a lot to offer! There are so many fun things to do and attractions to see it is hard to fit in all in. We hope that your visit to Mankato is filled with new memories and cool spots.
There are a number of great hotels in Mankato too, book your stay before you go so you can plan your itinerary.
Related Resources:
- 12 Ideas for Weekend Getaways in Minnesota
- 10 Best Minnesota State Parks | Map & Top Options
- The 18 Best Hotels in Duluth, Minnesota
