Five family-friendly activities for winter break in Roseville
What to do with your kids while school is out
School is out for winter break for two weeks starting this weekend! If you have children or grandchildren, nieces or nephews, or just want some fun for yourself and your friends, we've got the list for you!
1 - Roseville Trails
Enjoy a winter wonderland by going on a hike, snowshoe, or cross-country ski. You can rent skis and snowshoes at City Hall! There are groomed cross-country ski trails at Cedarholm Golf Course. Take a winter walk or go snowshoeing through the meadows and woods in Reservoir Woods Park, Acorn Park, or Cottontail Park. See how many different types of animals and birds you can spot or identify wildlife tracks in the snow. In Reservoir Woods, keep an eye out for the largest Butternut Tree in the state. For both indoor and outdoor options, check out the Harriet Alexander Nature Center. For a complete list of parks and all they have to offer, visit the Roseville Parks and Recreation website.
2 - High Tech Gaming Rooms
For indoor activities for older kids, teens, and young adults, try out one of Roseville's many high tech gaming options.
At Sandbox VR at Rosedale, you'll get a fully immersive virtual reality (VR) experience into an action movie or show. Immerse yourself in Stranger Things, Deadwood, Squid Game, and more experiences for teens and adults. For a younger-kid option that's fun for the whole family, check out Curse of Davy Jones.
Take on Activate for challenges and puzzles that test your physical and mental abilities. Dodge lasers, climb walls, shoot hoops, hop across a light-up grid, and more! Fun for the whole family. Activate is located at 1955 County Rd. B2 W in Roseville.
Visit BRKTHROUGH, Roseville's newest high tech gaming experience, also located at Rosedale Mall. Teams of two to four people compete in over 40 rooms filled with face-paced, short challenges that test players' mental, physical, and problem-solving skills. You can also order from a full menu that includes burgers, flatbreads, and a self-pour tap wall of local brews.
3 - Lexington Plaza
Spend an afternoon at Lexington Plaza on the east side of Lexington Ave and Larpenteur. There's a lot to do here with kids of all ages! This strip mall has several family-friendly shops and restaurants. Start off with a snack from St. Paul Bagelry or a mochi donut and boba tea from Poke House. Then, go build and buy Lego at Bricks & Minifigs, try your hand at Neko Clawww, and enjoy a hot beverage with some feline friends at the Cafe Meow. Stop in at Namaste Brows & Boutique to browse Nepali handmade jewelry and felted decor items, check out the instruments at Music Go Round, and bikes and gear at Bicycle Chain. When everyone's hungry for a meal, dine at Keys Cafe or Maverick's Real Roast Beef just up the block, among other restaurant options. And don't forget to peek into Mr. Zeros for vintage video games, music, toys, and other memorabilia! This strip mall is packed with options.
4 - The Bell Museum
Technically not in Roseville, but close enough to be a great winter break activity! The Bell Museum at 2088 Larpenteur Ave W in Falcon Heights is a museum with interactive displays about Minnesota's natural history, a planetarium, and a "Touch & See Lab" with hands-on exploration opportunities. Special events to look for right now include Heart and Solstice, Christmas Bird Count, and Solar Observing for Solstice (Dec. 21).
Open Dec. 26 - 31 and Jan. 2 - Jan. 4 from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
5 - Ice Skating
Go ice skating at the indoor and outdoor rinks at the Roseville Skating Center or at neighborhood rinks at city parks.
The Skating Center's outdoor rink–The John Rose MN OVAL—boasts the largest sheet of refrigerated ice in North America at 110,000 square feet. A geothermal system cools the ice at the OVAL and the indoor ice arena, as well as heats the building. The OVAL is one of the premiere speedskating venues in the country and one of the only Olympic-sized Bandy ice sheets.
Naomi Krueger
Roseville Skating Center: Indoor Arena
Admission: $8 | Skate rentals: $5
Public skating is available for an hour and a half most mornings Dec. 21 - Jan 2, with the exception of Dec. 27. (View indoor public skating schedule)
Roseville Skating Center - OVAL (outdoor rink)
Admission: $9 | Skate rentals: $5
Public skating and open hockey are available Dec. 20, Dec. 21, Dec. 29, and Dec. 30. (View the outdoor public skating schedule.)
New Year's Eve on Ice (Indoors and Outdoors)
2:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. ($10)
Neighborhood Ice Rinks
Roseville's neighborhood ice rinks are set to open on Dec. 20, weather permitting. Six city parks have ice skating rinks, most with warming houses. These parks all have both open skating rinks and hockey rinks. View all the details about neighborhood ice rink schedules and amenities here.
Parks with ice rinks:
Acorn Park
Autumn Grove Park
Lexington Park
Sandcastle Park
Villa Park
Mapleview Park
If you have other ideas for family-friendly activities in Roseville over winter break, please leave a comment and share with the community.
We hope you have a fun and safe winter break!
