Many families are working and learning from home this fall, and taking advantage of the remote capabilities by embarking on a work- or schoolcation. Roseville is the perfect home base for all of your remote working and learning needs. All Roseville hotels offer free WiFi to work and study during the day, and many have open swimming pools with limited capacity. They are also within 10 miles of a multitude of museums and other opportunities for learning and after-school fun.
Learn about animals and biology at SeaQuest
Photo by SeaQuest Roseville on Facebook
Swim with stingrays, hang with a sloth, and hand-feed sharks, stingrays, birds and more at SeaQuest. Visitors will adventure through the world as they see and interact with animals and learn about them from the knowledgable staff throughout. Live demonstrations and animal “edutainment” shows, such as Creepy Crawlies, Rumplesnakeskin & Friends, and Feathered Friends, take place daily. Not ready to visit in person? Try out their Virtual Field Trip series on youtube to learn about their animals through the screen.
Discover the life cycle of mushrooms at R&R Cultivation
For a unique science or even a home ec cooking project, check out new local business R&R Cultivation. They are growing eight different kinds of organic gourmet mushrooms right here in Roseville! Visit them Monday-Friday from 8am-4pm to purchase mushrooms or a grow kit that you can use to grow your own mushrooms at home. Kids will not only learn what makes these fungi grow, but will also learn to appreciate a new food! Visit their website for recipe ideas. Can’t get enough? You can subscribe to their mushroom CSA to have mushrooms delivered every one, two, or four weeks. You can also find their mushrooms in Lunds & Byerly’s stores and select other stores and farmers markets around the Twin Cities area.
Mix art and exercise with Roseville in Bloom
Roseville in Bloom is Minnesota’s newest public art exhibit which features 20 nearly seven-foot-tall rose statues throughout Roseville. Enjoy a beautiful fall day biking, driving, or even walking to see one or all twenty of the roses. We have bike routes of 9.7 and 7.6 miles mapped out, or you can hop in your car for an easy drive to all 20. Plus, you will be entered into a prize drawing where you will have the chance to win Nickelodeon Universe passes or a free hotel stay just by registering with the Suburban Ramsey Emergency Coalition. Registration is free, but we encourage you to donate to the coalition to help out our neighbors in need—some whose most basic human needs are threatened by the COVID-19 crisis.
Experience Minnesota’s natural history at the Bell Museum
Image courtesy of Bell Museum/Joe Szurszewski
The Bell Museum is Minnesota’s official natural history museum and planetarium. Discover new exhibits and shows this fall, including Brains at the Bell and Spooky Science (where you can meet flesh-eating beetles–yikes!). The permanent life-size wooly mammoth and dioramas will take your breath away with their sheer size and scale. Experience the Bell from home with virtual programs that you can find on their website.
Head outside for some physical activity in nature
Reservoir Woods Park is a Roseville hidden gem. At 115 acres, you can walk for miles in this forest-like park. If visiting with your furry family members, they will enjoy the Woodview Off-Leash Dog Park that is located within Reservoir Woods. While there, see if you can find the largest Butternut tree in Minnesota which is hidden within the woods. (Hint: the tree is east of the St. Paul Regional Water Facility, above the bike trail.)
Solve the puzzle to win the game at Hidden MN
Test your critical thinking and problem solving skills at one of Hidden MN‘s escape rooms. With themed rooms ranging from The Old Family Cabin to Wizard’s Workshop, there are options suitable for every age. Solve the puzzle before the time is up to win the game. They are also currently offering a mobile experience that you can rent for 48 hours and play in the comfort of your home—or hotel room!
Other nearby learning destinations include Como Zoo, Cooks of Crocus Hill cooking classes, Science Museum of Minnesota, Minnesota Children’s Museum, the Harriet Alexander Nature Center, and many more. Please call ahead to any of the destinations listed to see if reservations are needed. Masks are required in all public indoor spaces in Minnesota. Please travel safely and follow all local and state regulations and social distancing requirements.