Hilton Garden Inn Minneapolis / Maple Grove

Laugh until your sides ache at the Joke Joint Comedy Club. Get your giggle on for free on Wednesday with Open Mic Night, or find deals and specials online for any other day of the week. At this intimate nightlife hang out and showroom, there’s not a bad seat in the house. Enjoy food and drink while you listen, but be careful not to choke when you start laughing!

You can let your wild ones run free at the Como Park Zoo and Conservatory. Admission is free, although donations are suggested. See exhibits and attractions that house the big cats, the primates, the exotic birds, the hoofed creatures, the wild wolves and even polar bears. Head over to the Conservatory afterward to see, smell and possibly taste plants from all over the world.

Bring the kids out to a place where they can touch, climb, splash, crawl, push, pull and press everything in sight. The Minnesota Children’s Museum offers fun-filled, hands-on exhibitions and attractions that allow children to explore and learn about the world by playing. Children can learn about the natural world, other cultures, history and art at the different galleries.

See everything from Broadway productions to classic opera performances at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts. The home of several cultural and arts organizations, including the Minnesota Opera and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, this European-style concert hall is the place to go for live entertainment—from plays and musicals to ballets and the Russian circus.