A Blast of Summer When Chill Winds Blow
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Marjorie McNeely Conservatory
If you’ve got the winter blues, go to the tropics. They’re not far. Cruise into the Tropical Encounters exhibit at Como Park in St. Paul or the Tropics Trail at Minnesota Zoo in Apple Valley. Several Twin Cities hot spots are a blast of summer when chill winds blow.
Como Park Conservatory: Come for a flower fix. The Holiday Flower Show at the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory at Como Park, Dec. 1 through Jan. 20, is featuring poinsettias named for artists, including the Premium Picasso and the DaVinci. Brightly colored azaleas take the stage Feb. 1-Mar. 16. Palms, ferns, orchids and other greenery add to the warm, summery feel of this beautiful glass jewel of a building. Adjacent to the conservatory is the new Tropical Encounters exhibit, a mini-rain forest with mahogany, papaya, coffee and fig trees, bromeliads and orchids; a sloth naps in a tree branch while tropical birds flit through the air
More info: comozooconservatory.org
Minnesota Zoo: Along the Tropics Trail at this top-notch zoo, orchids bloom in a lush, green rain-forest habitat, complete with flamingoes, tree kangaroos, and gibbons swinging in the trees. The brightly colored tropical fish in the coral reef tank are fascinating to watch. There’s lots more here at the zoo, but the tropics are a winter favorite
More info: mnzoo.org
Amusement Park at the Mall: Nothing says summer like a roller coaster ride. Kids agree that an indoor amusement park is just the thing in Minnesota. At the center of Mall of America in Bloomington, the park has two dozen rides and attractions, all under bright skylights amid thousands of plants. While you’re here, be sure to visit Underwater Adventures, a walk-through aquarium of Minnesota fish, sharks, turtles and more.
More info: mallofamerica.com
Water Parks: Water Park of America, adjacent to Mall of America, keeps summer going big time with a wave pool, raft ride, giant tube slide and a surf simulator. Other water parks in the Twin Cities area include Grand Rios in Brooklyn Park, Depot Water Park in downtown Minneapolis, and the Tropics Indoor Waterpark in Shoreview
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Posted on Nov 15 2007 | Tagged as: Winter, Winter Articles