Chain of Lakes

Activity Overview

Minnesota has an incredible 10,000 lakes making it one the state's with the most shoreline in the whole of the U.S. Four of the largest in the state are conveniently locates just ten minutes from downtown. The connection of Cedar Lake, The Lake of the Isles, Lake Calhoun and Lake Harriet make up the Chain Of Lakes, a gorgeous part of Minneapolis.

Things to Do

• If your family is into healthy outdoors activities they will be spoilt for choice at the Chain Of Lakes. There are over 13 miles of paved shoreline paths along which you can bike, walk or jog.
• You can also head out on the Lakes themselves in a rented canoe or kayak.
• In winter there are plenty of activities to take advantage of. You can ice surf across the lake or simply go for a walk in snow shoes to enjoy the natural beauty of the snow covered tracks.
• When the lakes freeze over it isn't unusual to see people out on it playing hockey too.
• You can also take a ride on the Como-Harriet Streetcar line which can be found at the North-West corner of Lake Harriet. This is an historic trolley that at one time served as one of the principal forms of transport in the area.

Chain Of Lakes Insider Tips

• To direct yourself around the shorelines you can download a map of the area from the Minneapolis city website.
• Live Music sometimes takes place at the Lake Harriet Bandshell. You can also pay a visit to the local Bird Sanctuary, the Rose Gardens and the Peace Gardens, all of which are within a short distance of Lake Harriet.