Blake Walsh

15 Best Things to Do in Eagan, MN

  • Published 2022/10/03

Eagan is among the largest cities throughout Dakota County, Minnesota.

Founded in 1860, this area, once a township, has a vibrant natural landscape.

It got its name from Patrick Eagan, the first board supervisor of the town.

Tagged the Onion Capital of the U.S., Eagan relied on farming as one of its primary livelihood sources.

Even after becoming a city in 1972, the area continued to develop.

It offers you a chance to reconnect with nature and have fun.

To make the most of your trip, take note of the best things to do in Eagan, Minnesota!

Unwind at Lebanon Hills Regional Park

The waters of Lebanon Hills Regional Park

Sam Wagner / Shutterstock.com

The city takes its Lebanon Hills Regional Park with pride as the largest on the list of parks in Dakota County.

Head out to Cliff Road and see this 2,000-acre park.

This park is a suitable spot for outdoor adventure throughout the seasons.

Enjoy fishing along Gerhardt Lake, Wheaton Pond, Frog Pond, and Jensen Lake, which you can all find in this spot.

Snow-covered boardwalk at Lebanon Hills Regional Park

Joe Ferrer / Shutterstock.com

Hiking and mountain biking are among the most enjoyable activities on one of the park’s five trails.

Bring your loved ones to the park and share a meal in one of its picnic shelters if you want something lighter.

Drop by Lebanon Hills Regional Park’s sledding hill right off the bat once winter arrives.

Authorities preserve its flora and fauna by planting more shrubs around this park.

A bird on a tree at Lebanon Hills Regional Park

Andrew Satre / Shutterstock.com

Join Art Events at Caponi Art Park

Explore artworks in the vicinity of Caponi Art Park.

This 60-acre park within wooded hills showcases local artistry in an open space.

A tour around the spot gives you access to various sculptures made by Anthony Caponi, its founder.

Caponi Art Park leaves no room for boredom with fun activities.

It has an amphitheater that stages local events like concerts and other gatherings.

It also presents “A Murmur in the Trees,” a musical performance by the music quartet Zeitgeist.

It features Eve Beglarian’s songs and the creative works of poet Emilio DeGrazia.

Join the Eagan Art Block, a series of art events in the city that Caponi Art Park hosts.

Never miss out on the fun during the park’s Leaf Fest, where locals gather as the forest changes its colors.

With the help of its team’s forest therapy guide, join one of the forest bathing sessions arranged by the park.

Drive along Diffley Road and see Caponi Art Park’s wonders for free.

Taste the Beer from Bald Man Brewing Company

Bald Man Brewing Company delivers quality beers out of all the area breweries.

It’s on Silver Bell Road, where the Silver Bell Business Center is.

Its founder, Tristan Kusnierek, started home brewing as early as 1992.

He started brewing for his friend with the aid of a kit in 2001 and found it easy and fun.

His brewing talent eventually caught the attention of Dan Jacobs.

Amused by Tristan’s great-tasting beers, Dan helped him build the Bald Man Brewing Company.

This taproom offers light, hoppy, and malty brews that fit the preferences of all drinkers.

Grab one of Bald Man Brewing Company’s non-alcoholic beverages if you want a light drink.

You can also reserve its taproom and bring your friends over for remarkable nightlife in the area.

Play Golf at Lost Spur Golf & Event Center

City life won’t be complete without playing golf, so drop by the Lost Spur Golf & Event Center.

You’ll find this facility along Sibley Memorial Highway.

This course spans 25,000 square feet and houses a nine-hole course that golfers enjoy.

Enjoy a panoramic view of the city while conquering the challenging layout of the field.

Like any other ideal golf club, beginners can hone their golfing skills with some of its lessons.

Host weddings or business junctions in its banquet, making room for 400 visitors.

It houses three ballrooms and a grand ballroom, each with a different seating capacity.

Create Happy Moments at Eagan Community Center

The warm community of the city awaits you at Eagan Community Center.

It’s located on Central Parkway, where community-wide activities occur.

Bring your kids and let them have fun on its space-themed indoor playground, “The Blast.”

Meet locals and sweat yourselves at the facility’s fitness center and gymnasium.

Local brides also commend the Eagan Community Center as a great spot to tie the knot.

With its banquet hall embodying a rustic charm, celebrate milestones in a venue that can seat 300 guests.

Revisit Football History at the Minnesota Vikings Museum

Exterior of Minnesota Vikings Museum

Ken Wolter / Shutterstock.com

The city treats the Minnesota Vikings Museum with pride, a hub that stores the history of the NFL team.

Drive along Vikings Circle if you want to visit this spot.

The Minnesota Vikings is a football team representing the state at the National Football League since 1961.

In 1969, the Vikings won their first Super Bowl trophy.

Minnesota’s win that year was momentous, so the authorities dedicated a museum for the team.

See artifacts signed by the team’s legends at the lobby of Vikings Museum.

You can also see the museum’s prestigious ring and purple jacket, given to some players.

A designated part of the museum exhibits the retired jersey numbers of the Vikings.

Leave a message for the team in the Vikings Museum’s 360 Theater.

Around the place, you’ll see the journey of the Vikings through the decades.

Improve Your Artistry at Eagan Art House

Boost your imagination and make masterpieces at Eagan Art House.

Drive along Lexington Avenue South if you want to visit this indoor art center in the city.

For starters, attend its art workshops and learn how you can create an artwork of your own.

There is no age limit for this learning opportunity; they attend to both kids and adults.

It arranges exhibitions displayed in strategic points in the city throughout the year.

Eagan Art House produces fun puppet and musical performances through its weekly Spark! in the Park program.

You can also meet other local artists by signing up at the art house’s Eagan Artist Connect.

Join art events to appreciate your artistry through the Eagan Art Block that this spot hosts.

Fuel Up at Eagan Arms Public House

Grab a meal from Eagan Arms Public House while staying in the city.

Lee and Tracie, its founders, loved tacos and football games.

This bar came from a dream of setting up a pub in a quaint area like Eagan.

After a couple of years, they successfully opened the Eagan Arms Public House.

Its name reflects the very nature of its establishment.

A Public House, or pub, is a drinking spot where cultures from the ends of the world meet.

This pub serves liquors, like British beer and Irish whiskey, that drinkers will adore.

Eagan Arms Public House gets its bread and coffee fresh from dependable stores in the state.

This pub is along Lexington Avenue South, only 2.5 miles from the Lebanon Hills Regional Park.

Live the Rural Life at Holz Farm Park

Experience how life used to be for the natives of the area at Holz Farm Park.

This eight-acre property sits across Manor Drive.

Since 1870, the property stayed under the Holz family until the deaths of Otto and Ella Holz in 1993.

Locals urged the city council members to buy the farm in 1995 and turn it into a historical icon.

Its landscape depicts how rural life used to be during World War II and the Great Depression.

The space of Holz Farm Park opens for recreational activities.

Catch up with other guests over a cup of coffee on the front porch of the main house,

You can also join the Farm to Table Dinner, where they use farm-grown vegetables to prepare the food.

Other annual special events urge the locals to gather around and relax at the farm.

What better way to enjoy a full view of the Holz Farm Park than by going on a picnic on its grounds?

Shop at Twin Cities Premium Outlets

Exterior of Twin Cities Premium Outlets

Ritu Manoj Jethani / Shutterstock.com

If you love shopping for designer items, then Twin Cities Premium Outlets is a must-visit.

Located on Eagan Outlets Parkway, it houses more than 85 outlet stores.

Get cool kicks from Nike and upgrade your wardrobe with clothes from Polo Ralph Lauren.

Shops at Twin Cities Premium Outlets

Ritu Manoj Jethani / Shutterstock.com

After shopping, grab some snacks from the restaurants around Twin Cities Premium Outlets.

It’s also close to hotels and leisure spots, so you’ll never get bored after hopping from stores!

A restaurant at Twin Cities Premium Outlets

Ritu Manoj Jethani / Shutterstock.com

Other Things to Do Nearby

See the Wildlife at Minnesota Zoo

Bears at Minnesota Zoo

Michael Siluk / Shutterstock.com

Appreciate wild creatures thriving in the state at the famous Minnesota Zoo.

Head to Zoo Boulevard in Apple Valley, Minnesota, seven minutes from Eagan.

The state government opened in 1978, heeding the call to save wildlife.

An animal at Minnesota Zoo

Wirestock Creators / Shutterstock.com

This zoo spans 485 acres, serving as a sanctuary for over 4,500 animals.

Likewise, the zoo partners with organizations to save endangered species from total extinction.

The Ulysses S. Seal Conservation Grant Program joins conservation projects worldwide.

Minnesota Zoo prioritizes educational discussions with its guests about animals.

A monkey at Minnesota Zoo

Michael Siluk / Shutterstock.com

As you roam the zoo, the guides share vital information about the creatures you see.

After the tour, catch an animal show and see trained animals show off their tricks.

Drop by its store and grab adorable stuff that will remind you of a pleasurable trip you’ve had to the zoo.

Ostrich at Minnesota Zoo

Michael Siluk / Shutterstock.com

Bask in the Silence at Coldwater Spring

The waters of Coldwater Spring

Elkman, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Visit the Coldwater Spring and reconnect with nature.

To get here, drive along Minnehaha Park Drive South in St. Paul, Minnesota, 16 minutes from Eagan.

Back then, traders going to the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers walked at the crossroads, which became Coldwater Spring.

Coldwater Spring supplied Fort Snelling, a military fort in the state, with water.

In 2010, the state included the spring in the Mississippi National River and Recreational Area.

Authorities designated this spot for a renovation project that lasted more than a year.

In 2012, Coldwater Spring started teeming with shrubs and wildflowers.

With its trail of crushed limestone, you can go for a walk around this spring.

Since its prairie returned to life, wildlife has also returned to the spring.

Spot deers, coyotes, and turkeys that visit once in a while to dwell in this serene spring.

Uncover the Region’s Past at the Dakota County Historical Society Museum

The Dakota County Historical Society Museum will help you adore the roots of the city and its region.

It’s located on South St. Paul, only 17 minutes from Eagan.

Fred Lawshe organized the Dakota County Historical Society in 1939 to preserve history.

Fred and this group collected source materials from the entire region for over three decades.

In 1955, the society opened the first museum, which displayed its collections.

The original spot is along the community high school in South St. Paul.

In 1976, the society raised their concern for a new building to the county government.

Since the authorities were about to do a long-term project, they supported this call.

Visitors can now see 25,000 artifacts at the Dakota County Historical Society Museum.

Revisit the region’s past through over 20,000 photographs kept on the spot.

The Dakota County Historical Society Museum also houses a research library that provides valuable resource materials.

Revisit Fur Trade History at Sibley Historic Site

Sibley house at Sibley Historic Site

McGhiever, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Book a tour at Sibley Historic Site to discover the history of the fur trade in the area.

You can find this along Sibley Memorial Highway in Mendota Heights, Minnesota, 13 minutes from Eagan.

This spot pays tribute to Henry Hastings Sibley, who played a massive role in the US-Dakota War in 1862.

He was once a regional manager of the American Fur Company, a booming firm during the 1830s fur trade.

Today, his stone residence in Mendota has become a historic site.

He decided to continue living in Minnesota when the fur trade weakened around the 1840s.

When the US-Dakota War began, he was a colonel in charge of the state’s military response.

His heroism endeared him to the public, even though his side lost the war.

Daytime view of Sibley Historic Site

McGhiever, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

These events led to the establishment of the Sibley Historic Site.

In the early 1900s, the structure fell into disrepair due to its age.

However, thanks to the Daughters of the American Revolution, the place got restored as a historic site.

In 1910, they first opened the house to the public until they had to restore it again.

The newly renovated the Sibley Historic Site opened to everyone in 1937.

Hop on tour around the place and take a trip back to the past so you can witness the heroism of Sibley.

Check out the nearby store to bring home a souvenir from this historical spot.

Faribault house at Sibley Historic Site

McGhiever, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Behold the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area

Visitor center at Mississippi National River and Recreation Area

Jacob Boomsma / Shutterstock.com

Visit the famous Mississippi National River and Recreation Area if you’re around Minnesota.

This 72-mile river is one of the most prestigious spots in the U.S.

You’ll find this site along Kellogg Boulevard in St. Paul, ten minutes from Eagan.

Fishing, boating, and canoeing are the main activities at the property.

Daytime view of Mississippi National River and Recreation Area

Jacob Boomsma / Shutterstock.com

The Mississippi National River and Recreation Area are also perfect for birdwatching and hiking.

The area spans 67 acres, where you can enjoy the view of the river and its trails.

Likewise, the property sits within 54,000 acres and contains other regional parks.

To appreciate this spot more, check out nearby visitor centers to know more about its history.

Final Thoughts

Thanks to the number of its natural spots, Eagan never runs out of free space where you can enjoy serenity at its finest.

This list of the best things to do in Eagan, Minnesota, proves that visiting the city is a once-in-a-lifetime trip.

Pack your things and visit this enchanting city at once!

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