Formerly known as Red Rock, Woodbury is a city in Washington County, Minnesota.
It has previously gotten its name from a holy stone that the well-known Dakota Chief Little Crow painted.
However, when the state assembly founded another Red Rock Township in Minnesota, they decided to change the name to Woodbury.
The new name came from Levi Woodbury, the first United States Supreme Court associate justice to study law.
Woodbury is part of the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metropolitan area and the eighth-most populous city in Minnesota.
Woodbury was primarily forested when it was initially established in 1844, although the city was later turned into agricultural land.
In 1858, they established the township government.
Most of Woodbury’s early settlers came from Germany and the eastern regions.
The residents of Woodbury have made several contributions over the years to the city’s vibrant heritage.
The city sits along Interstate 94 and covers an area of 35.56 square miles.
Check out the best things to do in Woodbury, Minnesota.
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Woodbury Lakes is a turn-of-the-century shopping complex that features some of the best shopping the Twin Cities offers, thoughtfully planned with insightful structural design.
Built in 2005 and marketed as a “lifestyle center,” Woodbury Lakes is an outdoor shopping complex with about 55 store tenants.
Situated east of the crossroads of I-94 and I-494/I-694, Woodbury Lakes is the perfect location for suburban shoppers, as it features brands such as Aeropostale, Claire’s Helzberg Diamond, and Chico’s.
The food court offers various dining options and attractions, such as a salon studio, Petsuites, Woodhouse Spa, and Club Pilates.
Or you can spend some time at the Color Me Mine, a paint-your-own pottery studio.
For over half a century, Carver Lake Park was known as Camp Owendigo, which functioned as a summer camp for kids.
Carver Lake Park spans 150 acres and is one of the city’s most popular biking trails.
The bike park area is in Carver Lake Park’s open field section, close to the central park entry road.
If you are new to biking, you can take advantage of the skills course, which will let you control your bike better.
Moreover, there are four dedicated locations on the Carver Lake Park playground: a bicycle playground, a racetrack for toddlers, a pump route, and a loop for advanced trail users.
You can also visit the lovely lake, which is 40 acres deep and surrounded by hills.
You can choose from two pathways to the beach: one with warnings for a significant slope and the other with a more gentle incline.
Although no lifeguards are on patrol, swimming is allowed daily on the designated beachfront from morning to evening.
Open Door Community Theatre, founded in 2019, is an entirely volunteer-run local theater with a specific goal of putting on top-notch musicals.
Not only that, but The Community Theatre also partners with local charities to give a portion of the proceeds to important causes in the Woodbury community.
The Open Door Community Theatre’s first production was Shrek the Musical, which raised $10,956 for a local charity institution in Oakdale.
The Community Theatre organized other musical shows such as The Little Mermaid, Godspell, and Spongebob the Musical.
Open Door Community Theatre also features local talents in its shows.
You can even volunteer or audition for their upcoming productions if interested.
If you want a place to play golf, look no further than the Prestwick Golf Club.
Prestwick Golf Club is renowned for its hot customer service and immaculately kept golf course.
There are five different tee bunkers on this par-72 championship golf course, which also has big, rolling greens.
You can wander on the Golf Course and take in the natural splendor of Prestwick Golf Club, which includes its stunning vistas, vibrant wildflowers, and well-placed groves of trees and shrubs.
The Wick, a full-service bar and grill at Prestwick Golf Club, has a view of the course and greens of the last hole.
The Prestwick Golf Club’s exquisite ballroom can accommodate weddings, golfing trips, and corporate dinners.
Everyone on the Prestwick Golf Club staff will treat your exceptional event with the highest care and consideration.
They aim to ensure that your event accomplishes everything you have in mind.
Prestwick Golf Club’s all-inclusive package includes a stunning backdrop, professionally trained banquet staff, one-of-a-kind tasty delicacies from its culinary experts, and more.
The Tamarack Nature Preserve is a 169-acre preserve for the enjoyment of nature lovers.
The preserve has around six miles of hiking trails, perfect for a stroll or an invigorating hike.
One of the most populated areas of tamarack trees is found in this “rich wetland,” resembling a swamp formed when the glaciers in the area last receded around 10,000 years earlier.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has officially designated Tamarack Nature Preserve as a “Southern Rich Conifer Swamp.”
It is home to a diverse range of marsh plants, birds, and other wildlife and drifting reedbeds.
The Tamarack Nature Preserve also holds events such as the Annual Earth Day Cleanup every April, a self-guided walk tour, and lectures on Tamarack Nature Preserve’s rich history and ecology.
There is also a volunteer program if you want to help take care of the preserve and its many inhabitants.
The Lookout Ridge Indoor Playground is an excellent place for kids to burn off some energy, as it features a cutting-edge indoor playroom that looks like the St. Croix River Valley.
The Lookout Ridge Indoor Playground is on the base level of Woodbury Central Park and features a themed, realistic design, audio effects, jungles, a treehouse, and a cavern.
Children can scale cliffs resembling the St. Croix River Valley and then glide down a mountain spiral slope.
Additionally, kids may climb to the top of the treehouse, walk over to the enormous tree stump, and slide down a super slide in record time!
Children can traverse the tube jam and the foamy tree rainforest for a one-of-a-kind experience.
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The Woodbury Farmers Market is a great place to taste some of the local food in Woodbury.
This farmers market opens every Sunday from June to October, with a wide variety of vendors offering everything from fresh produce to artisanal goods.
At the Woodbury Farmers Market, you can buy cauliflowers, tomatoes, peppers, watermelons, and other fruits and vegetables.
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Some vendors sell honey, cheese, eggs, baked goods, and more.
The market also sells ready-to-eat dishes, such as egg rolls and doughnuts, and you even get a cup of coffee.
Those who love the garden may also find plants and seeds for sale at the Woodbury Farmers Market.
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Ojibway Park is a must-see for everyone who enjoys being in nature.
Located on Ojibway Drive, Ojibway Park features many amenities that would make your experience more enjoyable.
The park features a playground, picnic tables, ball fields, and even a skate park!
Neighborhood youngsters helped create the skate promenade in Ojibway Park, taking advantage of the wide skating area.
They intended the place to feel like street skateboarding.
It is also paved and unpaved scenic walking trails to help guests release pent-up energy or take a stroll.
Winter is also fun in Ojibway Park with its ice hockey rink and cross-country ski trails.
The city uses Ojibway Park for special events like the yearly Easter egg hunt.
One of the unique experiences in Woodbury is painting pottery at Color Me Mine Woodbury.
This is an excellent activity for people of all ages, as it can be relaxing and therapeutic.
You can choose from various pottery pieces at Color Me Mine Woodbury, such as mugs and pitchers.
Otherwise, bring your pottery to paint if you want a more personal project.
Once you have chosen your pottery piece, you can then pick the colors you want to use.
The staff is always willing to help and advise, so you can be sure that your pottery piece will turn out great.
You can also join one of the studio’s events, such as their ladies’ night or family day.
Colby Lake Park is where you can experience a stress-free environment and enjoy a whole day of relaxation.
Spanning over 67 acres of wetlands and greenery, Colby Lake Park features a fishing lake, a playground for the kids, and plenty of open space to take in the serenity of nature.
Picnic tables are also available for a picnic lunch by the lake.
In the winter, Colby Lake Park transforms into a winter wonderland, featuring an ice skating rink open from December through February.
For birthday celebrations and other special occasions, Colby Lake Park offers a park pavilion for rental, enough for 45 people in the party area.
Kids won’t want to go home when they visit Madison’s Place Playground, with a 16,000-square-foot inclusive and fully accessible playground designed for children of all abilities.
To establish a benchmark for how individuals consider and plan for inclusive play, the Madison Claire Foundation has brought Madison’s Place Playground to life.
The place has ramps for wheelchair users, a sensory playground, and sun-shaded recreational decks.
Located alongside M Health Fairview Sports Center, Madison’s Place Playground also has a splash pad, perfect for those hot summer days.
The splash pad has two platforms: a bigger one with buckets, jets, and flower sprinkles; a smaller pad system is available for the little ones.
The splash pads switch off automatically; however, users can easily restart the equipment by tapping a button on each splash pad.
As a multipurpose sports complex with inside and outside amenities, M Health Fairview Sports Center boasts 90,000 square feet of indoor space that can accommodate a variety of sports and events.
The M Health Fairview Sports Center features the region’s first accessible playground that is fully handicapped-friendly.
An outside refrigerated ice skating rink opens in the winter for those who want to enhance their skills or celebrate birthday parties and special events.
The M Health Fairview Sports Center also offers leagues, such as a broomball league and ice skating lessons.
The Sports Center also houses two ice arenas inside its massive complex and 36 athletic facilities.
The M Health Fairview Sports Center is the perfect place to stay active and fit, as it offers a wide range of classes and programs for all ages.
Golf Galaxy Performance Center is one of the leading golf stores in the state, as it provides a wide range of services to help you improve your game.
The store offers expert advice on the latest golf equipment and can help you with trade-ins and custom fittings.
The store also has a practice facility where you can test the clubs before purchasing.
You can do this by using the Golf Galaxy Performance Center’s state-of-the-art indoor hitting bay, which lets you perfect your stroke or shoot a few rounds with the help of in-store simulators.
Woodbury is only the second city to open a Golf Galaxy Performance Center.
The center employs PGA and LPGA professionals that offer golf lessons and club fittings.
Golf Galaxy Performance Center is the perfect place to buy new golf clubs, as it offers a wide range of brands and models and the widest selection of high-quality golf products, from equipment to clothing.
Likewise, the center offers services such as maintaining your sporting equipment in pure form.
Its Certified Club Technicians will turn your old golfing irons into mint condition.
Kidcreate Studio started when the children of Lara Olson, the owner, received few art lessons from schools.
She looked unsuccessfully for a kids-only art studio that provided excellent art instruction.
Since she couldn’t find something that satisfied her needs, she founded Kidcreate Studio.
The studio offers a wide variety of art classes for kids, such as clay creations, painting on canvas, and exploring mixed media.
The classes in Kidcreate studios are divided according to age, starting from 18 months to 12 years old.
You can enroll your kids on the weekend and find out if it’s the right fit for them.
There are also summer camps, art classes, and workshops to help your kids hone their skills.
The family-owned and -operated Windy Ridge Ranch has worked in the horse industry since 1979.
It provides various services, including boarding, training, and riding lessons for all ages and levels.
The ranch offers a safe and fun environment for people to learn how to ride and take care of horses.
Windy Ridge Ranch boasts an insulated arena inside a barn, and two others outdoors, with a wash bay.
Trail riding is also available for those who want to explore the scenic beauty of nature while riding a horse.
Woodbury may not be as popular a tourist destination, but don’t let that fool you.
You’ll be surprised by some of what can easily pass unnoticed during your stay there.
Who knows?
You might find your new favorite spot among this list of the best things to do in Woodbury, Minnesota!
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