North Saint Paul, MN Indoor Activities

A union of the local organizations U Film Society and Oak Street Arts, the nonprofit Film Society of Minneapolis/Saint Paul brings an eclectic sampling of international cinema to its members and to the public at its yearly international film festival. The society's crew of film enthusiasts carefully curates a roster of classic, modern, foreign, and locally produced movies to showcase. They screen each year's lineup amid the cushy confines of the St. Anthony Main Theatre, the society's headquarters and site of the festival, which boasts around 400 different films each year and generally draws in more than 100,000 viewers. They further enlighten moviegoers by recruiting industry experts for informative panel discussions, educational events, and tips on how to feed popcorn to onscreen characters.

When Layl McDill's daughters were little, she would carry small bricks of polymer clay in her purse for them to play with. Over the years, the pastime evolved into a serious profession for her. Forming ropes of the colorful, malleable material into millefiore canes, McDill honed her skills, creating patterns, pictures, and delicious pies from the carefully sliced clay logs. With the help and support of her husband and fellow artist, Josh Blanc, Layl founded Clay Squared to Infinity in 1996, where today she not only creates and displays her own artwork, but also leads classes for clay-curious artists of all ages.

With diverse backgrounds that include classical ballet, theater, and Renaissance fairs, BurlesqueMN’s instructors can relate to those seeking alternative ways to fit fitness into their schedules. By combining cardio and strength exercises with flirtatious moves, they help students find a positive body image through female empowerment, while increasing stamina at the same time. Many of the burlesque and pole-fitness classes span eight weeks and culminate with a performance showcase where pupils demonstrate their sultry new moves.

Bowling balls have been barreling down the lanes of Drkula’s 32 Bowl for nearly half a century. Perhaps by osmosis—or maybe unintentional design—the brick and wood building roughly resembles a bowling pin turned on its side, with the roof veering outward above the bowling alley and veering inward above the adjoining Drac’s Pub. There, the kitchen staff refuels bowlers with a surfeit of 1/3-pound burgers, pub sandwiches, and beer. Outside the pub, Drac’s Sand Bar hums with chatter from the patio and cheers from its four sand volleyball courts.

For more than 30 years, Raceway to Fun's grounds have offered visitors six outlets for their adrenaline. Two miniature golf courses beckon players to putt their way around large rocks and down angled fairways or traverse bridges to strike through loops and other obstacles. In a pool, participants as young as six board colorful bumper boats whose guns can spray off even the most severe of grass stains. Nearby, sharp turns on a winding go-kart track challenge drivers behind the wheel of single or double-rider karts. Golfers at the driving range launch balls over green fields while sluggers stare into the eyes of 16 pitching machines at the batting cages. Visitors can engage in each activity until dusk, when the sun setting on the horizon and the sky fading to dark blue signal both closing time and the start of the man in the moon's terrible stand-up routine.

Lookout Ridge Indoor Playground entertains kids 12 years and under with a sprawling, organic playground that complements the design of the Central Park building in which it is housed. Like a powerful shrink ray, the indoor jungle gym brings the wonders of nature down to a child's size, with life-like nature sounds reverberating through caves, fallen trees, and tube mazes. Pintsize adventurers climb to the top of a treehouse and scale cliffs that resemble the St. Croix valley, or zoom down a 30-foot slide and navigate a foam forest. Parents watch their young ones and groups of birthday party revelers from comfortable benches and chairs in the lobby.