Things to Do in Woodbury

A floating jewel of red and white that hearkens back to the age of river travel and the golden years of theatre, the Centennial Showboat is one of five vessels operated by Padelford Riverboats. To keep this stage lit and to expand the cultural horizons of the community, the University of Minnesota Department of Theatre Arts and Dance performs roughly 80 productions there every year for an intimate crowd of 225. Apart from the floating theater, two reception rooms accommodate guests in Victorian style, and temperature controls ensure that snowmen don’t hog all the best seats.

In 1969, the founder of Padelford Riverboats, Captain William D. Bowell, Sr., launched the Jonathan Padelford steamwheeler into the Mississippi, hoping to bring visitors to the riverfront for leisurely jaunts. After more than 30 years of expanding his fleet and ferrying passengers along the historic waterways, he handed the reigs over to his daughters and nephew. Today, the family operates five boats equipped with dance areas, bars, sun decks, and the nostalgia that William hoped to keep alive. With the Twin Cities' skyline and the rugged, green banks of the river as the backdrop, US Coast Guard–licensed vessels float passengers past sights such as Pig's Eye Cave, Fort Snelling, and Pike Island. Some cruises also include dinner or fireworks, and special holiday cruises are also available.

Held aloft by 35 years of family tradition, Stillwater Balloon sends intrepid explorers skyward from a port just off the scenic St. Croix River. Friendly FAA-certified pilots operate each craft and readily answer any questions that passengers may have as they float through gorgeous views of the surrounding valley. The billowy, multicolored behemoths cruise at treetop level, allowing travelers to shake hands with monkeys. Private and semiprivate flights are the business's forte, but Stillwater Balloon also accommodates custom flights for backyard surprises or ultimate school pickups.

At Stillwater Boat Rentals, adventurous explorers can enjoy the scenic views of the St. Croix River while perched in a pontoon boat that seats 10–14 passengers, depending on the boat's size. Blaze new trails through thickly-forested waterways while commandeering one of Stillwater’s six novice-friendly, 22-foot pontoon rental boats, available in three styles. The Deluxe ($270 for four hours) seats 12 people and offers plush lounge seating for posteriors of all types, while the spacious Super LX ($255 for four hours) seats 14 passengers, allowing Parliament Funkadelic tribute bands to enjoy maritime merriment in between Minnesota gigs. Stillwater's third and final pontoon style, the Fish & Cruise ($270 for four hours) seats 10 passengers and, with its swivel seats and fish-finder equipment, is ideal for fishing fanatics. Starting out at the Stillwater Marina Gas Dock near historic downtown Stillwater, enthusiastic river pilots can wreak wake havoc for five miles to the north, viewing limestone bluffs, braving backwater mazes, and invading island wildernesses claimed by bearded castaways before reaching the turnaround point at the high bridge. From there, pontooners can pontificate on the origin of river spirits and disrupt random beach parties all the way down to Prescott, Wisconsin, before returning.

Mississippi Dunes Golf Links' sophisticated, 18-hole layout blankets 3,000 feet of rolling Mississippi River shoreline with manicured, bent-grass fairways and an inventive, tree-lined design. As golfers cruise over the course atop a cart or a caddy training to be an Olympic power squatter, majestic views of the river appear through groves of trees that shelter native prairie creatures. On their odyssey from tee boxes to speedy, contoured greens, golf balls must split fairways to avoid sidelines riddled with mounds, pot bunkers, and knee-high grasses—a trinity of hazards that imbue the course with a Scottish, links-style vibe. A memorable tee shot awaits at the 399-yard, par-4 fifth hole—the course's most difficult, nicknamed "Humpback" for the large mound in the middle of the fairway as well as its voracious appetite for krill—where golfers must draw or fade drives around a dogleg left.

After hacking their way across the breeze-swept links, guests can unwind at Doc's Landing Pub, where a menu of traditional grill fare, fish, and pizza sates tour-worthy appetites. Patrons can look out on the river on the Pub's patio, catch up on the day's sporting events in the glow of a flat-panel TV, or discuss how greenskeepers maintain the immaculate felt that covers the billiards table.

Long rumored to be the home of eerie happenings, a lonely stretch along Highway 61 has begun to attract even more sinister attention with the arrival of The Haunting Experience on Highway 61. Drawing from the site’s fabled past—including tales of cannibalism and mysterious disappearances—three haunted houses illicit goose bumps by way of deranged clowns, men with chainsaws, and ghosts plagued by unfinished business and half-completed doctoral theses. While waiting to enter the spooky abodes, guests can fortify their spirits by a bonfire and munch on snacks from the Ghoulish Grill and frosty mugs at the beer tent. Aside from these terrifying attractions, guests seeking a tamer experience can venture through a corn maze during the daytime, solving clues hidden within its paths to win prizes.

Fourteen inflatable castles and games fill Club Just Jump with fun-fostering facilities that create a party palace for kids during open-play, bounce sessions, and private parties. Six predesigned party packages await giddy groups with snacks, decor, and activities such as face painting and spin art. Alternatively, an à la carte menu lets hosts curate their own celebrations by picking balloon bouquets, goody bags, and entertainment one at a time. Little hands keeping busy at the Furry Friends Factory stuff their own fuzzy creatures, choosing from 24 creatures that include unicorns, frogs, and industrial-concrete-supply reps. On Monday nights, parents can bring young antigravity aficionados to Family Fun Night, where guests play games, create crafts, and refuse to touch the ground made of invisible lava.