Whether you’re looking for a fun day trip with the family or a weekend of fun, Visit St. Cloud has a ton of activities for any budget. From swimming to hiking to strolls through the most gorgeous gardens or splash pads to history there is something for everyone- and best of all you can do most of them for free! This list of free family friendly places to visit in St Cloud is nowhere near exhaustive of what’s available, nor does it include all the great activities that you and your family can do.

Note: We were hosted on this trip by Visit St Cloud and did not have to pay for our experiences. That being said everything expressed is my opinion.

Free Family Friendly Places to Visit: St Cloud, Minnesota

Munsinger Clemens Gardens

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Any time you are even remotely in the area of St. Cloud I recommend making a pit stop to the Munsinger Clemens Gardens- add it to your Minnesota bucket list now.

There is an upper and a lower half, both equally vast with a beautiful array of plants and flowers, but neither one alike in any way with tall Norway pines (planted by Campfire Girls in 1926!) and a small hill operating as the divide between the two.

The lower – Munsinger Gardens – sits right on the Mississippi River and is dotted with shade and more Norway and Scotch Pines from the 1926 Campfire Girls plantings. Winding paths take you past small ponds and fountains, all leading down to the river. It feels very natural, like walking through a beautiful woods that just happens to have an incredible amount of flowers. There is ample sitting and lounging spots for you to enjoy the views as you explore.

The upper – Clemens Gardens – are absolutely stunning, but in a more, in-your-face beauty sort of way. There is a fabulous “3-story” water fountain at the heart of the gardens- which is where my toddler wanted to spend most of his time. I should also mention that it is one of the tallest fountains in Minnesota, so worth a stop if you’re collecting roadside attractions! Lovely patterned block paths lead the way from one perfectly manicured garden to the next, with shrubs dividing out the “separate” gardens.

There is really no bad time of day to visit the gardens- they are open Spring to Fall from 7 am to 10 pm.

1515 Riverside Dr. SE, St. Cloud

Related: Quintessential Minnesota Bucket List.

Splash Pad at Lake George

Hot days. Water. Splashing. Toddlers. Really that right there says it all, but the splash pad at Lake George in the heart of St Cloud may very well have been the highlight of the trip for my 3-year old.

There are water activities to keep the child in all of us busy in the water for hours, so don’t forget to bring your suit as well!

There are also several fun playgrounds and swings that you can enjoy while your dry off.

Open May through September from 9 am to 7 pm.

Berry picking at Grayson’s Berryland

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Ok, so technically the berries cost money. But the picking and being out in the Strawberry patch is completely free- and that is where the fun lies. Just make sure to pack water, hats and sunscreen as there is no shade whatsoever.

Plus they are so delicious that at $2.50/lb you’re getting one heck of a deal. (Note that they do have a minimum purchase of $10 so make sure you get your money’s worth in berry picking)

The berry farm is only open during its “season” so make sure to check their facebook page or call ahead at 320-743-3384.

6705 Co Rd 8, Clear Lake

If you are already ventured out as far as Clear Lake it’s worth a stop for a bite to eat at the Clearwater Travel Plaza (it’s the one with the blue roof) on your way back into St Cloud. I heard some rave reviews of the fritters and my son devoured his fritter french toast. It’s a little too much sugar for me, but I will definitely brag on the buffalo chicken salad I had- the buffalo sauce is the kind of thing my dreams are made of. So good.

Live Music at Summertime by George

Summertime by George is a weekly music festival that takes place at Lake George in Downtown St. Cloud every Wednesday all summer long. Bring a lawn chair and listen to the music while snacking on some local fare from one of the many food trucks and vendors that set up for the event.

Get there early for good parking otherwise there is a free trolley service available to several of the surrounding parking lots.

1101 7th St S., St Cloud.

The music starts at 5 pm but the vendors are mostly all set up by 4:30 if you want to grab a treat before you settle into your spot!

Playtime at Camp Crossroads in the Crossroads Mall

Camp Crossroads is a great spot to stop if you need some air conditioning relief after a day in the sun- or, like in my case, an escape from a rain storm! It’s a fun toddler play area filled with large plastic equipment to climb, explore, slide down on and let your imagination go wild with.

There are also a handful of quarter operated “moving” cars and vehicles, but if your kiddo is anything like mine, you won’t need to spend a dime for these “rides” to be a fun time.

4101 W Division St,. St. Cloud located in between Macy’s and Target. Open any time the main doors of the mall are open.

Quarry Park & Nature Preserve

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The park has so much to see, do and explore. Follow the path  all the way to the end and you’ll even find swimming in one of the filled quarries that encourages flotation devices- so bring your blow up flamingoes!

If you have toddlers or kids under the age of 4 I’d recommend bringing along a stroller as the path is nicely graveled but the distances between quarries can get to be a bit of a hike.

Ok. This one is not free. It is $5 for a car load to enter the park. So if you pack your car with friends and family that’s a lot of value for $5! You can also bring your pet along, if they are leashed and are kept out of designated swimming areas (and if you clean up after them!)

1802 Co Rd 137, Waite Park

Lemonade Concert & Art Fair

Frozen lemonade on a hot day. Free musical concerts every hour and all the beautiful handmade goods you could ever wish for. The Lemonade Concert and Art Fair is set up on the St Cloud State University campus and includes food, drink and art stands, plus at least two If that’s not a good way to spend the day I don’t know what is.

But the Lemonade Concert and Art Festival is only for one day a year, so make sure you get it on your calendars now! Then stay in town for the start of Granite City Days, the annual St. Cloud festival.

Plus there are constant shuttles running from free parking lots at the edge of campus to make your adventure that much smoother.

720 4th Ave S, St Cloud

Great Eats

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While not free, you still need to feed your family. My kid favorite restaurants are

Park Diner

An old school diner with a full menu of delicious goodies, including delicious shakes and malts! Make sure to order off the kids menu for the little ones- their meal comes in a fun cardboard car that they can take home!

1531 Division Street

Waite Park, Minnesota 56387

Mr Twisty’s

Ice Cream cones on a hot day are an absolute must. If your ice cream cone happens to have eyes then you’re at Mr Twisty’s and the kids will love the fun. It’s a fun walk up experience for the entire family, plus they also serve hot food so you can enjoy an entire meal in one setting.

Val’s Rapid Service

There is no place to sit here- you walk in, order your meal, stand around waiting and then leave to eat elsewhere. I wouldn’t recommend this place unless you had a great picnic spot picked out, but the food is great, easy to order and fast.

628 E Saint Germain St (97.27 mi)
Saint Cloud, Minnesota

Where to Stay:

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Residence Inn by Marriott 450 Division St, Waite Park, MN

As our toddler grows it’s become more and more important to me to stay at places with refrigerators- both for holding snacks as well as leftovers from restaurants, etc. As an extended stay hotel the Residence Inn had a full fridge, dishwasher, two burners and a kichenette area that was a life saver for those early morning and late night snack needs.

On Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays the Residence Inn has an evening “Happy Hour” with snacks and beverages (including beer and wine!). The staff was incredibly accommodating even during that. One of the food items being served was too spicy for my little and the kind man making the food offered to make him a plain cheese quesadilla instead! Beyond sweet.

An even bigger highlight of our stay was that all the dishes served at breakfast were glass and metal silverware- the only disposable items I saw were the napkins! An environmentally friendly hotel that goes to the lengths of providing real dinnerware and doing away with the throwaways is the kind of place I want to be spending my money! I will definitely be back.