Minnetonka is located in Hennepin County, Minnesota. It is nearby the cities of Hopkins, Edina, and Saint Louis Park. Minnetonka is mainly known for its famous footwear company, The Minnetonka Moccasin Company.
Minnetonka was first settled by the Sioux Native Americans in the 15th century. It was then occupied by Europeans in 1851 when it was founded as Eden Prairie. It was later renamed Minnetonka in 1858. This name comes from the Dakota language and means "great water."
Minnetonka is now a busy suburb of Minneapolis-St. Paul with many attractions that some may find interesting.
The first attraction would be its schools. They are very high-ranking schools for their size. The district is very diverse and extensive, with 27,000 students and 10 high schools.
To know more about Minnetonka, read this.
Places to See and Visit in Minnetonka, MN
Minnetonka has many trails, such as the Lower Minnehaha Regional Park Trail, which is .5 miles long and goes through Minnehaha Creek. It has picnic tables, fishing ponds, playground equipment for children, horseshoe pits, and restrooms. The second trail is the Deephaven-Lake Minnetonka Regional Park Trail, a 3.3-mile loop trail around Lake Minnetonka.
There are several access points to the trail. Also, there are two fishing piers, grills, picnic tables, benches, and restrooms. If interested in geocaching, Minnetonka has many excellent places to go with a treasure hunting experience. One area is at Merriam Park, the second Minnetonka Moccasin company location. They have a geocache that was placed by the company itself. It is a great way to see part of Minnetonka's history.
Minnetonka has three recreation centers that have basketball courts, batting cages, and ice rinks. Another place for recreation would be the Aqua Aerobics classes at Lake Minnetonka.
Lake Minnetonka is a very relaxing place to visit and have a picnic lunch. It has many marinas, boat rentals, trails, and two public beaches. The third beach is Merriam Park Beach which has restrooms and a playground. This park also has trails, a fishing pier, walking paths, and an observation tower.
Last is the Minnetonka Historical Society Museum, which contains photos, historic buildings, and exhibits from days past.
Food and Entertainment
There are many places that one can eat in Minnetonka.
- Thai Taste has won Best of CitySearch 2009 and Best of OpenTable Diners' Choice Award for 2010.
- The Lakehouse Restaurant is another place to eat with many choices, like the Minnesota Whitefish with a cucumber salad for a healthy choice.
- Year Nigh Cafe is an excellent choice for a home-cooked meal, with many options like the Grilled Pork Chop with apples and rice pilaf.
Entertainment in Minnetonka can be found at The Barn Theatre, which has shows every week. There are also numerous restaurants and bars to choose from.
Minnetonka is a great place to visit and see what it has to offer. This place is rich in history, modern-day attractions, and things to do for everyone.