Here's our favorite itinerary: hit up Centro for tacos and walk down the street to MN Nice Cream after (which happens to share a patio with Able Brewery). :)

Take the kids and buy whatever looks good, and work together to cook from your ingredients when you get home. Favorites: Mill City, Linden Hills, Fulton, Kingfield.

Get a pepperoni for the kids and a seasonal tomato pie for the adults!

This Smitten Kitchen Hot Fudge Sundae Cake is a great place to start--feel free to customize it to your heart's desire.

Rent canoes at Lake Harriet and finish the outing with lunch at Milkjam's hotdog stand. Just try to only order 1 hotdog. :)

For the best pancakes in town, head to The Kenwood. Seriously, the best. And you can burn it all off with a trip to Kenwood Park after--or a walk around Lake of the Isles. For rainy days, Birchbark Books is a great stop.

Two Pony Gardens in Long Lake puts on awesome pizza events, and Red Barn Pizza Farm in Northfield is a great drop-in choice (pack some chips for their fresh salsa).

Pack up some ham + butter baguette sandwiches, grab some macarons from Rose Street Patisserie, and go play bocce ball at Linden Hills Park to celebrate Bastille Day.

Little Hill Berry Farm in Northfield is one of our favorites! You could also sign your kiddo up to join us for Berry Fun Camp August 20-22!

Nope, it's not far, but it does the trick if you're craving a quick escape. Stay at Hotel Landing, ride the Minnehaha, and take a picnic of Bellecour provisions to Wayzata Beach.

Picking flowers at Knapton's will put you right in your best summer mood--make sure to check out Peppermint Twist Drive-in on the way home.

Head over to Lake Nokomis to build some sandcastles by the beach, and then be sure to grab a snack at Sandcastle, the concession stand (and so much more).

Tamarack Nature Center is a kid favorite, especially when you can end the trip with a stop at Cup and Cone in White Bear Lake for soft-serve after.

Ina's Fresh Peach Cake is a winner if you like peaches, and cake, and cinnamon sugar goodness.

Rent a Surrey to wheel around Minnehaha Falls, and grab food at Sea Salt. Nearby Wabun Park (with wading pool) is fun too!

Search Food 52's Easiest Strawberry Shortcakes for a quick and easy version.