Ask anyone who lives here and they’ll tell you the same thing: when the weather finally turns, the lakes are Minneapolis. The city is stitched together by water, and from June through Labor Day the shorelines fill up with paddlers, picnickers, bikers, and people who just want to watch the sailboats lean into the wind. If you’re wondering what the thing to do in Minneapolis is this summer, start at the water’s edge. Here’s how to spend a perfect lake day.
Paddle, pedal, or float the Chain of Lakes
The Chain of Lakes — Bde Maka Ska, Lake Harriet, Lake of the Isles, and Cedar Lake — is the heart of the action, and you don’t need to own a single piece of gear to enjoy it. Wheel Fun Rentals sets up shop at both Bde Maka Ska and Lake Harriet for the season with stand-up paddleboards, kayaks, canoes, and pedal boats, so you can be out on the water within minutes of parking. If you’d rather make it official, the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board keeps an up-to-date list of every watercraft rental spot in the system.
Prefer to stay dry? The paved trails that loop each lake are some of the best people-watching in the state, and they connect into the larger Grand Rounds Scenic Byway. Bring a beach towel, claim a patch of grass, and you’ve basically unlocked summer. For more ideas on where to spread out, our roundup of the Best Minneapolis Parks is a good place to start.
Catch a free concert at the Lake Harriet Bandshell
Here’s the secret locals love: a huge chunk of Minneapolis’s best summer music is completely free. Through the Park Board’s 2026 Music & Movies in the Parks series, more than 200 free outdoor concerts play across the city between Memorial Day and Labor Day, and the picture-perfect Lake Harriet Bandshell hosts a big share of them. Shows generally run Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., with Sunday performances at 2:00 and 5:30 p.m.
Classical fans, mark your calendars: the beloved Minneapolis Pops Orchestra returns to the bandshell for free weekend performances from June 27 through July 26. Pack a blanket and a bottle of something cold, get there early for a good spot, and let the sunset do the rest. Hungry for more shows after dark? Browse our picks for the Best Live Music in Minneapolis.
Ride a real vintage streetcar (yes, by the lake)
We’re partial to anything on rails, so this one’s close to our hearts. The Como-Harriet Streetcar Line, run by the Minnesota Streetcar Museum, sends beautifully restored streetcars rumbling along a wooded right-of-way between Lake Harriet and Bde Maka Ska. The ride is only about 15 minutes, the cars run continuously through the afternoon and evening from May into October, and it’s the kind of small, joyful detour that makes a lake day feel like a proper outing.
If that whets your appetite for the city’s history, we can take it from there. Minneapolis Trolley Tours runs narrated sightseeing rides past the lakes, the riverfront, and the city’s Gilded Age mansions — and when the sun goes down, our ghost and true-crime tours give those same streets a deliciously eerie twist. See the full lineup on our list of the Best Minneapolis Tours.
Where to refuel
Right beside the Lake Harriet Bandshell, the seasonal walk-up window at Bread & Pickle serves grass-fed burgers, cheese curds, walleye sandwiches, and famously good pickle lemonade — all eaten at picnic tables with the lake right there. It’s the easiest possible lunch plan, and it pairs perfectly with a concert.
Make a weekend of it
The lakes deserve more than an afternoon, so stay a while. For a romantic base with serious charm, 300 Clifton — the historic Carpenter Mansion bed & breakfast in Loring Park — puts you minutes from the water, with a four-season garden hot tub and a hidden speakeasy lounge called Gertrude’s Cistern. Looking for spooky-fun after dark? The haunted Pillsbury Club pours themed cocktails in a speakeasy-style bar inside a grand old mansion. And if you’re in town for a longer stretch — a work trip, a slow summer week, a house hunt — Oakland’s on 9th offers furnished, downtown extended-stay apartments that feel like home base. (For couples, our Best Minneapolis Date Ideas has even more inspiration; traveling with kids? Try our Best Minneapolis Family Activities.)
Want help planning the rest? Meet Minneapolis keeps a citywide events calendar that’s worth a scroll before you go.
Climb aboard
However you spend your lake day — paddling, picnicking, or chasing a sunset concert — cap it with a ride that shows you the rest of the city. Book your Minneapolis Trolley Tour today, and let us do the driving while you take in the view. We’ll see you by the water.