# Upper Midwest weekend getaways with kids

Canonical page: https://littlesweekly.com/weekend-getaways/upper-midwest/

> Milwaukee and Madison are an hour and a half apart. The Twin Cities are a longer haul, about four and a half hours from Madison. Here's the best weekend trip in the region for each of the next 6 weekends, and what to do once you get there.

Last checked: 2026-10-18. Every event links to its official page.

## Weekend of Oct 23–25

**Pick: Milwaukee.** Boo at the Zoo runs all day Saturday this year, 9:30 to 9, so little ones can trick-or-treat in daylight.

- **Boo at the Zoo**, Fri Oct 23, Sat Oct 24, Fri 4:30–9 p.m.; Sat 9:30 a.m.–9 p.m., Milwaukee County Zoo. See the zoo's ticket page. New this year: daytime hours on Saturday. Official page: https://milwaukeezoo.org/visit/upcoming-events/boo-at-the-zoo/

## Weekend of Oct 30–Nov 1

**Pick: Minneapolis–St. Paul.** Last weekend for the Minnesota Zoo's Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular, 5,000 carved pumpkins on a wooded trail. Go Friday or Sunday, since Halloween night is adults only, and catch Howl-O-Ween there Saturday morning.

- **Twelve Kinds of Ice**, Fri Oct 30, Sat Oct 31, Sun Nov 1, Fridays at 7 p.m.; weekend shows at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. (2 and 5 p.m. on Oct. 25), Children's Theatre Company, Cargill Stage, Minneapolis. See CTC for tickets. A new one-hour musical about a girl and her dad building an ice rink, with ice that freezes right on stage. Best for ages 7 and up. Official page: https://childrenstheatre.org/whats-on/twelve-kinds-of-ice/
- **Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular**, Fri Oct 30, Sun Nov 1, Fri–Sat 5:30 p.m.–midnight; Sun 5:30–11 p.m.; timed entry, Minnesota Zoo, Apple Valley. $23–$30 adults, $19–$26 kids; 2 and under free; parking $10 for non-members. A wooded trail of more than 5,000 carved, glowing pumpkins with a trivia game built into the carvings. Oct. 31 is an adults-only night, and tickets are online only and usually sell out. Official page: https://mnzoo.org/jols-2026/
- **Howl-O-Ween at the Zoo**, Sat Oct 31, 10 a.m.–1 p.m., Central Plaza, Minnesota Zoo, Apple Valley. See the zoo for daytime admission. Daytime Halloween with a costume dance party and animals getting pumpkin treats. Official page: https://mnzoo.org/special-events/

## Weekend of Nov 6–8

**Pick: Milwaukee.** Family Free Day: everyone gets into the Milwaukee County Zoo free on Saturday, Nov. 7. Parking and ride fees still apply.

- **Family Free Day**, Sat Nov 7, Zoo hours, Milwaukee County Zoo. Free admission; parking and attraction fees still apply. Everyone gets in free on the first Saturday in November. Official page: https://milwaukeezoo.org/visit/upcoming-events/

## Weekend of Nov 13–15

**Pick: Milwaukee.** Wild Kratts LIVE! plays the Miller High Life Theatre on Sunday at 1 and 5, and BrainExpo, a free hands-on brain science fair for all ages, runs 10 to 5 both days.

- **Wild Kratts LIVE! 2.0**, Sun Nov 15, 1 p.m. and 5 p.m., Miller High Life Theatre. See the Pabst Theater Group for tickets. Martin and Chris Kratt on stage with the rest of the team on screen, in an all-new creature-power adventure. Official page: https://www.pabsttheatergroup.com/events/detail/wild-kratts-2026
- **BrainExpo**, Sat Nov 14, Sun Nov 15, 10 a.m.–5 p.m., MCW Alumni Center. Free admission and parking; RSVP requested. A free hands-on neuroscience festival built for all ages, with real brain specimens and food trucks 11 a.m.–3 p.m. both days. Official page: https://www.brainexpo-mke.org/

## Weekend of Nov 20–22

**Pick: Minneapolis–St. Paul.** Disney On Ice is at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul Thursday through Sunday, and the Children's Theatre Company's Grinch is playing in Minneapolis.

- **Disney On Ice**, Fri Nov 20, Sat Nov 21, Sun Nov 22, See the tour page for show times, Grand Casino Arena, St. Paul. See the tour page. In St. Paul Nov. 19–22. Official page: https://www.disneyonice.com/en-us/tickets/
- **Dr. Seuss's How the Grinch Stole Christmas!**, Fri Nov 20, Sat Nov 21, Sun Nov 22, Fridays at 7 p.m. (2 and 7 p.m. on Nov. 27); weekend matinees between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m., Children's Theatre Company, UnitedHealth Group Stage, Minneapolis. See CTC for tickets; lap passes $5 for kids 3 and under. CTC's own Grinch musical, back for the holidays with Reed Sigmund in the green fur for a ninth year. About 1 hour 50 minutes with an intermission. Official page: https://childrenstheatre.org/whats-on/how-the-grinch-stole-christmas-26-27/
- **Twelve Kinds of Ice**, Fri Nov 20, Sat Nov 21, Sun Nov 22, Fridays at 7 p.m.; weekend shows at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. (2 and 5 p.m. on Oct. 25), Children's Theatre Company, Cargill Stage, Minneapolis. See CTC for tickets. A new one-hour musical about a girl and her dad building an ice rink, with ice that freezes right on stage. Best for ages 7 and up. Official page: https://childrenstheatre.org/whats-on/twelve-kinds-of-ice/

## Weekend of Nov 27–29

**Pick: Milwaukee.** Wild Lights is open Friday and Saturday, with parking included. It's closed Sunday.

- **Wild Lights**, Fri Nov 27, Sat Nov 28, 5:30–9 p.m. (gates close 8:15), Milwaukee County Zoo. $15 adults and kids 3–12 (early-bird online price through Nov. 8); 2 and under free; parking included. Closed Nov. 23–26 and Nov. 29–30. Sunday, Nov. 22 is a drive-thru night. Official page: https://milwaukeezoo.org/visit/upcoming-events/wild-lights/

## FAQ

**Which Upper Midwest city is best for a weekend with little kids?**
It changes every weekend. Over the next 6 weekends our picks are Milwaukee, Minneapolis–St. Paul, chosen for what's actually on: zoo events, holiday lights and shows with dates we checked on the official pages.

**How long are the drives?**
Milwaukee and Madison are an hour and a half apart. The Twin Cities are a longer haul, about four and a half hours from Madison. Drive times on this page are normal driving times without traffic.

**What if a weekend says “No standout yet”?**
It means we couldn't confirm anything worth the drive. We'd rather leave the slot empty than fill it with filler. Check back after the Thursday refresh.

**Are the prices right?**
They're what each official page showed on Oct 18, 2026. Tap the official link before you buy, since venues change hours and prices.