There are multiple places and places of interest inside the city boundaries of Shakopee, Minnesota, and we shall list and describe the most important ones.
Valleyfair
Opened in 1976 by two local businessmen, Valleyfair is the largest amusement park in the Upper Midwest. The park features more than 75 rides and attractions on 90 acres of land, with coasters big enough to define the City skyline. With Soak City Waterpark, Planet Snoopy, Dinosaurs Alive! , thrilling coasters, food and games, Valleyfair encourages fun for the entire family from May through August.
Canterbury Park
One of two major horse racing tracks in Minnesota, Canterbury Park is open for live thoroughbred and quarter horse racing from May to September. The Canterbury Card Club, a large card casino featuring poker and blackjack, is open year-round. During the off season, Canterbury also houses special events and concerts and continues the spirit of live racing with winter snowmobile races.
The Landing
Ever wonder what life in Shakopee was like more than 150 years ago? Operated by the Three Rivers Park District, The Landing features authentic 19th-century buildings and costumed tour guides to help visitors travel back to a time of settlers and farmsteads along the Minnesota River Valley. The Landing is open weekends and weekdays seasonally, with special events offered during the holiday season.
Sever’s Corn Maze & Fall Festival
Since 1997, Sever’s Corn Maze has been a yearly tradition in Shakopee. Open select weekends in September and October, Sever’s Corn Maze & Fall Festival features a uniquely designed corn stalk maze, live music, pig races, camel rides, petting zoo, a giant corn pit and much more.
River Valley Theatre Company
Founded in 2007, this community theater group performs two to three productions a year, including a summer musical. Past productions include “The Wizard of Oz,” “Anything Goes,” “Lend Me a Tenor” and “Rumors.” The non-profit organization also has a youth studio. Performances are typically held at Shakopee High School or Shakopee West Junior High School.
Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge
Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge is part of a corridor of land and water stretching nearly 70 miles along the Minnesota River, from Bloomington to Henderson. Comprised of more than 14,000 acres, the refuge has multiple units, offering a variety of free outdoor recreational experiences for individuals and families. The Wilkie Unit is located in eastern Shakopee. The Louisville Unit is just west of Shakopee along Highway 169.
Stonebrooke Golf Club
An 18-hole, par-72 course near Lake O’Dowd, Stonebrooke Golf Course is known for its signature eighth-hole, which include a ferry ride. Stonebrooke Clubhouse features a full-service restaurant, lounge, and outdoor terrace. Stonebrooke´s nine-hole, par-30 Waters Edge Executive Course is located across County Road 79, next to the driving range.
Mystic Lake Casino
Founded by the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community in 1992, Mystic Lake Casino Hotel is the largest casino in the Midwest. Mystic Lake features thousands of casino games, several restaurants, a par-72 championship golf course, spa, fitness center and hotel. Just minutes from Shakopee, Mystic Lake Casino is also home to the Mystic Showroom, where comedians and musicians from Foreigner to B.B. King have taken the stage.
Renaissance Festival
Founded in 1971, the Minnesota Renaissance Festival has become the largest Renaissance festival in the nation, drawing in hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. Festival-goers experience one-of-a-kind entertainment, from live jousting to costumed performers and artisans, on grounds modeled after a 16th-century village. The Renaissance Festival runs weekends in August and September.
As Halloween nears, the Renaissance Festival grounds are transformed into the Trail of Terror. With an indoor maze, haunted hayride and special events and attractions, the Trail of Terror offers spooky thrills during weekends in October.
Minnesota Valley State Recreation Area
This state recreation area is ideal for hiking, biking, cross-country skiing, horseback riding, mountain biking, and snowmobiling. The landscapes are just as diverse as the trail system and include wetlands, floodplain forest and bluff-top oak savanna. Wildlife observation and bird watching are popular activities year-round. The multi-use Minnesota Valley Trail, which starts in Shakopee, parallels the Minnesota River.
Minnesota Landscape Arboretum
The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, encompassing more than 1,100 acres of display gardens, plant collections, prairie and woods, is the largest public garden in the Upper Midwest. Established in 1958 as part of the University of Minnesota, the Arboretum is a community and national resource for horticultural and environmental information and research.