2025 Family Favorites Award Winners

2025 Minnesota Family Favorites Award Winners

More than 77,000 votes were cast from January 1st – January 31st, 2025. 

Thank you to everyone who voted to help us recognize these excellent businesses and professionals who go above and beyond every day.

Congratulations to this year’s winners.

Find out who won, where you can grab a copy of the 2025 Family Directory Issue, and learn more about this year’s winners below.

 

Best Indoor Play Space for Younger Kids

1st Place: MiniSota Play Cafe | Maple Grove

2nd Place: Peekabooboo Play Cafe | Albertville 

3rd Place: The Little Village | Cottage Grove

Best Bowling Alley

1st Place: Bowleroo | Blaine & Brooklyn Park

2nd Place: Bryant Lake Bowl and Theater | Minneapolis

3rd Place: PINZ Bowling Center | Oakdale

Best Children’s Birthday Party Venue

1st Place: Grand Slam Sports Center | Burnsville, MN

2nd Place: Sky Zone Trampoline Park

3rd Place: Urban Air Adventure Park | Plymouth, Coon Rapids, Apple Valley

Best Destination Playground

1st Place: Hyland Park Playground | Bloomington

2nd Place: Shoreview Commons Playground | Shoreview

3rd Place: Elm Creek Park Reserve | Maple Grove

Best Christmas Tree Farm

1st Place: Krueger’s Christmas Tree Farm | Lake Elmo 

2nd Place: Rum River Tree Farm | Oak Grove

3rd Place: Hansen Tree Farm | Ramsey

Best Family Fun Center

1st Place: Grand Slam Sports Center | Burnsville 

2nd Place: TIE – Can Can Wonderland | St Paul & Urban Air Adventure Park | 3 Twin Cities Locations

3rd Place: The Fun Lab | Blaine

Best Family Festival or Fair

1st Place: Minnesota State Fair| Falcon Heights

2nd Place: Renaissance Festival | Shakopee

3rd Place: Dakota County Fair | Farmington

Best Holiday Experience

1st Place: Bentleyville Tour of Lights | Duluth

2nd Place: Winter Lights at The Arboretum | Chaska

3rd Place: Holidazzle | Minneapolis 

Best Mini-Golf Course

1st Place: Can Can Wonderland | St Paul

2nd Place:  Pirate’s Cove | Brainerd

3rd Place: Lilli Putt | Coon Rapids

Best Place to Volunteer

1st Place: Feed My Starving Children | Locations through Twin Cities

2nd Place: Animal Humane Society | Locations throughout Twin Cities

3rd Place: Second Harvest Heartland | Locations throughout Twin Cities

Best Indoor Playgrounds

1st Place: Edinborough Park  | Edina

2nd Place: Good Times Park | Eagan

3rd Place: Inneractive Playground | Mounds View & Plymouth

Best Children’s Theatre

1st Place: Children’s Theatre Co | Minneapolis

2nd Place: Stages Theatre Co | Hopkins

3rd Place: Youth Performance Company | St Paul

Best Family Amusement Park

1st Place: Valleyfair | Shakopee

2nd Place: Nickelodeon Universe | Bloomington

3rd Place: Como Town | St Paul

Best Pumpkin Patch

1st Place: Pinehaven Farm | Wyoming

2nd Place: Minnesota Harvest | Jordan 

3rd Place: Waldoch Farm | Lino Lakes

Best Ski Hill

1st Place: Buck Hill | Burnsville

2nd Place: Lutsen Mountain | Lutsen

3rd Place: Spirit Mountain | Duluth

Best Arcade

1st Place: Can Can Wonderland | St Paul

2nd Place: Dave and Buster’s | Maple Grove & Edina

3rd Place: The Burrow | Victoria & Oakdale

Best Movie Theater

1st Place: AMC Theaters | Locations throughout Twin Cities

2nd Place: Emagine Movie Theaters | Locations throughout the Twin Cities

3rd Place: St Michael Cinema | St Michael

Best Trampoline Park

Best Museum for Families

Best Family Resort

Beaches for Swimming

Best Splash Pad

Best Nature Center 

Best Family Campground

Best Art Studio

Best Place to See Trains

Best Indoor Aquatics Facility / Water Park

Best Outdoor Aquatics Facility / Water Park

Best Apple Orchard

1st Place: Minnesota Harvest Apple Orchard | Jordan, MN

2nd Place: Afton Apple Orchard | Hastings 

3rd Place: Aamodt’s Apple Farm | Stillwater, MN

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Best Toy Store

1st Place: kiddywampus | Locations throughout Twin Cities

2nd Place: Legacy Toys | Locations throughout the Twin Cities

3rd Place: LARK Toys | Kellogg

Best Arts & Craft Store

1st Place: Hobby Lobby | Locations throughout Twin Cities

2nd Place: Blick Art Materials | Roseville & Edina

3rd Place: Five Below  | Locations throughout Twin Cities

Best Kids Boutique

1st Place: Pacifier Kids Baby Boutique | Locations throughout Twin Cities

2nd Place: oh baby! | Locations throughout Twin Cities 

3rd Place: Little Roos | Chaska

Best Shopping Mall

1st Place: Mall of America | Bloomington

2nd Place: Rosedale Center | Roseville

3rd Place: Ridgedale Mall | Minnetonka

Best Book Store for Kids

1st Place: Barnes and Noble | Locations throughout Twin Cities

2nd Place: Wild Rumpus | Minneapolis

3rd Place: The Red Balloon | St Paul

Best Kid’s Consignment Store or Event

1st Place: Once Upon A Child | Locations throughout Twin Cities

2nd Place: Just Between Friends | Occasional Sales held throughout the Twin Cities

3rd Place: Kid to Kid | Eagan

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Best Place for Pizza

1st Place: Pizza Luce | Locations throughout Twin Cities

2nd Place: Punch Pizza | Locations throughout the Twin Cities

3rd Place: Broadway Pizza| Locations throughout Twin Cities

Best Donut Shop

1st Place: Glam Doll Donuts | Minneapolis

2nd Place: Uffda Donuts | Maple Grove

3rd Place: YoYo Donuts | Minnetonka

Best Coffee Shop

1st Place: The Little Village | Cottage Grove

2nd Place: Annabelle House | Osseo

3rd Place: Smith Coffee & Cafe | Eden Prairie

Best Kid’s Eat Free Restaurant

1st Place: Willy McCoys | Locations throughout Twin Cities

2nd Place: Tamarack Tap Room | Woodbury

3rd Place: Sunshine Factory | Plymouth

Best Family-Friendly Restaurant

1st Place: Snuffy’s Malt Shop | Locations throughout Twin Cities

2nd Place: Rainforest Cafe | Mall of America – Bloomington

3rd Place: The Original Pancake House | Locations throughout Twin Cities

Best Family-Friendly Brewery

1st Place: St Paul Brewing Company | St Paul

2nd Place: Forgotten Star Brewing | Fridley

3rd Place: Elm Creek Brewing | Champlin

Best Candy Shop

1st Place: Minnesota’s Largest Candy Store | Jordan

2nd Place: Candyland | Locations throughout the Twin Cities

3rd Place: Grandpa Joe’s Candy Shop | Locations throughout Twin Cities

Best Bakery

1st Place: Nadia’s Cupcake Shoppe | Woodbury & Maple Grove

2nd Place: Key’s Cafe and Bakery | Locations throughout the Twin Cities

3rd Place: Yum! Kitchen & Bakery | Locations throughout Twin Cities

Best Ice Cream Shoppe

1st Place: Nelson’s Ice Cream | St Paul, MN

2nd Place: Grand Ole Creamery | St Paul & Minneapolis, MN

3rd Place: 2 Scoops Ice Cream Eatery | St Paul, MN

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Best Place for Swim Lessons

1st Place: Foss Swim School | Locations throughout Twin Cities

2nd Place: YMCA | Locations throughout the Twin Cities

3rd Place: Goldfish Swim School | Locations throughout Twin Cities

Best Preschool/Childcare Center

1st Place: New Horizon Academy | Locations throughout Twin Cities, Rochester and Central MN

2nd Place: Ramalynn Academy | Bloomington

3rd Place: Kindercare Learning Centers | Locations throughout the Twin Cities

Best Place for Child’s Haircut

1st Place: Kids’ Hair | Locations throughout Twin Cities

2nd Place: Sharkey’s Cuts for Kids | Minnetonka

3rd Place: Great Clips | Locations throughout Minnesota

Best Dance Studio

1st Place: Ballet Co. Laboratory | St Paul

2nd Place: Just for Kix | Locations throughout Minnesota

3rd Place: Larkin Dance Studio | Maplewood

Best Gymnastics Studio

1st Place: TAGS Gymnastics | Apple Valley & Eden Prairie

2nd Place: Twin City Twisters Gymnastics | Champlin

3rd Place: Classic Gymnastics | Locations throughout the Twin Cities