As I discovered, and skiers already know, cross-country skiing is a singular winter experience unlike anything else. It’s challenging and meditative, silent and rhythmic, beautiful and humbling: The perfect way to embrace a Minnesota winter in all its snowy wonder.

There’s a perfectly scientific explanation for the aurora borealis phenomenon (more commonly known as the northern lights), and we’ll get to that in a minute. But when you see it in person—weaving, flickering and pulsing across the night sky, lighting up the stars with its impossible river of greens, purples and reds—it just feels like magic. Like the universe is reaching out to you, personally, and waving hello.

For visitors seeking the ultimate Minneapolis bike ride, point your tires to the Grand Rounds Scenic Byway. This 51-mile urban bike loop gives riders a best-of tour of the city, including the Chain of Lakes, Mississippi River, Minnehaha Falls and downtown riverfront.

It’s always worth visiting the North Shore, but in September and October, the region transforms into a truly magical destination that practically insists on becoming your annual vacation spot.

If there’s one presiding truth about vacation, it’s this: The worse your cell phone service, the better your mood. As your signal fades into nothing more than a distant memory, you’re free to bask in the simple pleasures found in your destination of choice—in this case, Minnesota’s smallest towns.

The 3-by-2 foot Smallest Museum in St. Paul may be Minnesota's most notably hidden-in-plain-sight exhibition, but it's not alone. Minnesota is full of hidden gem museums; you just need to know where to look.

As snowflakes flutter softly to the ground outside, there’s no better time to drape a fuzzy robe across your shoulders, slow down and engage in some much-needed relaxation. This winter, embrace the season’s slower pace and spirit of rejuvenation with a trip to the sauna or spa. Saunas were first introduced to Minnesota by Finnish immigrants who moved here in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Since then, they’ve become as Minnesotan as walleye and wild rice, although finding one you don’t need to

Colors bursting from branches, cool air wafting off the lake, charming small town main streets—biking the 40-mile loop around Lake Minnetonka is everything good about fall in Minnesota wrapped up in a tidy, close-to-home bow.

Driving around Lake Mille Lacs has long been a popular activity for Minnesota travelers, but its designation as a Scenic Byway cements its reputation as one of Minnesota’s top fall color drives.

As the Dark Clouds gather over Allianz Field in St. Paul, the future of soccer in Minnesota has never been brighter.

Whether you’re a fan of bluegrass, indie rock, symphonies or Shakespeare, there’s never been a better time to visit Winona. So call some friends, pack your bags, and discover one of the Midwest’s most surprising art scenes.

Jarrid Houston will convince you to go ice fishing in the same way Paul Bunyan might convince you to wear flannel. He’s not pushy about it, but Houston’s confidence in the glory of Minnesota’s quintessential winter activity is undeniably contagious. “I find it hard to believe that anybody would go ice fishing once and not want to do it again. Once you do it, you’re gonna be hooked—it’s 100 percent my favorite type of fishing.”

The now-dormant iron ore mines at Cuyuna were once the region’s main economic engine, and in a roundabout way, they still are. Although the mines closed for good back in 1984—abandoned like so many other industrial sites across America during that time—over the past 10 years, something unexpected happened. Something magical. The mines were reborn as mountain bike trails and, once again, they beckoned people to Cuyuna.

The modern Twin Cities Pride is a massive, annual, family-friendly party that celebrates the large LGBTQ community in Minneapolis-St. Paul. Like all pride celebrations, its roots can be traced back to the infamous Stonewall riots of 1969 and the ripples of unrest and protest that spread across America in response.

There isn’t really a direct comparison to ice climbing, says Sarah Wiesner, a Duluth climber who’s been chasing ice since being introduced to the sport in 2009. “You can compare it to rock climbing, but that’s a little like comparing running to figure skating,” she says. “It’s more peaceful, and I feel like it’s a greater puzzle…Ice climbing is very meditative in my opinion.”

Maybe it’s the smell of fresh-baked pumpkin pies wafting through the cool fall air, or some well-hidden secret in the heart of a corn maze. Maybe it’s the lush fall colors, or the unmistakable crunch crunch crunch of fallen leaves underfoot. There’s just something magical about exploring a pumpkin patch in the fall—and whatever that magic may be, pumpkin patches in Minnesota sure have a lot of it!

With dozens of charming Minnesota orchards dotting the state map like apples on the ground, the North Star State is an apple lover’s paradise. Who doesn’t love the crunch of freshly picked apples, the gleeful shrieks of children running through corn mazes, and the nostalgic joy of an autumn wagon ride? During apple season, it’s a wonder anything else gets done at all.

It’s not hard to see why bikepacking—like minimalist backpacking, but on your bike—has exploded in popularity over the last couple of years. It’s overnight, self-supported bike camping, riding primarily on low-maintenance forest roads, logging trails, gravel and singletrack—everything you love about backpacking, plus the extra speed, distance and thrill of a bike trip. Bikepacking offers an unbeatable mix of breathtaking scenery and backcountry exploration.

Planning the perfect long weekend bike trip is a delicate thing. If your destination is too far away, you’ll spend the whole trip just getting there; if it’s not far enough from home, it barely even feels like a vacation. To make planning your trip a little easier, we put together this list of fun, three- to four-day bike trips in Minnesota. They’re perfect for your next long holiday weekend (or even just your next “sick day”).