🍜Food Trucks, Pho & a lot of pickles

Too much of a good thing? You’ve probably never noticed our Leftovers section at the bottom, but this week we’d suggest scrolling down and checking it out—we had way too many fun things happening to fit them all up top. Also, check back next week for all-things State Fair.

Enjoy your weekend!

-Joe & Haley

Your Weekend Forecast

Minnesota Renaissance Festival

8/16-9/28

Jousting knights clash in the arena while jesters work the crowd with quick jokes. Lanes bustle with costumed characters, wandering musicians, and artisans shaping leather, glass, and steel. The air smells of roasting meats and warm bread, mixing with the sound of drums and laughter. Between the games, shows, and tucked-away shops, it’s a place where the modern world fades, and you find yourself happily lost in another time.

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Geocaching aint dead folks! In fact, it’s a great way to add a little spice to your next hike. Instead of merely walking through a state park, turn it into a quest for hidden treasures - and here’s everything you need to strike gold.

MN 101: Geocaching

🔎 Step 1: What You’ll Need

Getting started with geocaching in Minnesota is surprisingly easy and budget-friendly. At its core, you just need a smartphone with good GPS or a basic handheld GPS unit, plus a free account on a geocaching site or app to access coordinates and hints. A small pen or pencil is handy for signing logbooks, and carrying a few small trinkets lets you engage in the classic swap that makes geocaching fun. Dress for the outdoors, including comfortable shoes and weather-appropriate gear. If you’re headed to a state park for your first hunt, you might not even need to bring gear—26 Minnesota State Parks offer free GPS loaners, making a family outing possible without any up-front cost.

🗺️Step 2: Where to Go

Short answer: just download the Geocaching.com app (not sponsored)(yet). Minnesota's landscape offers a geocache for every taste—urban, woodland, and everything in between. If you prefer a more beginner-friendly setting, local parks often have tree-hanging or park-and-grab caches that are easy to spot. Look for them along Minneapolis' Chain of Lakes or tucked in spots like Minnehaha Regional Park. For a more scenic trip, many state parks—including Frontenac, Great River Bluffs, Sakatah Lake, and Whitewater—are official “geocaching checkpoints” where caches are deliberately placed along trails or near points of interest. Jay Cooke State Park goes further by offering geocaching units available on-site—making it a great destination if you're seeking both a historic hike (complete with a rustic swinging bridge) and a hands-on cache hunt.

🏃‍♂️ Step 3: How to Geocache

• Finding your first cache is equal parts tech and detective work. After picking a cache from your app, follow your GPS until you’re within about 30 feet—then slow down and start scanning for anything out of place.

• Read the cache’s description and hint; they often contain subtle clues like “look low” or “near the guardian of the trail.” Caches can be as small as a film canister or as big as a shoebox, and they might be disguised as rocks, logs, or other everyday objects.

• Once you spot it, sign the log, trade an item if you brought one, and seal it up exactly as you found it to keep the game fun for the next seeker. Discretion is key—avoiding attention from non-players, or “muggles,” helps preserve the cache. Over time, you’ll pick up skills like recognizing common hiding spots, reading terrain, and learning which clues are worth chasing—and you’ll get hooked on the little adrenaline rush that comes with each discovery.

🏕️Now, go for it.

The best way to learn is by doing—so pencil it on the calendar and just go. And when you do, I’d genuinely love to hear about your Up Yonder adventures! Reply here anytime to share your stories or ask any questions that come up while you're planning.

Until next week—happy trails!

–Joe

• Butterfly Odyssey

• Northloop Food Truck Fest

• Beauty and the Beast Live

• Art in the Garden, MN Arboretum

• Thai Sunday Market

PS: If your 2025 plans include buying or selling a home around the Twin Cites… 🙋‍♂️😃