Things to Do in Prior Lake
The lake, the parks, downtown and Mystic Lake: the places I send people when they ask what there is to do in Prior Lake.
Prior Lake is about 24 miles southwest of downtown Minneapolis, 31 to 36 minutes without traffic. The short list comes first, then the page runs by interest and by season. For this weekend’s events, see this week in Prior Lake, Savage or Shakopee.
The short list: 13 things to do in Prior Lake
If you want the quick version, this is what I point people to. Each line links to the part of the page, or the guide, with the details.
- Walk the shore at Lakefront Park. The city’s largest park in its 2024 park plan, about 141 acres a couple of blocks from downtown: trails along the water, Watzl’s Beach, a playground, a skate park and an amphitheater, plus the sledding hill and the rinks in winter.
- Swim at Sand Point Beach. The sand beach on the north shore of Lower Prior, open May to Labor Day, with two shelters, a fishing pier and the DNR boat launch next door. Parking is $7 a day.
- Get out on the water. Boating, fishing, paddleboarding and kayaking. Launches, rentals, rules and fishing limits are on Life on the Lake.
- Hike, bike or ski the regional parks. Cleary Lake has trails, a swimming beach, a campground and groomed ski trails in winter; Murphy-Hanrehan has more than 10 miles of mountain bike trails.
- Spend a Saturday morning downtown. The farmers market sets up on Main Avenue, 8 a.m. to noon, May 2 to Oct. 17, 2026, with the bakery, the taproom and the shops a few steps away.
- Eat on the lake at Charlie’s on Prior. Lake views, slips if you come by boat, and Live on the Landing on Wednesday evenings from mid-May to mid-September.
- Catch a band. The Pointe on many Friday and Saturday nights, the VFW a few weekend nights a month, and Music in the Park at Lakefront Park in summer.
- See a show at Mystic Lake. The Mystic Showroom books concerts and comedy year-round, about 10 minutes north of downtown. In summer the Mystic Lake Amphitheater in Shakopee takes the outdoor shows.
- Play golf. The Wilds, Legends Club and The Meadows are 18-hole public courses, Cleary Lake adds nine holes, and LaunchPad’s heated hitting suites are open all year.
- Make a day of Valleyfair or Canterbury Park. Both are in Shakopee, about 15 minutes from downtown Prior Lake: rides and a water park at one, live horse racing May through September and the big craft shows at the other.
- Take the kids out. The playgrounds and beaches, story times at the Prior Lake Library, and the public open skates at Dakotah! Ice Center (check the schedule).
- Plan around the big weekends. The Polar Plunge in February, the Fourth of July boat parade and fireworks, Lakefront Music Fest in July, Prior Lake Days and the SMSC Wacipi in August, Chalk Fest in September and DecemBRRR Dazzle in December. All of them are under Community events.
- Go by the season. Pumpkins at Sailer’s and trunk-or-treats in October (Halloween guide), the tree lighting and holiday events in December (Christmas guide), and the rest season by season below.
The lake, Lakefront Park and Sand Point
If you want one place that feels like Prior Lake, start at the lakefront.
- Lakefront Park is the city’s largest park, about 141 acres in the city’s 2024 park plan, and it sits a couple of blocks from downtown. It has walking trails along the shore, a playground, a skate park, an amphitheater, fishing access, canoe and kayak rack rentals and Watzl’s Beach. It hosts Music in the Park, Lakefront Music Fest and the Fourth of July fireworks, and in winter it has the sledding hill and the skating and hockey rinks. City park page
- Sand Point Beach Park, on the north shore of Lower Prior, is the swim-and-picnic spot: a sand beach open May to Labor Day, two shelters, a playground, volleyball courts, a fishing pier and the DNR boat launch next door. Parking is $7 a day by card or $60 for a season pass. I grew up near Sand Point and was there every day in the summer.
- On the water: boating, fishing, paddleboarding, kayaking and sunset cruises when it’s calm. Launches, rentals, rules and fishing limits are on Life on the Lake.
Parks and trails
The city has 49 parks on about 1,000 acres, with 80 miles of trails and sidewalks. It adopted a 20-year park and trail plan in 2024; a $60 million park referendum failed in November 2025, 58% to 42%.
For longer loops and bigger natural areas:
- Cleary Lake Regional Park (Prior Lake): trails, a swimming beach, a campground, a nine-hole golf course, groomed cross-country ski trails in winter and a 28-acre fenced off-leash dog area. Park info
- Spring Lake Regional Park (near Prior Lake): 374 acres of woods and wetlands with an old maple-basswood forest, eagles, a 10-acre off-leash dog area and snowmobile trails that link to the state system. Scott County runs it with Three Rivers Park District. Park info
- Murphy-Hanrehan Park Reserve (Savage): more than 10 miles of mountain bike trails, easy to advanced, plus nine miles of groomed ski trails. Audubon lists it as an Important Bird Area. Park info
- Ponds Park: nine ball diamonds, mostly softball, plus soccer and football fields and a free archery range. City park page
Downtown Prior Lake
Downtown is a few walkable blocks of Main Avenue SE, a couple of blocks from Lakefront Park, with restaurants, a taproom, a bakery and a handful of local shops. On Saturday mornings from May 2 to Oct. 17, 2026, the Prior Lake Farmers Market sets up on Main Avenue, 8 a.m. to noon. I’ve walked in plenty of parades down Main Avenue over the years.
- Edelweiss Bakery: coffee and pastries, open since 2005.
- Boathouse Brothers Brewing Co.: taproom on Main Avenue with bingo on Mondays, trivia on Wednesdays, food trucks, and snacks and pizza.
- PLate on Main: upscale-casual American in a renovated farmhouse.
- Perron’s Sul Lago: Italian bistro on Main Avenue.
- Rhino Wine Bar: a small wine bar, good for a quieter night out.
- YT’s Garage and Sports Bar: sports bar with a garage-door patio, open since fall 2025.
- Chula’s: Mexican and Latin food, open since May 2026.
- Extra Innings Saloon: neighborhood bar on Main Avenue.
For pop-up markets and holiday sales, see the calendar’s markets and shopping listings.
Places to eat and drink
Beyond downtown, a few of the places that come up most:
- Charlie’s on Prior: lakeside restaurant on Green Heights Trail SW, about a mile west of downtown, with lake views and slips if you come by boat.
- TJ Hooligans: pub and grill on Highway 13, with music bingo almost every Thursday at 7 p.m.
- The Pointe Grill and Bar: sports bar and live music room on Highway 13.
- Slate North at The Wilds Golf Club: the clubhouse restaurant, open to non-golfers, with a view toward the Minneapolis skyline.
- Mystic Lake Casino Hotel: several restaurants, including Mystic Steakhouse and The Meadows Bar and Grille.
Live music
Live music around town, spring through fall, with a few indoor spots all winter:
- The Pointe Grill and Bar: local bands on many Friday and Saturday nights.
- Charlie’s on Prior: Live on the Landing, Wednesdays 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on the lakeside patio, mid-May to mid-September, plus events like Rock the Docks.
- Prior Lake VFW Post 6208: live bands a few weekend nights a month on Main Avenue. The building was a movie theater from the 1930s and has been the VFW since the early 1960s.
- Music in the Park: the city’s summer concerts at Lakefront Park.
For touring acts, the Mystic Showroom at Mystic Lake Casino plays year-round indoors, and the Mystic Lake Amphitheater in Shakopee books outdoor shows in summer. Both are below.
With kids
The short list for a weekend with kids:
Outdoors
- Lakefront Park: playground, beach and skate park, and the sledding hill in winter.
- Sand Point Beach: swimming and picnics, May to Labor Day.
- Cleary Lake Regional Park: a swimming beach, trails, and a nine-hole golf course where kids can learn the game.
- Ponds Park: ball diamonds and a free archery range.
Indoors
- Prior Lake Library (16210 Eagle Creek Ave SE): story times, kids’ programs and after-school events, mostly free.
- Dakotah! Ice Center: lessons, hockey and some public open skates; check the schedule. Ice Center info
Seasonal
- Valleyfair (Shakopee): rides and a water park in summer, and daytime Tricks and Treats in the fall. Valleyfair guide
- Prior Lake Days: the free family day downtown, on a Saturday in August.
- Sailer’s Greenhouse (just west of town): pumpkins in the fall.
- Halloween: trunk-or-treats and other events around town. Halloween in Prior Lake
- DecemBRRR Dazzle: the tree lighting, fireworks and Santa at Lakefront Park in early December.
See family events on the calendar
What is there to do near Mystic Lake Casino?
Mystic Lake Casino Hotel, owned by the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, is about 10 minutes north of downtown Prior Lake. Inside are the Mystic Showroom for concerts and comedy year-round, a casino floor open around the clock, the hotel, and restaurants including Mystic Steakhouse and The Meadows Bar and Grille. Next door are The Meadows golf course and LaunchPad Golf, with 40 heated hitting suites facing an outdoor range. A short drive north in Shakopee are Canterbury Park, the Mystic Lake Amphitheater and Valleyfair.
- Mystic Showroom: touring national acts, comedy, tribute bands and seasonal shows, indoors. I add Showroom concerts to the calendar as they’re announced. Mystic Lake shows
- Mystic Lake Hotel: a full-service hotel on site, handy even if you’re not there to gamble.
- Canterbury Park (Shakopee, about 15 minutes from downtown Prior Lake): live horse racing May through September, a card casino, summer concerts and free festivals, plus the big craft and vintage shows. Canterbury info
- Mystic Lake Amphitheater (Shakopee, next to Canterbury Park): Live Nation’s outdoor concert venue, opened June 20, 2026, with touring acts in summer. Despite the name, it isn’t at the casino. I add its shows to the calendar as they’re announced, and my amphitheater guide covers shuttles, parking and the bag rules.
- Valleyfair (Shakopee, about 15 minutes from downtown Prior Lake): rides, a water park, and ValleyScare on fall weekend nights through Halloween, plus daytime Tricks and Treats. It’s open May into early November, and Enchanted Parks runs it now. I add Valleyfair’s special events to the calendar as they’re announced, and my Valleyfair guide has the hours. Valleyfair info
Golf
Three 18-hole public courses have Prior Lake addresses, and Cleary Lake adds nine holes. The golf page has all of it, including the courses within about half an hour.
- The Wilds Golf Club: public, par 72, 7,012 yards, designed by Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish, with 150 feet of elevation change and 70-plus bunkers among ponderosa pines and wetlands. The Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired clubhouse has Slate North and a view of the Minneapolis skyline. Course info
- Legends Club (Credit River, near the Lakeville line): public, par 72, 7,126 yards, designed by Garrett Gill and Paul Miller, with about 50 acres of water. The National Golf Course Owners Association named it its course of the year in 2007. Course info
- The Meadows at Mystic Lake: public, 18 holes, owned by the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community and next to the casino, with lessons, TrackMan swing analysis and The Meadows Bar and Grille. Course info
- LaunchPad Golf: 40 heated hitting suites on two floors facing an outdoor range next to Mystic Lake, open year-round, with a restaurant, two bars and leagues. Clubs come with the suite. LaunchPad info
- Cleary Lake Golf Course: a nine-hole executive course in Cleary Lake Regional Park, run by Three Rivers Park District in partnership with Scott County, with FootGolf, a driving range, cart and club rentals, and First Tee and LPGA-USGA Girls Golf programs. Open spring through fall, weather permitting. Course info
Community events
A few of the big ones, in calendar order:
- Prior Lake Polar Plunge (February, Sand Point): in 2026, nearly 1,200 plungers raised more than $343,000 for Special Olympics Minnesota, second only to the Minneapolis plunge. Through 2025 the Prior Lake plunge had raised more than $3.1 million in all.
- Prior Lake Farmers Market (Saturdays, May 2 to Oct. 17, 2026): 8 a.m. to noon on Main Avenue. Farmers market guide
- Fourth of July: the Prior Lake Association’s boat parade and fireworks over the lake.
- Lakefront Music Fest (July): two nights of concerts at Lakefront Park, run by Prior Lake Rotary. The fest puts its crowd at more than 32,000, and 2027 brings Train and Jon Pardi on July 9 and 10. Lakefront Music Fest guide
- Prior Lake Days (August): Friday night is the 21+ Sip and Stroll, and Saturday is a free family day downtown. Event details
- SMSC Wacipi (mid-August): the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community’s free powwow, Friday evening through Sunday afternoon at the Wacipi grounds just north of Mystic Lake, with grand entries, drum groups and Saturday night fireworks (Aug. 14 to 16 in 2026). Wacipi guide
- Chalk Fest (September): two days of street art on Main Avenue, with professional chalk artists, an amateur contest, live music and food trucks (the main day was Saturday, Sept. 19 in 2026). 2026 Chalk Fest listing
- DecemBRRR Dazzle (early December): one evening at Lakefront Park with the tree lighting, fireworks and Santa (Friday, Dec. 4, 2026). Holiday events
What’s happening this week?
Festivals, fundraisers, live music, family events and more: see this week in Prior Lake, Savage or Shakopee, or browse the full calendar.
Things to do by season
What’s good depends on when you’re asking.
What is there to do in Prior Lake in the spring?
Ice usually goes off the lake in early April, and the trails dry out after that. Sailer’s Greenhouse and Queen Bee’z Lawn and Garden get busy with planting season, the farmers market opens downtown in May, and Valleyfair and live racing at Canterbury Park both start in May.
Guides: Prior Lake Farmers Market, Valleyfair.
What is there to do in Prior Lake in the summer?
Summer is lake season: swimming at Sand Point, boating and paddling, Lakefront Park and the Saturday farmers market. Charlie’s on Prior has live music on Wednesday nights, the Fourth of July brings the boat parade and fireworks, Lakefront Music Fest fills Lakefront Park for two nights in July, and Prior Lake Days comes downtown in August. The Wilds, Legends Club and The Meadows are open for golf, and Valleyfair, Canterbury Park and the Mystic Lake Amphitheater are all about 15 minutes away.
Guides: Lakefront Music Fest, SMSC Wacipi, Mystic Lake Amphitheater, Rhythm on the Rails (Shakopee’s free Wednesday night concerts), Prior Lake Farmers Market.
What is there to do in Prior Lake in the fall?
Pumpkins at Sailer’s Greenhouse, fall color on the Cleary Lake and Murphy-Hanrehan trails, the last Saturday farmers markets downtown (the season runs May 2 to Oct. 17, 2026), ValleyScare on Friday and Saturday nights at Valleyfair, and trunk-or-treats around town at Halloween. Golf runs into the fall, weather permitting.
Guides: Halloween, Valleyfair and ValleyScare, Canterbury craft shows, Prior Lake Farmers Market.
What is there to do in Prior Lake in the winter?
Sledding and outdoor skating at Lakefront Park, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing at Cleary Lake, snowmobile trails at Spring Lake Regional Park, and ice fishing when conditions allow. Out of the cold, Dakotah! Ice Center has lessons, hockey and some public open skates, the Mystic Showroom books shows year-round, LaunchPad Golf’s heated suites stay open, and The Wilds runs golf simulator leagues. DecemBRRR Dazzle lights the tree at Lakefront Park in early December, and the Polar Plunge is at Sand Point in February.
Guides: Christmas and holiday events, Christmas church services.
Photo: Lakefront Music Fest at Lakefront Park.