Lake Maria State Park

Wanna get away? Lake Maria State Park is the perfect spur-of-the-moment escape from the Twin Cities. The level of quiet and seclusion you’ll get here is unparalleled so close to a major city (and there are two major cities less than an hour from here!). Rather than to car horns, you’ll fall asleep to the sounds of coyotes howling at the moon, under a heavy canopy of deciduous forest. The trails are relatively flat and easy for a novice hiker, and peppered with trail horses, fox, turkey, osprey, and egrets (probably best to enjoy their presence from afar, though). Swans tend to chill on the several small ponds in this park, which is nothing short of stunning to behold on a sunny day. Why not relish the romance and rent a canoe to take out onto Bjorklund Lake for a sunset cruise? Cheese, crackers, and wine not necessary, but encouraged—just make sure you stash any leftovers in the campsite’s bear boxes at night.