At the Quarry Hill Nature Center, you can enjoy year-round outdoor fun. Hike, bike, cross-country ski, and snowshoe on five miles of trails, covering 320 acres. Fish in a 2-acre pond and explore interactive displays and exhibits of area wildlife scenery. There are also cave tours and a 1,700-gallon native fish aquarium. Open Monday-Saturday, 9am-5pm, Sunday, noon-5pm.
Soldiers Field Veterans Memorial honors veterans from SE Minnesota who died serving our country. The 60 ft circular granite walls feature battle graphics from the Civil War to the Gulf War and stories of military events and historical facts from the Revolutionary War to the Gulf War. You can see cannons from the Gulf War and World War I.
On Thursdays, explore the contemporary art exhibitions at the Rochester Art Center. The Free Thursdays, 10am – 9pm, include docent tours from 11am-1pm; bring a bag lunch.