Photo by Susie Hopper/Minnesota Landscape Arboretum
The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum closed mid-March but just gave Minnesotans a new way to take in outdoor beauty: from behind the wheel.
On Friday, the arboretum opened its springtime Three-Mile Drive, a paved trail flanked by tens of thousands of blooming tulips. Visitors have to sign up for a slot online; there are no in-person transactions, and the trail is vehicle-only.
Not surprisingly, the first weekend sold out fast. Due to the overwhelming interest, the arboretum just expanded hourly capacity starting Saturday (meaning you’ll have to act fast).
Tickets are $15 per car for non-members and free for members. You roll up, flash a receipt of your online registration to a gatekeeper through your closed window, and “generally keep moving.” There will be no main building access and no parking, although restroom amenities include the Sensory Garden and Prairie Garden.
This is “phase one” of reopening, the arboretum said in a press release. Based on the reopening’s success, the arboretum hopes to expand access further down the line.
