Minnesota is hands-down the best place within the United States to spend the summer. Of course, I am biased, as it is my home state, but I truly believe Minnesota is the best place to spend the summer. Though considered a flyover state, there are so many different activities in and out of the cities to please any type of person.

In contrast to what most people think of when they hear the name, Minnesota is extremely hot in the summer. In June and July, it is not uncommon for the temperature to hit triple digits. Lying out in the blazing sun by the lake is the best way to spend a day, and you can barely drive five minutes without passing one of 10,000. Tubing, waterskiing, and jet skiing are ten times better on a lake than the ocean, and you do not have to share the dock with hundreds of tourists.

Minnesota also has great sports to watch in the summer. The National Sports Center in Blaine hosts an international soccer tournament every July. Teams attend from across the globe and interact at events and an extravagant opening ceremony. You do not need to play the sport to attend and enjoy. The Midwest as a whole also has great racetracks. My favorite is Canterbury Park in Shakopee. Canterbury Park is a casino and racetrack that often hosts special events between horse races. For example, last year they held corgi races and I saw a promotion for an event with ostriches and zebras.

If none of these sounds like something you would be interested to try, there are so many more fun things to do outside. There are amusement parks, waterfalls, cities, and the second-largest state fair in the country to explore. I would recommend visiting Minnesota to anybody looking for a low-key trip.