How Fun Is Minnesota? Apparently, a Lot More Than You’d Think!

I’m not going to lie, when I first saw the headline, I was pretty surprised. But honestly? I think it’s a pretty cool flex for us!

A new study ranking the Most Fun States in America just came out, and Minnesota cracked the Top 10!

What's the first thing you think about when you hear the word “fun?” Is it amusement parks? Big cities? Beaches? Clubs?

WalletHub looked at a lot more than that when determining these results. The 2026 ranking compared all 50 states using 26 different measures, including everything from attractions to restaurants, movie theaters, golf courses, parks and recreation, music festivals, nightlife, state fairs and even access to national parks.

So basically, they tried to answer a very important question: Which states give you the most ways to have a good time without completely emptying your wallet?

And Minnesota did pretty darn well.

The North Star State came in at 9th overall, with a score of 49.48. We ranked 10th in Entertainment & Recreation and 9th in Nightlife.

Naturally, my immediate reaction was to check on our neighbors to see how they stacked up and of course who beat us:

Wisconsin came in at 16th (not bad, but still in our rearview mirror!).
Iowa... well, let's just say they have some catching up to do, coming in at 32nd.

The Top 10 Most Fun States in America:

10. Arizona
9. Minnesota
8. Texas
7. Washington
6. Colorado
5. New York
4. Nevada
3. Illinois
2. Florida
1. California

What do you think? Were you surprised to see us in the top 10, or do you think we should be even higher once State Fair season kicks off? ;)

38+ Foods On a Stick You Can Get at the Minnesota State Fair

The Minnesota State Fair is fast approaching! Plan out your trip and take a look at the foods on a stick that you can find at the Great Minnesota Get-Together.

Gallery Credit: Carly Ross

Filed Under: Minnesota