Excelsior MN and Southwest suburbs

[Belleweather]

We're moving! We just signed a lease on an incredibally cute house right in downtown excelsior and are now trying to figure out what we can about the area before we get into town.

I've lived in Minnesota before, but only in south Minnepolis in the center of the city, so I don't know anything at all about the southwest suburbs. (Seriously, I don't think I'd ever BEEN to Minnetonka before my job interview, other than a debate tournament when I was 17).

We're very into local food and DS1 is crazy about animals and farming. We'd love to community garden if such a thing is available. I'd love to hear about preschools, good thrift stores, kid friendly resturants, cool things to do on the weekends as a family, pediatricians, lawn care, anything at all. Lay it on me, mamas!

[mrsfatty]

Welcome! I live in Edina--RIGHT next to Hopkins (which is right next to Minnetonka--which is right next to Excelsior)...I don't have a lot of answers for you--I just wanted to say welcome!

[Tine]

Congrats and welcome!

We love Excelsior -- often take little trips over there just for the fun of it. What a lovely place to live.

[aylaelise]

I moved to Mound...really close...not even a year ago. I feel brand new to the area for various health and new baby reasons that has kept me home for a while. However, Gale Woods Farm is a must for your animal loving son. Great place which has preschool programs, my daughter just made a wool necklace from a field trip that they went to. Downtown Exc. they have an Ice cream shop called Licks that is filled with thousands of trinkets inside...any little kid has to go there just to see the place. Lowry Nature Center is close with preschool programs there as well. In the spring they make maple syrup and they also have a nice sledding hill. U of M Landscape arboretum has free adm. thurs. and have a play area for the kids all made out of natural things, logs stones etc.

As for Docs and such We see Dr Mark Hoch a holistic doc who is an MD in Minnetonka. Dentist we go to Tooth by the Lake in Hopkins, they are completely against mercury and all about the xylitol products.

Anyways I'm hoping to discover more and I would love to find a place nearby that has a kid friendly coffee house or something similar.

Would love to get together sometime this winter...maybe at storytime at the library.

Good luck with the move, let me know what you find in the area as well!

[tigermiep]

hi there! I teach at a Waldorf school in Excelsior. our preschool starts at 3 1/2, but we have a saturday morning parent/child class that just started and is week-by-week. There will be a six-week session in the winter, and in the spring, too, I think. the school is at http://www.springhillschool.com if you want to check it out. There are two locations of the Lakewinds Co-op within about 5 miles of Excelsior, and plenty of gorgeous parks and trails to explore. Also, Gale Woods Farm out in Mound/Minnetrista is about a 10 minute drive from Excelsior and has all kinds of family events, trails to hike, and animals to watch/pet!

welcome to the neighborhood! I live in St. Louis Park, but I've been working in Excelsior for almost 9 years now.

[lmkirche]

Hi! : Excelsior is such a quaint little town - so friendly and peaceful. The beach is a blast. I agree with pp, Licks as a must do! Pizza Hut is just downtown and of course very kid friendly. Jake O'Connors is a cool old school tavern.

The Prop Shop in Eden Prairie, off of Hwy 5 is a great 2nd hand shop - great stuff at garage sale prices!

That's what I can think of for now!