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February 25, 2016

Cheap spring getaways

Here are 20 places where a fun weekend won't break the budget.

After a long winter, everyone deserves a spring getaway.

On a budget? No problem. Spring is the best time to find deals, and often the weather is stellar.

Along the Mississippi in Minnesota, join a warbler weekend at a retreat center. In northeast Iowa, go on a beginning backpacking trip. In Chicago, stay at one of three hostels during Craft Beer Week.

Think a little bit outside the box, and you'll save a ton of money.

Here's our 2016 edition of great spring trips, most costing $100 or less per person.

Read entire story

Best bets for the weekend

Brave icy water, climb an ice column or tap for sap.

You'd better get out for some winter while it's still hanging on.

Duluth is holding its first Ice & Mixed Fest for current and would-be ice climbers, and Tour DuLuth will do the same for cross-country skiers, with free skate and classic lessons.

In St. Paul, there's extreme skating down a twisting track at the Crashed Ice championships, and extreme art at the Shore Shanty Village in White Bear Lake, moved to shore because of thin ice.

There's extreme leaping everywhere — at least, it feels extreme to thousands of people doing polar plunges to support Special Olympics. They're in Milwaukee, Wausau and Eau Claire in Wisconsin and next week in Minneapolis and Brainerd in Minnesota.

Then, on to spring. Believe it or not, the first maple-syrup workshops and festivals are this weekend, but check before you go to make sure the sap is flowing.

Then comes St. Patrick's Day, with parades and festivals spread over a week, and the first spring bird festivals and weekend bike tours, nearly all of which are cheaper the earlier you sign up.

Eggs should be hatching soon on the Minnesota bald-eagle nest, and there are two newly laid eggs in Decorah; both nests and others on the Mississippi can be seen on web cams. For the big picture, go to Prairie du Chien for Bald Eagle Appreciation Days or Wabasha for Soar With the Eagles on weekends in March.

If you'd like to camp in the Twin Cities this summer, reserve starting Tuesday for county parks in the eastern suburbs and Thursday for the southern suburbs. For campsites in state parks, reserve for Memorial Day in Iowa, which has a three-month window, and Labor Day in Michigan and Illinois, which have six-month windows.

Next weekend

Prowl for owls and go on a poker run.

International Festival of Owls in Houston, Minn. This southeast Minnesota town offers owl prowls, hooting contests, pellet dissection, live-owl programs and children's activities. March 4-6.

Winter Festival in Bayfield, Wis. This Lake Superior festival features the Run on Water to Madeline Island, poker run, ice golf, polar plunge, obstacle course, candlelight walk and vintage ski-wear contest. March 4-6.

Soar With Eagles in Wabasha, Minn. From the National Eagle Center, do some eagle-spotting and see shows with animals, exotic birds and bats. March 5-6.

Artigras in Green Bay, Wis. This fine-arts festival in Shopko Hall includes artist demonstrations, children's activities, dance, jazz and classical music. March 5-6.

For more events, see our Events Calendar.

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