The 'Sports Capital Of Minnesota' Is A Twin Cities Suburb With Championship Golf And A World-Class Complex

There are over 100 suburbs around the Twin Cities, the metropolitan area of Minneapolis and St. Paul in Minnesota. If you're looking for a sports-filled destination, travel north to the suburb of Blaine, which is one of the fastest-growing cities in the state. Originally part of the city of Anoka, Blaine was established in 1877 and today is known for its outstanding National Sports Center, championship golf, and parks.

Blaine is becoming a major hub for sports of all ages in the North Star State. In an interview with MinneapoliMedia, Sara Soli, spokesperson for the National Sports Center, shared her belief that "Blaine is really shaping up to be the sports capital of Minnesota," while local news station KARE 11 reported that "sports are the backbone to the city of Blaine." 

The National Sports Center is a major highlight, with construction underway for an exciting sports and entertainment complex nearby that includes a minor league baseball stadium. The Four Seasons Curling Club is also located in Blaine — it's the training site for the United States Curling Association, as well as the U.S. Olympic curling training center.

The National Sports Center in Blaine holds the Guinness World Record for the largest soccer complex, with 57 pitches. While soccer is a major focus, the center also has facilities for golf, ice skating, and hockey. It originally opened in 1990 — the site was built to support Minnesota's bid to host the 1996 Summer Olympics — and is the largest amateur sports facility in North America. 

The facility spans more than 600 acres and sees about 4 million annual visitors visit its soccer fields and 8-sheet ice rink center. The National Sports Center also hosts the USA Cup, the largest youth soccer tournament in North America, where some 1,150 teams participate in the event in Blaine. It's therefore not surprising that MinneapoliMedia praises the complex as being "synonymous with youth sports excellence."

Interested in golf? The city of Blaine is also home to the 3M Open PGA tournament. The event takes place in summer at TPC Twin Cities, a championship par-72 golf course that encompasses 7,468 yards, 27 bodies of water, and a 27,000-square-foot practice facility. There is also an impressive golf course at the National Sports Center — Victory Links Golf Course has 18 holes and covers 400 acres. Beyond Blaine, check out these three top-ranked public golf courses in the Midwest.

Blaine has first-rate sports venues, but it also has 65 parks, which boast 50 miles of trails for outdoor recreation like hiking and biking. Lakeside Commons Park has a beach and splash pad along with a playground, while Lochness Park has a lake, fishing pier, and disc golf course. Visit Pioneer Park for walking trails among the forest and wetlands, admiring native plants as you go. You can also explore the 500-acre Blaine Wetland Sanctuary from the boardwalk — there is a 3-mile trail through the wetland habitat for access. These green spaces offer visitors plenty of natural beauty and a peaceful atmosphere.

Blaine is a suburb of the Twin Cities and is located about a 20-minute drive north of Minneapolis. The Metro Transit bus 10 travels between downtown Minneapolis and the Northtown Transit Center, where there's a convenient Park & Ride location — you can use Metro micro to get from here elsewhere around Blaine. Blaine is only a 30-minute drive from Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, rated the best in North America for customer satisfaction. 

Looking for more to do in the area? For more fun adventures for kids in the state, visit Hyland Park, Minnesota's largest all-ages playground.