Five last-minute staycation ideas for MEA weekend

It's MEA weekend — the four-day stretch in mid-October when educators traditionally flock to St. Paul RiverCentre for a conference organized by the statewide teachers union as students and their families take an extended break.

Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport has already born the brunt of the weekend travel as folks book trips out of town. Even though the weekend represents some of the busiest travel days of the year, that doesn't necessarily mean you need to cross state lines to have a good time. Here are five last-minute staycation ideas:

Visit an apple orchard 'Tis the season to visit an apple orchard and gorge yourself on cider doughnuts. Good thing there's this handy list of 41 Twin Cities-area apple orchards that offer that experience and more.

Some orchards offer visitors the opportunity to pick their own fruit, while others operate sprawling general stores that sell a variety of apple-themed goodies.

Take a trip to the Minnesota ZooTiger cub twins Amaliya (female), left, and Andrei (male), right, who were born in May, hang out with their mother, Amur tiger Sundari, after making their debut in their new public habitat at the Minnesota Zoo in Apple Valley, Minn. on Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. ] LEILA NAVIDI • (Leila Navidi) October is usually a happenin' month at the Minnesota Zoo. The annual Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular is chock-full of meticulously decorated gourds, and this year's event runs until Nov. 2. Tickets start at $18 for adults and $14 for children (kids younger than 2 get in free but must still register for tickets). The Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular begins at 6 p.m.

But there's another new attraction at the zoo these days: the pair of Amur tiger cubs born to 7-year-old mom Bernadette just a couple of months ago. This week, zoo officials named the young felines Marisa and Maks . The zoo is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day.

Knock an item off your culinary bucket listPatrons enjoy drinks and dinner on the patio Thursday evening, July 18, 2024 at Lola's Lakehouse in Waconia. Lola's Lakehouse in Waconia features a large back deck/patio area with views of Lake Waconia. (Jeff Wheeler/The Minnesota Star Tribune) With so many people out of town, there's no better time to visit some of the Twin Cities' most popular eateries.

Whether it's finding the best pizza or the best burgers in the metro area, the Minnesota Star Tribune's Taste team has you covered. If you're looking for particularly scenic restaurants, check out the guide to the best places to eat near Minneapolis' many lakes . There's even a list of places to check out near Lake Waconia .