What you need to know now about things to do in Excelsior, MN:
- The best things to do in Excelsior, MN center on Water Street: lakefront dining, boutique shopping, Excelsior Commons beach, and the Lake Minnetonka Regional Trail.
- Excelsior hosts three signature annual events: Crazy Days in July, Apple Day in September, and Art on the Lake in June, all run through the Excelsior-Lake Minnetonka Chamber of Commerce.
- Excelsior is a small, walkable lake town of about 2,300 residents with a median household income well above the state average, and it draws families who want lake access without leaving the Twin Cities metro.
- TC Homes builds custom homes throughout Excelsior and the surrounding South Lake Minnetonka communities, including Shorewood, Greenwood, and Tonka Bay.
Keep reading for a full rundown of what to do here, when to visit, and what it actually looks like to build a home in this corner of Lake Minnetonka.
What Are the Best Things to Do in Excelsior, MN?
The best things to do in Excelsior, MN are walking Water Street’s shops and restaurants, swimming or picnicking at Excelsior Commons, biking the Lake Minnetonka Regional Trail, and visiting the Minnesota Streetcar Museum. Most of the town’s attractions sit within a five-minute walk of each other along the lakeshore.
That density is part of the appeal. Excelsior covers less than a square mile, so a single afternoon can cover the whole downtown without needing a car.
Water Street: Shops, Restaurants, and Boutiques
Water Street is the spine of downtown Excelsior. It runs a few blocks from the Commons down to the lakefront, lined with independent boutiques, antique shops, wine bars, and restaurants with patio seating that fills up fast on summer weekends.
The pace changes with the season. Summer brings boaters off the lake mixing with shoppers working down the block. Winter empties the sidewalks but keeps most storefronts open year-round.
Excelsior Bay Books and the Water Street Gallery are two of the longer-running boutiques on the strip, both the kind of small independent shop that has largely disappeared from bigger commercial corridors. New restaurants and bakeries have steadily replaced older retail over the past decade, a trend Excelsior shares with several other Lake Minnetonka towns.
Excelsior Commons: Beach, Bandshell, and Lake Access
Excelsior Commons sits at the north end of downtown and has functioned as the town’s public lakefront since 1854. It includes a sand beach, tennis courts, a baseball diamond, playgrounds, picnic areas, and a bandshell that hosts a summer concert series and the Fourth of July fireworks.
This is the easiest place in Excelsior to show up and spend a few hours with nothing but a beach towel.
Lake Minnetonka Regional Trail
The Lake Minnetonka Regional Trail runs roughly fifteen miles and passes directly through downtown Excelsior, connecting to Carver Park Reserve a few miles west. It is paved, flat, and used year-round for walking, running, and biking, with cross-country skiing common once the snow sets in.
Families who build near Excelsior bring up this trail unprompted. It puts miles of car-free biking within a few blocks of home, which matters more once kids are old enough to ride on their own.
Minnesota Streetcar Museum
The Minnesota Streetcar Museum operates a heritage streetcar line along Water Street, running three restored cars from the early 1900s. Rides typically run Thursdays, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays from May through Labor Day, with a shorter Thursday-only schedule into October.
The line is a direct link to Excelsior’s transit history. Streetcars connected the town to Minneapolis until the early 1930s, and the museum’s cars trace that same route through downtown today.
Is the Steamboat Minnehaha Still Running?
No, the steamboat Minnehaha is not currently running. The 1906 vessel has been dry docked in Excelsior since 2019 after losing access to its private launch ramp, and the Lake Minnetonka Historical Society is now working toward a new launch site at Lake Minnetonka Regional Park, with a possible return to service by 2028.
A lot of older travel articles and even some official pages still describe the Minnehaha as offering regular summer trips between Excelsior and Wayzata. That information is out of date. The boat is intact, restored, and sitting in a dry dock barn while its owners search for a new place to launch it, according to Sun Sailor reporting from July 2026.
Water Street and the Commons are the lifestyle. Building here is the part most guides skip. We laid out exactly what to know about lots, setbacks, and cost before you buy near this stretch of the lake. Read: Lake Minnetonka Homes: What You Need to Know Before Building Here →
What Annual Events and Festivals Happen in Excelsior, MN?
Excelsior’s biggest annual draws are Crazy Days in July, Apple Day in September, and Art on the Lake in June, all organized by the Excelsior-Lake Minnetonka Chamber of Commerce. Smaller recurring events include a summer concert series at the Commons bandshell and a Fourth of July run through downtown.
Crazy Days is the one locals plan around. It is a four-day sidewalk sale that turns Water Street into an open-air shopping event, with Saturday set aside as Kids Day.
Apple Day leans into the town’s agricultural roots. Excelsior grew up shipping berries and apples by rail and steamboat, and Apple Day, running since 1935, still centers on that harvest tradition with baking contests and vendor stalls along the lakefront.
Art on the Lake draws artists from across the region for a juried outdoor art fair, typically held in June.
| Event | Typical Month | Type | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Excelsior Firecracker Run | Early July | 5K, 10K, kids run | Downtown Excelsior |
| Crazy Days | Mid-July | Sidewalk sale, 4 days | Water Street |
| Art on the Lake | June | Juried outdoor art fair | Excelsior Commons |
| Concerts in the Commons | Late May through early September | Free outdoor concert series | Commons bandshell |
| Apple Day | September | Harvest festival, since 1935 | Downtown and lakefront |
What Is There to Do in Excelsior, MN in the Winter?
Excelsior does not shut down once the lake freezes. The Lake Minnetonka Regional Trail stays open for winter walking, and frozen Lake Minnetonka draws ice anglers, and on occasion, ice yacht sailors. Downtown restaurants and shops stay open year-round, just without the summer boat traffic.
The town also runs a Halloween trolley event and holiday streetcar rides through the Minnesota Streetcar Museum, so the shoulder seasons have their own smaller draws beyond the summer festival lineup.
Where Should You Eat and Drink in Excelsior, MN?
Excelsior’s dining scene runs along Water Street. Maynard’s, a longtime waterfront restaurant, is the spot most people picture when they think of eating in Excelsior, with a deck that looks straight out at the boat traffic. Excelsior Brewing Company sits a few blocks off the main strip for beer and casual food, and Licks, at the far end of Water Street, is the ice cream stop nearly everyone ends up at eventually. Since 2010, restaurants have steadily replaced general retail as the dominant business type downtown.
Most spots are small and independently owned, which is part of why the town feels different from a typical suburban strip. A patio table on a July evening looks out at sailboats rather than a parking lot.
Reservations matter more than people expect on weekend nights in summer. The town’s total downtown footprint is small, and demand from both residents and day-trippers from across the metro fills tables fast.
What Is Excelsior, MN Known For, and Is It a Good Place to Live?
Excelsior is known as the first town settled on Lake Minnetonka, founded in 1853 by a group of New York investors and named after either a Longfellow poem or the New York state motto, both meaning “ever upward.” Today it is known for its walkable historic downtown, its beach and trail access, and household incomes well above both the state and national averages.
Why Is It Called Excelsior?
The name traces to founder George Bertram and the Excelsior Pioneer Association, a group of settlers from upstate New York who purchased land on the lake’s south shore in 1853. The exact reasoning was never recorded, but the Excelsior Lake Minnetonka Historical Society points to two likely sources: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s 1841 poem “Excelsior,” and New York’s own state motto, which uses the same word to mean “ever upward.”
What Is the History of Excelsior, MN?
Excelsior became the first village on Lake Minnetonka in 1853 and quickly grew into a destination resort town, with grand hotels drawing tourists from across the country by the late 1800s. Streetcars connected it to Minneapolis starting in the 1880s, and from 1925 to 1973 the town was home to Excelsior Amusement Park, whose Danceland ballroom hosted acts ranging from Tommy Dorsey to the Rolling Stones.
Agriculture, particularly berries and apples, and a local lumber mill sustained the local economy alongside tourism for decades. As roads improved and automobiles took over from steamboats and streetcars, several surrounding communities including Orono and Shorewood broke away from the original Excelsior Township, leaving the compact city that exists today, according to the Excelsior Lake Minnetonka Historical Society.
Is Excelsior, MN a Rich Area?
Yes, by most standard measures. Excelsior’s median household income runs meaningfully above both the Minnesota and national averages, and per capita income is nearly double the national figure, according to Census Bureau data compiled by Census Reporter.
That said, income in Excelsior varies more than the “rich lake town” label suggests. The city includes a mix of longtime residents in modest older homes and newer buyers paying premium prices for lakefront or near-lake lots, so household income by neighborhood spans a wide range.
Is Excelsior, MN Expensive to Live?
Yes. Housing is the biggest driver, with median home values running well above both the state and national averages and rents that follow the same pattern. Overall cost of living in Excelsior runs roughly 8 percent above the national average, driven mostly by housing rather than groceries or transportation, based on cost of living index data from ERI Economic Research Institute.
Grocery and healthcare costs track closer to the national average, so the premium here is really a housing premium tied to lake proximity and limited buildable land.
| Metric | Excelsior, MN | Hennepin County | Minnesota | United States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $103,068 | $97,653 | $89,062 | $80,734 |
| Per capita income | $84,021 | $59,401 | $48,237 | $44,673 |
| Persons below poverty line | 10% | N/A | N/A | 12.5% |
Income figures from the American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates, via Census Reporter.
Is Excelsior, MN Safe?
Mostly, with a caveat depending on what kind of crime you are asking about. Excelsior’s violent crime rate runs lower than the national average, earning a B grade, while its property crime rate runs higher than average, pulling the city’s overall grade down to a D+, according to CrimeGrade analysis of local crime data.
That property crime figure is easy to misread. Excelsior packs several parks, a busy retail strip, and heavy day-tripper traffic into less than a square mile, and crime-rate calculations are based on resident population rather than total foot traffic. A small town with a lot of visitors will show a higher per-resident rate than a larger town with the same number of incidents.
Is Excelsior, MN Tap Water Safe to Drink?
Yes, technically. Excelsior’s municipal water has been in compliance with federal EPA drinking water standards in every recent quarterly assessment, but independent analysis from the Environmental Working Group found several disinfection byproducts, common in any chlorine-treated municipal system, present above EWG’s stricter health guidelines, even though they remain within the legal EPA limit, based on EWG’s Tap Water Database.
Residents who want extra peace of mind beyond legal compliance typically use an activated carbon or reverse osmosis filter, both of which are effective against the specific byproducts detected in Excelsior’s supply. The city also posts its own annual water quality report through City Hall for anyone who wants the full local breakdown.
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1853 |
| Incorporated | 1878 |
| Population (2020 census) | 2,355 |
| Land area | 0.63 sq mi |
| School district | Minnetonka Public Schools, ISD 276 |
| ZIP code | 55331 |
A rich history and a strong local economy are part of what makes families want to plant roots here. We put together a broader look at what it costs and takes to build in this part of the metro. Read: Wayzata, MN: What to Know →
What Should You Look for in a Custom Home Builder Near Excelsior?
Building near a small, established lake town like Excelsior comes with site-specific demands that a standard suburban builder rarely handles well. Lot sizes are smaller and older, shoreland regulations apply to anything near the water, and older housing stock nearby often carries hidden mechanical and structural issues that only show up mid-renovation.
We build across the South Lake Minnetonka communities that surround Excelsior, including Shorewood, Greenwood, Tonka Bay, and the broader Lake Minnetonka corridor. That means direct experience with local permitting offices, shoreland overlay rules, and the tight, irregular lots that define older lake towns.
A design that fits a flat suburban parcel rarely translates cleanly to a wooded, sloped, or narrow Excelsior-area lot. Site evaluation has to come before floor plan design, not after.
Ask any builder how many shoreland or infill lots they have completed, and whether they have relationships with the local permitting office. Those two answers tell you more than a portfolio of finished photos ever will.
Scandinavian modern and transitional styles both work well on the smaller, wooded lots common near Excelsior. See how the details change depending on lot orientation and lake proximity. Explore: Scandi House Style →
How Do You Get Started Building Near Excelsior, MN?
Getting started means confirming your target community, walking the lot options with a builder who already works in the area, and having an honest conversation about timeline and budget before any design work begins. That single conversation typically saves months of backtracking later.
Step 1: Narrow Down the Community
Excelsior itself has almost no vacant land left. Most families who want this lifestyle end up building in a neighboring community like Shorewood, Greenwood, or Tonka Bay, all within a few minutes of downtown Excelsior and Water Street.
Step 2: Evaluate the Lot Before Falling in Love With It
Older lake-area lots often carry shoreland setback restrictions, grade changes, or septic and utility quirks that are not obvious from a listing photo. A short site evaluation up front prevents a lot of surprises during permitting.
Step 3: Talk Through Design Direction
Transitional, modern farmhouse, and Scandinavian modern are the three styles we build most often near Lake Minnetonka. Each handles a sloped or wooded lot differently, so this conversation should happen early, not after a floor plan is already drawn.
Browsing finished homes is the fastest way to see what these styles actually look like built. View: TC Homes Gallery →
Frequently Asked Questions about Things to Do in Excelsior, MN
How Far Is Excelsior, MN From Minneapolis?
Excelsior sits roughly 15 to 20 miles southwest of downtown Minneapolis, depending on the exact route and starting point. The drive typically takes 25 to 35 minutes outside of rush hour via Highway 7, making it a realistic day-trip distance rather than a weekend getaway.
Is Excelsior, MN Good for a Day Trip From the Twin Cities?
Yes. The compact downtown, beach, and trail access make Excelsior an easy half-day or full-day trip from anywhere in the metro. Most visitors park once and walk everywhere, since Water Street, Excelsior Commons, and the streetcar line all sit within a few blocks of each other.
Can You Dock a Boat in Excelsior, MN?
Yes. The city operates public pay-to-dock slips at the Port of Excelsior for visitors arriving by water, separate from the resident mooring program that manages long-term dock slips, buoys, and canoe or kayak storage at the Commons. Several private marinas in the area also offer slip rentals and boat launch access.
Is Parking Difficult in Downtown Excelsior, MN?
It can be during peak summer weekends and event days like Crazy Days. Excelsior’s entire downtown covers less than a square mile, so street parking and the small public lots near Water Street fill up fast once the lake traffic picks up. Arriving earlier in the day or on a weekday makes finding a spot considerably easier.
What Other Lake Minnetonka Towns Are Worth Visiting Near Excelsior?
Wayzata, Mound, and Deephaven each offer their own version of the same lake lifestyle, with Wayzata’s downtown drawing comparisons to Excelsior’s for its shops and waterfront dining. Shorewood, Greenwood, and Tonka Bay sit immediately next to Excelsior and share the same beaches, trail access, and small-town character without a separate downtown of their own.
Your Excelsior Story Starts With a Conversation
Excelsior earns its reputation. The beach, the trail, the shops on Water Street, and a downtown small enough to walk end to end all add up to a lifestyle that is hard to find this close to a major metro.
Building near that lifestyle is a different project than building in a standard subdivision. The lots are smaller, older, and more particular, and the right builder treats that as the starting point for design rather than an obstacle to work around.
If you are picturing a custom home somewhere near this stretch of Lake Minnetonka, the next right step is a real conversation about your lot, your timeline, and what you actually want your life here to look like.
Ready to talk about building near Excelsior? Contact TC Homes →
