LAKE MINNETONKA
COMMUNITY GUIDE 2026
Excelsior: Where Water Street Meets the Lake
Excelsior is the largest of the South Lake cities surrounding Lake Minnetonka. The town serves as an active center full of events, shopping experiences, restaurants and more for both residents and visitors.
The quaint, 1-square-mile city houses nearly 2,400 people and features plenty of close-up Lake Minnetonka views. While it carries a tight-knit residential community, the lakeside town also continues to build its reputation as a regional destination through tourism in the warmer— and sometimes colder— months. A host of community staple events all year bolster that reputation, surrounded by a variety of nature scapes and parks that make the city unforgettable.
No matter who you ask, Water Street serves as South Lake Minnetonka’ s unofficial downtown. The street carries a series of retail shops and boutique businesses, restaurants that cater to all types of eating experiences— whether that be quick bites, a sit-down dinner or a wide range of cuisines— as well as small spots for activities or the street-side patios that allow residents and visitors to hang out for a while.
Community events are a large part of Excelsior’ s trademark. The town hosts an assortment of annual events, starting with the Luck O’ the Lake, the Our Savior Lutheran Church Community Easter Egg Hunt and the fashionable Spring Soiree. As the warmer weather arrives, the Concerts in the Commons series lights up the Commons with activity and music, while festivals like Apple Days and Art on the Lake light up Water Street with vendors.
As the weather turns chilly, Excelsior opens its doors to winter activity. Residents look forward to Christmas in Excelsior throughout December, with themed activities like horsedrawn sleigh rides and the Giving Tree Project. Arctic Fever excites residents in January with opportunities for winter recreation and, more often than not, llamas.
The 13-acre Excelsior Commons park is a popular location for many city events, including the summer concert series, as well as for recreational and leisure activities. The park borders the shorelines of Lake Minnetonka and has been an important part of the city since 1853. The Commons has undergone, and continues to undergo, upgrades to better the experience for residents and visitors, with recent updates to its concessions building, surrounding park area, utilities, furnishings and stormwater infrastructure. Top-of-the-line amenities include recreation areas, a bandshell, playgrounds, a baseball field and public access to the lake.
The Port of Excelsior next door is home to several public docks. Not far away is the Lake Minnetonka Regional Trail, a go-to for bicyclists with its 14-mile trail extending from Hopkins to Carver Park Reserve and running through Excelsior.
The Excelsior City Council previously met in person at its temporary Council Chambers at 106 Center Street, the home of Minnetonka Center for the Arts’ second location. However, Excelsior recently purchased the 261 School Avenue property in 2026 for its new City Hall. Information about meetings is available on the city’ s website: ci. excelsior. mn. us.
2026 | LAKE MINNETONKA GUIDE | 9