Lions Tap has been serving up fresh, delicious burgers since the 1950's!

If you're not from the Twin Cities, you may not know that Lions Tap is an iconic burger joint in the west metro. What began as a vegetable stand in the early 1900's evolved into a roadside gas/food stop, and then into a sandwich and beer shop, and eventually into an early version of the burger joint we now know it to be.

I'd been here before, but not in many years, and the girls had never had a burger here, so I decided to make this day extra fun. I often do fun, little things to make our adventures a bit different, such as our "bun-off" where we get different kinds of rolls from a bakery and then each try a taste of the different kinds and vote for our family favorite. Today, I decided to combine trying Lions Tap burgers with a nearby hike. There's a gorgeous conservation area just down the block from Lions Tap, and I hadn't hiked there in ages. There is a point where the hiking trail summits, and you can see a gorgeous view of the entire valley below. So, I named it "The Burger Challenge" and told the girls whoever summited would get to try a juicy burger. It made the day super fun! Though our hike was longer (and much colder!) than expected, the girls were passionate about "winning" the Burger Challenge and getting their prize. Though some of the burgers were gobbled up before we summited (hikes make us hungry!) all of us summited that day, and were able to fill our bellies AND enjoy a gorgeous view.

I highly recommend stopping by Lions Tap for a juicy burger and fries. The prices are not the cheapest around, but it's worth it to try this iconic Twin Cities burger. After you enjoy your hamburger, head over to nearby Staring Lake Park for some outdoor fun with your kiddos.