Photo: advertisingelyse
There’s more to Minneapolis and St. Paul than a supersized mall.
If the Mall of America — a place that brags of 20,000 parking spots and a dedicated drop-off/pick-up area for motor coaches — doesn’t turn your crank, here are 8 different ways to spend your time.
Lake Calhoun / Photo: twodolla
1. Head to the lakes
Why go to an indoor water park when you’re in the city of lakes? Take your pick of several among the Chain of Lakes.
The largest is Lake Calhoun, a favorite of young people looking to lay on the beaches, bike, roller blade, or jog along the trails that encircle it. Get on the water for some canoeing, kayaking, and windsurfing.
2. Go for a bike ride
Biking is easy in this relatively flat city, and many streets have designated cycling lanes. The most scenic routes will take you over and along the Mississippi River.
Ride down Minnehaha Avenue to get to Minnehaha Falls Park, home of the waterfall that inspired Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s “The Song of Hiawatha.”
James J. Hill House / Photo: puroticorico
3. Stroll along Summit Avenue
Garrison Keillor once remarked:
The difference between Minneapolis and St. Paul is the difference between pumpernickel and Wonder Bread.
St. Paul — the state capital — may not have the cultural venues of its more cosmopolitan neighbor, but perhaps Keillor missed the grand stately houses that line Summit Ave. Three residences of note are the Governor’s mansion, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s birthplace, and the James J. Hill House.
4. Go to the theater
The Twin Cities’ theater scene may not compare with Broadway, but Minneapolis’s landmark Guthrie Theater puts on high-quality classic and original productions. If you’re in town this fall, a national engagement of Little House on the Prairie will begin at the Ordway Theatre in St. Paul, with Melissa Gilbert playing Ma.
5. Eat
The Twin Cities aren’t strictly meat-and-potatoes territory and, these days, ethnic food isn’t limited to lutefisk. Although an overwhelmingly white metropolis less than 20 years ago, recent immigration from Southeast Asia, East Africa, and Latin America has added an international array of cuisines to the city’s food scene.
Cafe Latte / Photo: tboard
A global smorgasboard of eating options is available at the Midtown Global Market and along Eat Street, between Grant and 29th Streets.
For more upscale dining and nightlife, head to the Warehouse District near downtown, where your options include a number of sushi joints, an organic cafe, and Pizza Luce, considered to have the best pizza in town. Dessert lovers shouldn’t miss the decadent cakes at Cafe Latte on Grand Ave. in St. Paul.
6. Shop on Grand Avenue
OK, so you will probably break down and need your shopping fix. Grand Ave. in St. Paul is home to numerous independent shops and boutiques, as well as some chain stores.
7. Visit an art gallery or museum
Minneapolis is home to several impressive art collections.
Photo: A.M. Kuchling
The Minneapolis Institute of Arts features one of the most extensive collections of world art in the Midwest, while the Walker Art Center is considered one of the top modern art museums in the country. Across the street from the latter is the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, where you will find Claes Oldenburg’s Spoonbridge and Cherry.
If history is more your thing, the Minnesota History Center in St. Paul is home to changing exhibits about the state’s past. Science geeks will enjoy the Science Museum of Minnesota, which overlooks the Mississippi River and has an exhibit dedicated to it.
8. Attend a fair
State and county fairs are a Minnesota tradition. Each summer, Minnesota’s counties hold their own fairs. The main event is the Minnesota State Fair, which is running from August 27 to September 7 this year.
Known as the “Minnesota State Get-Together,” it’s the event where Minnesotans gather to celebrate their agricultural heritage and show off livestock, like a scene straight out of Charlotte’s Web. Disregard any healthy eating habits you may be following — standard Minnesotan fair food is deep fried and comes on a stick.
Community Connection
If you’re looking to combine a trip to the Minnesota State Fair with a visit to another Midwest city, make sure to check out Chicago on a Budget.
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7 Comments... join the discussion!
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I’ve heard nothing but good things about the art scene in the Twin Cities.
And Melissa Gilbert playing Ma in Little House on the Prairie? I can totally see that.
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i LOVE the twin cities. there’s so much more theater than just the guthrie – theatre de la jeune lune, children’s theatre co, stages theatre co, heart of the beast puppet theater, and WAY more.
lots of great music! and art museums. and TONS of culture and shopping in great quaint non-chain stores. OH.,i just made myself homesick!
thanks for the fun article.
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Minnesota’s one of the few states I haven’t visited–I need to get up there! Thanks for this, Valerie.
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I gotta say I can relate to this article. I live in Edmonton and I work at a hotel, and the only thing people seem to ask about is West Edmonton Mall. It’s nice to see a giant mall if you’re not used to it of course, but it’s really tedious to be known as the city with that big mall – which I’m sure people in Minneapolis can relate to. Thanks for these other suggestions.
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hey you guys,
as a minneapolis native i want to confirm all of these suggestions and add a few more-
the bedlam theater is a great cooperative over on cedar riverside right by the light rail tracks and again, it is right by the hard times where you can go get a dollar cup of coffee. if you want food, again, go kick it at the seward cafe and drop off your used and still beautifuls in their lovely free box. also the twin cities are famous for their coop grocery stores– the seward coop is a block towards the river from the cafe, as well as the wedge coop and linden hills.
spyhouse (on 27th & nicollet) is a sweet little coffee shop although caffetto (24th&lyndale, past hum’s liquor) is my very favorite in uptown.about the lakes… in the summertime there are free concerts in the lake harriet bandshell a few nights a week. also in the summertime the walker art center hosts monday night movie and music… usually an old school movie and a young local band play, also for free, in loring park (across from the walker sculpture gardens, separating uptown and downtown). the cedar cultural center is famous for the variety of shows and also well as the anarcho-etc scene mentioned by a commenter above the twin cities also has a serious fire arts and drum community. if anyone has questions please feel free to write!
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also… the best middle eastern food in town can be found at holy land deli and grocery store. as well if you are into vietnamese or hmong food there are a number of restaurants around.
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