I love where I live. (The Minneapolis/St. Paul area). I'm a four season girl who's not afraid of snow. I love the lakes and ponds that wink out at you everywhere you look, the lavish and appreciated green spaces. I love how there's lots of big-city entertainment, music and pro sports and tons of theater, in a place that still often feels like a smaller community. I love the maniacal enthusiasm with which we embrace every nice day (and nice is a pretty flexible term) because we're not sure when we're getting another.
But I don't often look at it much like a tourist. We've got guests this weekend, a huge batch of them, from China and Brooklyn and Toronto, and it's our job to entertain them and show them the city.
Last night we were out with my husband's sort-of boss, who lives in Chicago, and his wife, and they asked us "what's the one thing we should make sure to do/see in Minneapolis?" I was completely stumped.
Since they're active sorts, I ended up recommending that they get a canoe and go through the chain of lakes in south Minneapolis. I doubt there are too many cities blessed with such lovely, linked bodies of water within their city limits.
But it got me thinking . . . in your hometown, what would you recommend? I'd love to hear from my fellow Twin Citians (I still have a weekend to fill up, after all) but I'd also love to hear from other places . . . if I were going there, and could only do one thing, what would you recommend?
Susie
9 comments:
Gee, Sus. . . I'm not sure what I'd recommend. . . besides something on the water. . . and maybe Nicolette Mall. The Mall of America, of course, though that's just bigger/more.
There are a few restaurants that are kindof curious. The Gasthouse Gemurchlichkeit (bad, bad SP) which is quite a little piece of German Minnesota and probably unlike any other German.
And what about the Swedish Institute in that fabulous old mansion in Minneapolis?
For kids there are the Science Museum and IMax. . . which, granted, can be found lots of places.
Say, how about tickets for "A Prairie Home Companion?" That's certainly famous world-wide and utterly, totally Minnesotan!
Good luck and have fun!
The minneapolis Farmers' market, early on a Sturday morning, is a must for our out-of-town guests. We munch our way through it, and buy goodies galore.
YOu could pick up picnic items, a nd take in a free concert at Lake Harriet that evening.
Linden Hills is my favorite shopping area. It has something for everyone.
If your guests tend to run towards the sophisticated, you could try a play at the new Guthrie, and dinner at Cosmos.
Well, for me it's easy because I live in a suburb of Washington, DC. Go to the Smithsonian Museums.
They are free and they have something for everyone. There is art, planes, spaceships, trains, dollhouses, dinosaurs, gems, sculpture, sports, sharks, and much much more. There are over twelve buildings and you could spend at least a day in each if you wanted to.
The exhibits are vast and detailed and well worth visiting. And for those that just have to have a movie on their itinerary, there are a couple of IMAX theaters.
For the sports-minded, an evening watching the St. Paul Saints can't be topped. It's so much more fun than sitting in the Dome, and kids love the between innings antics.
A great place to beat the heat is the Minneapolis Institute of Art. It's FREE, and there is plenty of free parking. There is a great family room, with lots for kids, and Sunday morning music and Ford Free Sundays that have many activities for kids. Warning--it's closed on Mondays.
Minnehaha falls-walk down to river and enjoy the park.
Fort Snelling.
Stillwater.(cruise down st. croix river)
Valleyfair.
Minnesota Institute of the Arts
Walker Arts Center
Chanhassen Dinner theater
Minnesota Zoo
Como Zoo/Conservatory
Arboretum
Taylors falls.
Those are some of the cool things to do around the cities. Some inside and some only an hour away.
I live in Portland, Oregon...one of the most beautiful places in the world (IMHO). The thing that's great? It's so diverse! :)
In an hour you could go to Mt. Hood, the beach, the desert or our you can wander through one of the many rose gardens.
You can go through the Hawthorne District, which is a very eclectic street filled with cool stores. You can take a boat down the Willamette River or drive down the Oregon side of the Columbia River Gorge.
Great food, awesome music, what more could you ask for? :)
if guests are into music, they might want to check out the triple rock social club, Big V's, and turf club. they also might want to take in a show at first avenue.
sebastian joe's. everybody who visits always wants to go to sebastian joe's.
If they want a good american hamburger you should take them to matt's!
My favorite places have been mentioned but I have to agree Sebastian Joe's is good. I love their raspberry icecream. But I also like Duluth because of their light house. :) But that is just me. :)
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