Travel to Minneapolis, Minnesota for Non-Stop Enjoyment
With its electric cityscape combining lights, high rises, and glamorous attractions, Minneapolis is a magnet for tourists. The city breeds activity through many local restaurants, museums, theaters, and new hotels. It has a booming downtown area with cutting-edge architecture and cultural sites, with many buildings and areas designed by celebrity architects. There are also numerous developments along the city's vast waterfront.
With more than 40,000 people living in downtown Minneapolis alone, the city stays alive day and night. Its twin city, Saint Paul, is just as thrilling, so the only dilemma visitors may face is deciding what to do first.
Minneapolis Fun for the Family
Families will find plenty to see and do while on vacation, including sports, lakes, parks, winter activities, and more. Those who are into sports can attend a game at the Twins, Timberwolves, or Minnesota Wild games. At Valleyfair (www.valleyfair.com/), kids can ride and slide all day with rides such as the Renegade Outlaw Coaster, the Whitewater Country Waterpark, or Challenge Park. At ComoTown, kids can drive cars, fly little planes, jump, climb, and play. It's a park located next to the Como Zoo and Conservatory in Saint Paul.
Be Amazed at the Mall of America
One of the most amazing attractions for families and shoppers is the Mall of America (www.mallofamerica.com), which features more than 500 stores, numerous kids and family attractions, entertainment venues, restaurants, and much more. At the mall's Underwater Adventures Aquarium, kids are amazed at the more than 4,500 sea creatures, a virtual submarine tour, and other sea wonders. It is said to have the best shark exhibit on the planet according to Discover's Travel Channel website. The sharks can be seen while touring in an underground glass tunnel.
Nickelodeon Universe, also inside the mall, is the world's largest indoor family theme park. It features seven acres of more than 30 fun-filled rides and attractions, restaurants, shopping, and entertainment. Those who love mini-golf will want to check out Moose Mountain Adventure Golf inside the Mall of America. It is an 18-hole mini golf course with a life-size moose. The LEGO fun park is a four-story play park for kids with more than 90 full-size LEGO models such as astronauts, dinosaurs, an animated interactive LEGO clock tower, and more. Kids can also enjoy the A.C.E.S. Flight Simulation or the NASCAR Silicon Motor Speedway.
The mall features stores for fashion, home decor, gifts, art, sports equipment, jewelry, footwear, and everything in between. Some restaurants in the mall include California Cafe, Rainforest Cafe, Twin City Grill, Tony Roma's, Tiger Sushi, Nordstrom Cafe, Napa Valley Grille, Kokomo's Island Cafe, Famous Dave's BBQ, and Hooters. There's also a food court with fast food and delis, and many specialty food shops offering coffee, ice cream, and other tasty treats.
Relax at One of the Minneapolis Lakes
For a more relaxing scene, families can spend a day on one of the many lakes in the Minneapolis area. There are more than 11,000 lakes in Minnesota, with the metro area of Minneapolis-Saint Paul boasting an amazing 929 lakes and a major river than runs through the two cities. About 10 minutes from the downtown area is the Chain of Lakes, which provides a beautiful place to walk, bike, water ski, or go boating. Visitors can rent a canoe or kayak. They can stroll or ride their bike along 13 miles of paths by the shore. In winter, it's fun to watch ice surfers slide across the lake's surface.
At Lake Calhoun near the uptown area, many locals enjoy getting together with friends for inline skating, volleyball, biking, swimming, or even windsurfing. At Lake Harriet, there's a lovely bird sanctuary called Lyndale Park (www.minneapolisparks.org/default.asp?PageID=4&parkid=350) also featuring beautiful rose and peace gardens. The Lake of the Isles features two wooded islands and is popular for winter hockey and ice skating. Cedar Lake features a "Hidden Beach" that is used by many locals for swimming and sunbathing.
Explore the City by Streetcar
The Como-Harriet Streetcar Line enables you to explore the city from a different point of view. The trolley dates back to the turn of the 19th century and once connected the downtown area of Minneapolis with the area's main lakes. It runs between Lake Calhoun and Lake Harriet today. Riding the trolley offers more than merely a streetcar ride. It allows you to explore the beauty of the lakes, and then shop and dine in the downtown Linden Hills. Linden Hills offers ice cream and coffee shops, toy stores, a bakery, and much more.
Minneapolis Museums and Galleries
Visitors with a taste for art and history can enjoy touring the many museums and galleries in and around Minneapolis. There's the Walker Art Center featuring the WAC collection and an adjoining Minneapolis Sculpture Garden with more than 40 works such as the iconic Spoonbridge and Cherry. The Mill City Museum offers a glimpse into the history of flour milling. It has an in-house baking lab with alluring smells that are rarely sensed in a museum.
The Science Museum of Minnesota (www.smm.org) allows visitors to discover and learn facts about science, biology, anthropology, and conservation. It features a spectacular Star Wars exhibit, special effects, the Big Back Yard, and Disease Detectives. There are many special programs for kids and preschoolers.
Other places of interest for art and history include the Northeast Arts District, the Weinstein Gallery, the Museum of Russian Art, the Weisman Art Museum, the First Thursday Open Studio Tour, and the Soo Visual Arts Center.