MINNESOTA: THE NORTH STAR STATE
BY CLAY
LARROY
People in general consider traveling as
their personal interests. Traveling can
quickly became an interests simply because it is such an enjoyable experience.
When you travel around the world and you will see a variety of different
cultures and people. There are two
things to remember while traveling. The first thing is to be open-minded about
people and their culture. The second thing and the most important, is to
respect other cultures no matter how different. When you want to
plan a vacation contact me!
Minneapolis-St
Paul, “The Twin Cities”
About
Minneapolis-St Paul
Spreading
out from the banks of the Mississippi River, in the north-central US state of
Minnesota, Minneapolis and St Paul are colloquially known as the Twin Cities.
With
striking contemporary buildings, Minneapolis is the more cosmopolitan of the
twins. St Paul, with its many restored 19th- and early 20th-century buildings
and laid back attitude is more like a small town. Both are veritable melting
pots with significant Hmong and Somali populations among its residents.
With 949
of Minnesota's 12,000 lakes lying within the metro area, outdoor recreation is
a given. Both cities are rich in the arts and cultural entertainment. The
quality, quantity and diversity of productions and facilities far surpass the
norm for cities of this size, with The Walker Art Center and Guthrie Theater
among the top cultural venues in the nation.
Best Time To Visit
Winter
in the Twin Cities is brutal. Average temperatures are around -10°C (13.5°F).
To combat the cold and snow, both cities have an extensive system of enclosed
‘skyways' that connect Downtown buildings and enable pedestrians to move about
easily, without braving the weather. It's not all doom and gloom in winter
though, the massive Holidazzle Village brings Christmas to life with rides,
reindeers, refreshments and more. Temperatures in summer average around 22.5°C
(73°F). Annual rainfall is 660mm (26 inches).
Tourist Information Centers
Meet Minneapolis
·
Suite 1300
250 Marquette Avenue South
Minneapolis
United States
250 Marquette Avenue South
Minneapolis
United States
·
(612) 767 8000.
·
Mon-Fri 0800-1700.
Visit Saint Paul
·
Suite 502
175 West Kellogg Boulevard
St Paul
United States
175 West Kellogg Boulevard
St Paul
United States
·
(651) 265 4900.
Excursions
Great River Road
·
This popular route through the Hiawatha Valley, south of the Twin
Cities, loops around Lake Pepin, a beautiful 42km (26 mile) stretch of water,
bordered by scenic bluffs, which forms the widest part of the Mississippi
River. The entire loop is 137km (85 miles) and starts from the I-494 (just east
of St Paul). Highway 61, turning south, goes to the old river town of Red Wing.
From here, the route travels south through the delightful historic town of
Frontenac and Lake City, with its scenic river vistas. Highlights on the return
journey include tiny Stockholm, with its antiques and gift shops, and the
picturesque town of Maiden Rock.
Red Wing
·
The old river town of Red Wing lies 80km (50 miles) southeast of
the Twin Cities, in the Hiawatha Valley. The area is known for its scenic
bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River. Among the restored 19th-century buildings
in the historic town centre are the Sheldon Theatre and the St James Hotel. A
major attraction is the Red Wing Pottery, where visitors can see how pottery
was produced between the 1880s and mid-1990s. Scenic attractions nearby include
Frontenac State Park or a longer drive around Lake Pepin, through delightful
towns such as Pepin and Lake City.
For further information,
visit Red Wing Visitors and Convention Bureau, 420 Levee Street.
·
(651) 385 5934 or 1 800 498
3444.
Stillwater
·
Set along the banks of the St Croix River, 32km (20 miles) north
of the Twin Cities, Stillwater is Minnesota's oldest town and can be visited in
half a day from Minneapolis-St Paul. Downtown contains many well-preserved,
19th-century buildings, which visitors can admire from the Rivertown trolley.
Stillwater is a centre for antiques and speciality shops and has many good
restaurants. Pleasure boats cruising the river dock here in summer. The most
scenic route for driving to Stillwater is I-94 east, exit on Highway 95, north
to Bayport.
·
(651) 439 4001.
TOURS
Walking tours
·
Self-guided tours run along the St Anthony Falls Heritage Trail, a
2.9km (1.8 miles) riverfront loop that takes in the historic flour-milling
district, including views of this Mississippi River waterfall from the restored
Stone Arch Bridge and Nicollet Island. Information on the trail is available at
the Mill City Museum, 704 Second Street South.
Set in a former underground nightclub, Down In History Tours offers popular, 45 minute walking tours of the Wabasha Street Caves in St Paul. They meet at 1415 Wabasha Street South, St Paul, on Saturday and Sunday at 1100, and on Thursday at 1700. It also runs themed bus tours.
Set in a former underground nightclub, Down In History Tours offers popular, 45 minute walking tours of the Wabasha Street Caves in St Paul. They meet at 1415 Wabasha Street South, St Paul, on Saturday and Sunday at 1100, and on Thursday at 1700. It also runs themed bus tours.
·
(651) 292 1220.
Coach and trolley tours
·
Metro Connections offers sightseeing tours of the Twin Cities
aboard deluxe coaches, departing from either Minneapolis, St Paul or Mall of
America. There are daily morning and afternoon tours for Twin Cities Highlights
lasting around three hours. Highlights include the Nicollet Mall, the Downtown
skyway network and the Metrodome.
Twin City Trolleys offers a variety of narrated tours aboard a historic trolley, covering St Paul's history, its architecture or the Mississippi riverfront.
Twin City Trolleys offers a variety of narrated tours aboard a historic trolley, covering St Paul's history, its architecture or the Mississippi riverfront.
·
(612) 333 8687 ; (651) 223 5600.
Boat tours
·
Padelford Packet Boat Company floats visitors down the Mississippi
River in restored riverboats, with commentary on historic sites along the way.
The 90 minute cruises depart from Harriet Island in St Paul. Lunch and dinner
journeys are also available..
On Thursday between mid-June and mid-August, Metro Connections highlights Minneapolis attractions and combines it with a riverboat ride on the Mississippi. On Fridays during July and August, they visit historic Stillwater on the St. Croix River followed by a lunch cruise on the river.
On Thursday between mid-June and mid-August, Metro Connections highlights Minneapolis attractions and combines it with a riverboat ride on the Mississippi. On Fridays during July and August, they visit historic Stillwater on the St. Croix River followed by a lunch cruise on the river.
·
(612) 333 8687 ; (651) 227 1100.
Segway tours
·
Between 1 April and 1 November, visitors can take a 2.5 hour Magic
History Tour aboard a two-wheeled Segway. Tours begin at St. Anthony Main, 125
Main Street SE and continue over and passed such attractions as the Stone Arch
Bridge, the Upper Lock and Dam, the Saw Mill District and Nicollet Island.
·
(952) 888 9200.
REFERENCE SITES:
In Minneapolis, the overhead sky walks protect pedestrians
from the winter cold and snow.
Bill Dedman
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