The “Land of 10,000 Lakes” and I go way back, as one of my earliest travel memories, in the 1970s, though my family only visited Minneapolis and the also appealing city of St. Cloud, about an hour north. And of course one of my favorite TV shows when I was a kid, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, was set in Minneapolis.
And while Minnesota ranks somewhere around the middle of U.S. states in terms of tourism popularity, it does boast one of the country´s top draws – the Mall of the Americas (more about that below). And otherwise it also has an awful lot to offer. A mix of grasslands/prairie and forest, the “Land of 10,000 Lakes” actually has nearly 12,000, and in a nutshell, it´s an appealing mix of famously outdoorsy, friendly (“Minnesota nice” is definitely a thing), affordable, and liberal, while its cities are welcoming and exciting without being overwhelming. Any time of year, Minnesota is marvelous, and here´s a sampling of its highlights:
Located in the southeast of the state not far from the Wisconsin border, the “City of Lakes” (pop. 425,000) is walkable and welcoming, and great for art and culture lovers as well as foodies. Stroll downtown pedestrian Nicollet Mall with its shops, restaurants, and public art. Explore scenic trails around the some of the aforementioned bodies of water, especially the Chain of Lakes (Lake Harriet, Lake Calhoun, and Lake of the Isles). Kick back in Minnehaha Park, featuring 53-foot Minnehaha Falls. Get some panoramic views over the Mississippi River and St. Anthony Falls from historic pedestrian Stone Arch Bridge.
On the cultural front, highlights include a pair of world-class art museums Walker Art Center; the Minneapolis Institute of Art; the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, home to the famous Spoonbridge and Cherry sculpture; Guthrie Theater, with Broadway-caliber performances; First Avenue, an iconic music venue where legends like proud native son Prince made their mark; and Paisley Park, where Prince made his music, and so have other major music figures such as Madonna and Lizzo.
And of course there´s a great panoply of bars, clubs, and restaurants (including an impressive selection of world cuisines) for all tastes and budgets.
In case you thought Minneapolis was the state capital, it´s actually its sister city (pop. just under 312,000) right across the river. One of Minnesota´s oldest settlements (dating back to the 1840s), St. Paul is known for its historic architecture in areas like the iconic Summit Avenue Neighborhood, packed with Victorian and Gilded-Age gems such as the James L. Hill House, and landmarks like the neo-Renaissance Catholic Cathedral of St. Paul, inaugurated in 1915 (guided tours available), 200-year-old Fort Snelling; and of course the Baroque-meets-neoclassical neoclassical State Capitol, completed in 1905 and also open to visitors for guided or self-guided tours. Other notable spots include the 382-acre Como Park Zoo and Conservatory (which also includes an amusement park), the Minnesota History Center; and the Hmong Cultural Center, which showcases the history and culture of this Laotian ethnic group who were given refuge in the U.S. after the Communist takeovers in Indochina in the 1970s; they now number some 94,000 throughout the state.
Just over two hours north of the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, at the southeastern tip of Lake Superior, the world´s biggest freshwater port city, with a population of just under 87,000, remains a major center of commerce but also popular with visitors for its vibe and especially the attractions of Canal Park across the Duluth Ship Canal and its cool, 120-year-old Aerial Lift Bridge from downtown, which was converted beginning in the 1980s from grotty warehouses and industrial buildings to a tourism-friendly district of waterfront bars, restaurants, and shops, as well as attractions such as the 7¼-mile Duluth Lakewalk; the Great Lakes Aquarium; a 115-year-old lighthouse, the Duluth Harbor North Pier Light; the SS William A. Irvin, a 1930s freighter turne into a museum; and the Lake Superior Maritime Museum.And over in the main part of town, check out the Tweed Museum of Art on the University of Minnesota Duluth campus, as well as the St. Louis County History and Arts Center, housed in the 133-year-old Union Depot train station and home to the Duluth Art Institute, a nice children´s museum, the Lake Superior Railroad Museum, the Minnesota Ballet, and the Duluth Playhouse, as well as a vintage railroad which runs excursions along Lake Superior´s North Shore.
Speaking of the North Shore, cruising up Highway 61 from Duluth makes a great road trip, tracing the stunning Lake Superior coastline up to the Canadian border and crossing no fewer than eight state parks, with charming small towns, hiking trails, waterfalls, and breathtaking views. Highlights include the artsy town of Grand Marais, the 115-year-old Split Rock Lighthouse, Gooseberry Falls State Park (above), Tettegouche State Park, and the Grand Portage National Monument, built around an 18th-century British fur-trading post..
Located in the city of Bloomington, just 15 minutes from Minneapolis and 21 from St. Paul, the USA´s largest mall (with a whopping 66 acres of retail space) boasts more than 500 stores; dozens of restaurants from fast food to fine dining; and attractions including Nickelodeon Universe (above, at seven acres, the world´s largest indoor amusement park), the SEA LIFE Aquarium, virtual reality simulators, a 13-theater cineplex, and much more. In addition, there are plenty of concerts and other events throughout the year. As a destination in and of itself, as I mentioned above, it´s one of the entire country´s more popular.
Way up north on the Canadian border, Minnesota´s only national park is 341 square miles worth of glorious forest, four major lakes, and myriad streams. Most visitors navigate the park in kayaks, canoes, and motorboats (all available for rental, of course), while some rent houseboats. You can also book ranger-guided tour boats. Other popular activities include camping, swimming, fishing, hiking, stargazing, and wintertime snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, ice skating, and some great Northern Lights viewing.
Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness
Also up in the northeast, this 1,716-square mile swath running 150 miles along the border with Canada includes more than 1,100 pristine lakes and rivers, with some 1,500 canoeing/kayaking routes, a dozen hiking trails, more than 2,000 camping sites, and a museum/nature center.; you can do it independently or by hiring a local outfitter. BWCAW´s allures and activities are similar to those of Voyageurs, and you get here by driving up the North Shore Scenic Drive until you reach Grand Marais, then take the scenic 55-mile Gunflint Trail to Sea Gull Lake, one of the Boundary Waters´ largest.
Lutsen.com
Also up in the northeast, and considered another gateway to nearby Boundary Waters, Minnesota’s premier skiing destination is a 4½-hour srive from the Twin Cities. With views of Lake Superior, Lutsen consists of four hills, the highest of which reaches 1,688 feet, and boasts a variety of 95 trails for all skill levels, spread out over about a thousand acres and with a vertical drop of 825 ft. There's also a good après/ski scene in the resort area as well, along with the nearby towns of Tofte and Grand Marais. It's also popular as a summer nature destination, with hiking, biking, and other outdoorsy pursuits (and the scenic godola ride is also a favorite)..
A four-hour drive southwest of the Twin Cities, this 282-acre site operated by the National Park Service is built around a series of quarries of a terracotta-colored stone called catlinite (aka pipestone), worked by First Nations people as far back as 3,000 years. As its name implies, pipestone was used to craft ceremonial pipes which were important to the ritual practices of the Plains tribes including the Iowa, Omaha, and Yankton Dakota. Beside the 3/4-mile Circle Trail to view the quarries, there´s a charming waterfall on the site as well, plus of course a visitor center to provide background and from which ranger-led tours depart.
More info at ExploreMinnesota.com.
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