Minnesota Travel Guide
Located in the upper Midwest, Minnesota is the country’s thriving playground for outdoor adventures, given the state is home to 68 parks, 55 state forests and over 12,000 lakes, including the largest freshwater lake in the world – Lake Superior.
Minneapolis, Minnesota’s largest city, is the state’s main cultural hub. Those into arts will find Minneapolis very interesting. The Walk Art Museum and the Minnesota Institute of the Arts feature a wide range of modern and traditional pieces. Apart from admiring these wonderful collections of masterpieces, you will also get to rub shoulders with local art students, usually dressed in boho style, who roam the museums after school or during the school breaks.
The ‘hip’ areas in Minneapolis are nowhere else but in the uptown area and the neighborhood of Seward. In the summer you will find yourself hobnobbing with self-proclaimed sophisticated locals and cool kids in one of many cafés drinking iced coffee alfresco while the winter sees the same group of locals all wrapped up to stay warm in the cafés.
A twin city to Minneapolis but not as slick is St Paul. With a more traditional vibe, St Paul features a magnificent array of historical buildings including the Capital Building and many restored buildings dating back to the 19th century.
Alternatively, if you are a science freak or traveling with an excitable child, head to the Minnesota Science Museum, a hot tourist magnet in St Paul where you can enjoy numerous hands-on displays. A boat trip down the magnificent Lake Superior is also a popular activity for many tourists.
Minnesota might seem quite low-key and not of interest to travelers who come to the US wishing to spend lots of money on shopping. However, the state has some big malls that can keep devoted shopaholics busy for a while. There are a number of fine restaurants in Minneapolis and other Minnesota cities. Choose between typical American food, pizzas, sushi, French bakeries or Vietnamese eateries to please your appetite.
Even though tourists can find plenty of bars and clubs in all the major cities, Minnesota has very strict licensing laws so don’t be surprised to find all liquor stores closed on Sundays.