Considering move to Minneapolis..Culture, nightlife, recreation, activities for 25+ crowd? (St. Paul: best cities, home)

[FromTN2A2]

I am a single, 27 yr old African American female and I am seriously considering moving from Memphis, TN to Minneapolis. I was hoping that you could possibly give me some feedback on how the young mid-professional community is in Minneapolis. I guess I want to make sure that there is plenty of fun entertainment for mid 20's to 30+ year olds. Also, coffee shops and dive bars, any of those with mid 20's to 30+ year olds hanging around? Can you tell me more about this?

Also, how does recreational options shift during the winter time? Do people mostly stay in at home during winter? I am not too familiar with heavy winter weather but I am quite certain it is tolerable for me. Would muuuuuuch rather take the snow than the heat!

What are the activity choices of a young professional in Minneapolis?
- the activities after work and on the weekend (happy hour, dinner, etc.?)
- culture of the city (broadway shows? theater plays? etc...)
- shopping (quaint little one of a kind shops? Name brand shopping stores?)
-nice little bookstores to walk to on a lazy Saturday morning
-Sunday and Saturday brunch spots?
-diverse nightlife (not really into clubs, but what about nice upscale lounges or bars to hang out on the weekend too)
-Relaxed and fun bars for game watching

Do the whites, blacks, Asians, whoever, all hang together? I would like to know that there is a decent enough mix and that you can find ALL races socializing and dining together if you know what I mean. I would like to socialize with all races such as Caucasians, Hispanics, and Asians, including African Americans. Is there a decent enough mix of race and various ethnic backgrounds?

Is it necessary to have a car in Minneapolis? How is the public transportation system?


Lastly, after hearing all that I am interested in, what would be the best part of Minneapolis to move to? What is the difference between downtown and uptown? How far is U of M from either of these areas? I ask because after doing some light research, it appears that uptown or downtown may have mostly what I am looking for.

Thank you so much for your time!

[Min-Chi-Cbus]

Holy cow -- so many questions!

To be brief, the answer to most of your questions is "yes", so the good news is that what you are looking for or asking about does exist in Minneapolis. One thing I'm not as confident about is race relations and integration. This is, after all, the Midwest (not known for its race relations in a positive way). If I compared Minneapolis to say San Francisco, I'd say that we're behind in that regard. If I compared it to places like Milwaukee or Memphis, I'd say we're a bit ahead. The minority population and presence in Minneapolis is new and growing, not established. There aren't very strong established ethnic communities in the Twin Cities save a few small examples, which means most older locals never had to co-exist with a large minority population until just recently. People who are young (probably under 30 or 35, like you) DID grow up in this more racially-integrated and tolerated world and are much more open-minded about meeting people from various ethnicities and backgrounds. That being said, I'm not sure I see white, black, Asian and Latino holding hands and skipping down the streets just yet....I think we still have a ways to go. However, if your expectation is that people will be friendly to you regardless of WHAT you are, I think you'll find that ANYONE can be your friend in Minneapolis -- it's not tabboo, it's not weird, it's not even uncommon.

Hope that helps explain things. Now in terms of where to live that supports your lifestyle, often times "Hipster" or YUPpy areas are not the most ethnically-integrated areas, so you may have to choose one over the other. But I think you can find a happy medium in neighborhoods like Whittier, Lyn/Lake or Powderhorn.

Good luck, and welcome!

[FromTN2A2]

Originally Posted by Min-Chi-Cbus

Holy cow -- so many questions!

To be brief, the answer to most of your questions is "yes", so the good news is that what you are looking for or asking about does exist in Minneapolis. One thing I'm not as confident about is race relations and integration. This is, after all, the Midwest (not known for its race relations in a positive way). If I compared Minneapolis to say San Francisco, I'd say that we're behind in that regard. If I compared it to places like Milwaukee or Memphis, I'd say we're a bit ahead. The minority population and presence in Minneapolis is new and growing, not established. There aren't very strong established ethnic communities in the Twin Cities save a few small examples, which means most older locals never had to co-exist with a large minority population until just recently. People who are young (probably under 30 or 35, like you) DID grow up in this more racially-integrated and tolerated world and are much more open-minded about meeting people from various ethnicities and backgrounds. That being said, I'm not sure I see white, black, Asian and Latino holding hands and skipping down the streets just yet....I think we still have a ways to go. However, if your expectation is that people will be friendly to you regardless of WHAT you are, I think you'll find that ANYONE can be your friend in Minneapolis -- it's not tabboo, it's not weird, it's not even uncommon.

Hope that helps explain things. Now in terms of where to live that supports your lifestyle, often times "Hipster" or YUPpy areas are not the most ethnically-integrated areas, so you may have to choose one over the other. But I think you can find a happy medium in neighborhoods like Whittier, Lyn/Lake or Powderhorn.

Good luck, and welcome!

Oh wow. Thank you for the detailed response. Also, I would be comparing race relations to Memphis, TN. It's nothing to write home about in Memphis, but integration is certainly somewhat vibrant for my age group. Are Whittier, Lyn/Lake, or Powderhorn walk-able neighborhoods? I prefer to spend my first year in a walk-able part of the city with a lot of hustle and bustle over the most integrated part of town. Thanks again!

[uptown_urbanist]

I actually have a slightly different view of race relations. I grew up in Minneapolis (I am in my mid-30s), and MANY of my friends had parents of different races. A lot (maybe even a majority) of my old school friends have dated and married people of different racial/ethnic backgrounds. No one raises an eye at couples (or just friends) of different races. I think it's one of the best cities we've ever lived on that front (and we have lived in far more diverse cities, including SF and LA), even though it's still a majority white area. Back in the 60s a lot of interracial couples used to actually move to Minneapolis because it was accepting on that front. Odds are that many of your friends will be white just because the majority of Twin Cities residents are white, but it's no big deal to be friends with/date/marry someone of a different race and I doubt you'll find your friendship pool in any way limited. When I was a kid it was mostly a black and white city (lots of my childhood friends have one white and one black parent) but these days there's also a much larger Hispanic and Asian population (and therefore an even more diverse friendship pool).

Lyn-Lake or parts of Uptown definitely sounds right up your alley. You could easily live in Whittier, Lyn-Lake (overlaps with Uptown) or Powderhorn without a car, depending on where you work. Minneapolis also has HOURCAR, which is a car-share program. Whittier probably skews a bit younger. Pick a neighborhood like the Wedge (overlaps Uptown and Lyn-Lake) and you can easily walk to all sorts of independent shops and boutiques, tons of bars and restaurants (from the dives to the upscale), theater, the biggest independent bookstore in the metro area (tons of book events, too), and pretty much everything else you could ask for.

[iNviNciBL3]

Hennipen ave in Downtown Minneapolis by Target field is the spot for nightlife, many upscale lounges, clubs, bars, etc.. you'll see people out parting in a cold January night alot of times. Minneapolis is a really fun city for us younger folks.

During the winter we still like to have fun, there is two ski-snowboard areas in the metro. one in Apple Valley called Buck Hill but the best on is Afton Alps in Afton. You will be surprised how many people are out and about in Minneapolis during the winter.


the Twin Cities is a very liberal places, so you will do fine as an African American. You are happily welcomed to Minnesota

[golfgal]

I think you will find the Twin Cities metro area to your liking based on what you want. Once you get into the professional level, race is not an issue. You see more segregation in the lower income areas. Keep in mind that the actual middle class AA population here is VERY small if that is of concern.

[FromTN2A2]

You all are so nice and thoughtful, your posts are so informative and are giving me a lot to think about and to look forward to as well. I really appreciate you all! Loving the people of MN already!!! I actually get a different vibe from you all compared to the other city forums that I have researched. I must say I love the MSP vibe!

[FromTN2A2]

Originally Posted by uptown_urbanist

I actually have a slightly different view of race relations. I grew up in Minneapolis (I am in my mid-30s), and MANY of my friends had parents of different races. A lot (maybe even a majority) of my old school friends have dated and married people of different racial/ethnic backgrounds. No one raises an eye at couples (or just friends) of different races. I think it's one of the best cities we've ever lived on that front (and we have lived in far more diverse cities, including SF and LA), even though it's still a majority white area. Back in the 60s a lot of interracial couples used to actually move to Minneapolis because it was accepting on that front. Odds are that many of your friends will be white just because the majority of Twin Cities residents are white, but it's no big deal to be friends with/date/marry someone of a different race and I doubt you'll find your friendship pool in any way limited. When I was a kid it was mostly a black and white city (lots of my childhood friends have one white and one black parent) but these days there's also a much larger Hispanic and Asian population (and therefore an even more diverse friendship pool).

Lyn-Lake or parts of Uptown definitely sounds right up your alley. You could easily live in Whittier, Lyn-Lake (overlaps with Uptown) or Powderhorn without a car, depending on where you work. Minneapolis also has HOURCAR, which is a car-share program. Whittier probably skews a bit younger. Pick a neighborhood like the Wedge (overlaps Uptown and Lyn-Lake) and you can easily walk to all sorts of independent shops and boutiques, tons of bars and restaurants (from the dives to the upscale), theater, the biggest independent bookstore in the metro area (tons of book events, too), and pretty much everything else you could ask for.

THIS post was extremely helpful. Thank you so much for taking the time out to write all of this. Really helped a lot.

Originally Posted by BobMarley_1LOVE

Hennipen ave in Downtown Minneapolis by Target field is the spot for nightlife, many upscale lounges, clubs, bars, etc.. you'll see people out parting in a cold January night alot of times. Minneapolis is a really fun city for us younger folks.

During the winter we still like to have fun, there is two ski-snowboard areas in the metro. one in Apple Valley called Buck Hill but the best on is Afton Alps in Afton. You will be surprised how many people are out and about in Minneapolis during the winter.


the Twin Cities is a very liberal places, so you will do fine as an African American. You are happily welcomed to Minnesota

Thank you so much for elaborating on the nightlife options and for your warm welcom

Originally Posted by golfgal

I think you will find the Twin Cities metro area to your liking based on what you want. Once you get into the professional level, race is not an issue. You see more segregation in the lower income areas. Keep in mind that the actual middle class AA population here is VERY small if that is of concern.

Depending on how small it is, it may or may not be a concern, but I do know that the only way to know or measure that for sure based on what I am looking for is to be able to actually go and visit. I do plan on getting my master's from U of M, so this should also help with my getting to know a diverse group of people. Thanks again!!

[Minnesota Spring]

Minneapolis will offer you pretty much everything that you are looking for in the categories you addressed, especially compared to Memphis. I would also check out some of the local restraunts and stores in St. Paul as well. Mpls and ST. Paul are right next to eachother so its basically like one city.
Regarding race relations, pretty much everyone that I know in the Twin Cities (this includes people of many different races and ethnic backgrounds) do not judge who they hang out with (or form an intimate relationship with) on race or ethnic background but on your personality and character. Race, religion etc. is simply a non issue iwhen it comes to who you chose to associate with and for me, I cant understand why it would be an issue for anyone.
So if the people you want to associate with happen to be white, black, asian or hispanic I cant forsee that being an issue.

[meiguogubaren]

Originally Posted by FromTN2A2

You all are so nice and thoughtful, your posts are so informative and are giving me a lot to think about and to look forward to as well. I really appreciate you all! Loving the people of MN already!!! I actually get a different vibe from you all compared to the other city forums that I have researched. I must say I love the MSP vibe!

they don't call it Minnesota Nice for nothing good luck! and I wish I was able to move to Minneapolis from mean Miami