I plan on visiting MPLS in early March. What kinds of things are there to do in the cities? (Minneapolis: to live in, suburb)

[golfgal]

What do you like to do and we can steer you in that direction? All the winter state high school tournaments are in March--hockey, basketball, wrestling, etc. The Science Museum has some great exhibits--you missed the Pompeii exhibit--that was interesting.

[lakal]

See a sports game (perhaps at the U), go to uptown, dinkytown, or Grand Avenue...


just a start

[pirate_lafitte]

Originally Posted by golfgal

What do you like to do and we can steer you in that direction? All the winter state high school tournaments are in March--hockey, basketball, wrestling, etc. The Science Museum has some great exhibits--you missed the Pompeii exhibit--that was interesting.

I here that MPLS is home to Bar Abilene, a sort of fusion restaurant and I know there is great shooping in MPLS. With all of that in mind, I would like to do more. The Science Museum sounds nice. I wonder if there are hands on exhibits there.
Are there any ethnic festivals in March?

As for hockey, watching the MN Wild sounds good.

Will the winter carnival still be going on?

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by pirate_lafitte

I here that MPLS is home to Bar Abilene, a sort of fusion restaurant and I know there is great shooping in MPLS. With all of that in mind, I would like to do more. The Science Museum sounds nice. I wonder if there are hands on exhibits there.
Are there any ethnic festivals in March?

As for hockey, watching the MN Wild sounds good.

Will the winter carnival still be going on?

Yes there are hands on exhibits at the Science Museum. Are you bringing kids? There is a great Children's Museum too. The Bell Museum is also very hands on. You can also tour Fort Snelling (near the Airport) and they have some hands on stuff there. On weekends they have people dressed in period costumes 'running' the fort (Civil War). This is mostly in the summer months but you can call ahead and see if they have anything planned when you are there.

[chilaili]

Check this out: http://www.twincities.com/localnews/ci_8104507.

I think the Winter Carnival ends in February. Oh! You could book tickets to Garrison Keillor's show A Prairie Home Companion at the Fitzgerald Theatre in downtown St Paul .

[pirate_lafitte]

Originally Posted by golfgal

Yes there are hands on exhibits at the Science Museum. Are you bringing kids? There is a great Children's Museum too. The Bell Museum is also very hands on. You can also tour Fort Snelling (near the Airport) and they have some hands on stuff there. On weekends they have people dressed in period costumes 'running' the fort (Civil War). This is mostly in the summer months but you can call ahead and see if they have anything planned when you are there.

I have no children, so I won't be going to the children's part of the museum.

[chilaili]

Originally Posted by pirate_lafitte

I have no children, so I won't be going to the children's part of the museum.

The Science and Children's Museums are a long way apart so you don't have to worry about the screaming hordes. Much .

[JenLee]

Originally Posted by BRMan

In Minneapolis, the Mall of America and its majestic State Capitol are worth visiting. As is the picturesque town of Stillwater just to the east of the metro area

Outside Minneapolis, Lake Itasca (where the Mississippi River begins - 4 hour trip) and Duluth (2 hour drive) are worth taking day trips.

I just want to correct this post. The MN state capital is in St. Paul, NOT Minneapolis. The two downtowns are less than 8 miles apart, but they ARE different cities. And this should also say "Outside the TWIN CITIES...." instead of Mpls.

These a just a few of the things I would suggest to anyone visiting the Twin Cities: The Science Museum is a great place to spend a day; so is the MIA and the MOA (don't forget to check out the Ikea store near the MOA). Tour the James J Hill house (he was the founder of the Great Northern Railway); see Fort Snelling; go to the Swedish Institute; eat lunch at the Walker; do explore Grand Ave., Uptown, and the downtown area of Mpls. Check out Mill City Museum, the Bell Museum of Natural History (the dioramas there are better than the Field Museum in Chicago, they are just smaller and not as well-known). Go on a Gangster tour of St. Paul and find out about the colorful prohibition history here. Tour the St. Paul Cathedral and the Mpls Basilica; also check out some of the other historic churches here. If you are lucky enough to get tickets, do attend a live show of A Prairie Home Companion, but listen to it first on public radio to find out what you will be seeing.

I could go on and on, but that should fill up at least 2 weeks of tourist activities for you!

I forgot to add that the Twin Cities have more live theater than most other cities in the US and ranks in the top 3 cities with live theater in the US.

[pirate_lafitte]

Originally Posted by JenLee

I just want to correct this post. The MN state capital is in St. Paul, NOT Minneapolis. The two downtowns are less than 8 miles apart, but they ARE different cities. And this should also say "Outside the TWIN CITIES...." instead of Mpls.

These a just a few of the things I would suggest to anyone visiting the Twin Cities: The Science Museum is a great place to spend a day; so is the MIA and the MOA (don't forget to check out the Ikea store near the MOA). Tour the James J Hill house (he was the founder of the Great Northern Railway); see Fort Snelling; go to the Swedish Institute; eat lunch at the Walker; do explore Grand Ave., Uptown, and the downtown area of Mpls. Check out Mill City Museum, the Bell Museum of Natural History (the dioramas there are better than the Field Museum in Chicago, they are just smaller and not as well-known). Go on a Gangster tour of St. Paul and find out about the colorful prohibition history here. Tour the St. Paul Cathedral and the Mpls Basilica; also check out some of the other historic churches here. If you are lucky enough to get tickets, do attend a live show of A Prairie Home Companion, but listen to it first on public radio to find out what you will be seeing.

I could go on and on, but that should fill up at least 2 weeks of tourist activities for you!

I forgot to add that the Twin Cities have more live theater than most other cities in the US and ranks in the top 3 cities with live theater in the US.

I'm Catholic ,so going to a service at the St. Paul Cathedral should be wonderful. As for Garrison Keillor, I wouldn't mind seeing one of his progrms. BTW, what is at the Swedish Institute?

[Minnehahapolitan]

A musuem, cultural center type place that is housed in the Park Avenue mansion of the city's first Swedish newspaperman.
The Saint Paul Cathedral is wonderful. The Basilica on Hennepin Avenue in Mpls. was the first in the country.