Potential Visit to Minnesota - crime concern? (Minneapolis, Duluth: 2013, best hotel)

[Htown2013]

Thinking of visiting Minnesota this summer. Not planning to spend much time in Minneapolis other than Mall of America. Mostly wanted to do an outdoor trip, visit Fargo to claim "North Dakota" and maybe spend some time on Lake Superior.

Some of my travel party are very concerned about crime in Minnesota and think anything in Minneapolis or Duluth is unsafe. I'm from Houston, TX so I don't think it's worse than that but I'm not familiar with Minnesota at all. Wanted a break from the heat and see some good scenery, as well as popping into North Dakota.

[MnMomma]

Sounds like you plan to cover a lot of ground! You'll be fine as long as you use common sense. Doesn't sound like you'll be hanging out anywhere risky or in the wee hours of the morning. Don't leave valuables in your car--and lock it.

[Cruz Azul Guy]

Originally Posted by Htown2013

Thinking of visiting Minnesota this summer. Not planning to spend much time in Minneapolis other than Mall of America. Mostly wanted to do an outdoor trip, visit Fargo to claim "North Dakota" and maybe spend some time on Lake Superior.

Some of my travel party are very concerned about crime in Minnesota and think anything in Minneapolis or Duluth is unsafe. I'm from Houston, TX so I don't think it's worse than that but I'm not familiar with Minnesota at all. Wanted a break from the heat and see some good scenery, as well as popping into North Dakota.

You’ll be fine. Enjoy your visit.

[kab0906]

Don't waste your time on the mall. It's just a big mall. Most stores are the same as your local mall. You can walk it in a few hours. Sure, it's got some kiddie rides in the mall, and that's unique, but not worth the trip.

I say this as someone who came from FL (for more reasons than the mall) and spent an afternoon there. I didn't even end up buying anything because it just wasn't that different from home.

[ZanderX]

Minnesota is very dangerous. It has a violent crime rate lower than all of its neighboring states and 60% that of Texas. https://www.statista.com/statistics/...the-us-states/
Stay safe, stay away.

[wamer27]

If you are flying, I’d just visit the mall once you land as it’s next to airport, maybe stay at hotel within it. Mpls isn’t bad, you’d have to go way out of your way to find the areas where something could happen, but every city is that way everywhere.

Fargo is a boring and to me ugly drive to it. The drive from Fargo to Duluth, do the northern most route you can find. North means thick forests and more lakes. You’ll be in the general area of where the Mississippi starts, Itasca state park. Highway 2 is a good route.

My advise is when coming into Duluth via highway 2 is turn right on South Boundary road. Then turn left on Skyline Parkway about a mile down. Skyline is by far the most scenic road we have in state, keep following it as it crosses many roads. It passes a tower on top of a small mtn overlooking the town/bay/lake. Enger Tower is free to use also. The best hotel I’ve found in Duluth is the South Pier Inn as it’s right next to the shipping canal thousand footer ships use and a famous lift bridge next to it. You can toss a rock from the rooms and hit ships, it’s that close. But only book a room on the canal side. I’ve never heard of Duluth being unsafe, it’s a little grungy and people loitering on Superior street, but it’s really nothing.

If you want scenery, take highway 61 up the shore to anywhere. Thick forests, giant lake, rivers and waterfalls, small mountains, tons of lakes. Most of the waterfalls are right next to the highway as it follows the coast to Canada.

[Kavalier]

In general it's pretty safe here. Stay away from Downtown (or anywhere around Downtown) Minneapolis in general.

Originally Posted by ZanderX

Minnesota is very dangerous. It has a violent crime rate lower than all of its neighboring states and 60% that of Texas. https://www.statista.com/statistics/...the-us-states/
Stay safe, stay away.

Is that true? Hard to imagine Iowa, the Dakotas or even Wisonsin have more murders per year than MN (namely, the TC, which is effectively where 90%+ of all murders occur).

[Kaszilla]

Originally Posted by Kavalier

In general it's pretty safe here. Stay away from Downtown (or anywhere around Downtown) Minneapolis in general.



Is that true? Hard to imagine Iowa, the Dakotas or even Wisonsin have more murders per year than MN (namely, the TC, which is effectively where 90%+ of all murders occur).

He's saying MN has a lower crime rate than neighboring states.

[Kavalier]

Originally Posted by ZanderX

Minnesota is very dangerous. It has a violent crime rate lower than all of its neighboring states and 60% that of Texas. https://www.statista.com/statistics/...the-us-states/
Stay safe, stay away.

Originally Posted by Kaszilla

He's saying MN has a lower crime rate than neighboring states.

I know what he's saying, but some times there are nuances to crime rates.


For example, Rbcccl (or whatever her name is) argued that Virginia, MN has a higher crime rate than Minneapolis. But when you look at, say, murder, there have been like 4 murders in 20 years in Virginia, MN, whereas Minneapolis has probably had a thousand murders in the last 20 years.

[WoodburyWoody]

Originally Posted by Kavalier

In general it's pretty safe here. Stay away from Downtown (or anywhere around Downtown) Minneapolis in general.

Originally Posted by ZanderX

Minnesota is very dangerous. It has a violent crime rate lower than all of its neighboring states and 60% that of Texas. https://www.statista.com/statistics/...the-us-states/
Stay safe, stay away.

Originally Posted by Kavalier

Is that true? Hard to imagine Iowa, the Dakotas or even Wisonsin have more murders per year than MN (namely, the TC, which is effectively where 90%+ of all murders occur).

ZanderX's source for is for reported violent crime rate, not murders per year.

If you have sources that state something different, post them here for discussion.