Moving from Texas what do I need to know (Minneapolis: transplants, 2011)

[amensupremera]

There's a very good chance that I'll be moving to Minneapolis this fall to attend University of St Thomas law school(providing that no other school matches thier scholarship offer) and I'd like to know what I need to bring(buy) in order to make it through the winter. Being from Dallas I have no idea what I'll need when faced with a real winter. We get ice on the road once a year down here....if that and everything usually shuts down when we do. Other than Texas, I lived in California when I was in the navy and when I was going to school, so when it comes to living in the extreme cold I'm totally ignorant. Looking forward to the new experience I love moving to new cities and I'm just looking for a heads up on midwest essentials that a Texan would know nothing about. Also, I'm weighing my options between UST and Depaul in Chicago and I'll be visiting both cities the last week of Feb and the first week of March. While I'm in Minneapolis what do I need to see or experience about the city that would likely make me choose Minneapolis over Chicago?

[Miley Cyrus]

I went to Chicago when I was about 10 so I don't remember it that well other than going to a White Sox game. I'm guessing it has everything Minneapolis has and more. If you're into shopping there's of course MOA and Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis has some fancy stores like Neiman Marcus and a Saks outlet. It has been significantly cooler this winter compared to past ones. A little Under Armour "cold gear" never hurts. If Dallas traffic is anything like Houston traffic than Minneapolis/St. Paul is somewhat better. At least it is going from downtown to the Northern suburbs. I took a tour of the St. Thomas campus when I was in high school but ended up at the U of M. It looked pretty nice. Be prepared for liberals if you're somewhat conservative.

[amensupremera]

Thanks for the information....I was worried about being around a lot of conservatives.

[MplsTodd]

Originally Posted by amensupremera

I'll be visiting both cities the last week of Feb and the first week of March. While I'm in Minneapolis what do I need to see or experience about the city that would likely make me choose Minneapolis over Chicago?

A lot will depend on the weather. Late Feb/early March weather can be anywhere from about 15 degrees to 50 degrees, so i'd be prepared for late winter weather. When I have people visit, I usually try to show them the following:

Downtown Mpls: Lots of restaurants and shops along Nicollet Mall (especially between 6th Street and 11th Street). If its nice I'd walk along the mall, or else walk in the skyways. The IDS Center Crystal Court is often considered the heart of Downtown (kind of like an enclosed town square). Macy's across the street is by far the biggest department store.

Also downtown, I'd make my way over to the Mississippi River and check out the Stone Arch Bridge, St Anthony Falls and the riverfront. The Guthrie Theater (at 2nd Street S and Chicago Ave) is very well known and is open to the public--you can go up the escalators to go on the "endless Bridge", which has great views of the river, the falls and Stone Arch Bridge. They have a weekend farmers market there from April to November (not in Feb/March though).

The Warehouse District is big for nightlife, with lots of clubs and venues (I still like to go to First Ave and the Fine Line every now and then, but I don't know much about the other clubs!)

Lakes District: to me this is the heart and soul of the Twin Cities: Four lakes, each about 3 miles in circumference, that are linked together with bike paths, jogging paths etc...Located in SW Mpls, this is a great place to walk around. Lake of the Isles has mansions, Lake Calhoun has a mix of mid-rise and high rise buildings as well as older homes, while Lake Harriet is a more family oriented lake (with a bandshell and the Lake Harriet trolley (streetcar), which runs May - Oct). Cedar Lake is a bit more remote and quieter.


Uptown/Lyn-Lake: the area around Hennepin & lake or Lyndale and Lake has lots of interesting restaurants, bars and shops.

If you're in the area you may want to drive further SW to see Linden Hills (43rd & Upton Ave S) and 50th & France (on the Edina/Mpls border): two little business districts with nice shops and interesting neighborhoods.

There's also: Grand Avenue/Summit Ave in St. Paul: great retail on the first/historic mansions on the second

I'm not a mall fan, but I suppose you'd have to see Mall of America. You can take LRT to it from downtown Mpls (at 5th & Nicollet).

This hopefully gives you a start!

[amensupremera]

Originally Posted by MplsTodd

A lot will depend on the weather. Late Feb/early March weather can be anywhere from about 15 degrees to 50 degrees, so i'd be prepared for late winter weather. When I have people visit, I usually try to show them the following:

Downtown Mpls: Lots of restaurants and shops along Nicollet Mall (especially between 6th Street and 11th Street). If its nice I'd walk along the mall, or else walk in the skyways. The IDS Center Crystal Court is often considered the heart of Downtown (kind of like an enclosed town square). Macy's across the street is by far the biggest department store.

Also downtown, I'd make my way over to the Mississippi River and check out the Stone Arch Bridge, St Anthony Falls and the riverfront. The Guthrie Theater (at 2nd Street S and Chicago Ave) is very well known and is open to the public--you can go up the escalators to go on the "endless Bridge", which has great views of the river, the falls and Stone Arch Bridge. They have a weekend farmers market there from April to November (not in Feb/March though).

The Warehouse District is big for nightlife, with lots of clubs and venues (I still like to go to First Ave and the Fine Line every now and then, but I don't know much about the other clubs!)

Lakes District: to me this is the heart and soul of the Twin Cities: Four lakes, each about 3 miles in circumference, that are linked together with bike paths, jogging paths etc...Located in SW Mpls, this is a great place to walk around. Lake of the Isles has mansions, Lake Calhoun has a mix of mid-rise and high rise buildings as well as older homes, while Lake Harriet is a more family oriented lake (with a bandshell and the Lake Harriet trolley (streetcar), which runs May - Oct). Cedar Lake is a bit more remote and quieter.


Uptown/Lyn-Lake: the area around Hennepin & lake or Lyndale and Lake has lots of interesting restaurants, bars and shops.

If you're in the area you may want to drive further SW to see Linden Hills (43rd & Upton Ave S) and 50th & France (on the Edina/Mpls border): two little business districts with nice shops and interesting neighborhoods.

There's also: Grand Avenue/Summit Ave in St. Paul: great retail on the first/historic mansions on the second

I'm not a mall fan, but I suppose you'd have to see Mall of America. You can take LRT to it from downtown Mpls (at 5th & Nicollet).

This hopefully gives you a start!

Thanks, I make sure to put it all on my list of things to do and see

[sarahrose]

It's cold......and for a long time.........but, the summers are pretty, and also the early fall. The schoold you will be attending is in a nice area as well, Grand Ave/Summit Ave are very nice, and have alot of culture, and shopping and dining.

[mik3pass]

Actually.You'll be coming in from the south, so you'll probably be driving in on I-35 in some way. If that's the case, you'll probably drive through Iowa (hell of a drive if that be the case,) and you can stop at a Minnesota rest stop and pick up the traveler's official visitor's guide on the Twin Cities that they put out. That'll do a better job laying some stuff out that I'll ever be able to do. (The guide also has detailed maps on the downtown's of both cities, with attractions laid out.) If you fly-in, it'll probably be to the international airport, which is right next to the Mall of America.

The one thing about Minneapolis is that it never really seems to be just one single city, especially one of the size that it is. Because Minneapolis and St. Paul have accumulated right at half of the entire state's population within its Metro area, there really is a lot to do in the area. You'll often hear the Twin Cities referenced just as much as Minneapolis, because the two are so closely connected.

Minneapolis is more over a more modern city than St. Paul is. St. Paul is typically regarded as the last city to the East, and Minneapolis is regarded as the first city to the west. This mainly comes from the fact that the Mississippi river divides the two, although Minneapolis extends a bit past the Mississippi. As such, Minneapolis has a more bustling and modern Downtown than St. Paul, while St. Paul has some more traditional architecture, and is structured much much differently than its western neighbor.
If it came down to me picking to go to school in Chicago or the Twin Cities, I'd probably opt for the cities. The only down side is that they're relatively isolated from any other major metropolitan area. The Twin cities can also be bad at times for getting lost until you get the hang of navigating the area, moreover if you don't have some kind of map or GPS system.

The people are generally more friendly in Minneapolis than in Chicago. This is Minnesota that we're talking about. They apparently have the whole "Minnesota-nice" thing going of for them, so I'm sure that Garrison Keilor's happy. The state of Minnesota also doesn't have as many conservatives as you'd tend to think. Minnesotans will vote for independents and third-parties more so than any other state. The more conversatives will typically be in the more rural areas. Minnesota typically leans democratic when it comes to the elections.
Anyway. To the point. I'll just go over some things that you need to see while you're up here.

Bloomington -
The Mall of America - Even if you go to Chicago, you have to see the MOA. It's right next to the airport. They've got an IKEA store right next to it. Do yourself the favor. Also. They're trying to have an expansion on it that'll double its size. I'm not sure if that'll ever go down, but its still impressive all the same. Also. The old metropolitan stadium is located in the park that is in the middle of the Mall. I'm not sure if the homeplate marker is the only remnant that remains, but it's still something to think about. You'll never see the kind of range of stores as you will at the MOA.

Minneapolis -

Downtown:
Skywalk - I can't really mention anything else in the downtown without mentioning the skywalk system they have in place there. The skywalk system in Minneapolis is definitely the largest in the world. Most of the downtown is completely accessible without ever having to leave to go outside. This mainly comes out of necessity from the cold temperatures in January and February. Even the University of St. Thomas in Minneapolis is connected through this system.
Block E - Probably one of the most notable entertainment blocks in the city. It's located right next to the Target Center. It's got Gameworks, Hooters, Applebee's, Hard Rock Cafe, and some other establishments.
First Avenue - The most notable night club in the city. Lot of great talent that has some roots there. Right next to Block E. The exterior is painted with white stars. You can't miss it.
Gaviidae Common + Minneapolis City Center - The Gaviidae common is an upscale mall in the downtown. Valet parking is provided, and it serves as a pretty good anchor when you go about the downtown. Definately worth seeing.
Nicollet Mall - A pedestrian zone shopping district that goes right through the heart of the downtown. Lots of great restaurants and stores. Check out "The Local", which is a pretty cool Irish pub. Definately needs to be on the list. Also, Target is headquartered in Minneapolis. Their flagship store in Minneapolis is pretty cool. It's on the corner or 9th and the Nicollet mall. The Target store is also connected via the skywalk system, as is the corporate headquarters right next to it. The Macy's is also a big deal.
The Hennepin Theater District - Really worth checking out if you're in to theater. The Orpheum, State, Pantages, and Hennepin stages make up the the district, which is located along Hennepin avenue from 10th St to 5th. But there are also plenty of other smaller theaters in the city.
IDS Center/Crystal Court - Pretty much as everyone described it above.
Target Center - Where the Timberwolves play. Pretty cool arena. Connected to everything through the Skywalk system.
Target Field - Currently in construction behind the Target Center. It'll be the home of the Twins. The stadium won't have a retractable roof, which is kind of a bummer, seeing as that would add a lot of potential for the winter months.

Riverside:
Guthrie Theater - Extremely modern theater along side the Mississippi river. Google search them sometime and try and get tickets online, especially if you go with some friends. It's open to the public so you should definately check it out.
Mill City Museum - It was the second largest flour-mill in all of Minnesota. Kind of a history tour and everything.
Stone Arch Bridge - Really symbolic to Minneapolis. The bridge offers a really good view of the Downtown Skyline that just can't be beat.
U of M - Golden Gophers! Who could want anything more? Well. They've got the Weisman Art Museum which is open to the public with free admission. It's on the riverside along the campus' east bank. It looks like a piece of art in its own right.
Metrodome - Currently where the Vikings, Twins, and Gophers play. Really cool indoor arena. The Twins and Gophers are relocated to different venues, though. The Gophers to the TCF Bank stadium on campus, and the Twins to Target Field, which will be right behind the Target Center. The Vikings want to tear down the Metrodome and build their own stadium when their lease runs out in 2011. The state hasn't had a whole lot of support, though.

Uptown:
Minneapolis Institute of Arts - Free admission. One of the coolest art museums in the state. What more is there to say?
American Swedish Institute - Cool castle looking museum. Great if you're scandinavian.
Walker Art Center - The spoonbridge and cherry are right next to it, so definately worth a sight.
Shopping - There's also a lot of good shopping on Hennepin avenue along 31st street.
The Lakes - The four lakes make up a lot of parks and bike trails. Great in the summer.


St. Paul -
Basically just check out the whole downtown. The riverfront is absolutely beautiful. They've also got the Ordway Center for Performig Arts, the Science Museum of Minnesota (which has the Omnitheater), the Museum of American Art, Lowery Theater, State Capitol, etc.

[Backinminnesota]

Not sure about this "minnesota nice" thing. It's more like "minnesota passive aggressive". And, liberal doesn't even describe the people in St. Paul. If you are not way way to the left, keep your opinions to yourself because the libs are extremely outspoken and no matter what, your opinion is wrong. And they get violent about it. On the up-side, there are a lot of great things to do here and even though it's freezing cold outside, there is plenty of things to do to keep busy during the winter. Summers are beautiful! Seriously, absolutely beautiful! And, if you can meet up with other Texans - or transplants from other states, you will have a better time. (I'm from Texas, too.) By the way, Minnesotans believe that no place is anywhere near as good as Minnesota. Most never leave, and never travel outside of Minnesota, so they don't really have an appreciation of what is out there.

[MplsTodd]

Originally Posted by Backinminnesota

By the way, Minnesotans believe that no place is anywhere near as good as Minnesota. Most never leave, and never travel outside of Minnesota, so they don't really have an appreciation of what is out there.

I agree that lots of Minnesotans have a strong liking for their state, but I disagree that they never travel. Maybe it depends on what crowd you run with, but everybody I know travels extensively--be it trips to Europe Vegas, Vail/Aspen, or various parts of the east and west coast. There certainly are those folks who just travel up to the north woods, but lots of people take advantage of Northwest's direct service anywhere, or the charter deals on Sun Country.

[Minneapolitan]

I also have to disagree that Minnesotans don't travel. In fact (just guessing here), I wouldn't be surprised if Minnesotans travel MORE than the average American/midwestern resident. I, and most of my friends and family have traveled extensively (I don't come from a priveledged background).