What do locals in the are think of Chanhassen, Eden Prairie, and St. Louis Park? (Minneapolis: cul-de-sac, houses)

[D-Towner]

What do locals in the are think of Chanhassen, Eden Prairie, Edina, and St. Louis Park? Which is the better one? Are there cool things to do in those Cities?

[uptown_urbanist]

What do you mean by "better?" That's very subjective, but if you give some details about what makes a place good in your eyes (as well as what you mean by "cool" - outdoors? culture? nightclubs? Restaurants? etc.?) I'm sure there are plenty of people here who can give you useful feedback.

My personal favorite is St. Louis Park, but keep in mind that I prefer city living and like those parts of SLP because they feel more like extensions of Minneapolis. The part of Edina around 50th and France is nice, too; there are some interesting restaurants and shops and it's pedestrian-friendly.

I find Chanhassen and Eden Prarie exceedingly boring, but of course that is a very personal opinion.

[Minneapolitan]

From my flash-association:

Chanhassen - Dinner Theatre

Eden Prairie - Hwy. 212 (an absolute mess)

SLP - Hopkins

[Clifford63]

SLP has done some nice renovation on Excelsior Blvd in recent years. It has great access to Minneapolis Lakes area, and has done a good job staying current.

EP - The roads are a mess and it is difficult to get around in if you don't know the area. Lot of nice homes. I think EP Center is one of the better malls compared to the dales. Good number of nice resturaunts if you like that.

Chan - not too familiar with that area

Cool things to do - that will vary a great deal for each person. For me, I find that my ideas of entertainment and fun is ever evolving and I end up finding new things all over the metro. Some are easier to get to than others.

[DaPerpKazoo]

Although I've lived within the Minneapolis city limits my entire life, I did attend high school in SLP and I've spent a lot of time in all of these suburbs.
Basically, all I have to say is that Eden Prairie and Chanhassen are nothing special at all; they consist almost entirely of large subdivisions. If you're looking for a suburb that can offer neighborhood character and stuff to do that you won't have to drive into the city for, SLP is a great place to look, as is neighboring Hopkins.

[DogGirlMN]

We really need more specifics. I live in Eden Prairie. It is a family town. You cannot walk to many destinations, but there are tons of walking and biking paths. There are a number of lakes, some of which are used for skiing and swimming. There is a lot of natural beauty. The city has way too many McMansions, but there are also a lot of normal neighborhoods as well as some very wealthy neighborhoods. Some neighborhoods are very friendly, others are more aloof where people just drive into their garage and spend most outside time in there private (but lovely and largish) backyards. I think most people think of EP as a very safe and quiet place to live.

The schools are very good (especially given their budget - which is very low compared to neighboring cities). Some schools test scores have dropped mostly due to our taking on a large Somali population who apparently have a learning style that is very different from the typical American (please don't anyone read this wrong). The schools are very accomodating (my son was bored at school, when they tested the students they realized that there was a pretty big math disparity between some of the kids so they set up a special math class - he now likes school). The schools are large, but broken down into smaller divisions that can make it seem like there are several smaller schools sharing one building. The town is big on sports and the schools are frequently top competitors in state championships.

The Eden Prairie Mall is large with a variety of stores and prices points. The mall has a large movie theater and some OK restaurants. My favorite in-town restaurants are outside the mall run by D'Amico's a (mostly) local chain - they have a Campiello (high end) and a D'Amico & Sons (take out and casual dining). There is a lovely Dunn Bros. coffee shop in an old farmhouse that is pleasant to visit and has great coffee. Do not come here expecting nearby nightlife.
The town has a mix of Democrats and Republicans- but right now I would say that there may be more Republicans. It seems like a lot of people attend church and there are a lot of churches of all sizes (including some mega-churches).

Before I moved here, I got confused by getting around Eden Prairie too. It's really not that far out - 20 to 30 minutes to either downtown with lots of easy freeway access. We have express buses to at least Minneapolis (SW transit) and expect a light-rail system. There are two reasons people get confused navigating in EP. One is that the shopping mall, where many people are going, has a horseshoe shaped drive around it. The interface to the highways there are confusing, but getting easier. The other reason is that although there are some major EW and NS thoroughfares, there are also many winding roads and cul-de-sacs. There is also an airport that keeps fairly busy with small planes, helicopters and business jets.

[Thegonagle]

I concur with your assessment, DG. Nice post. I have family in EP and know it well. A car is pretty much mandatory. Getting around can be a bit inefficient because of the winding roads and cul de sacs, but a lot of the winding roads are there because of the natural landscape. There's a number of lakes, and even more wetlands there. It's best to study a map if you want to really understand where the natural features are, and how the major roads connect.

And yes, there might be a few more McMansions than most people think is necessary, but there are plenty of "normal suburban" areas as well. All in all, for suburban life, it doesn't look half bad. They seem to manage what they have pretty well.

[BORGUSX]

1.How can you tell a McMansion from a home that is actually in a wealthy neighborhood?

2.I have to admit that there is a lot of roads in EP,but the main routes in EP. I basically know by heart or maybe because I moved to EP when I was 6 and that was in 1995...

So,what do you mean that the traffic in EP is mess?

My only compaint is that sometimes,I drive over a pothole...

3.It is amusing that even though,the high school is EP is pretty big. People still think it is a community college,well there is a sign at the school that stated it is a high school. What's your opinion?

I know that this post might give you an impression that I might sounds like an immature person,just know that I am 19 years old,so I don't know what maturity is,lol!

[Andrew T.]

Opinions from a 22 year old living & working on his own (not too much older, haha):

Chanhassen: Known for its Dinner Theatre, it's close to some cool neighboring towns like Excelsior, Wayzata, and also very close to the lake. Always came off to me as an extension of Eden Prairie- Same thing you'll find in any of the southern suburbs - Large subdivisions, large houses, SOME people with expensive cars, and large egos. BUT, overall, a very nice place to live.

Eden Prairie: A little closer in to the city, but essentially the same as Chanhassen, with a mall. Cul-de-sacs aplenty, not quite as good of a mass transit system as say, St. Louis Park, but known as a great place to raise a family. I enjoy going to Eden Prairie to do my boring weekend tasks (grocery shopping, Target, etc.)

Edina: The best (opinion). Every variation of housing you can imagine, from small ramblers on Arneson Parkway (W 70th St. west of France), to the beautiful older homes surrounding the country club in the 50th & France neighborhood, even more beautiful homes by Interlachen and Rolling Greens, and then new Edina (55439 zip), with very nice large homes, that definitely have more character than its Eden Prairie counterparts. YES, it is known for its inhabitants and regulars having attitude, but it really is, in my opinion, the best place to live in the twin cities. When I can afford to live here, I will. There are tons of things to do in Edina itself, its right on the bus line to from Minneapolis/St. Paul, and its really close to drive as well. Lots of shopping, as well.

St. Louis Park: Quaint is what I think of when I think of SLP. It's not going to be ANYTHING like the other suburbs you mentioned, having older homes, on smaller plots, but its nice, people are friendly, its close to the city (obviously good transit), and it seems to be building up a lot of its areas, and has a lot of things to do. Very close to Calhoun/Uptown if that's something you like as well.

Out of any of these, I probably spend the most time in Edina and Eden Prairie, two of my favorites.

[Clifford63]

Originally Posted by BORGUSX

1.How can you tell a McMansion from a home that is actually in a wealthy neighborhood?

Good question! Lets see if anybody bites