Need Ideas for Teen Visiting Twin Cities (Minneapolis, St. Paul: rent, house)

[Claudia2009]

Hi

My daughter, 15 1/2 will be visiting her grandparents for week later this month. They live in S.St.Paul. I would appreciate some ideas/suggestions for things to do around the Twin Cities for a teen girl.

Thanks for your help!

Claudia

[uptown_urbanist]

Much depends on personal interests, but some likely options would be walk around Lake Calhoun and maybe rent a canoe or kayak, plus wander around Uptown a bit (lots of shopping there, too, if she's into that). I haven't been for awhile, but they used to have (and I assume still do?) have tours of the locks by St. Anthony Falls; I found it fun to be out on the river when I was that age. And if she is into shopping, boring as I find it, the Mall of America is a popular destination and certainly has a lot of stores.

[MplsTodd]

I like the idea of spending part of a day by the lakes (even better if you have roller blades or a bike). You could walk around either Lake Harriet or Calhoun, stop near the bandshell (or Refectory) for ice cream (or go into Linden Hills for Sebastian Joes--43rd & Upton).

A few more ideas:

Valleyfair (lots of rides & roller coasters)
MN Zoo

Museums:

Walker Art Center & Sculpture garden
Minneapolis Inst of Arts
Weisman Museum of Art (at the U of M)
Russian Museum of Art (I-35W at Diamond lake Road)

Check the papers (or their websites to see what shows are going on)

MN Science Museum
Mill City Museum (could easily be combined with an afternoon on the river--visit the Guthrie, Stone Arch Bridge, St Anthony Falls, Lock & Dam)
Mn Historical Society (they have the Titanic exhibit--though it may be a bit pricey)

Canoe on the St. Croix
Take the Minnehaha Trolley Boat from Excelsior to Wayzata

[uptown_urbanist]

Good suggestions above; let me also add that there are some great historic house museums over in St. Paul - Ramsey House, etc. (all run by the Minnesota Historical Society, so check out their website for details). They are great tours, and should be sufficiently interesting to hold the attention of even someone not particularly interested in history. (I used to visit those places when I was a teen, and I guess it made an impression as I now work in the field...) The American Swedish Institute is in Minneapolis, and it's also a fun museum to visit, regardless of whether or not one has any interest in history or American or Swedish culture. If nothing else it's fun to see the insides of these grand older home (that one is also a former house, and is very impressive).
There's Como Zoo, too, in St. Paul.

[nmweatherman]

Give her your Mastercharge and drop her at Mall of America. She'll stay busy all day. Valley Fair is a good idea. There's really not much for a 14-year-old in the Twin Cities.