Relocating to Minnetonka for the summer (Minneapolis, St. Paul: apartment complex, townhome, neighborhoods)

[mack387]

Good afternoon. As a junior in college, I have recently been relocated to the "Cliffs Apartments" in Minnetonka for the duration of a summer internship that I will have in Minnesota for the entire summer.

I am 21 years old, am of Hispanic origin, and have lived in a New York City housing project (http://www.city-data.com/forum/new-y...frak-city.html) for the greater part of my life. Any thoughts/ideas/comments would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[uptown_urbanist]

What kind of thought/ideas/comments are you looking for? Anything specific?

I'm not that familiar with Minnetonka (it's a ritzy suburb with a nice lake) but it will be a big change from NYC.

[mack387]

I think its barely in Minnetonka ---- I would say the apartments are closer to the Hopkins area .... in terms of feedback .... just an overview of what to expect....how would people in that area view an out of town hispanic New Yorker in that area basically..lol...thanks once again

[Isaysos]

Being Hispanic will not be a problem in the Twin Cities area. There are many Hispanics as well as every other race and ethnicity under the sun in the Twin Cities and suburban areas. Minnetonka is one of the whiter areas, but you shouldn't be treated differently than anyone else.
The area is very nice in the summer time. Lake Minnetonka is nice. There are many bike paths if that is what you are into and your not to far from Downtown (Minneapolis) if your into the club/bar scene. There are some decent malls and shopping centers in and around Minnetonka as well (Ridgedale, Eden Prairie, Southdale etc.) So in summary, very nice place, a little too suburban for my taste, but your never to far away from Minneapolis/St. Paul.
St. Louis Park is a decent area to. Hopkins has a nice downtown area, at least I think so.
Overall I LOVE the Twin Cities in the spring, summer, and fall!

[uptown_urbanist]

I don't go to the suburbs too often, but I know a lot of people love Hopkins. I wouldn't expect public transportation to be too extensive out ther (compared to more urban neighborhoods or certainly to NYC) but it's probably adequate. I don't think anyone will blink an eye at the out-of-town hispanic thing.I would think that you'd be on the younger side for an apartment out there, but that's pure guesswork since I just know more college-age kids who live either closer to their schools or in city neighborhoods.

Definitely also take some time to expore the cities themselves; check out the area around the Mississippi River (Stone Arch Bridge is a highlight) as well as the lakes.

If you're still in the Twin Cities in August make sure to visit the Minnesota State Fair - it is a true Midwest/Minnesota experience and well worth the visit. It's one of the biggest in the country, and brings together EVERYONE in the state, rural, suburban, and urban. There's even a dairy princess contest where they carve a bust of the winners out of butter - they pose in a big rotating refrigerated case and you can watch the sculptor at work. Now that's something you probably can't easily find in NYC.

[Winter Hater]

I was born in Minneapolis, moved to Minnetonka when I was 12, and then to Hopkins when I was 18. I am now 25, and have lived in hopkins (with parents in tonka) for past seven years or so. Anything you want to know for this area, just ask... as you weren't too specific.

Hopkins is diverse, and kind of a melting pot in a sense. There are white, black, hispanic, asian, muslim, jewish people from all parts of the globe. To give you an example, I live in a townhome and all of my neighbors are of different nationalities. If I recall correctly though, the apartment complex you're staying in is closer to hopkins highschool which is actually located in Minnetonka, ironically. A much nicer neighborhood I might add, and not as much of a "melting pot" as I've previously mentioned. (I just google mapped it, and you're quite far from the heart of hopkins) which doesn't surprise me as people seem to misconstrue the borders of Hopkins, and where they end. Hopkins is tiny, run down, old fashioned, and poor in appearance compared to all the cities that surround it (edina, eden prairie, lake calhoun/uptown mpls, plymouth, minnetonka) to name a few.

If you're looking for ideas of things to keep you busy besides interning, you'd probably have to tell us what you're into. There's a bowling alley/bar off shady oak rd/excelsior blvd... and a larger bowling alley/bar off highway 7, and louisianna ave. Restaurants and antique stores are up and down mainstreet along with one of the best tattoo shops in the state. Lake calhoun is 10 minutes away - east on highway 7, Lake minnetonka is 10 minutes away - west on highway 7. Ridgedale mall is in your backyard, southdale, knollwood, and the mall of america are all within 5-15 minutes away. If you'll be driving at all, Learn how 169, 494, 62, 394 and excelsior blvd work together as you'll use them often. That's pretty all I can give ya, unless you specify in detail what you'd like to learn here. Anyways, enjoy our spring/summer... cause our winters suck.



- Winter Hater