Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I'm not sold that SD has better attractions than Minneapolis. SD has the zoo, MN has the Mall of America. SD has Balboa Park, MN has the Chain of Lakes. SD has beaches, MN has lakes. What am I missing?
SD Wild Animal Park, Seaworld, Legoland, Belmont Park (boardwalk/seaside type amusement park), etc.. The beaches and coastline are far superior to any lake too, I can't believe you actually tried to equate the two.
SD Wild Animal Park, Seaworld, Legoland, Belmont Park (boardwalk/seaside type amusement park), etc.. The beaches and coastline are far superior to any lake too, I can't believe you actually tried to equate the two.
I'm sorry, but I simply do not agree that the Pacific Ocean cannot be compared to literally hundreds of city lakes in the Twin Cities. I've been to San Diego and yes, the ocean is gorgeous and awesome, but so are the lakes. And there's no way you'd know what I'm talking about unless you've experienced them yourself, so I don't blame you for not understanding, nor do I expect the avg. Joe to understand. It's my personal opinion but I also have family who lives in CA (San Francisco) and I see the ocean plenty, so its not like I have no point of reference or basis for arguing.
Going back to amenities, the Twin Cities have the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Guthrie Theatre, and the St. Paul Cathedral -- all of which are among the best in the country in their respective categories. Additionally, the Twin Cities have the State Fair, Valley Fair Amusement Park, Walker and Weisman Art Museums, numerous Broadway Threatres that make up one of the top threatre districts in the country, and three casinos within 40 miles of the core. Another thing that makes the Twin Cities so appealing to me as a sports enthusiast is the level of outdoor participation and sports you can participate in the Twin Cities. In the very same city and within the same calendar year you can sit on the beach or go water skiing, and you can hit the slopes and go downhill skiing or play hockey or ice skate.....outdoors (there are a half dozen ski hills in the metro area and, although they're small, they are not insignificant, as both Buck Hill and Highland Hills have produce Olympiads in downhill ski racing -- Kaitlyn Richardson, Kristina Koznick and Lindsay Vonn, for ex.).
It's a unique metro area in many ways. It's the center of business, education AND politics in the state, so all things the state and region demand are typically located within the metro area (like the State Fair, State Capitol, University of Minnesota, and all but one of the state's 20 Fortune 500 Companies).
I'm sorry, but I simply do not agree that the Pacific Ocean cannot be compared to literally hundreds of city lakes in the Twin Cities. I've been to San Diego and yes, the ocean is gorgeous and awesome, but so are the lakes. And there's no way you'd know what I'm talking about unless you've experienced them yourself, so I don't blame you for not understanding, nor do I expect the avg. Joe to understand. It's my personal opinion but I also have family who lives in CA (San Francisco) and I see the ocean plenty, so its not like I have no point of reference or basis for arguing.
Well your certainly in the minority there I'm sure. To each their own but not too many lakes can compete with something like this:
Quote:
Going back to amenities, the Twin Cities have the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Guthrie Theatre, and the St. Paul Cathedral -- all of which are among the best in the country in their respective categories. Additionally, the Twin Cities have the State Fair, Valley Fair Amusement Park, Walker and Weisman Art Museums, numerous Broadway Threatres that make up one of the top threatre districts in the country,
Okay, San Diego has all of those types of cultural amenities as well. You can go ahead and argue on the quality if you want but unless you're NYC, LA, DC, Boston, Chicago, or possibly SF I don't think it's even worth noting these types of attractions for visitors from outside the region.
Quote:
and three casinos within 40 miles of the core.
San Diego has about 8-10, inlcuding a Harrah's.
Quote:
It's a unique metro area in many ways. It's the center of business, education AND politics in the state, so all things the state and region demand are typically located within the metro area (like the State Fair, State Capitol, University of Minnesota, and all but one of the state's 20 Fortune 500 Companies).
That's probably the case for any state whose primary metro is also the capital. Not sure what this has to do with attractions either.
Why in the world does San Diego have 8-10 casinos?
My point was that the Twin Cities has to cater to the entire region of the Upper Midwest while San Diego has to compete directly with LA. It's somewhat unique and one reason why the Twin Cities has as many amenities as it does. Me listing the cultural amenities like the museums and theatre was more in response to your post about more specific SD amenities than it was me flaunting them. I'm showing you that the Twin Cities have just about everything San Diego has, and each metro has a few things the other doesn't, which is good because otherwise every city would have the same things and traveling wouldn't be very interesting.
Showing me a few pics of beaches doesn't debunk my point that SD does not have better amenities than the Twin Cities.....that's my point. I'll be the first to admit that there are no beaches like those in the Twin Cities, but there ARE beaches (hundreds), and there is a LOT of water people play on, not unlike the ocean (just different).
Why in the world does San Diego have 8-10 casinos?
My point was that the Twin Cities has to cater to the entire region of the Upper Midwest while San Diego has to compete directly with LA. It's somewhat unique and one reason why the Twin Cities has as many amenities as it does. Me listing the cultural amenities like the museums and theatre was more in response to your post about more specific SD amenities than it was me flaunting them. I'm showing you that the Twin Cities have just about everything San Diego has, and each metro has a few things the other doesn't, which is good because otherwise every city would have the same things and traveling wouldn't be very interesting.
Showing me a few pics of beaches doesn't debunk my point that SD does not have better amenities than the Twin Cities.....that's my point. I'll be the first to admit that there are no beaches like those in the Twin Cities, but there ARE beaches (hundreds), and there is a LOT of water people play on, not unlike the ocean (just different).
I agree with you on the twin cities regional amenities and draw, but the beach thing......no. No lakes including the great lakes will trump San Diego beaches.
I agree with you on the twin cities regional amenities and draw, but the beach thing......no. No lakes including the great lakes will trump San Diego beaches.
I happily admitted that no beaches in the Twin Cities compare to SD beaches. All I said was that all of the lakes in the region have a cultural draw and are a major local amenity to the Twin Cities, arguably as much as the Pacific Ocean is for San Diego (and that includes during winter, when lakes serve as hockey rinks -- a HUGE sport in MN). The water culture in Minneapolis is omnipresent, and that has mostly to do with accessibility -- both in terms of the sheer number of lakes but also the number of access points and the relative affordability to do so in the Twin Cities. I know I am in the minority when I say that I'd rather have the lakes in the Twin Cities over the ocean in San Diego, but it's true and that's why I put the two together.
I'd be very curious to know what proportion of cities' residents spend time in or around water for all US cities. It seems as if easily 1/3 of the Twin Cities residents spend their summer weekends at a local beach/lake or go "up North" to a cabin along another beach/lake. I've lived in 5 large metros and nowhere was water culture as important to the local culture as it was in the Twin Cities (surprisingly).
san Diego's coastal California location makes it more desirable in and of itself. on paper they seem comparable but with your own eyes its not even remotely comparable.to put it more accurately, San Diego is where Minneapolis prom queens move to when they don't want to live in LA.
Last edited by NorCal Dude; 07-13-2013 at 08:49 PM..
Reason: trying to figure out tap talk on galaxy
san Diego's coastal California location makes it more desirable in and of itself. on paper they seem comparable but with your own eyes its not even remotely comparable.to put it more accurately, San Diego is where Minneapolis prom queens move to when they don't want to live in LA.
Only it's location. As a city, Minneapolis holds it's own.
I happily admitted that no beaches in the Twin Cities compare to SD beaches. All I said was that all of the lakes in the region have a cultural draw and are a major local amenity to the Twin Cities, arguably as much as the Pacific Ocean is for San Diego (and that includes during winter, when lakes serve as hockey rinks -- a HUGE sport in MN). The water culture in Minneapolis is omnipresent, and that has mostly to do with accessibility -- both in terms of the sheer number of lakes but also the number of access points and the relative affordability to do so in the Twin Cities. I know I am in the minority when I say that I'd rather have the lakes in the Twin Cities over the ocean in San Diego, but it's true and that's why I put the two together.
I'd be very curious to know what proportion of cities' residents spend time in or around water for all US cities. It seems as if easily 1/3 of the Twin Cities residents spend their summer weekends at a local beach/lake or go "up North" to a cabin along another beach/lake. I've lived in 5 large metros and nowhere was water culture as important to the local culture as it was in the Twin Cities (surprisingly).
Yep,lake culture is huge here in Texas too, but it's not the same. In Minnesota the lakes and big rivers are cool but you don't get your 1/3 numbers when they're frozen over.
No one's swimming in the Pacific in February, either. But yeah, you can't compare the Pacific to some small lakes. However, you can't discount all those lakes as important amenities, either.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
