Visiting, stay in Bloomington or Downtown?

[doogie88]

Okay, just booked Hilton downtown for a great price. I need to reread the thread, but is there anything cool to do within walking distance?
I see Mill City Museum... is it worth visiting? For me? Or son?
Also, I have to bring my dog with us. Are there any nice parks close by? Okay I see Stone arch bridge now and Loring Park(correct name?).
Can I bring my dog to the Sculpture garden?

Thanks for all the help.

[doogie88]

Okay after rereading the thread and looking on the map I think we have enough to do.
MOA with aquarium one day.
Sculpture garden.
Stone arch bridge and other stuff along there.
Lake Harriet
Gaviidae Common
Mill City Museum
Foshay Tower
Skywalks

[1stpontiac]

Originally Posted by doogie88

Okay after rereading the thread and looking on the map I think we have enough to do.
MOA with aquarium one day.
Sculpture garden.
Stone arch bridge and other stuff along there.
Lake Harriet
Gaviidae Common
Mill City Museum
Foshay Tower
Skywalks

Sounds like a good weekend, can I tag along

[phlinak]

Originally Posted by doogie88

Okay after rereading the thread and looking on the map I think we have enough to do.
MOA with aquarium one day.
Sculpture garden.
Stone arch bridge and other stuff along there.
Lake Harriet
Gaviidae Common
Mill City Museum
Foshay Tower
Skywalks

Originally Posted by 1stpontiac

Sounds like a good weekend, can I tag along

Originally Posted by uptown_urbanist

Yes, I should note that I agree that the museums are more for the parents, not for the kids, although it's more enjoyable for parents to visit museums that are more family-friendly (Mill City is very kid-friendly, although the older kids will get more out of it.). I agree that for that age toddlers are happy just checking anything out. And that's where I think downtown is nice -- it's a good place for just wandering around with a stroller. Stone Arch Bridge is wonderful for wandering, and I think even the younger kids enjoy watching what's going on below. If on the other side of downtown, the Loring Greenway (connecting the end of Nicollet Mall with Loring Park) has a small, low-key playground that is always a hit; there are picnic tables nestled in there, too, and it's a very pleasant place for a stroll (we sometimes get snacks at the nearby downtown Target and have lunch there). Not sure when you're coming, but soon enough the fountains along that Greenway will be on, which are also usually pretty entertaining for a toddler. The Greenway is pedestrian-only, which is an added bonus. You can let your kid out of the stroller to walk without having to worry about cars or buses.

For the adults, I'd make it a point to visit the Foshay Tower's observation deck; the views are amazing. It's fully enclosed and caged and the wall comes up to adult chest-level, so your kid won't see anything unless you lift him or her up, but that also means that they won't get spooked. My son is a bit older now, but he and his younger cousins both like just walking around up there even though they can't see anything! They can't fall off or go anywhere (other than around in a circle) so it gives the adults plenty of time to really enjoy the views.

You could also check out the event listings for the downtown public library -- they often have story times, special events, etc. going on for kids on both weekdays and weekends. The children's room is a nice place for a break, and has a lot of interactive things to push and pull (in addition to the obvious benefits of lots of books) and fun things to look at. For future reference, they also have a nice kids-only bathroom with miniature child-sized toilet. (also not a bad place to change a diaper)

Gaviidae Common downtown (two shopping/office buildings right on Nicollet Mall) are a nice stop for a family downtown, too. Very attractive inside, but the big kid draw is the HUGE fountain that flows from the top floor (4 or 5 floors up) all the way down to the ground floor. The other building has a food court on the fourth floor, and while the restaurants themselves are nothing special (think average food court options) the place is unusual in that it's all Minnesota State Fair-themed. There's lots of neon, and giant food sculptures (ice cream cones and hot dogs and the like) and while a bit garish, would probably attract the attention of a toddler.

Mill City's Farmers Market opens in May and would be fun for the whole family. I believe it's become very popular for both visitors and locals.

On the topic of splash pads and pools, Minneapolis has some really nice ones; there's one right by Minnehaha Falls that has been fairly recently redone and is really popular with young kids and their parents (plus, you can combine it with a trip to the Falls themselves). That would be fairly convenient whether you're in Bloomington or downtown.

I can second the Wild Rumpus recommendation, if you want to do a trip away from either Bloomington or downtown. It's an INCREDIBLE children's bookstore -- they have a national reputation in the book industry, and it's well worth the trip. There are free-roaming animals inside (including chickens!) and lots more in cages (birds, chinchillas, etc.) and both parents and kids (even toddlers) will love it. Linden Hills is a great family neighborhood, and you could couple a visit to the Wild Rumpus with a ride on the nearby Trolley Car (an old one that runs now as a tourist attraction between Lake Calhoun and Lake Harriet), a visit to either the bakery or the ice cream shop (Sebastian Joe's), and a stop at Lake Harriet. The Lake Calhoun trolley stop is adjacent to a gate entering the historic Lakewood Cemetery (think that gate is only open on weekends, and primarily serves trolley car tourists); Lakewood is one of the old-style grand cemeteries and is home to many of Minnesota's legendary residents, and that section is filled with impressive grand monuments overlooking the lake. Lake Calhoun also has a very nice playground good for toddlers at 32nd Street (about four blocks from the trolley stop) and an adjacent beach. Back closer to the main Linden Hills trolley station, there's a brand-new playground opening up soon by Lake Harriet near the bandshell (hit a free concert there if you can) that looks really nice. A stroll around the lake is really a "must do" for any Twin Cities visit, and has plenty of opportunities for toddlers to look for fish, check out ducks, watch all the dogs on their walks, and otherwise just enjoy Twin Cities life on a nice spring or summer day.

I should note that I don't think there's anything wrong with staying in Bloomington -- it's convenient enough, you can take LRT to the games, and there are obviously plenty of hotels to choose from, but since your child is too young to really enjoy the water slides or the like at some of those hotels, and MOA is kind of overwhelming for a young kid (and it's not much fun shopping with a toddler) you may have a better time enjoying downtown's offerings.

This is a good comprehensive list, uptown urbanist.

I'll have to bookmark this and use it on our next trip to The Cities.

Thanks