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I'm looking forward to my first visit to the Twin Cities and would appreciate some insight.
* what kind of weather should I expect in the area the last stretch of May/ first week of June?
* how easy is it to get around Minneapolis by public transit? How about the suburbs? Because we may not be necessarily renting a car.
Is the public transit system connected between the Twin Cities?
* does Minneapolis have a Chinatown or some sort of an Asian ethnic enclave with authentic Asian restaurants?
* how vibrant is Minneapolis' downtown, relative to comparable cities such as Denver or Seattle or Portland?
* besides the Mall of America, what are other prominent shopping malls in the metro area worth visiting?
* which is the most appealing park to visit, to get good views of the skyline or other forms of scenery?
* I'm coming from Seattle- would you say the Twin Cities is equally as safe (or safer)?
Weather--that is tough, normally it would be mid 70's at least by then but this spring has been cold. Your best bet is to watch the weather forecasts. It could be 50° and it could be 90°.
Public transit in Minneapolis and St. Paul is fine, getting to the MOA from Minneapolis is easy on the light rail. Depending on where you want to go in the suburbs there may or may not be public transportation and even then it isn't always going to stop where you want to go. If you want to venture out to the suburbs it would be best to rent a car.
There is no centralized Asian shopping/eating area. You can find Asian restaurants through out the metro area
Minneapolis has a very vibrant downtown, just not as big.
Southdale in Edina is nice--it was the first all-indoor mall in the US but honestly, a mall is a mall. There are several if you want to go but they all have pretty much the same thing in them.
Parks, that is a tough one, there are so many.
The Twin Cities area is probably safer then Seattle.
Parks with a skyline view....hmmm....the only one I can think of is Farview park but thats in a seedy area. Theo Wirth is a wonderful park, and I have heard North Mississippi Regional is great too.
Layer your clothing--it should be warm but you never know.
Midtown Global Market might be a fun ethnic stop for you. I'd skip all the malls except maybe stopping in to MOA just to see it.
Rent a canoe or paddle boat at Lake Calhoun (northeast corner of lake, near Uptown) and go under the bridge to Lake of the Isles and then through the waterway to Brownie Lake--coolest view of the skyline in my opinion (sitting in a boat, surrounded by water, trees and pretty houses).
Visit the Guthrie downtown--maybe during the farmer's market. Make sure you go inside the Guthrie and look around. A Segway tour of Minneapolis and the Mill City Museum would be unique experiences.
I feel safer in Minneapolis than when I visit Seattle but they are probably quite similar--this is just more familiar for me.
* what kind of weather should I expect in the area the last stretch of May/ first week of June?
I am currently in Maine at the moment, but spent the last ten years in Minneapolis. I would say to bring a hoodie/sweater/zip-up and at least a light jacket or windbreaker. It's Minnesota; it could be 70F one day and 45F two days later.
Quote:
Originally Posted by f1000
* how easy is it to get around Minneapolis by public transit? How about the suburbs? Because we may not be necessarily renting a car.
Is the public transit system connected between the Twin Cities?
The public transportation system within Minneapolis is excellent. However, the further out from the city you go the spottier the service becomes. Taking a bus (or train) to Richfield, Bloomington, and St. Louis Park would be okay, but trying to get to Edina, Golden Valley, New Hope, Crystal, Plymouth (don't know why you would want to go to NH, Crys. or Ply, though)., or Eden Prairie would be a pain by bus.
The bus system between Minneapolis and St. Paul is excellent although the actual bus service within St. Paul is not as good as it is in Minneapolis.
I would rent a car if you want to do any suburban exploring.
Quote:
Originally Posted by f1000
* does Minneapolis have a Chinatown or some sort of an Asian ethnic enclave with authentic Asian restaurants?
Nope, no China Town. There are however many Asian restaurants and grocers through-out the metro area. The best grocer/store in my opinion is United Noodles.
Quote:
Originally Posted by f1000
* how vibrant is Minneapolis' downtown, relative to comparable cities such as Denver or Seattle or Portland?
There is a lot going on Down Town, but I think that Seattle and Portland are slightly more vibrant. It depends on what kind of entertainment you are looking for. DT Minneapolis seems to attract white hats/other college kids/thugs while everyone else hangs out in North East or Uptown.
Quote:
Originally Posted by f1000
* besides the Mall of America, what are other prominent shopping malls in the metro area worth visiting?
None, unless one just happens to be close by and more convenient. The MOA basically has all of the typical shopping mall stores that all of the other malls have, plus tons more. There is, however, Nicollet Mall, which may or may not be considered an ideal place to shop as Nicollet Mall basically just has stores that are not that exciting and a few high end and specialty stores that you will not find at the MOA.
Quote:
Originally Posted by f1000
* which is the most appealing park to visit, to get good views of the skyline or other forms of scenery?
BarbaraMN has a good idea with the canoe. There is a bike trail/walking path that encircles lake Calhoun witch has some pretty cool 'views' of downtown, especially at night. There are many parks down by the Mississippi that are worth checking out. Minnehaha Park is pretty cool, although I am not too sure on the views of the skyline. Really nice park, though. Or you can: Action Squad: Minneapolis Urban Adventurers
Quote:
Originally Posted by f1000
* I'm coming from Seattle- would you say the Twin Cities is equally as safe (or safer)?
Minneapolis is a lot safer then Portland for sure as well as Seattle.
I'm looking forward to my first visit to the Twin Cities and would appreciate some insight.
* what kind of weather should I expect in the area the last stretch of May/ first week of June?
* how easy is it to get around Minneapolis by public transit? How about the suburbs? Because we may not be necessarily renting a car.
Is the public transit system connected between the Twin Cities?
The core cities are fine to get around by bus or train. It can be slow sometimes, so if you are someone who is trying to see the whole city in a weekend, you need a car. metrotransit.com is the site for the Metropolitan bus system.
* does Minneapolis have a Chinatown or some sort of an Asian ethnic enclave with authentic Asian restaurants?
There isn't a Chinatown, but there are alot of Asian areas in East Saint Paul. They tend to be SE Asian and Hmong. Nicollet Avenue in Mpls. between Grant and Lake has a plethora of restaurants from just about everywhere. There are alot of Asian restaurants there.
* how vibrant is Minneapolis' downtown, relative to comparable cities such as Denver or Seattle or Portland?
I can't compare it to Seattle or Denver. Nicollet is the main shopping and business street, it is dead at night but very enjoyable during the day and always safe. Hennepin and the Warehouse Dist. has most of the nightlife. It attracts a very "urban" crowd. There are upscale restuarants with wealthy patrons on the same street as inner-city minority youth. The restaurants there are usually pretty full and there is alot of street activity (good and bad), it isn't dangerous either but you should use some common sense. The theater district has the Orphuem, State and Pantages who have alot of shows and performances.
* besides the Mall of America, what are other prominent shopping malls in the metro area worth visiting?
The malls here are pretty much the same if you are in the rings of suburbs. Southdale is depressing; Rosedale and Ridgedale are nice but mundane. Calhoun Square in Mpls. has a more interesting and unique mix of stores. There is Gaviddae on Nicollet, which has a more unique mix also. The Galleria on France Avenue in Edina is the most upscale. Don't count out shopping districts either. 50th and France, 43d and Upton, Grand Avenue in Saint Paul.
* which is the most appealing park to visit, to get good views of the skyline or other forms of scenery?
For downtown, I prefer the park near the Mpls. Inst. of Arts.
The riverside park across the river from downtown on Main Street has great views, but the street itself is worth your time also. Wirth Park on the city border has quaking bogs and wildflower gardens, both of which are lovely. Minnehaha Park in South Mpls. has a noted waterfall, if you take a little hike it also has nice views of the river bluffs.
* I'm coming from Seattle- would you say the Twin Cities is equally as safe (or safer)?
You should have few (or no) problems safety-wise here. It is a city, though. Use your head.
^ I'd echo that about the Asian restaurants. Nicollet Mall is a pedestrian oriented shopping street in downtown. The Mall ends on the south at Grant Street. However the street continues south and the portion from Grant to Lake Street is now know as "Eat Street." There are dozens and dozens of ethnic restaurants along this stretch.
SHOPPING - I'd also avoid the malls. Too much of the same old same old. The Mall of America is worth a visit, though. Better in a few years when Phase II opens (more than 900 stores in total when finished). Downtown, you might want to duck into Target's 2-level flagship store at 9th & Nicollet Mall just for fun. Target's world headquarters are one block away at 10th & Nicollet.
PARKS - There are 156 parks in Minneapolis alone. I'd strongly recommend the chain of lakes in the SW corner of the city. Nearly all of the city lakes have extensive jogging & biking paths. Easy to get to and, as mentioned, it's worth it to pack a picnic basket, rent a canoe and travel among the four interconnected lakes. The fifth lake - Harriet - is a few feet below the level of the others so it's not connected with a channel and you can't canoe to it. But it's only a couple of blocks from Lake Calhoun. Generally note the mansions that line the lakes, especially Lake of the Isles. And speaking of lakes, there are nearly 1,000 recreational lakes just in the Twin City metro area.
MISSISSIPPI RIVERFRONT - The riverfront in downtown Minneapolis is terrific for exploring. There is a nice "Mississippi Mile" walking path that has lots of historic plaques that explain why this city exists (hint: note the only waterfall on the Mississippi River). Walk across the Stone Arch Bridge!! This area is the birthplace of iconic American products like Wheaties, Betty Crocker, Totino's Pizza, Pillsbury, Cheerios, Bisquick, Lucky Charms, etc. Don't miss the Mill City Museum and the Mill Ruins Park.
ST. PAUL - I'd strongly recommend Grand Avenue in St. Paul - from Dale to Lexington - for the unique shopping experiences. And I'd also highly recommend Summit Avenue (parallel to Grand but a block further north) for sightseeing some of the most opulent 19th Century mansions in the Midwest, especially as you get closer to downtown St. Paul.
Go to the Cathedral of St. Paul - it's the second largest in North America, after the National in Washington DC. The Minnesota Capitol is also quite beautiful a few blocks from the Cathedral. The capitol has the largest unsupported marble dome in the world.
TRANSIT - If you are flying into MSP, then you can hop on the Hiawatha light rail directly into downtown Minneapolis. You do have to take a short shuttle train to the LRT from the terminal, just ask around or look for the signs. Cost is only $2.00. There are a number of great hotels within walking distance from the Nicollet LRT station. (Westin, Marquette, Grand, etc.)
Last edited by Astron1000; 05-19-2008 at 09:11 PM..
Although many of your questions have already been addressed, I thought I'd add a few comments:
Quote:
Originally Posted by f1000
* how easy is it to get around Minneapolis by public transit? How about the suburbs? Because we may not be necessarily renting a car.
Is the public transit system connected between the Twin Cities?
Transit is probably comparable to Seattle: Pretty good bus system, only one LRT line. Two recommended bus lines would be either No. 6 or 17, which connects downtown to Uptown and the Lakes District. No. 6 goes down Hennepin Avenue, while 17 goes down Nicollet Mall to a portion of Eat Street (Nicollet Avenue from 24th to 28th streets), but the line turns west at 24th Street.
* does Minneapolis have a Chinatown or some sort of an Asian ethnic enclave with authentic Asian restaurants?
Eat Street has several Vietnamese and Chinese restaurants/businesses (Along Nicollet Avenue from 24th to 28th Streets--there's also Middle Eastern, Greek, German, Mexican etc...)
* how vibrant is Minneapolis' downtown, relative to comparable cities such as Denver or Seattle or Portland?
I've been to all of those cities and I'd say we're slightly more vibrant than Denver, but trail both Seattle and Portland. On the whole I consider DT Mpls to be vibrant, but we lack the tourists that fill Seattle and have numerous other competing centers (including Mall of America and DT St. Paul).
* besides the Mall of America, what are other prominent shopping malls in the metro area worth visiting?
I'm not a big Mall fan. MOA is huge and probably worth a visit, but a mall is a mall. Galleria in Edina is high-end, Southdale is the original enclosed mall (originally built in 1956) but hasn't been doing so well lately. Shoppes of Arbor Lakes are a lifestyle center in the NW suburbs.
* which is the most appealing park to visit, to get good views of the skyline or other forms of scenery?
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND walking (or biking, or rollar blading) around a lake or two. The Lakes District is in many ways the most unique calling card of Mpls. Each lake has its own personality: Lake Calhoun is typically younger people (volleyball games, lots of joggers/bikers), Lake Harriet is more family oriented (they have a bandshell, Rose Garden, plus the Lake Harriet trolley which is a historic 1920s-1940s streetcar that takes you to Lake calhoun); Lake of the Isles is more genteel--lined with million dollar mansions.
I'd also recommend Minnehaha Park and Minnehaha Falls. If you like to bike, you'll discover that Mpls is one of the nicest cities to bike around--just google Grand Rounds Mpls parks and you'll see an outline of a route to take you along the river to Minnehaha Park to the Lakes District back to Dwtn via Kennilworth Trail.
Lastly, I hope you spend some time along the downtown riverfront. The Stone Arch Bridge is a beautiful and historic bridge that provides great views of the skyline and the mills districts on both sides of the river as well as St. Anthony Falls. Nearby is the Mill City Museum, which is a nice place to visit (try to see Kevin Kline's movie Mpls is 19 minutes) and The Guthrie Theater. Historic Main Street on the east bank is worth a visit as are shops and restaurants along East Hennepin (Nyes Polonaise Room got a rating as the hippest bar/restaurant in the country a year or two ago. Its a classic 1940s style supper club--very retro, plus a cool piano bar and an interesting polka band).
* I'm coming from Seattle- would you say the Twin Cities is equally as safe (or safer)?
Seattle has a reputation for being one of the safest cities in the US, Mpls is also up there as being a very safe place. I'd consider DT Mpls to be quite safe if you take reasonable precautions--the Warehouse District has dozens of clubs and attracts huge crowds--don't drink too much!
1) Minnehaha Falls park (no skyline views, but one hell of a waterfall, especially the day after a good storm).
2) You can make a nice walking route out of these: Nicollet Island, near the pavilion, Father Hennepin Park on the east side of the river between the Merriam street bridge and the stone arch bridge, the stone arch bridge itself, Mill Ruins park on the opposite side of the stone arch bridge, and the great city views from the hill in Gold Medal Park.
3) Lake of the Isles, Lake Calhoun, and Lake Harriet, AKA "The Lakes." (There are other lakes, such as Nokomis and Hiawatha, but they aren't "The" lakes.)
I only visit the area, but also know Seattle well.
-More vibrant than Denver. Downtown is a bit like downtown Seattle, busy enough during the day but quiet at night with adjacent neighborhoods fairly busy after 5 - Hennepin Ave in Mpls, Belltown, Pioneer Sq in Seattle.
-Park - I like Loring Park and the Sculpture Garden across the pedestrian bridge, it's on the SW corner of downtown. Also like the St Anthony Falls park on the east side of the river.
-Views of the Skyline - my favorite is actually from the metrodome
-when Sea-Tac light rail is done, Sea and Mpls will be tied with transit, although Mpls will regain the lead with the new commuter rail line, light rail in Minneapolis is one of the most convenient and efficient I've ridden, airport to downtown in 20 mins
-other - don't see as many homeless people in Minneapolis, both cities have large Scandinavian populations, and relatively small African-American population, also a good way to see most of the restaurant/bar neighborhoods in Minneapolis is to stick to Hennepin Ave for the 2-3 mile stretch between NE Minneapolis, downtown, and uptown
Last edited by TheseGoTo11; 05-21-2008 at 11:29 PM..
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