Minnesota Similar to Canada? (Minneapolis, Duluth: pine, friendly, trees)

[NorthernMidwesterner]

How similar do you think Minnesota is to Canada? What province is it most like? Is Minneapolis similar to Winnipeg? Is Duluth the American equivalent of Thunder Bay? Are the people equally as friendly?

[golfgal]

Minneapolis really looks nothing like Winnipeg. Probably the closest I can think of would be Sioux Falls (smaller but semi-similar buildings in downtown). I've never been to Thunder Bay so no idea there.

[IntlFalls56649]

Yes, I'd say northern Minnesota is as close as you'd get comparing life in the states paralleling to Canada. Much of the climate, culture, history and even way of speaking is similar. What's most similar I'd say would be the landscape. The way the trees look, the hillsides against Lake Superior in Duluth, the way the pine trees and rock formations look up here by International Falls.

All that ends once you reach Hinckley, as it starts to feel much more American Midwest, and that's especially obvious once you hit Minneapolis-Saint Paul, which is becoming more like Chicago every year.

[rzzz]

I'd say that out of anywhere in Canada, Minneapolis is most like Edmonton. Winnipeg is weird, it's sort of like Nordeast Minneapolis before it got renovated. Northern Minnesota, especially northwestern MN, is a lot like Manitoba, Saskatchewan and eastern Alberta. I would not say MN is anything like eastern or western Canada, though.

[ropper111]

isn't mpls like montreal?

[Jag_Je]

Originally Posted by ropper111

isn't mpls like montreal?

Not at all; Indeed, Montreal is French speaking and looks more like European city than Minneapolis or any other American city.

Canada uses the metric system and have slightly different road signs and style, so you can tell as soon as you cross the border that you are in another country.

[EricS39]

Both Minneapolis and Montreal share the following in common:

1) Being located very close to 45 Degrees north (equidistant between North Pole and Equator....in Spring summer this means time between sun azimuth angle being 270 and sunset = shortest time duration compared to any other latitude
In more simplified terms, Latitude 45 is the only latitude where you can use a magnetic compass and the length of your shadow to tell you precisely when the sun will set ...any day in spring or summer... Due to perfect symmetry between the horizontal and vertical plane

2) Both cities have east-west viaduct type highways that have parallel roads on each side and the presence of rivers/lakes

3) Both cities are known for fine art exhibits

[ocsid]

You'd think Duluth and Thunder Bay would have a similar feel, but they don't.

Duluth is only 120 miles from the Twin Cities, and so it kind of feels a bit of an offshoot of that, though poorer and more blue collar. It definitely feels like Minnesota though in general.

Thunder Bay, while about the same size as Duluth, feels like this remote outpost, far removed from the cosmopolitan feel of Toronto, or the capitol in Ottawa. It's hard to describe. Duluth is more of a port city, and they've done a lot tourism wise with the waterfront, while Thunder Bay is much more industrial. Plus, Thunder Bay didn't technically exist until the late 1960's - it's a combination of two cities.

Winnipeg is a cool place (and a very cold place). It's like a combo of Minneapolis and Fargo, if that makes any sense.

[iNviNciBL3]

Northern Minnesota is like Western Ontario.
the rest of the state just feels like Iowa or Wisconsin to be honest.

[GJJG2012]

Rocker Bryan Adams says he loves MN as it reminds him of Canada.