Tours & Attractions - Area Overview

Legend has it that the many lakes that cover the face of Minnesota are actually the footprints of Paul Bunyan and his mighty blue ox, Babe, created as they stomped around the countryside when Paul was just a boy. If this is true, then he must have been doing jumping jacks in the Twin Cities: St. Paul and Minneapolis alone have 22 lakes, with many more just outside their borders. Just about everywhere you go, you’re bound to drive by, cross over, or end up at one of the metro area’s lakes, not to mention the mighty Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers, which come together at the location (no coincidence) of the historic Fort Snelling.

Even with all their historic buildings, soaring bridges, and whimsical experiments in architecture, the most remarkable physical feature about the Twin Cities has always been their natural beauty. Where else can you find wildlife preserves, rich fossil beds, and fishing lakes, all within a short walk from either downtown?

This, of course, was not always so. Minneapolis was partially built on the lumber industry, and thousands and thousands of old-growth trees were leveled and shipped out of state, almost completely destroying the Big Woods, a maple, oak, and basswood forest that once covered most of southern Minnesota. The Mississippi River valley Native American populations were cut down along with the forests that had been their home for thousands of years, and many of their spiritual centers, including the ill-fated Spirit Island that once rose out of the Mississippi River below St. Anthony Falls, were either gutted or dynamited in the name of progress.

With the founding of the two cities in the mid-1800s, however, a new level of civility and sophistication came to the residents. Multiple parks boards were established to protect wildlife areas, and even more groomed areas were set aside for outdoor activities. Today Twin Citians have the luxury of being able to walk past wetlands full of migratory waterfowl and turtles on their way to downtown Minneapolis, or through thickly forested areas housing species of rare native animals and birds just minutes from downtown St. Paul. Kids who grow up in the Twin Cities get to share in pleasures usually reserved for children who grow up in the country, whether it be fishing in one of the many regularly stocked urban lakes, berry picking, or just enjoying being surrounded by trees, songbirds, and wildflowers in parks practically in their own backyards.

Tours & Attractions - Architecture

The Twin Cities have different histories and perspectives on architecture. Both cities draw architectural inspiration from different sources, and it is reflected in their respective architecture.

St. Paul has always looked to the east, and in particular Boston, as a source for civic inspiration. The design of the city reflects this perspective and was in large part developed by transplanted old-stock New Englanders. The streets, like Boston’s, were platted much narrower than those in Minneapolis. St. Paul views itself as a city of tradition and as the “Capital City.” With a few exceptions, most notably Wells Fargo Place, St. Paul’s architecture has concerned itself with human-scale structures of elegance.

St. Paul’s rival across the river has taken a considerably different approach to architecture. Minneapolis has always embraced progress and modernity. This distinction between the cities has only been exacerbated as Minneapolis architecture has increasingly grown vertically.

Tours & Attractions - Attractions

There is never a reason to be bored in the Twin Cities. The metro area is host to amusement parks, a bevy of hands-on historical exhibits, one of the largest zoos and one of the best free zoos in the country, and lots of interesting spots to just hang out for the day. In winter, flocks of teenagers and adults head to the Mall of America to spend the day walking among the tropical canopies of wild orchid displays that fill Como Park’s spectacular Marjorie McNeely Conservatory. In summer there’s no excuse for staying inside on the weekend—bike trails await and if you’d prefer to get wet without getting muddy, several water parks beckon.

Tours & Attractions - Kidstuff

From science- and nature-oriented attractions to water parks and bumper cars, your kids won’t get bored in the Twin Cities. Luckily, even most museums and art events are fully prepared to receive and entertain children.

As for dining options, you’re welcome to bring your kids into plenty of Twin Cities establishments—bars that double as restaurants in the daytime welcome underage patrons (accompanied by adults) until just before happy hour. The restaurants in this chapter try to make children feel comfortable, from the menu to service to decor. Most are also easy on the wallet.

Tours & Attractions - Day Trips And Weekend Getaways

Although there are more than enough attractions and sights in the Twin Cities to fill up your time, there’s nothing like a good, long road trip through the countryside to clear one’s mind of the hustle and bustle of the Metro.

The best time to hit the road is early spring, the last two weeks of April and the first two weeks of May, or when autumn is in full swing, the last two weeks of September and the first two weeks of October. Here is a sampling of the road trips well worth taking from the Twin Cities.