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Things to do / Travel Guide
Minnesota Getaways
A watery wilderness, with every point near a lake or river, fishing, canoeing, forest camping, and hiking opportunities abound. The region's prosperity has created an active arts and culture scene. Nevertheless, to many, the millions of square feet in the Mall of America is no less of a draw than the thousands of lakes.
Minneapolis, St. Paul Getaways
While the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul used to be on the map because of their rolling fields and their proximity to the Mississippi River (and their subsequent capacities to produce grain), these two cities have, in more recent years, become popular tourist getaways because of their overwhelming wealth of theaters, museums, cultural events, and shopping opportunities. Let's face it—the days of planning a getaway based on grain production are long gone; the Twin Cities have come a long way since the late 19th century with claims to fames a bit more…exciting.
For example, how does an afternoon in the Museum of Questionable Medical Devices sound? Or an outing to experience local wine at the St. Croix Winery or the Northern Vineyards of Stillwater, Minnesota (located just north of the Twin Cities)? Perhaps gliding down the slopes at St. Paul's Afton Alps Ski Resort is more your speed?
Get the picture? Minneapolis and St. Paul offer tourists with a never-ending list of attractions to visit, sites to see, and events to experience. A Minneapolis road trip promises to be a different kind of experience.
It would be impossible to mention Twin Cities attractions without touching upon the magnificent Mall of America, one of the world's largest and busiest shopping malls. Its parking lot alone accommodates 13,000 cars! Not in the mood to shop? No problem. The Mall of America boasts two roller coasters, an aquarium, a hotel, and even a wedding chapel!
Minneapolis Tourist Attractions
As we've been discussing, there's no shortage of tourist attractions in Minneapolis. But what about non-commercial activities? What do you do in Minneapolis if you've already shopped 'til you dropped, museum-hopped 'til you dropped, and sight-toured 'til you got bored? What now?
Fortunately, with Minneapolis located on the water, you'll never run out of outdoor activities. The city's not nicknamed the "City of Lakes" for nothing! The Mississippi River alone (which runs through Minneapolis) offers enough water-related activities to keep any tourist busy for days, especially if you're into boating, water skiing, or swimming. And with the thousands of lakes just a short drive away, you'll have no trouble finding more extreme and more varied forms of water activities. Nearby Lake Maria State Park in Monticello, Minnesota offers a nice selection of outdoor and water activities.
Just one tip for people planning outdoor adventures in and around Minneapolis: Avoid this area in the wintertime—it's just too cold and many sites will be closed due to inclement weather.
Minnesota Tourist Attractions
Most people who visit Minnesota spend a day or two exploring the Twin Cities, and then delve deep into the lakes region of this great state. In a state as large as Minnesota with lakes, parks, forests, and hiking trails almost everywhere you look, it's good to know in advance where you'll be going and the order in which you'll cover it all. Whatever your plan, make sure to include the following highlights in your itinerary:
First on our list is the city of Bernidji, one of the first cities built on the Mississippi River and home to the giant Paul Bunyan Statue (and the nearby Paul Bunyanland Theme Park). It also serves as a great home-base for exploring some of the nearby parks and recreational areas. Itasca State Park, Lake Bernidji State Park, the Chippewa National Forest, and other areas offer tourists with fishing lakes, snowmobile trails, cross-country ski trails, hiking and biking trails, ski slopes, and more.
Next up is Ely (rhymes with "freely"), Minnesota, home to the Echo Trail, a logging road that leads directly to Superior National Forest's Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. This area offers 1,500 miles of canoe routes through waters caused by melted glaciers. There are also more campgrounds than you can count and some of the most fantastic scenery in the area. Look at the map of Minnesota and you will see more blue lakes than towns.
Ely is also home to the Giants Ridge Ski Resort and the Giants Ridge Golf Course.
Minnesota Road Trip Getaway Planner
To fully appreciate the region's natural beauty requires going well beyond the roads and deep into the wilderness by foot or boat. This takes time. Add a day or two to see the Twin Cities and the Mall of America for contrast.
And by the way, Minnesota is a Dakota Indian word that refers to blue water and Minesota, Minnisota are just pretty lame spelling error. Same for Mineapolis. It is spelled Minneapolis and is a product of the unlikely combination of ancient Greek city naming and one of many Native American words for water.
Tourist Attractions and Highlights in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Minnesota area
Tourist-Attractions-Highlights
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