Minneapolis / St. Paul Overview

The Twin Cities is a vibrant, pulsing gathering of diverse groups of people, all living in an area known for its great quality of life. Whether it's theater, shopping, outdoor recreation, dining, or museums, the Twin Cities has the best of it.

Districts

When driving through the Twin Cities, it's sometimes hard to discern which city you are actually in. There is no visible dividing line; the cities really do blend into one another.

Minneapolis

Downtown / Theater District / Nicollet Mall
Minneapolis is known as "The City of Lakes." Famous for its beautiful chain of lakes and annual summertime Aquatennial festival, the city also boasts a thriving downtown with a world-class theater district.

Mill Area
On the riverfront end of the city, renovation is underway on the Milwaukee Road Depot, a project that includes restaurants, a hotel and a skating rink. Many old mills still stand along the river, and they are slowly being remodeled for other uses.

Warehouse District
Follow Washington Avenue across Hennepin Avenue, and you come to the Warehouse District, a hot spot for nightlife.

Uptown
A little south of downtown on Hennepin Avenue is the district known as Uptown. Uptown is the Minneapolis equivalent of Greenwich Village. Dotted with coffee shops and vintage clothing stores, it is a throbbing blend of bohemian and cosmopolitan. At the corner of Hennepin and Lake is Calhoun Square, full of shops and restaurants

The Lakes and Linden Hills
As Hennepin Avenue winds away from Uptown, it hits 36th Street. Take a right here, and follow it directly to one of the favored recreational lakes in the area, Lake Calhoun, just one in the chain of lakes that lies south of downtown. To the south of Lake Calhoun is the Linden Hills neighborhood, full of little antique and gift shops.

Nordeast
On the opposite side of downtown, take the Hennepin Avenue bridge to the other side of the river where there is an assortment of restaurants and nightspots. The area is known as Nordeast (being northeast of downtown), and it is popular with the University crowd.

St. Paul

Como
Between Snelling and Lexington north of University Avenue is the Como area, containing the green jewel of Como Park. Como Park is home to Como Park Zoo, Como Park Conservatory, Como Golf Course, the Como Lake Pavillion, and acres of green space for picnics, games and outings. To the west of the Como area, across Snelling, are the Minnesota State Fair Grounds.

Downtown St. Paul
Across the freeway from the Capitol is the heart of downtown, with the Minnesota History Center easily visible from the freeway. The St. Paul riverfront has undergone a facelift over the last few years, just like Minneapolis. Each January the century-old Winter Carnival is celebrated in St. Paul. Many of the events take place downtown in Rice Park, in front of the Landmark Center.

Cathedral Hill
Overlooking downtown on the west is the St. Paul Cathedral, which is open to visitors. The area there is aptly known as Cathedral Hill, and business and government workers from downtown gather for lunch in the bars and restaurants in the neighborhood's Victorian-era buildings.

Entertainment

Harsh Minnesota winters call for some quality indoor entertainment, and the Twin Cities provide just that with a bustling music and theatre scene, one of the largest malls in the world, and world-renowned galleries and museums.
The Twin Cities music scene is sizzling, and many music festivals are held here during the summertime.
Numerous national and local theater companies play to Twin Cities audiences year-round. The hub of the action is in the theater district on Hennepin Avenue in Minneapolis.

Art is everywhere in the Twin Cities from the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden to contemporary art at The Walker Art Center, to the Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum, a stainless steel and brick masterpiece in itself.

For sports-minded individuals, the Twin Cities offers every opportunity to catch a pro game or to get into the action themselves. If golf is your game, you should have no problem booking a tee time at one of the hundreds of golf courses throughout the Twin Cities and its surrounding suburbs.

There are many beautiful lakes situated in both cities. St. Paul offers Como, Phalen and Keller. Minneapolis boasts Calhoun, Harriet, Cedar, Lake of the Isles, and Nokomis. When the founding fathers were laying out city plans, they had the good sense to designate plenty of land around the lakes for the public to enjoy.

Snow and below freezing temperatures don't stop ambitious locals from having fun. The parks are full of children sledding, playing hockey and ice skating on the rinks erected each winter. One of the biggest winter events in the area is the St. Paul Winter Carnival, a ten-day winter extravaganza featuring family entertainment, ice sculptures, and kiddie activities.

Shopping enthusiasts from around the world make a trip to the Twin Cities for one reason only - the Mall of America. Beware of sensory overload in the four-level structure filled with hundreds of specialty shops, brand-name boutiques, and massive department stores.

Dining and Drinking

There are endless places to enjoy lunch or dinner in the Twin Cities. The vast mix of ethnic influences in this northern city surprises many people. Though the restaurants and bars are spread out all over the place, some areas have a noticeably larger concentration than others.

Known as "Eat Street", Nicollet Avenue, in Minneapolis offers a variety of delicious fare, though perhaps the best area for satisfying the palate is Uptown.

For another great selection of dining options, wander over to Grand Avenue in St. Paul, where many ethnic and regional flavors are represented. On the other side of St. Paul you have your pick of many Asian restaurants. Along University Avenue you will find many regions represented, including Vietnam, Cambodia, and Korea.

Minnesota is also known as The Land of Sky Blue Waters, and this has not been lost on the beer-brewing industry. The area has been home to many large-scale breweries over the years, including Stroh's, Hamm's, Grain Belt Beer, Landmark and Schmidt. Many joints around town brew their own, and if there's no house brew, you are sure to be able to find regional specialties offered on tap.

Where To Stay

Whether you want to be close to the airport, downtown, or near a relative's house, you are sure to be able to find a suitable place to stay. The Twin Cities is packed with over 300 hotels, motels and inns to accommodate every taste and budget range.

Most hotels are situated in well-traveled areas, ringed around the interstate loop that circles both cities, in the downtown areas, or near the airport. Altogether, over 30 bed and breakfast-type establishments operate in the greater Twin Cities.

Minneapolis / St. Paul by the Numbers

Elevation: 834 feet
Average Annual Rainfall: 27.3 inches
Average Annual Snowfall: 49.5 inches

Average January Temperature: 13 degrees F
Average July Temperature: 73 degrees F

Time Zone: GMT-6
Area Dialing Codes: 612, 651, 763, 952

Population: 669,769
Ethnic Mix: 84.7% Caucasian, 5.9% African American, 4.6% Asian, 3.6% Hispanic, 0.8% Native American, 0.4% other

Major Industries: Oil, Electronics, Computers, Automobile manufacturing


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