Things to Do When You Visit Minneapolis

Minneapolis has been referred to as one of the "biggest little cities" in the United States, and it is definitely overflowing with both charm and activity. For example, the city has 24 lakes that are an ideal setting for ice skating in the winter and going on a picnic in the summer. Also, visitors from across the nation and locals both can enjoy relaxing at a sidewalk cafe, spending an evening at the theater or shopping in the city's impressive variety of stores.

Where You Can Stay

The Beast Pantages

You can take your pick from the many outstanding three- and four-star hotels in downtown Minneapolis, and they are interspersed with several cozy and more affordable bed and breakfasts. The most popular venues for visitors are centered around the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities and the city's convention center and basic motel accommodations can be found on the outskirts of town.

Where You Can Eat and Drink

The city is known for its hardy German and Scandinavian roots, and immigrants from virtually everywhere have brought their ethnic cuisines with them as well. Perhaps this is the reason that a 12-block area on Nicollet Avenue, which runs from 29th Street to Grant Street, is home to such a variety of ethnic grocery stores and restaurants that it is often referred to as "Eat Street."

The northwest section of the city's downtown is full of nighttime activity, including several nightclubs and about 40 bars. This area is the center of dancing, late-night dining, bar hopping. The Hennepin Theatre district, which is located uptown, also promises visitors an enjoyable night out with a good choice of restaurants and three historic theaters nearby.

What Sports Fans Can Do

If you visit in the spring or summer, you may want to join the crowd and cheer for baseball's Minnesota Twins. In the fall, you can watch the Minnesota Vikings play football at the Metrodome, and in winter, basketball enthusiasts come out for a Timberwolves game at the Target Center.

If you also think of shopping as a sport, you won't want to miss visiting the Mall of America. Located in suburban Bloomington just outside the city, it is the country's largest shopping mall, covers 4.2 million square feet, and boasts 520 stores.

A Few of the City's Cultural Highlights:

Since it is internationally famous, the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis is considered to be the world's best multi-disciplinary museum, and it offers stunning film and video exhibits and a vast array of programs in the visual and performing arts. Along with that, the city also has many notable theaters, including the State Theater, the Orpheum Theater, the Pantages Theater, the Guthrie Theater, and the Hey Theater.

Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1934, the architecture of the Malcolm Wiley House emphasizes the relationship between the use of natural light, orientation to site, and the interplay of space, eliminates superfluous ornamentation, and is also notable because of the expertise the architect showed in the way natural materials were used when he designed this home.

Things to Do When You Visit Minneapolis

For more information on Minneapolis, visit http://minneapolis.net.