MINNESOTA: 9 UNIQUE & ENJOYABLE PLACES TO VISIT
1. Foshay Museum and Observation Deck
You might look up and feel like you have seen this architectural wonder before. The Foshay Tower was modeled after the Washington Monument in DC. 32-story office tower turned into a 230-room hotel (W – Minneapolis – Foshay).
At the top of the floor is a museum and observation deck with magnificent views of downtown Minneapolis. Stay for the weekend. Go down downstairs and around the corner to Manny’s Steakhouse or Key’s Cafe located on the first floor of the hotel.
Make room for a nightcap on the 27th floor of the hotel to the Prohibition Bar and take in the 360-degree views.
2. Minneapolis Stone Arch Bridge
It’s the only bridge made completely out of stone. A former railroad bridge now serves as a bike and pedestrian lane. It’s the second-best place to watch the 4th of July fireworks from.
The first best place is in a kayak nearby on the Mississippi River sitting front row with the boats and folks looking on above.
3. Eat Street
You know you are in the right place when you start taking in the strong smells and aromas. You will find yourself standing on the street corner trying to distinguish the smells from one another and deciding which place to start eating first.
Located near Downtown Minneapolis on Nicollet Avenue, within a few blocks are 40 restaurants that will be delighted to see you. The street passes through Minneapolis, Richfield, Bloomington, and Burnsville.
Yup, you can just start at one end, drive and eat until completely full.
4. Canal Park
Duluth has lots to discover: new breweries, skiing, formal and informal dining, old mansions, an aerial lift bridge, the north scenic railroad, lighthouse, and the annual Grandma’s Marathon.
Visit Duluth in the wintertime and walk on Lake Superior to the Apostle Islands to see beautiful crystal formations in the caves.
Return in the summer and drive over to Bayfield, Wisconsin, and go kayaking around the Apostle Islands (in total there are 21 islands) and visit shipwrecks.
5. Nicollet Island
An island surrounded by a major city in the Mississippi River with picturesque views of Saint Anthony Falls and the Stone Arch Bridge. Nicollet Island sits in the middle between downtown and northeast Minneapolis.
There are plenty of biking and walking paths that lead you away from the noise of the city to being covered by trees out of sight out of mind.
For years I would drive across the Hennepin Bridge that connects Downtown and Northeast Minneapolis without knowing what was below me.
Staying for a couple of hours isn’t enough. Stay overnight at the Nicollet Island Inn and enjoy a horse carriage ride.
6. Taylor’s Falls State Park
Minnesota isn’t just known for its 10,000 lakes, but also for its state parks and close proximity to nature.
Just short of a two-hour drive from Minneapolis, this place is for you if you like rock climbing, hiking the bluff, and learning about the history of glacial potholes and Devil’s Parlor.
Rent a kayak and float down the St. Croix River or go on a scenic boat tour and see how the glaciers carved out the St. Croix River Valley to make Taylor’s Falls one of the top tourist destinations in Minnesota.
7. AVEDA Institute of Minneapolis
A company with a conscience. AVEDA founded by Horst Rechelbacher in 1982 is considered the “the father of Safe Cosmetics.” A Minnesota based company that combines the ancient practice of Ayurveda and connecting by taking every person who walks in on a sensory journey of holistic beauty and wellness.
The inside of the school/store looks like an elegant museum. The next time you walk past someone and smell a distinct aroma, we won’t be offended if you give us the biggest compliment of, “you smell like AVEDA.”
I am such a fan that instead of packing a tote of necessities for a previous overseas deployment, I filled the tote full of AVEDA products to get me through the 12 months.
8. Wahlburger’s at the Mall of America (MOA)
I must have walked past this place a million times asking why there was always a line wrapped around the corner. When Donnie Wahlberg of New Kids on the Block decided to open a burger joint with his brothers, I admit it, I was a skeptic and for good reason.
Minneapolis invented the Juicy Lucy burger. It wasn’t until I watched their reality show, The Wahlbergs that I decided I needed to check myself, put my money where my mouth was and go wait in that line.
We had one thing growing up that converted me, government cheese. Of course, explore the rest of MOA. Come for the burger, stay for the legos.
9. Mill City Museum
Minneapolis at one time was the “Flour Milling Capital of the World.” Ever heard of Gold Medal Flour? An explosion destroyed part of the mill. Over time it was taken over by the homeless.
Today it’s been transformed into the Mill City Ruins. Concerts are held there and if you are lucky to get tickets, you can view the 4th of July fireworks. Mill City Summer Opera hosts an outdoor opera inside of the ruins every July.
Want to see more of Minnesota? Go on a culinary tour of our Twin Cities, Minneapolis/St. Paul. Check out my blog, 15 Places to Eat in the Twin Cities.
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