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Top Trips for Saint Paul, MN See all Trips»
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Music
The Twin Cities music scene is sizzling, and many music festivals are held here during the summertime. The most famous musical son of the area is singer/songwriter Prince, who gained fame with Purple Rain in the 80s. Perhaps the best music venue for a close-up show is First Avenue, a former bus station. The Fine Line Music Café, Northrup Auditorium, Roy Wilkins Auditorium, and the State Theater all book solid national acts in rock, country, blues, jazz and classical. Major arena shows tend to make their way to the Target Center or the Metrodome in Minneapolis. For a little hip shaking, The Quest is the biggest and probably best dance club in town. Other hot dance spots include South Beach for a splash of class, Lyon's Pub for rock favorites, and Margarita Bella for some sassy Latin tunes. Jazz and blues fans hit the Artist's Quarter, The Times, the Dakota, Famous Dave's, or Nikki's Café. Headbangers make their way to Ryan's, a stripped-down heavy metal joint, O'Gara's or the Turf Club to check out up-and-coming local rock acts.
Cinema
There are many first-run cinemas in the area offering cozy stadium seating and reasonable prices; check the Star Tribune or Pioneer Press for listings. Stop by the Mall of America to catch a new release on one of the 14 state-of-the-art screens. If hunger strikes, head to the Cinema Cafe where you can chomp on a burger and sip on a beer while enjoying the latest blockbuster. Independent selections abound from foreign language to documentaries to the latest Cannes winner at the Oak Street Cinema, the Uptown, and the Lagoon Theaters. The Plaza offers budget tickets for movies that lag a few weeks behind the first run theaters. With two screens, stadium seating, and a full concession stand, the ticket is the only thing cut-rate. The Plaza also offers late-night cult movies.
Performances
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; Broadway's second home is the Minne-Apple, as Minneapolis has sometimes been known. The Historic State Theater hosts Broadway productions and other national acts. The Guthrie Theater never fails to deliver a faithful rendition of A Christmas Carol every year. Orchestra Hall is home to the Minnesota Orchestra. Garrison Keillor's weekly radio show, A Prairie Home Companion is broadcast from St. Paul's Fitzgerald Theater. The Ordway Center for the Performing Arts in downtown St. Paul is home to the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and the Minnesota Opera. Children can enjoy an old favorite or an original production at The Children's Theater. The Historic Orpheum, The Chanhassen Dinner Theater, The Old Log Theater, Mixed Blood Theater and many others will fill out your dance card. Even the University of Minnesota's Showboat Players have a floating home at Harriet Island, the Minnesota Centennial Showboat.
Museums and Galleries
Art is everywhere in the Twin Cities from the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden featuring the famous Spoonbridge & Cherry, to contemporary art at The Walker Art Center, to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, with its highly regarded Asian collection. Don't miss the Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum, a stainless steel and brick masterpiece in itself. The Minnesota Museum of American Art in downtown St. Paul is a must-see for art connoisseurs. There are also many art colleges which hold regular exhibits, including The College of Visual Arts and the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. Private galleries permeate the cultural climate, and there are at least three art crawls in the area each summer (a festival showcasing local artists, usually involving walks from gallery to gallery in one area).
The Science Museum of Minnesota and The Minnesota Children's Museum offer educational and fun interactive experiences. There are also many outdoor opportunities for historical and educational outings, including the Minnesota History Center, Murphy's Landing, and Fort Snelling.
Be sure to spot the many Snoopy figures lingering around St. Paul in honor of St. Paul native Charles Schultz, who wrote and drew the Peanuts comic strip for 50 years. Each Snoopy was decorated by a local artist and sponsored by a local business.
Sports
For sports-minded individuals, the Twin Cities offers every opportunity to catch a pro game or to get into the action themselves. The Twin Cities Marathon, know as the "Most Beautiful Urban Marathon in the Country," has an impressive turnout every year. In addition to the miles of lakeshore paths around Minneapolis and St. Paul, many old railroad beds have been turned into beautiful pathways for biking, running and skating.
The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, located in downtown Minneapolis, is home to the Minnesota Vikings and the Minnesota Twins. The Target Center, also in downtown Minneapolis, hosts the NBA Minnesota Timberwolves and the WNBA Minnesota Lynx. Downtown St. Paul welcomed the NHL expansion team the Minnesota Wild to the Xcel Energy Center in 2000.
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. Shoot for a birdie at a tough 18-hole course, a breezy 9-hole par 3, or at the nearest putt-putt spot. For a real challenge, try out the Edinburgh USA Golf Course, a past host of the U.S. Open.
Zoos and Amusement Parks
The area boasts two zoos: the Minnesota Zoo, with its monorail and natural habitats, and Como Zoo, one of the few remaining free zoos in the country. If that's too sedate, try Valleyfair Amusement Park, where you can fill your day with elevator drops, flips, twists and splashes. When the chills start to set in, stop by the country's largest indoor amusement park, Camp Snoopy, located inside the Mall of America.
Lakes
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. Many of the lakes offer equipment rental, from the paddle-boats on Como Lake to the canoes at Lake Calhoun and Lake Phalen. They also offer fishing and boating. Lake Minnetonka is one of the area's largest, and offers several opportunities for lake cruises and watercraft rentals.
Winter
Snow and below freezing temperatures don't stop ambitious locals from having fun. Many golf courses are turned into cross-country ski trails, and even snow shoeing is offered at several nature preserves. The parks are full of children sledding, playing hockey and ice skating on the rinks erected each winter. If it's skiing you love, head to Buck Hill Ski Area or Hyland Ski and Snowboard Area. There are numerous locations throughout the metro area where you can go snow tubing as well. 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.
Summer Festivals
Just about every suburban area or town seems to have their own summertime festival. Grand Avenue in St. Paul has Grand Old Day, featuring the best in live music; Cedarfest in Minneapolis is another live music mecca. Other festivals include Valley Days, Crazy Days, Fall Round-Up, May Day and Cinco de Mayo. The Taste of Minnesota is a popular free event that takes place around the 4th of July on the lawn in front of the capitol.
The Minnesota State Fair provides some of the greatest summer entertainment boasting one of the largest midways in the country. The fair also features an extreme thrill park, horse and livestock exhibits, a kiddie land, and a grandstand that hosts a national music act every night of the 12-day event. There are also two beer gardens, a living history Heritage Square, DNR exhibits, an International Bazaar, and a haunted house. Couple that with the food and horticultural buildings, the race track, and thousands of individual vendors, and you can guess why it's called the "Great Minnesota Get-Together."
Shopping
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. Downtown Minneapolis boasts the IDS Crystal Court, Gaviidae Commons, Marshall Field's, Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus and more big name shopping meccas. The Galleria and Southdale in Edina are also great shopping spots. If heading into St. Paul, take a stroll down Grand Avenue for block after block of unique shopping opportunities.
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