Minnesota Living

Made up of Minneapolis and St. Paul, the Twin Cities area offers a dynamic mix of entertainment and recreation.   See below for web sites or go to Minnesota.info for more listings.

To explore entertainment options and restaurants for every taste, go to Citysearch-Twin Cities or Minneapolis-St. Paul Magazine. The Star-Tribune and Pioneer Press provide local news, as well as entertainment listings. Minnesotans know how to have fun in every season. The St. Paul Winter  Carnival is the longest running winter carnival in the country. On the other side of the Mississippi, summer is celebrated during the Minneapolis Aquatennial. The state's flagship annual gathering is the Minnesota State Fair (located next to the University of Minnesota's St. Paul  campus), which has a well-deserved reputation as one of the best state fairs in the country.

The Twin Cities area supports a nationally recognized arts community. The University of Minnesota is home to a diversity of galleries and museums, including the striking Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum (pictured above).  Other arts organizations include the Minneapolis Institute of Arts and the Walker Art Center.

Minneapolis and St. Paul offer an abundance of live performance venues.  International dance companies and musicians perform at the University's Northrop Memorial Auditorium. The Guthrie Theater is one of the best regional repertory theaters in the country.

Some people think a visit to Minnesota would be incomplete without seeing a live broadcast of Minnesota's long-running radio program, A Prairie Home Companion. Best known as the venue that launched the  career of Minnesota native Prince, First Avenue plays host to a lively rock and roll scene.

Sports fans in Minnesota have many options to keep them cheering all year. The University of Minnesota Gophers provide an opportunity to see Division I, Big Ten competition. Fans can double-up on professional basketball with two local teams: the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Minnesota Lynx. NHL Hockey has returned to Minnesota in the form of the Minnesota Wild. In the summer, Minneapolis's Metrodome is home to major league baseball's the Minnesota Twins. In the winter, the Minnesota Vikings take over the dome for NFL competition. For fun--and quirky--minor league baseball, check out the St. Paul Saints.

Minnesota is known for its lakes, rivers, and year-round outdoor recreation. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources provides a launch point for state and national parks, forests, and waterways, including the vast Boundary Waters Canoe Wilderness. Minnesota provides virtually endless opportunities for fishing and hiking. Summer is the time for boating and canoeing, while winter brings skiing, snowmobiling, and ice fishing.

The Minnesota Zoo, Raptor Center, University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum and Science Museum of Minnesota are a few of the many other places to visit. An hour east of the Twin Cities is the historic town of Stillwater and the St. Croix River, a national scenic riverway. Unique shops line the streets of many Twin Cities neighborhoods. For those in need of a big shopping fix, check out the Mall of America.

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