In Minnesota, one city is fast becoming a metropolitan hotspot for hipsters. Minneapolis is truly the Minnesotan answer to New York’s Manhattan, with the cultural cache of San Francisco, the foodie appeal of Chicago and the sports following of Boston. What’s more, it is most noted, perhaps, for the lack of snobbery amidst the citified cool. How refreshing!
Plan on a trip to the bona fide cultural hub, food-lover’s paradise and sports mecca that still has its midwestern values in check.
First, here’s a little background. Don’t be fooled by the name – though it sounds like Minneapolis is a “mini” city, it is actually the largest city in the state. The name comes from the Dakota word for “water” and the Greek for “city.” Common knowledge now, but back in the 1890s, rival and “twin” city St. Paul would have gone to great lengths to keep the fact that Minneapolis was the larger city under wraps. In fact, both cities were said to have taken to arresting and even kidnapping each other’s U.S. Census takers to keep the other from earning the title. Good to know that all that midwestern politeness doesn’t get in the way of a little spirited competition.
Minneapolis is the (second) best! The City of Lakes was ranked the second most fun city in the entire country in 2009 (Seattle was number one) in the Ritz Cracker FUNonmenal Places Study. This fact alone makes it worth a stop just to see what all the fuss is about.
The arts scene in Minneapolis is practically bursting at the seams with museums, galleries, theatres and architecture galore. One standout is the Guthrie Theater, widely recognized as a beacon of the arts in Minneapolis. GQ magazine calls the building “a jaw dropping feat of engineering and architectural chutzpah” from architect Jean Nouvel. Take a backstage tour any Friday, Saturday or Sunday in November at 10:00 A.M. for a peek behind the curtains. For more information on the building and a full show schedule, visit www.guthrietheater.org. The Guthrie is located at 818 South 2nd Street.
Gastronomes will have a feeding frenzy in Minneapolis. There are hundreds of restaurants and award-winning chefs in the area. At the Corner Table Restaurant at 4257 Nicollet Ave., there’s sort of an “eats meet Midwest” attitude. Chef Scott Pampuch, a James Beard Award nominee, serves up a monthly menu using farm fresh local and seasonal ingredients. Visit the restaurant’s website at www.cornertablerestaurant.com to preview the menu and read some blog posts to tickle your taste buds.
For sports fanatics, it’s a whole other ballgame here. The Metrodome – home field of baseball’s Minnesota Twins and football’s Minnesota Vikings – is right in downtown Minneapolis. November is the perfect month to catch a Vikings game at the stadium. You’ll definitely want to see former Green Bay Packers star and football legend Brett Favre join the ranks of the Vikings before he retires yet again. Your first chance in the month of November is November 15 when the Vikes take on the Detroit Lions. See the entire Metrodome event schedule including sporting events and more at www.msfc.com.
Visit Minneapolis in late October through mid-November for a Minnesota urban excursion complete with amazing fall foliage, autumn’s freshest flavors and football. For additional resources, visit www.minneapolis.org.
