Minneapolis hosts a lot of different conventions, and that’s why I was in the Twin Cities recently. I thought I’d be tied up through the work week, but as it turns out I was finished with what I needed to do on Thursday. Rather than go through the hassle of re-booking plane tickets, I decided to just keep my original itinerary. I’d have to do something about lodging, though. Fortunately, I spent a total of a few minutes on HotelTonight, and within those few minutes I was all set. I found the perfect location for where I wanted to stay so that I could explore Minneapolis and get to know the area a bit.
I rented a car and drove over to my hotel, and it all went as smoothly as possible. I was in my room in no time, and I was ready to go explore. I’m not the type to do what a typical tourist does. Instead, I’m someone who wants to get a taste of what it’s like to live in a place. In other words, I want to do what the locals do. I spoke to the concierge and was given valuable information on where I should go and what I should do. Before I knew it, I was on my way to seeing what the Twin Cities were all about.
I started with a bit of history. Cathedral Hill was home to icons such as James J. Hill and literary giant F. Scott Fitzgerald, so I wanted to see how the area had changed since those days long ago. While there were obviously some modern amenities in place, there was also that old charm that was probably present so many generations ago. Cathedral Hill is filled with interesting restaurant concepts and boutiques that could keep you shopping for days. I lost myself in the neighborhood as locals breezed by, going about their days.
Moving a bit ahead in history, I headed on over to Uptown Minneapolis, where Hennepin and Lake were legendary enough to make it into work by Prince. This is the part of town that he sang about during his heyday, and much like Cathedral Hill this is an area that features a mixture of old and new. You can still find the modest music venues that Prince himself sang at many years ago, but you can also enjoy modern restaurants and watering holes that are catering to the newer, younger and hipper crowd. This was another area one could spend days in without experiencing the same thing twice.
The North Loop is so unique, it’s been known by more than one name over the years. It used to be called the Warehouse District, and that was indicative of what it was – a shipping and industry hub that’s transformed into a local’s paradise. I decided to have dinner here, and I was glad that I did, although it took some time to narrow my choices down given the plethora of options. My dinner was all local, or so I had come to know what local was in an afternoon, and it was delicious. I stopped in for a cocktail on my way back to my hotel and called it a night. I had a couple of places to check out the next morning and was ready for a nice sleep in my comfortable room.
Minnesota is known as the Land of 10,000 Lakes, so I wanted to spend some time alongside at least one of them. Lake Minnetonka is famous for several reasons, and one of them is that its shores wash up on beautiful Wayzata. Wayzata is everything Midwest – friendly people, interesting shops and architecture that will have you thinking of the 1950’s all over again. Strolling down East Lake Street, one can feel the fresh water in the air and the vibe is something out of an old vacation town, which is exactly what Wayzata used to be.
I crossed the Mississippi River for my last stop on my tour and took in Lowertown in St. Paul. This is another historic area that’s been preserved in many creative ways. That seems to be a theme here in the Twin Cities – welcome advancement but don’t bury the history that makes this area so rich with traditions and culture. Lowertown offered a lot of options for shopping and of course for lunch, so I took in my last meal in Minnesota and enjoyed it immensely.
It was a wonderful day in the Twin Cities. The locals I spoke to said that this was how most days are here. The people of Minneapolis and St. Paul are proud of their home, as well they should be, but they also welcome visitors with open arms. I was thrilled to be able to focus my time on seeing the city, which was largely possible because getting a Minneapolis hotel was so easy with HotelTonight. The next time you find yourself with an opportunity for a bit of an adventure, take advantage of it. Take advantage of what HotelTonight can do for you as well, as lodging will be the last thing you need to worry about with their help.
