Life in the Twin Cities

With a population of nearly three million, the Twin Cities offers the best of urban living. Minneapolis, the largest city in Minnesota, and St. Paul, Minnesota's capital, together are known as the Twin Cities - the state's major metropolitan area. Both cities offer busy downtowns, sophisticated educational and cultural institutions, entertainment and sports, and the always affordable diversions of parks, lakes, and open spaces.

CULTURE

There are more live theater seats per capita than any other city outside of New York!  Among the many theaters are Tony-award winning Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis and the Penumbra Theater in St. Paul.  The University of Minnesota campus features prominently in the Twin Cities jazz and dance scene through its programs at Northrup Auditorium.  Jazz enthusiasts can hear top national talent at one of the best clubs in the country, the Dakota. Minnesota is also the home of both the internationally renowned Minnesota Orchestra and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra.

The Minneapolis Institute of Arts, a major Twin Cities museum, displays a collection of world art from antiquity to the present. The Walker Art Center highlights contemporary painting, sculpture, and prints. Exhibits at the Minnesota Museum of Art and the Science Museum of Minnesota, with its Omnitheater, are also major attractions as is the University's avant-garde Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum.

SPORTS

Sports fans can catch major league action with the Minnesota Twins (baseball), Vikings (football), Timberwolves and Lynx (basketball), in addition to the minor-league St. Paul Saints baseball team and the University's Big Ten intercollegiate teams.

SHOPPING

The Mall of America includes anchor stores Bloomingdale's, Nordstrom, Macy's and Sears. Known as the "mega-mall," this popular retail destination also boasts, an indoor amusement park. There are also great neighborhood areas with unique shops, specialty stores, restaurants, and clubs such as Grand Avenue in St. Paul and Uptown in Minneapolis.

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

Sometimes the most refreshing activity is the simplest - enjoying the outdoors. Within the city limits of Minneapolis (the "City of Lakes") there are five large lakes with beaches, bike trails, walking paths, and parkways. In St. Paul,Como Park  includes a zoo, conservatory, amusement park, lake, and picnic areas, all close to the St. Paul campus. The Minnesota Zoological Garden, located on the southern edge of the metropolitan area, offers a combination of open habitat and housed exhibits.

Swimming, canoeing, sailing, water-skiing, hiking, and bicycling are popular summer activities. By December, Minnesota waters are frozen, and favorite pastimes are ice skating, cross country and downhill skiing, snowshoeing, ice fishing, and winter camping. Information on outdoor activities can be found at the following sites:

Parks and Recreation:
Minneapolis - www.minneapolisparks.org
Minnesota - www.dnr.state.mn.us

Winter Sports:  
Lutsen Mountain - http://www.lutsen.com/
Spirit Mountain - http://www.spiritmt.com/
Afton Alps - www.aftonalps.com
Trollhaugen Winter Recreation Area - www.trollhaugen.com/
Hyland Ski and Snowboard Area - www.hylandski.com

Minnesota Tourism 
Explore Minnesota - http://www.exploreminnesota.com/