Summer in Minneapolis

A visit to Minneapolis in the summertime is a true treat. Nowhere I have ever traveled have I seen such an honest celebration of summer as in Minneapolis, and it's understandable--if you lived through bitterly cold, teeth-chattering, activity-limiting Northern winters, you'd be damn ready to party when the mercury began to rise!

The Land of 10,000 lakes offers plenty to do. Just strolling around the downtown was immensely pleasant, and a short trip along the walking path hugging the banks of the Mississippi is a great way to get a feel for the layout of this extremely livable city. After that, take in a few museums or world-class theatre performances, then head out to the lakes. They're all around and stunningly beautiful, much like the fit and trim folks you find basking in the sun like lizards storing up the heat of day before nightfall.

A true cultural oasis, my only disappointment is that it took me so long to make a trip out to visit. But I'll be back...

Quick Tips:

Best Way To Get Around:

Its central location for exploring downtown made this hotel ideal for a weekend getaway. Ended up getting a great deal ($70 a night) through Priceline and couldn't have been happier. The hotel was nice enough, with panoramic views of the city and river sprawled out in every direction below. Comfy beds, clean rooms, and plenty of space made the hotel the perfect home base between jaunts out and around the city.

Situated on 7th Street downtown, it was an easy and pleasant walk to Orchestra Hall, the location of the city's famed Sommerfest. Along the way, if you're lucky enough to be here in the summer, you'll pass through a colorful open-air street market, where you can purchase fresh produce, flowers, or grab a bite to eat.

In addition, the hotel was nearby many restaurants, almost too many great bars to count, and just a stone's throw from the Warehouse District, which springs to life at night with a vibrant energy most cities would die for.

In the mood to experience some of the quirkier attractions in the city, we took public transportation from downtown and ended up at Lake Calhoun. A short walk brought us to the Bakken, where we were like kids in a candy store. Contained in a beautifully historic setting is a unique museum documenting the history of electricity. Exhibits incorporate everything from electric eels to defibrillators to Frankenstein and much in between.

One of the highlights was the exploration room, where there were tables of wires, batteries, lights, horns, and other miscellaneous fun stuff to get your hands on. It's also well worth the trip for the experience of playing a theramin, an inventive musical instrument (think of The Beach Boys' "Good Vibrations" or numerous B-movie sci-fi soundtracks) played by moving your hands between two antennae.

Definitely worth an hour or two and one of the more interesting sights in Minneapolis.

Ostensibly the reason I traveled to Minneapolis is Sommerfest, an annual music event that runs for 24 hours--All 24 hours. Starting about noon one day, you can find an eclectic array of almost every type of music known to mankind crammed into a non-stop, multi-venue extravaganza.

Although the weather was hot and a bit humid, Minneapolis locals fed off the summer fever vibe and were out in full force with broad smiles on each passerbys face. The heat only made the Dear Head beer taste that much better, and honestly, where else can you find classical, jazz, gospel, Americana, indie, country and much more all for free?

The highlight of Sommerfest was seeing a few bands in the midnight hour inside a fairly new, brilliant Orchestra Hall. While normally the venue is used for classical/jazz concerts, we had the pleasure of catching Minnesota native "slowcore" band Low, whose passionate performance and spine-tingling harmonies were a perfect match for such an intimate venue. After the performance, DJ's spun tasty down-tempo through the wee hours of the evening.

Tip: Authentic Brit's Pub is located directly across the street at 1110 Nicollet Mall. It's well within earshot of bands on the outdoor main stage, and outdoor tables and a broad selection of perfectly-poured British beers make this a worthwhile stop during Sommerfest.

Most certainly one of the best times I've ever had at a music festival. I have a sheaky feeling this is going to be an annual travel event for me from now on.

As I arrived into Minneapolis a few hours before I could check in, I ditched my luggage and headed to check out the city. I started at the edge of the Mississippi River and meandered alongside for a while, enjoying the sights, the vibe, and the history of the town, much of which is tied to the River.

Hugging the riverbank is the St. Anthony Falls Heritage Trail, which makes a perfect introduction to the city. Being on the edge of town, the trail was quiet, and on a weekday in the summer, often I was the only one around.
Starting at the Hennepin Ave. bridge, meander Southeast and take in the perfect views of the mighty Mississippi. Back in the day, much of Minneapolis' commerce was driven by the flour mills that dotted the landscape here, and there are still remnants to be found at the aptly-named Mill Ruins Park. Here you can spend some time wandering through rusted metal skeletons and imagine how the area might have looked in its heyday. One of the highlights was looking through hulking pipes into the old foundations of the mills and factories that one stood here.

Nearby are the somewhat-underwhelming Falls of St. Anthony, that, while no Niagara, provided enough of an obstacle to watercraft that an adjacent lock was put into place. You can visit the Lock House near Mill Ruins Park and opt for one of the two daily tours to learn more about navigating the falls.

To get a good history of flour milling in Minneapolis, stop by the Mill City Museum at 704 S. Second St. A tip: if you don't want to pay to go through the museum, there are some free exhibits outside and in the lobby/gift shop area certainly worth a perusal.

Continuing a bit further along the walking path, you'll get a good glimpse of Minneapolis' "Next Big Thing"--the new Guthrie Theatre, which opened in 2006. Expectations are high for this steel-and-glass structure designed by architect Ralph Rapson, and the Guthrie will have big shoes to fill in a town that boasts more theatres per capita than New York. Regardless of what you think about what goes on inside, the outside of the new theatre is certainly spectacular, featuring a cantilevered viewing area that juts out a few stories above street level.

And there you have it: history, solace, and culture all in a few miles in one of my favorite US cities.