Minneapolis - Art & Entertainment

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Trying to tell someone about St. Paul and Minneapolis—the Twin Cities—isn't difficult, it's just a matter of deciding where to start. The Twin Cities are bustling centers of culture and technology. But the locals also have a great love for leisure. Golf courses abound, along with grassy lakeside areas, which are perfect for picnicking or just plain relaxing.

Music

The music scene is hot, and many music festivals are held here during the summer. The most famous musical son of the Twin Cities is the singer/songwriter Prince, who gained fame with Purple Rain in the 80s.

Perhaps the best music venue for a close-up show is First Avenue, a former bus station. The Fine Line Music Café, Northrup Auditorium, Roy Wilkins Auditorium, and the State Theater all book solid national acts in rock, country, blues, jazz, classical, and other genres. But these are intimate venues; the really big crowds go to the Target Center or the Metrodome.

If you want music and dancing, The Quest is the biggest and probably the best dance club in town. Rodeo is your country music destination. Many other spots offer dancing, including South Beach for a splash of class, Lyon's Pub, Margarita Bella for Latin tunes, and Stone Wings in Bloomington.

If you want to listen to something more civilized, try the Artist's Quarter or The Times for jazz, Dakota, Famous Dave's, or Nikki's Café for jazz or blues. Ryan's is an old-fashioned heavy metal rock club and O'Gara's and the Turf Club pack crowds in for local rock acts.

Many bars and restaurants offer live music at some time during the week. Almost every festival features multiple stages with local and national acts.

Cinema

There are many first-run cinemas in the area; check the local paper for one nearby. Many now offer stadium seating and new venues are being built all the time. The Mall of America has a General Cinema with 14 screens; at Cinema Café, you can have a meal with a beer while you watch the movie. If you'd like to watch something a little more unusual, try the Oak Street Cinema, Uptown or Lagoon. You are sure to find something there that is not to be had at your local mall, whether it's foreign language, documentary or the latest Cannes winner. The Plaza offers budget tickets for movies that lag a few weeks behind the first run theaters. If you didn't get a chance to see that thriller that won the Oscar, the Plaza will be likely to have it. With two screens, stadium seating, and a full concession stand, the ticket is the only thing cut-rate. The Plaza also offers late-night cult movies.

Performances

Many national and local theater companies play to local audiences year-round. The theater district on Hennepin Avenue in Minneapolis is the hub of the action; Broadway's second home is the Minne-Apple, as Minneapolis has sometimes been known. The Historic State Theater hosts Broadway productions and other national acts. The Guthrie Theater never fails to deliver a faithful rendition of A Christmas Carol every year. Orchestra Hall is home to the Minnesota Orchestra. In St. Paul, The Fitzergald Theater is the home of Garrison Keillor's weekly radio show, A Prairie Home Companion. The Ordway Center for the Performing Arts in downtown St. Paul is home to the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and the Minnesota Opera. Rent, Cats, Phantom of the Opera and Riverdance are some of the shows that have delighted Twin Cities audiences in recent years. Check out the latest show, Les Miserables, or attend the James Sewell Ballet. There are also many other stages located around town. Children can enjoy an old favorite or an original production at The Children's Theater. The Historic Orpheum, The Chanhassen Dinner Theater, The Old Log Theater, Mixed Blood Theater and many others will fill out your dance card. Even the University of Minnesota's Showboat Players have a new floating home at Harriet Island, the Minnesota Centennial Showboat.

Museums and Galleries

Art is everywhere in the Twin Cities, from the MinneapolisSculpture Garden which features the famous Spoonbridge & Cherry, to contemporary art at The Walker Art Center, to the MinneapolisInstitute of Arts, with its fabulous Asian collection. Don't miss the Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum, a stainless steel and brick masterpiece in itself. The Minnesota Museum of American Art has its home in downtown St. Paul. There are many art colleges which have regular exhibits, including The College of Visual Arts and the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. Private galleries permeate the cultural climate, and there are at least three art crawls in the area each summer (a festival showcasing local artists which usually involves walking from gallery to gallery in one area).

Look for the many Snoopy figures that dot St. Paul. They are a tribute to St. Paul native Charles Schultz, who wrote and drew the Peanuts comic strip for 50 years. Each Snoopy was decorated by a local artist and sponsored by a local business.

The Science Museum of Minnesota and The Minnesota Children's Museum offer hands-on experiences, educational and fun. The Bell Museum of Natural History covers the natural habitat. In addition, there are many opportunities for outings involving more recent history, such as the Minnesota History Center, Murphy's Landing, and Fort Snelling.

Sports

For sports-minded individuals, the Twin Cities offers every opportunity to catch a pro team in action or personally engage in athletics. The Twin Cities Marathon has an impressive turnout every year; it is known as the "Most Beautiful Urban Marathon in the Country." In addition to the miles of lakeshore surrounded by paths, most old railroad beds have been turned into beautiful pathways for biking, running and skating.

The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, located in Downtown Minneapolis, is home to the Minnesota Vikings and the Minnesota Twins. The Target Center, also in downtown Minneapolis, hosts the NBA Minnesota Timberwolves and the WNBA Minnesota Lynx. Downtown St. Paul welcomed the NHL expansion team Minnesota Wild in their new arena, Xcel Energy Center, in 2000.

The Twin Cities have hundreds of golf courses, enough that it's not usually a problem to get a tee time. The Edinburgh USA Golf Course hosted the U.S. Open a few years ago. There are golf domes, mini golf courses, 9-hole par 3s, and plenty of more challenging links—enough to keep any duffer happy.

Zoos and Amusement Parks

The area boasts two zoos: the Minnesota Zoo, with its monorail and natural habitats, and Como Zoo, situated in a century-old park and one of the few remaining free zoos in the country. If that's too sedate, try Valleyfair Amusement Park, which usually comes up with at least one new ride every year. The country's largest indoor amusement park, Camp Snoopy, is located inside the Mall of America. For more action, try Gasoline Alley with its racing go-karts or Rice Street Amusement Center for water bumper boats. Racing enthusiasts flock to Raceway Park for NASCAR action or CanterburyPark to bet on thoroughbred horse races.

Lakes

There are many beautiful lakes in either city. St. Paul offers Como, Phalen and Keller. Minneapolis boasts Calhoun, Harriet, Cedar, Lake of the Isles, and Nokomis. When the founding fathers were laying out the city plans, they had the good sense to designate quite a bit of the land around lakes as public space. That means that you will find both of these cities to be lush and green in the summer and full of parks, golf courses and public paths. Many of the lakes offer equipment rental, from the paddle-boats on Como Lake to the canoes at Lake Calhoun and Lake Phalen. They also offer fishing and boating. Lake Minnetonka is perhaps the area's largest, and offers several opportunities for lake cruises and watercraft rentals.

Winter

The fun does not stop in the winter. The golf courses are turned into cross-country ski trails. Snow shoeing is offered in many of the area golf courses and nature preserves. Many areas of the lakes are turned into miniature towns where little ice-fishing houses seem to materialize overnight—you can even get pizza delivered to some of them! The parks are full of children sledding down hills and playing hockey and ice skating on the ice rinks erected each winter.

The St. Paul Winter Carnival offers ten days of fun winter activity. If it's skiing you love, head to Buck Hill Ski Area or Hyland Ski and Snowboard Area. There are numerous locations throughout the metro area where you can go snow tubing as well.

With the first hint of spring, almost every restaurant and bar in the Twin Cities turns into an al fresco dining experience with an outdoor patio. The sidewalks downtown sport tables and chairs where you hadn't thought there was room. Rooftops turn into terraces, and the lakes are full of sun worshippers. The weather is gorgeous about five months out of the year; the remainder depends on whether or not the winter is mild. The fall foliage is not to be missed; there are peak color updates on the nightly news. But be warned, as the weather is apt to change very quickly. It can be 50° F in the morning and 90° F in the afternoon, or vice versa. It's best to dress in layers.

Festivals

Almost every neighborhood and suburban area or town has their own festival. Grand Avenue in St. Paul has Grand Old Day, featuring the best in live music; Cedarfest in Minneapolis is another live music mecca. Other festivals include Valley Days, Crazy Days, Fall Round-Up, May Day and Cinco de Mayo. The Taste of Minnesota takes place on the lawn in front of the capitol. Each of the seven metro area counties has a fair each summer.

The Minnesota State Fair is the largest of them all; it boasts the largest midway in the country. In addition, the fair features an extreme thrill park, horse and livestock exhibits, a kiddie land, and a grandstand that hosts a national music act on every night of the 12-day extravaganza. There are also two beer gardens, a living history Heritage Square, DNR exhibits, an International Bazaar, and a haunted house. Couple that with the food and horticultural buildings, the race track, and thousands of individual vendors, and you can guess why it's called the "Great Minnesota Get-Together."

Shopping

For those who prefer indoors, of course there is shopping—world-class shopping. The Mall of America is a day in itself, a sensory overload experience with every kind of shop you could imagine. Downtown Minneapolis boasts The IDS Crystal Court, Gaviidae Commons, and Dayton's flagship store, which features eight stories of fashion and housewares with seasonal exhibits on the top floor. Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus are just two of the names you might recognize. The Galleria and Southdale in Edina are highlights of any shopping trip. Southdale was the first enclosed mall in the nation. Finally, stroll down Grand Avenue in St. Paul for block after block of unique shopping opportunities.







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Margarita Bella


Expansive Bar and Dance Floor
 1032 3rd Ave NE
Minneapolis, MN 55413
+1 612 331 7955
Margarita Bella
Times Bar & Cafe


As Lively As Ever
 201 E Hennepin Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55414
+1 612 617 8098
http://www.timesbarandcafe.com
Times Bar & Cafe
Quest


Upscale Club With a Fashionable Crowd
 110 North 5th Street
Minneapolis, MN 55403
+1 612 338 3383
Quest
Turf Club


Alternative Rock Hangout
 1601 University Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55104
+1 651 647 0486
http://turfclub.net
Turf Club
O'Gara's Bar & Grille


One stop entertainment center
 164 N Snelling Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55104
+1 651 644 3333
http://www.ogaras.com/
O'Gara's Bar & Grille
Mall of America


Everything Under One Roof
 60 E Broadway
Minneapolis, MN 55425
+1 952 883 8800
http://www.mallofamerica.com
Mall of America
Como Park Zoo


Animals in the city
 1225 Estabrook Dr
Minneapolis, MN 55103
+1 651 487 8200
http://www.comozooconservatory.org/
Como Park Zoo
Minnesota Children's Museum


Learn To Play
 10 West 7th Street
Minneapolis, MN 55102
+1 651 225 6000 / +1 651 225 6001
http://www.mcm.org
Minnesota Children's Museum
Target Center


Where major events happen
 600 1st Ave North
Minneapolis, MN 55403
+1 612 673 1300 (Office) / +1 612 673 0900 (Tickets)
http://www.targetcenter.com/
Target Center
Orchestra Hall


Nearly Perfect Acoustics
 1111 Nicollet Mall
Minneapolis, MN 55403
+1 612 371 5600 (Office)/ +1 612 371 5656 (Tickets)/+1 800 292 4141 (Toll Free)
http://www.minnesotaorchestra.org
Orchestra Hall
Fort Snelling State Park


1820s living history
 101 Snelling Lake Road
Minneapolis, MN 55111
+1 612 725 2389 / +1 612 725 2724 (Visitors Center)
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/parks_and_recreation/state_parks/fort_snelling
Fort Snelling State Park
Valleyfair Amusement Park


Minnesota's premier amusement park
 One Valleyfair Drive
Minneapolis, MN 55379
+1 952 445 6500
http://www.valleyfair.com
Valleyfair Amusement Park
St. Paul Winter Carnival


Largest and oldest winter carnival
 Various Venues
Minneapolis, MN
+1 651 223 4700 (Saint Paul Festival & Heritage Foundation)
http://www.winter-carnival.com/
St. Paul Winter Carnival
Canterbury Park


And DOWN the STRETCH they COME!
 1100 Canterbury Road
Minneapolis, MN 55379
+1 952 445 7223 / +1 800 340 6361
http://www.canterburypark.com/
Canterbury Park
Edinburgh USA


Designed in the Scottish Tradition
 8700 Edinbrook Crossing
Minneapolis, MN 55443
+1 763 315 8550
http://www.edinburghusa.org/
Edinburgh USA
Gaviidae Commons


Shopping with style
 60 South 6th St
Nicollet Mall
Minneapolis, MN 55402
+1 612 372 1222
http://www.gaviidaecommon.com/
Gaviidae Commons
Nieman Marcus


Designer shopping
 505 Nicollet Mall 5th St
Minneapolis, MN 55402
+1 612 339 2600
http://www.neimanmarcus.com/
Nieman Marcus
Dakota Restaurant & Jazz Club


Live Jazz, Local Food
 1010 Nicollet Avenue S
Minneapolis, MN 55403
+1 612 332 1010
http://www.dakotacooks.com
Dakota Restaurant & Jazz Club
Marshall Field's


Vibrant Part of Retail Scene
 700 Nicollet Mall
Minneapolis, MN 55402
+1 612 375 2200
http://www.fields.com/common/index.htm
Marshall Field's
IDS Crystal Court


Full block complex
 717 Nicollet Mall
(IDS Center)
Minneapolis, MN 55402
+1 612 376 8000
http://www.ids-center.com/pages/architecture.html
IDS Crystal Court
Murphy's Landing


Immigrant settlement of the late 1800s
 2187 East Highway 101
Minneapolis, MN 55379
+1 763 694 7784
http://www.murphyslanding.com
Murphy's Landing
Minneapolis Institute of Arts


More than 85,000 Pieces on Display
 2400 Third Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55404
+1 612 870 3131
http://www.artsmia.org/
Minneapolis Institute of Arts
Frederick R.Weisman Art Museum


Contemporary Art
 333 East River Road
Minneapolis, MN 55455
+1 612 625 9494
http://www.weisman.umn.edu/
Frederick R.Weisman Art Museum
Minnesota Museum of American Art


Collection of 10,000 Art Pieces
 Kellogg Boulevard
at Market Street
Minneapolis, MN 55102
+1 651 266 1030
http://www.mmaa.org/
Minnesota Museum of American Art
Walker Art Center


Top Contemporary Art Museum
 1750 Hennepin Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55403
+1 612 375 7600
http://www.walkerart.org/
Walker Art Center
Minneapolis Sculpture Garden


Unique display of art
 725 Vineland Place
Minneapolis, MN 55403
+1 612 375 7622 / +1 612 375 7577
http://garden.walkerart.org/
Minneapolis Sculpture Garden
Minnesota Zoo


Natural habitat is the emphasis
 13000 Zoo Blvd
(at County Road 38)
Minneapolis, MN 55124
+1 952 432 9000 / +1 800 366 7811
http://www.mnzoo.com/
Minnesota Zoo
Bell Museum of Natural History


Fascinating 3-dimensional displays
 10 Church Street Southeast
Minneapolis, MN 55414
+1 612 624 7083
http://www.bellmuseum.org/
Bell Museum of Natural History
Minnesota History Center


Panorama of state history
 345 West Kellogg Boulevard
at John Ireland Boulevard
Minneapolis, MN 55102
+1 651 296 6126 / +1 800 657 3773
http://www.mnhs.org/places/historycenter/index.html
Minnesota History Center
Science Museum of Minnesota


Hands-On Discovery Center
 120 West Kellogg Boulevard
Minneapolis, MN 55102
+1 651 221 9444 / +1 800 221 9444 (Toll Free)
http://www.smm.org/
Science Museum of Minnesota
Children's Theatre Company


Fantasy & Fun
 2400 3rd Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55404-3597
+1 612 874 0500 / +1 612 874 0400 (Tickets)
http://www.childrenstheatre.org/
Children's Theatre Company
State Theatre


A Glorious Wonder to Behold
 805 Hennepin Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55403
+1 612 339 7007 (Box Office)
http://www.hennepintheatredistrict.org/
State Theatre
Orpheum Theatre


Exceptional view and acoustics
 910 Hennepin Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55403
+1 612 339 7007 / +1 612 373 5646
http://www.hennepintheatredistrict.org/
Orpheum Theatre
Ordway Center for the Performing Arts


'Jewel on the Mississippi'
 345 Washington St
Minneapolis, MN 55102
+1 651 282 3000 / +1 651 224 4222 (Box Office)
http://www.ordway.org/
Ordway Center for the Performing Arts
Northrop Auditorium


State's Largest Theater
 84 Church St SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455
+1 612 624 2345 (Ticket Office) / +1 612 625 6600 (Administration)
http://www.northrop.umn.edu/index.html
Northrop Auditorium
Minnesota Opera Company


Performing the Classics
 Minnesota Opera Center
620 N 1st St
Minneapolis, MN 55401
+1 612 333 2700 / +1 612 333 6669 (Box Office)
http://www.mnopera.org/
Minnesota Opera Company
Southdale Shopping Center


First totally enclosed shopping mall
 6601 France Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55435
+1 952 925 7885
http://www.southdale.com
Southdale Shopping Center
Downtown Minneapolis
Minneapolis
Downtown Minneapolis
St. Paul
Minneapolis
St. Paul
Lyon's Pub


Dance the Night Away
 16 S 6th St
(at Hennepin Ave)
Minneapolis, MN 55402
+1 612 333 6612
http://www.lyonspub.com
Lyon's Pub
Artists' Quarter


World-Class Jazz Club
 408 St. Peter St
(Hamm Building)
Minneapolis, MN 55101
+1 651 292 1359
http://www.mnjazz.com
Artists' Quarter
Famous Dave's BBQ & Blues


Blues and jazz are hot
 3001 Hennepin Ave
Calhoun Square at Lake St
Minneapolis, MN 55408
+1 612 822 9900
http://www.famousdaves.com
Famous Dave's BBQ & Blues
Fine Line Music Cafe


Intimate music venue
 318 1st Ave N
Minneapolis, MN 55401
+1 612 338 8100
http://www.finelinemusic.com/
Fine Line Music Cafe
First Avenue


Excellent Acoustics & Sight Lines
 701 1st Ave N
Minneapolis, MN 55403
+1 612 332 1775
http://www.first-avenue.com/
First Avenue
Minneapolis
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