The timing of my trip allowed for me to have three full days in Minneapolis. For my accommodations here, I couch-surfed for the first time. I found a nice woman through the app, and was able to sleep on her couch free of charge for the duration of my stay. While I was slightly hesitant at first, my host was so friendly and accommodating, that I was immediately at ease. This was the first time either of us had participated in the program, which made it a great fit. It also proved to be great because on my last night, my train wasn’t until 11:00 PM and I did not have to worry about checking out of somewhere or luggage storage, and I had more flexibility in maximizing my time to explore because I wasn’t weighed down by my bags.
Because of the time difference, I was able to finish up work in the early afternoon and start exploring. My host’s place was conveniently located right near a bus stop, and relatively central to the city. I received recommendations on some must-see’s and decided the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden would be my first stop. It did not disappoint!
It is one of the most entertaining and interesting sculpture gardens I have ever been to. Each structure had its own story to tell, some of the pieces most memorable or interesting to me are pictured above. For instance, the bell is originally from Germany, but was cast aside when it did not make the right sound, so artist Kris Martin removed the clapper and now the bell just sways silently on the hour. The horse sculpture, though looks like sticks, is made of metal that was painstakingly put together, welded, and painted, by artist Deborah Butterfield. The vision and craftsmanship of this piece is truly inspiring. Not pictured is a tree filled with all different kinds of wind chimes that mimic the score of a piano piece, Dream. Each chime is a different note, so that when the wind blows randomness creates the melody. All this to say, each sculpture has a story and definitely a great use of your time on your trip to Minneapolis!
The Mall of America is another Minneapolis must-see. The grandeur was a little overwhelming and slightly disgusting, but it is definitely worth a visit. There are roller coasters and bumper cars, millions of M&M’s and Legos…as if that isn’t enough, there is also a wide variety in food options, from food court to gourmet style eating. There is also a movie theater, aquarium, comedy stage, axe throwing venue, and construction for a bowling alley and some more things too. You could spend a whole day here and never feel like you are in a shopping mall. None of these features are cheap however, should a family go with children, I imagine it would be the most expensive trip to the mall they could take. I was glad to have just been able to observe it rather than partake.
The Minneapolis Institute of Art was another worthwhile stop. It is free and there is much to see without being too overwhelmed by the vast content. I found that the exhibits were specifically inclusive and recognized that many of the artifacts presented are the result of colonialization or genocide, especially the Native and African art sections. In a few exhibits, they even had the former introduction to the exhibit juxtaposed with the current one, to show how the curators changed the language to be more thoughtful and inclusive.
Hark! Café was one place that I worked from that I found particularly pleasant. It is a plant based, gluten free spot that has great sandwiches, pays their workers well so discourages tips, and had these cute table markers that casually inform the patrons that you can indeed sponsor a chicken! Some other cafes and restaurants in Minneapolis that I would recommend are Caffetto Cafe-a coffee shop up top with cozy seating and pinball machines in the basement, also included is a variety of work from local artists for sale; Spyhouse Coffee-a regular coffee shop with ample seating and large variety of lattes; Eli’s Food & Cocktails-divey cocktail bar with reasonable prices and cheap happy hour food. One thing to note is that a lot of places in Minneapolis close early on weekdays, around 9 or 10 for food and midnight for drinks.
There are plenty of walking paths throughout the city, specifically along the river. There I was able to see some old industrial buildings that are still standing, but mostly abandoned. I also went to The Guthrie Theater. Unfortunately, I was not able to see a show, but there is a spectacular view that anyone can go enjoy.
Minnehaha Falls was my last stop in Minneapolis before taking an overnight train to North Dakota. It was a little outside of the city center area where I was staying, but not a far bus ride. It used to be a stop on the old train route, but those track are no longer serviceable. The falls themselves are underwhelming, but the park area has much flora and green space to offer. The seal statue pictured is one of many scattered throughout the city with different patterns. A non-so-fun-fact I learned while there I learned that while Lyndon B. Johnson was president, he visited the falls, and it was during a drought so no water was running. As a result, they decided to open the fire hydrants in the city so that water would be flowing through the falls for Johnson’s photo-op.
Overall, Minneapolis surprised me. I found it quite enjoyable, there was much to do and see and I did not even venture over to St. Paul. It was a great mixture of nature and city access. There were definitely many places still on the mend after the pandemic and the protests, but there was still plenty to do and see to get a feel for the city.
USA Rail n Road Trips 