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The Twin Cities of Minneapolis/St. Paul
A Great Place to Visit
Part Two: Stately St. Paul
By Michele St. Martin
Downtown St. Paul includes Minnesota's favorite department store, the hometown Dayton's, as well as some green space. Town Square features shops, restaurants and an indoor park. Another must-see is the 52-foot fountain in the World Trade Center (50 plus stores, plus restaurants and a food court).
Just two miles from downtown is the popular retail and residential area of Grand Avenue. Grand Avenue's shops, both trendy and quaint, are a great way to while away an afternoon! Grand Avenue has bookstores (including the Red Balloon children's bookstore), art galleries, import shops, trendy boutiques and more. A visit to Grand Avenue is not complete without a stop at Caffe Latte, a cafeteria-style restaurant known for its sumptuous desserts (the turtle cake is legendary!). If you're there at lunch or dinnertime, try one of the salad samplers or a bowl of fresh soup – but be sure to save room for desserts! If you can't decide which to sample, you can always order an extra dessert to take out. You won't be the first!
Three of St. Paul's museums are real standouts. The Minnesota History Center is more than a beautiful building -- and it's not stuffy in the least. Where else could you view both clothing worn by Prince in the movie Purple Rain and an interactive exhibit about life in the territory of Minnesota before it became a state? Some of the other exciting things happening at the History Center are the "Artifacts of the Century" – objects that museum staff thought best represented the 20th century, and nine free summer music concerts. You'll want to browse the two museum shops, which contain a variety of Minnesota books and gifts. And be sure to grab a bite at the Minnesota Caf砖 the wonderful menu offers many savory specialties, but be sure to try the Wild Rice Soup, made with Minnesota Lake Rice.
The Science Museum of Minnesota