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Special Places: an archive of things to do here in the Twin Cities. To see our more recent selections of "Local Favorites" click here.
-Editor's Note
For architecture/interior design buffs, while away an hour or so, take advantage of one of the best lunch deals in Minneapolis, and windowshop 130 fabulous showrooms of International Market Square. Located at the corner of Glenwood and Lyndale (take Bus #9 on 9th Street or spend $5.50 for a taxi) and housed in the former Munsingwear underwear factory (I'm not kidding!) the IMS offers short tours of the building (20-30 minutes) with a description of how the duckling became an architectural swan. The Atrium restaurant offers an $8.95 buffet of designer salads, great soups, rolls and other goodies in a beautiful setting...also a bar and on occasion soft piano music. You can drool over great furniture, decadent bathroom gear, fabrics, antiques, art, etc. but, beneficial for your credit cards, you cannot buy anything unless you are "in the trade". An interesting exception is the Asian art store which will sell you a 1300 year old ceramic cup or an honest-to-Gosh Ming vase. But you can get lots of great ideas to take home with you. Hey, every library restroom needs gold-plated faucets, right? (For group tours, call Michelle Fairhurst, 612-330-9449.)
-Mary Ann Archer The Twin Cities rivals Chicago in its variety and breadth of theater choices. One of my favorites is the Children's Theatre, one of the best in the country. I like to go early and spend some time exploring the Minneapolis Institute of Arts or MIA which shares its building with the Theatre. This is a free museum about one mile south of the Convention Center. You won't be able to attend a performance of the Children's Theatre in July but check out other possibilities through the City Pages or Explore Minnesota.
-Barbara Golden One of my favorite spots in the Twin Cities is Lake Harriet, located in the southwest part of Minneapolis. This lake is one of a chain of lakes that run through the city. In addition to taking an enjoyable stroll or bike ride around the lake, during the summer, one can attend regular outdoor band concerts, ride on the historic Como-Harriet Street Car Line, visit the beautiful Rose Garden and Rock Garden, or wander through the Sadler Roberts Bird Sanctuary. Scenic biking and walking trails connect Lake Harriet to the Minneahaha Creek and Lake Calhoun, other great sites to visit.
-Suzanne Thorpe - Susan Catterall One of my favorite things to do last summer was to visit all of the [Peanuts] Snoopys on display. Even though most of them are sold, there are still a few left. This is a link to a listing that has the locations of the remaining Snoopys in St. Paul. - Pauline S. Afuso Sooner or later I always take visitors to Fort Snelling. The fort is one mile away from the airport and overlooks the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers. You do need to rent a car or find one of those tours that features the fort in its excursion around the Twin Cities. - Janice Leichter I like traveling in the U.S. and over the years I've visited about a third of the state capitol buildings. I recommend the Minnesota State Capitol. The building has been faithfully restored. It was designed by Cass Gilbert, who also designed the U.S. Supreme Court Building and the Woolworth Building. A closeup view of the quadriga can be had from the Minnesota Judicial Center which is just across the street. - John Tessner Did you know that all those great Aveda products originate right here in Minneapolis, home to the Aveda Institute, an internationally acclaimed center of learning for professionals in cosmetology, esthiology, manicuring, spa body care and massage. Since it is a teaching institution, professional services are available at discounted rates. Located about 2 miles from the Minneapolis Convention Center, the Aveda Institute is at the north end of downtown and just across the river at the corner of 4th St SE and Central Ave. Catch the 17W bus at the corner of Nicollet and Grant. The Institute is open Tuesday through Saturday. Same day appointments are usually available for some services by phoning 612-331-1400.
- Sara Galligan
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