Minnesota
Discover Minnesota
Minnesota is a state in the Midwest of the USA. Minnesota is commonly referred to as the "Land of 10,000 Lakes"; there are actually around 14,300 bodies of water in the state. The state is home to many native American reservations, and is a center of Scandinavian culture. Combine Minnesota's cultural eccentricities with its beautiful forests and lakes and you have a gem for any tourist in the Midwestern US. Minnesotans generally present a cheery, genial attitude ("Minnesota nice") and may be caught off-guard when people don't reciprocate. Minnesotans' cheery attitude combined with a sing-song accent contrasts them with their fellow Midwesterners. Also, Minnesota represents a rare left-wing presence in the Midwestern United States, famously described in the book Main Street by Minnesota author Sinclair Lewis as Mr. Stowbody, "Trouble enough with these foreign farmers; if you don't watch these Swedes they turn socialist or populist or some fool thing on you in a minute." In fact, these Swedes and foreign farmers did turn socialist, forming the Farmer-Labor Party in 1918, electing three successive governors, four senators and eight US representatives, until it merged with the Minnesota Democratic party in 1944. The state maintains liberal leanings and is home to the second largest LGBT population in the US.
What to Experience in Minnesota
Taste of Minnesota...
Traditional Minnesotan food is generally of the hearty meat & potatoes variety found all over the Midwest, but, as you might expect from The Land of 10,000 Lakes, with more of an emphasis on fish. Two locally popular fish are walleye, with fine, firm, white flesh, and lake trout, with firm, pinkish flesh vaguely similar to salmon. Lutefisk is a popular dish brought to Minnesota by Norwegian immigrants. Made from dried cod reconstituted in caustic lye, it is an acquired taste, to say the least. This dish is more often brought out at Christmas time, in church basement suppers all over the state. For the less adventurous, there is lefse, a kind of tortilla-thin flatbread made with potato flour that can be used in a variety of ways, but is usually slathered with butter and sugar and rolled up into a tube. For an original Minnesota interpretation of the American cheeseburger, look for a Juicy Lucy (sometimes spelled Jucy Lucy). This burger patty has ground beef wrapped around a melted cheese filling. If you are in the Twin Cities area, you can find almost any kind of ethnic cuisine you desire, especially along Nicollet Avenue in Minneapolis, popularly known as "Eat Street". St.
Festivals & Events
Experience the vibrant festivals and cultural celebrations of Minnesota.
In Minneapolis/St. Paul, sports fans can take in games of the Minnesota Twins MLB Baseball, Vikings of NFL football, Wild of NHL hockey, the Timberwolves of NBA basketball, the Lynx of WNBA basketball, Minnesota United FC of MLS soccer, the Saints minor league baseball, and the various Minnesota Golden Gophers teams of the University of Minnesota sports. The Mall of America in Bloomington is the nation's largest indoor mall boasting over 500 shops, and an indoor amusement park. Traditional Minnesotan food is generally of the hearty meat & potatoes variety found all over the Midwest, but, as you might expect from The Land of 10,000 Lakes, with more of an emphasis on fish. Two locally popular fish are walleye, with fine, firm, white flesh, and lake trout, with firm, pinkish flesh vaguely similar to salmon. Lutefisk is a popular dish brought to Minnesota by Norwegian immigrants. Made from dried cod reconstituted in caustic lye, it is an acquired taste, to say the least.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsThree Interstate highways travel through Minnesota. I-90 and I-94 travel east-west, while I-35 travels north-south. Highway 2 travels through the state. Several other national and state highways also travel through the state. The Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) is a major hub for Delta Air Lines and has many international flights to Europe and Asia, while smaller international airports exist in Duluth (DLH), Rochester (RST), and regional airports in Saint Cloud (STC), Brainerd (BRD), Bemidji (BJI), Thief River Falls (TVF), Hibbing (HIB), and International Falls (INL). For rail travel, there are Amtrak stations in La Crosse (Wisconsin), Winona, Red Wing, Saint Paul, Saint Cloud, Staples, Detroit Lakes, Fargo (North Dakota), and Grand Forks (North Dakota). These are served by the Empire Builder daily, which runs from Chicago to Seattle/Portland. For bus travel, Minneapolis is served by Greyhound and Jefferson Lines (popular for intrastate travel)....
Regions
Explore AreasMinnesotans generally present a cheery, genial attitude ("Minnesota nice") and may be caught off-guard when people don't reciprocate. Minnesotans' cheery attitude combined with a sing-song accent cont…...
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
Metro Transit offers bus and light rail services to the Twin Cities and their surrounding suburbs. Average fare for either service is typically $2 ($2.50 for the peak times of 6AM-9AM and 3PM-6:30PM.) The fare buys the rider a pass that can be used to ride on or transfer to any Metro Transit bus or train for 150 minutes. The Duluth Transit authority offers bus and trolley service to the Twin Ports area. Senior citizens and individuals with a disability are able to ride the buses and light rails for a reduced fair of $1 upon verification. The relatively new light rail service offers a visitor-friendly line that connects the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP), the Mall of America, the Warehouse District, and downtown Minneapolis among other places.
Money & Budget
The Mall of America in Bloomington is the nation's largest indoor mall boasting over 500 shops, and an indoor amusement park. Traditional Minnesotan food is generally of the hearty meat & potatoes variety found all over the Midwest, but, as you might expect from The Land of 10,000 Lakes, with more of an emphasis on fish. Two locally popular fish are walleye, with fine, firm, white flesh, and lake trout, with firm, pinkish flesh vaguely similar to salmon. Lutefisk is a popular dish brought to Minnesota by Norwegian immigrants. Made from dried cod reconstituted in caustic lye, it is an acquired taste, to say the least. This dish is more often brought out at Christmas time, in church basement suppers all over the state.
Language & Talk
The stereotypical Minnesotan dialect as popularized in the film Fargo is more prevalent in northern (Iron Range) and rural parts of the state than it is in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. In fact, in the metropolitan area, the accent is rarely noticed by visitors, much less the locals. The dialect is characterized by long vowels and a slight inflection (especially Os as found in the word "boat"). The sing-songy intonation is less common with each generation removed from the Scandinavian ancestors. Some Native Americans (primarily Ojibwe) have an accent of their own. In addition to a unique dialect, Minnesota also has several phrases and colloquial expressions that can be overheard somewhat frequently.
Safety Information
Safety Overview
Perhaps the biggest danger is the weather. Given that the state has a continental climate, Minnesota often experiences extreme temperatures. The weather can be quite nasty, so prepare and plan accordingly. During the spring and summer seasons, the state (particularly its southern region) has the tendency to experience violent thunderstorms which do, on occasion, spawn tornadoes. It is a good idea to pay attention to weather conditions during these seasons to maintain an awareness of any potential for these severe storms to occur. Keep in mind that weather conditions change very quickly, and therefore, frequently updating yourself in regards to the conditions is something to consider while traveling to or through the state during the spring/summer seasons. Refer to the Tornado safety page for more information.
Nearby Destinations
Glimpses of Minnesota
aerial shot of concrete structures near body of water
yellow canoe on body of water
Beautiful shot of the Minneapolis skyline from the view of the stone arch bridge.
Downtown Minneapolis and the Mississippi River Long Exposure
Loons on water
The North Shore line of Superior in MN
Split Rock Lighthouse is one of my favorite spots to visit on the North Shore. Fall makes it even better as the bright colors stand out against Lake Superior
Lake Superior Lighthouse
bird's eye view of high-rise buildings
aerial view of city buildings during daytime
aerial shot of concrete structures near body of water
yellow canoe on body of water
Beautiful shot of the Minneapolis skyline from the view of the stone arch bridge.