Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Trip Report: 3 Days in Minneapolis/St. Paul

Lately I've gotten lazy about writing trip reports (what I call a rundown of our itinerary or "how we spent our time" in a particular location). Yet I think deciding what to do, where to go, how long to spend at a particular attraction, etc., is one of the more challenging aspects of trip planning for some families. So I always love to share our experiences in a new location.

On that note, here's the day-by-day of how we spent our long weekend in the Twin Cities.


Day 1: Como Park Zoo and Juicy Lucys

After a late arrival the evening before, we were up and at 'em, ready to start exploring this great city. We headed out to the Como Park Zoo and Conservatory in St. Paul and got there right as it opened. What a beautiful spot and a great zoo (and FREE).



After a couple of hours there, we were all ready for some grub, so we took a scenic drive through St. Paul and then headed to the 5-8 Club for a signature Minneapolis dish: the Juicy Lucy. More on that to come, but trust me, they're drool worthy.

We headed back for naps in the afternoon and then played at a nearby playground in the late afternoon. We made dinner at home and tucked the Arrows into bed early that night.


Day 2: Downtown Minneapolis

Another day of adventure awaited us. We took the lightrail into downtown Minneapolis, and then explored the Mill Ruins Park. We took a long walk along the Mississippi River, and then headed into the heart of the downtown district.


We stopped and let the Arrows play at the Minneapolis Central Library.



This was followed by lunch on the sunny patio of The Local, a great downtown Irish pub.

Then it was time to board the train back for naps.

That afternoon, we played at another nearby park (the city is swarming with spacious urban parks... I loved it!) and ate dinnner at home, followed by a movie and popcorn.


Day 3: Pumpkin Patch and Minnesota Twins Game

That morning, we visited the Richfield Farmer's Market and neighboring pumpkin patch at Adventure Gardens. Big Arrow loved the bounce houses, slides and games, while Little Arrow was content to play with the pumpkins.




A quick lunch at Pepito's for some Mexican grub, followed by brief naps. Then we were off to the Twins game at the new Target Field. We had an absolute blast at the game, it was a great way to wrap up our time in Minneapolis.



We headed home the next morning, already plotting a return visit! I'll be sharing more details on these attractions and restaurants in the weeks to come, so check back or visit my U.S. Travels page.


This post is part of Photo Friday at Delicious Baby and Friday Daydreamin' at R We There Yet Mom?

3 comments:

  1. Waiting to hear about these Juicy Lucys. Love the luck of the new Target Field. Too bad the Twins play there. :)

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  2. Look at that precious pumpkin patch picture!!!! I LOVE it!!!

    Thanks for linking up this week!

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  3. Looks like a great trip...I've only been to Minneapolis during the winter, but your photos look really amazing with the fall backdrops!

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