Minnesota Tourism

2015

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I Twassupposedtobe warmandsunnyinthe TwinCitiesregionthat weekend. Weenvisionedhowwewouldrevelinam- blingthroughthestreetsonabrightspring day,imagininghowenviousourfreezing friendsbackhomewouldbe.Butnaturehad differentplansforusasthelaststormofthe wintermadethestreetswetandslippery.We wereforcedtobecomeindoortouristsand,by coincidence,discoveredareasfewexplore.We spentthenextthreedaysshoppingandsight- seeing,withoutoncefindingourwayintothe heartofMinneapolis. AswewereapproachingtheTwinCities,and withsnowcomingdownheavily,wechosedis- cretionovervalourandfoundaperfecthotelin thesuburbofMapleGrove. Thehotel,arecentlyopenedMarriottCourt- yard,whichhappenedtobeintegratedintoa gemofashoppingmallcalledtheShoppesof ArborLakesinMinneapolisNorth,provedto beanexceptionalfind.Themallitselfcatersto somewhatofanupscaleclientele,withrestau- rantsandretailoutletsthatmatchthoseyou willfindanywhere. Itquicklybecamecleartomethatthisweek- endwouldgivenewmeaningtocross-border shopping.ItwasonlyDay1,andalreadywe wereworriedaboutreachingourallowable tax-freelimittoosoon.Thankfullytheweather, perhapsthinkingaboutmydepletingwallet, gaveusenoughrespitetogotouring. Howmycarimmediatelyfounditswaytothe MallofAmericaisstillsomewhatofamystery tome.TheMallofAmericawasconceivedby thesameGhermezianbrotherswhobuiltWest EdmontonMall.LikeWestEdmonton,thismall isalsoanentertainmentcentre. Withonlyafewbagsofpurchasesintow, wedescenddowntotheSeaLifeAquarium towatchthespectacleofsharks,snapping turtles,tropicalfishandotherseacreaturesas theymoveaboveandbesideusthroughaglass tunnelthatseemedtocompletelysurroundus. Tropicalsnakes,hugelobsters,andslowmov- ingstingra ysroundoutthelivepresentation thatevolvesbeforeusaswerollalongaunique movingwalkwaythattakesusslowlythrough thetunnel.Visitorscanstepoffandbackon whenevertheywishforacloserlookifanyone ofthemassesoffishcompelsthemtostopand admire. Onthemainleveltheshoutsandscreams ofchildrencompetewiththesoundofthe rollercoastersandotherdaredevilridesthat ripthroughtheskylightoftheNickelodeon Universe. Legolandmaybethequietestareainthis youngperson'sdream-world.Parentsand childrenalikestareinawewheninsidethis architecturalmarvel,andthenoftensitatany oneofanumberofLegostationstocreatetheir owncastles,carsandcharacters. Wewouldnotletthesedistractionstake usawayfromtheshopsfortoolong,forwe werepursuingthatunspokenobjectiveofre- enteringCanadawithourfull,legallimitof shoppingtreasures. Butwealsodidwanttodomorethanjust worshipatthealtaro fTwinCitiesretail,soit isperhapsrightthatthefamousCathedralof St.Paulbeckonedus.Perchedonthehighest pointinthecityofSt.Paul,ithasstoodasone ofthebestexamplesofRenaissancearchi- tecturesinceitcelebrateditsfirstCatholic Liturgyin1915. AsMinnesota'scapital,St.Pauloffersits ownvibrantdowntownaswellastrendyart andfunkysectionsjustoutsideitscore.And withadarkerhistorywhichincludedmobsters likeJohnDillinger,MaBarkerandBabyFace Nelson,todayyoucanvisittheirhaunts,and walkthroughtheWabashaStreetCaveswhere evildeedswereplannedandexecuted. Sundaymorningcomesquicklyandit'stime tobeginthejourneybackhome.Thestormhas passedanditlookslikeacomfortabledrivelies aheadofus.Thankstothetimespentseeing sightsandattractions,weareactuallyunder ourcross-borderclaimlimit.Iwasfeeling quitesmugaboutthedisciplineweshowed afterthefirsttwoma llexperiences.Butonce moretheshoppinggodswouldinterveneaswe travelledalongI-94. Thesignsaiditall,AlbertvillePremium OutletMall,onehundredbrandnamestores. Theywerewaitingforus,andonlyafewme- tersoffthehighway.Afewminutesmorewon't matter,werationalized. Eighto'clockthateveningwepassthrough theborder,havingfinallyreachedourallow- ablelimitatourlaststop. Iblametheweather.Butwedolookforward toreturning.AndwhileIhopeweactuallyget toalsovisitdowntownMinneapolisnexttime, ifwedon't,Iknowthereisstillmuchmoreto seeanddoaroundtheperimeter. askjourneys@journeystravel.com WINNIPEGFREEPRESS,SATURDAY,MAY16,2015 F5 TRAVEL F4 WINNIPEGFREEPRESS, SATURDAY,MAY16,2015 ShopnorthernMinnesota'sretailcenteroffering outletstorestouniqueboutiques Deliciouslydineatfinelakesidespotstofunsportsbars StandatthestartoftheMississippiRiver Photoophuggingthehistoricstatuesof PaulBunyan&BabetheBlueOx Bikethebesttrails,from6to160miles Golfoneoffourchallengingcourses andtheFirstCityontheGreatRiverRoadTour VisitBemidji.com 877-250-5959 StartyourMinnesotaadventurehere... VisitFergusFalls.com 800-726-8959 96kmpastFargo OffI-94 Findyourlakeplaceat DetroitLakes. VisitDetroitLakes.com 800-542-3992,ext.153 AnnMichelsasMaryPoppins "Spectacleand magic…indance, colorandsong." – Star Tribune 952-934-1525 • 800-362-3515 ChanhassenDT.com Great season of tribute concerts! STEVIERAY'S COMEDYCABARET STEVIERAY'S Fri & Sat Eves Just $28! HILARIOUS COMEDY! PlanyourvisittoBloomington. HometoMallofAmerica. ® Whystayhere?ExploreallBloomingtonhastooffer.Withover8,200hotelroomsin 40convenienthotels–alljustminutesfromMinneapolis,St.Paul,andtheMSPairport, it'seasytofindperfectaccommodations.Allhotelsofferplentyoffreeparkingand shuttlestotheairportandMallofAmerica. Shoppingandfun!520greatstoresawaityouatMallofAmerica.Enjoytax-freeshopping onclothingandshoes.Plus,dineinover50restaurantsandaction-packedattractionslike NickelodeonUniverse ® ,SEALIFE ® MinnesotaAquariumandWaterParkofAmerica. BigsavingswithTheBigTicket™!AThreeDayAttractionPasswithsavingsofupto30% atsixMallofAmerica ® andTwinCitiesattractions. RequestyourfreeBloomington&MallofAmericaVisitorGuideatBloomingtonMN.org or800-346-4289. $AVE FIND A NEW ROUTE Proudlyownedandsuccessfullyoperatedbythe WhiteEarthNation.©2015WhiteEarthReservation. STARCASINO.COM MAHNOMEN,MN 800.453.STAR(7827) CALLFORTICKETS 800.313.SHOW(7469) *Actualcolorsofvehiclesmayvary.SeeStarRewardsfordetails. WINYOURSHAREOFOVER $ 150,000 INCASHANDPRIZES CAR GIVEAWAY! 5.17 COLORADO 5.24 MUSTANG 5.31 CAMARO WINACAR EVERY SUNDAY INMAY! NOWTHRU MAY31 STARSONSTAGE STARSONSTAGE TS TS TS TS TS Gordon Lightfoot Fri,June19|8PM TICKETSONSALEMAY18 ST S S STARSONSTAGE S REO Speedwagon Fri,May22|8PM TICKETSONSALENOW ayvar RU ct NO UR RoadTrip to Cragun's Golf Legacy Golf Legacy Golf Legacy Breakfast Breakfast Dinner Dinner Drive Home Sleep Poker back at cabin Sleep MINNESOTA'SBEST PACKAGE PLAY&STAY 2NTS/3DAYS/3ROUNDSGOLF Three 18 hole rounds with cart on the Dutch Legacy or Bobby's Legacy. Two breakfasts and two dinners. TwonightslodgingatCragun'sResortin aLakeviewFireplaceRoomonGullLake. $ 379 $ 329 PERPERSON,DOUBLEOCCUPANCY MIDWEEK WEEKEND MAY15–JUNE18 craguns.com/golf 888-843-9149 FIND A NEW ROUTE Discoverthe TwinCitiesfrom theinsideout ByRonPradinuk RONPRADINUK/WINNIPEGFREEPRESS TheMallofAmericaisanentertainmentcentreforshoppersofallages. RONPRADINUK/WINNIPEGFREEPRESS Sinceitsfirstliturgymorethan100yearsago theCathedralofSt.Paulhasstoodasabeacon onthehighestpointofSt.Paul.

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