St. Paul/Minneapolis

[Guest_carknocker51]

OK-have a train trip to St. Paul/Minn lined up in June.Anyone know a good[reasonable]place to stay & some hints about getting around & things to do??Never been there,but we'er looking forward to it....Will only have one full day to kick around,so that makes seeing alot kinda tuff....thanks

 

[Steve4031]

The main attraction is the Mall of America. I would recommend visiting their website and seeing if their stores interest you. If they do, plan your day around a visit to the mall. The mall is at least 10 miles from the Amtrak station, and a cab ride might be kind of expensive. However, there are many hotels near the mall that would provide shuttle service to the mall.

If the Mall does not interest you, then you might want to focus on either Minneappolis or St. Paul. Each downtown area has nice hotels. I beleive that if you stay focus on one city or the other, then you probably could get by without a rental car. The Amtrak station is about half way between the two cities.

If you want to visit places that are in different parts of the twin cities, your best bet is getting a rental car in the morning and returning it in the evening. I dont believe that their are rental car places that are convenient to the Amtrak station and open at the times that trains arrive.

I have just started my own travel agent business, and if you want I can help you book your hotels and rental car.

 

[The Chief]

Carknocker,

In Oct. 2002, I took the Empire Builder to Minneapolis.

The University is by the river by downtown Minneapolis and has a pretty good art museum.

The city has a good bus system that allows route-planning on its website.

Here's where I stayed:

Econolodge Mpls (612) 331-6000 - www.choicehotels.com/ (hotel=MN033)

2500 University Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414

Downtown, at Budget Car Rental, 229 10TH STREET S., I got a car.

I took a nice trip on the Osceola & St. Croix Valley Railway,

which is 51 miles to Osceola, WI, 54020 - www.trainride.org/

Hope this helps.

 

[seajay]

I think it's an interesting, if not a little sad, commentary when a community's most well-known attraction is a shopping mall.

Threre's the Minnesota Zoo.

Valley Fair is an amusement park.

Canterbury Park offers horse racing.

The Guthrie Theater is a well-known and highly-respected regional theater.

I think the art museum The Chief is refering to is the Walker Art Center.

You can catch a Minnesota Twins baseball game (if they're in town) in that monstrosity of a baseball stadium called the Metrodome. Personally, I prefer to see the St. Paul Saints minor league team.

If all else fails, drop by and visit my brother and his family. Just don't tell him I sent you! :lol:

seajay

 

[Guest]

What was your brothers address again?...Ha Ha...Thank you all for the info,I think my best bet {because of lack of time] is to go see the mall & take one of those grey line tours of St. Paul / Minneapolis ...: If we like what we see we can always go back....I'm gonna depend on the public transportation this time & see what happens..Thank you for the offer of trip assistance,I'll keep you in mind..

 

[Steve4031]

I think it's an interesting, if not a little sad, commentary when a community's most well-known attraction is a shopping mall.

Sorry about that. I meant no disrespect. I was just trying to give a lay of the land.

However, . . . as a Bear's Fan, You can keep Randy Moss.

 

[seajay]

I think it's an interesting, if not a little sad, commentary when a community's most well-known attraction is a shopping mall.  

Sorry about that. I meant no disrespect. I was just trying to give a lay of the land.

However, . . . as a Bear's Fan, You can keep Randy Moss.

No offense taken here and that comment wasn't directed specifically at you, Steve. I'm not from Minneapolis, anyway. I just think it's funny/ironic/sad that almost the first thing many people (no one in particular) think about when they think of Minneapolis, or maybe even Minnesota as a whole, is the Mall of America. Big whoop-dee-doo! Not the cultural or historical attractions or the natural beauty of the "Land of 10,000 Lakes" but a monstrously big, crowded, congested place to shop. Can't people shop anywhere? It just amazes me that anyone would actually make a long-distance trip to go specifically there. And, believe me, people do make special trips like that. There are even special bus tours where the main destination is the Mall! Amazing.

Of course, I hate crowds and hate to shop for anything so maybe I'm a little biased. :lol:

Sorry for the off-topic ranting.

seajay

 

[carknocker51]

I'm with you on shoping & malls,but the Ladie's will want to go there[ain't I lucky??]I'll have some fun no matter what tho...and this will give me a taste of the Empire Builder...which I'll go the distance on in the fall......happy rails guys