Often called the “Twin Cities”, Minneapolis and Saint Paul were founded several miles apart on opposite sides of the Mississippi River and competed for prominence as they grew. We have visited the cities a couple of time over the years, more recently in 2023. Both times, we stayed with our dear friends, Hamsa and Jaishankar who used to live in Pittsburgh and moved to Minneapolis in 2009.
- Minnesota Capital building in St Paul
- Minneapolis Sculpture Garden
- Lake Harriet Park
- Cathedral of St Paul
- Jay Cooke State Park
St Paul Capital Building – Constructed between 1896 and 1905, the Capital building underwent renovations between 2013-2017 to restore it back to its original glamour. Besides repairs to the exterior marble and restored furnishings of the interior, the renovations also added more public space and accessibility for visitors. Self-guided and guided tours are available every day of the week except Sunday. We went on a guided tour which included a visit to the roof of the building.
Minneapolis Sculpture Garden – Opened in 1988, the garden showcases works from the Walker Art Center’s renowned collections of modern and contemporary art in the setting of an urban park. The garden is home to more than 60 outdoor sculptures. Generations of artists from 10 different countries around the world created these artworks. Many of the works are site-specific and made especially for this public park, like the iconic Spoonbridge and Cherry centerpiece.
Lake Harriet Park – On the shores of Lake Harriet, this family-friendly park features playgrounds, picnic tables, beach area, paved walking and biking trails, and a huge bandstand that hosts a variety summer concerts and movies. We visited this park to watch a concert of our friend’s daughter. It is a great place to spend an evening.
Cathedral of St Paul – We got a clear view of this huge eye-catching Roman Catholic church from the roof top of the Capital building. The church was built in 1915 and is dedicated to Paul the Apostle. We did not have time to see the interior of the church, but heard that the interior is as impressive and huge as its exterior. The Cathedral was modeled after St Peter’s Basilica in Vatican city.
Jay Cooke State Park – This park is located 136 miles north of Minneapolis. The park is named for after the Pennsylvania financier Jay Cooke, who had developed a nearby power plant, which is still in use. The park boasts over 50 miles of hiking trails, many of which provide scenic overlooks of the St. Louis River which flows through the park. Within the park, you can find a rocky gorge carved by the river, and attractions like the iconic swinging bridge that crosses the St. Louis River. We spent about 2 hours here picnicking and hiking.
