The Landscape Arboretum is another one of the Twin Cities treasures that is overlooked or taken for…read moregranted. It was founded in 1958 and has 1200 acres located in Chaska. It is different experience depending upon the season and what you choose to do. Today I went to their annual pancake breakfast, highlighted with their own maple syrup. They also showed how maple sap is collected (there are plastic tubes running between trees leading to collection bags), to the process of reducing the sap into syrup. They also process Black Walnut and Birch syrup, with tastings of each. At other times, highlights include a three mile drive that loops through the forests, variety of shrubs and plants, sculpture garden, and heads to a farm with a variety of displays. You can also take a narrated shuttle trip. Seasonally, the tulips (40,000 tulip bulbs!), roses, and daffodils are amazing and worth a visit just for that. In addition, there are miles of walking trails, and surprises around every corner. In their library there is even a collection of Nakashima furniture, from a world-famous furniture maker. There is something that will delight every age from toddler to grandparent in this everchanging environment. Tickets are a bit on the expensive side ($20 for 16 and older), but free for under 16 with an adult. If you are going to make multiple visits within a year, you might want to consider membership, which entitles you to unlimited free visits, plus a discount in their gift store. You can apply your paid visit to the cost of an annual membership. Pro-tip: Although they have a cafeteria, it's not their strong suit. I recommend eating before hand, or bring a picnic if the weather is nice and warm.

I was a member of the arboretum many years ago and enjoyed walking here, but on a more recent visit…read moreI noticed (and was reminded of) some significant issues. First of all, for those who do not have a membership or who are from out of town the admission cost is $25 per person (not per car). We had three people in our group so we paid $75 to walk a frozen albeit beautiful landscape, (with some paths not entirely cleared of ice). In the summer it might possibly have been worth that much to spend a day here, when there would have been better access and gardens in bloom. We were "greeted" on our visit by an unpleasant woman at the gate post. She asked if we had been there before and I said a very long time ago. She then informed us of the price per person (and peered into our car...to make sure we weren't hiding anyone?!) and took our money and waved us on. No welcoming utterance or thank you or asking if we had any questions. I asked for a map after she tried to wave us through without any further information and she told us to go to the customer desk because "they have everything" there. We didn't plan on going inside first so that was completely unhelpful. But this woman was done and offered no further help or what we might want to see. There was no one behind us waiting in line so I am not sure why she was so impatient. I thought the park would have the same layout as when we last visited, but it did not. We started walking where we used to walk, only to be stopped by a sign that said walkers were not allowed on the Three Mile Drive (the main route through the park). We turned around and went back towards the beginning of the path, and found out that now there were two options for touring the grounds: the Three Mile Walk (new to us) and the Three Mile Drive. The Three Mile Walk was a rerouted pathway through the park utilizing the sidewalks and attempting to keep walkers away from the road. We walked most of the Three Mile Walk until I ran out of energy (having not eaten breakfast) and we found an old shortcut that we remembered that led back to the visitors center. (Make sure to eat something before walking, as I didn't do!) At the visitors center we discovered the cafe had just closed (it was shortly after 3 pm on a weekday). So we traipsed downstairs to the gift shop and purchased several yummy snacks...and there certainly was a good collection of trail mixes and chocolates.... So I would recommend this park with some reservations. It is a beautiful place to walk but I would not go during the winter unless you decide to become a member. The visitors center also showcases cool artwork, the gift shop is fun to browse, and there is a cafe open during limited hours...but I haven't had good experiences with customer service (outside of the gift shop) and admissions is very pricey without a membership.

I can not speak any more highly of Camp Tanadoona. It has evolved since those days but Camp Fires…read moretraditions are fully intact. My kids have been coming here for more than 20 yrs. They have all enjoyed it in their own ways and beg to come each yr thereafter. Safety, security, inclusion and fun... simple

boogers in the cereal ,camp leader throws wood at the cabin to wake kids up, kid beating another…read morekid up, cabins smell like poop and made homesick kids stay and not able to talk to there parents overall horrible experience.

What a great "first time" experience; I cohosted my vehicle with Brit and Kyle who were gracious…read morehosts. They explained the process and walked me through the cohosting arrangement making me feel I was with a trusted colleague. I left my vehicle with The Slow Club for eight weeks and was very impressed with communication and results, earning hard cash to augment our income while I did not need the vehicle! Kyle and Brit me and the vehicle better than when we began.

From the owner: Premium vehicle storage, full service auto repair and maintenance, social clubhouse, and event…read morespace for the discerning automotive enthusiast.

Amazing room for our reception, the only reason the are not getting 5 stars was the lack of…read morecommunication and the difficulty of what communication did happen. Everything went off without a hitch and my reception was beautiful. I also got many complaints on how wonderful the food was.

I'm a silly goose. We also went here last Mom's Day for the Mother's Day brunch which was fantastic.read more

Unfortunately, we didn't have a chance to meet the owner of this B & B, not sure if it would have…read moremade a difference in our experience or not. She was pleasant and friendly over the phone when I made our room reservation. I will say most of the B & B's I've enjoyed, was partially because we had a chance to get to know the owners a bit and see how passionate they were about making a great B & B experience for everyone who stayed with them. So, maybe I've just been spoiled a bit by the extent of the services and amenities others offer, but that's my comparison. What this place does have going for it, is it's location. However depending on where your room is, you'll hear the traffic noise as this is located on a busy street. Also, the fact that there isn't really much else around lodging accommodations limits your choices for this area. There is private parking for guests. The room was clean and comfortable. It was lacking the extra little touches that many travelers have come to appreciate from bed & breakfast operators-shampoo, blower dryer, complementary water or soda, glassware or plasticware instead of dixie cups in the room. Self service coffee, tea and microwave popcorn was available in the dining area. For the price of the rooms, the little extra touches might have helped.

A very pleasant stay, and I am not a fan of B&B's because I have to, you know... socialize, and I…read moream not an extrovert. But hey, our hosts were relaxed and friendly, and the folks we sat down with to breakfast had fun stories to tell. The rooms are idiosyncratic but charming. The bathrooms: just idiosyncratic, but they worked. Breakfasts on the weekends were more elaborate and tasty, and on weekdays simpler but adequate. I get the feeling this may vary with the number of guests. The Birdhouse is on a "busy" intersection which is no big deal because Excelsior is a pretty quiet little town; and a charming one. You are a walk away from good shops and restaurants. You are a very short walk from Lake Minnetonka and its activities. The Porch and grounds are delightful. If you get the right weather for it, lazing outside could be a delicious experience, with an elevated view of the neighborhood. Of course, getting bearable weather (not too many mosquitoes, not too much heat and humidity, not 5 degrees below zero, can take scheduling and luck. In the winter, I imagine the large parlor would be very inviting. So a point off for the various weird bathrooms, which were all functional but awkward, but all in all, I will be staying there again, the next time I visit relatives.

DJ Brunzy is awesome, he is friendly, professional, easy to speak to, reasonably priced, and…read moreaffordable! I've hired him to DJ and my son's graduation party and a baby shower. He catered to the guest of honor, personalized the show to each party's needs and was very interactive. I would highly recommend him to DJ at any of your events. He also can set up karaoke which is so much fun! I know he does weddings also!

Shane was very receptive to our wishes. It was a very laid back party and He kept the music going…read morebut at a level that people still could talk and could go dance if they wanted to. We were very impressed with him. If an occasion should warrant a DJ, we will not hesitate to hire him again

Wasn't sure what I was expecting coming here, but it exceeded my expectations. I have to give a lot…read moreof credit to our tour guide, Dawn. She had a music background and just really was able to pull out all the ways Prince has influenced music. I feel like she went deeper than the typical tour. I also appreciated that most of the tour is phone free, so you get to really just experience it. It's a great place to experience!

If you grew into the Prince, the artist formerly known as Prince and any other names you must make…read morea visit to here. Was there for a Library conference and I also went on behalf of my recently departed man. A huge Prince fan and had subscribed to the NPG music club. Iykyk. He was supposed to come with me and we would have come together. Its a big property and pretty much left as it was. There is a security check and you are to turn your phone off and put it in a phone lockable holder. No pictures for the majority of the tour. Which is fine because you can pay attention to the tour guide. Its was strange because you can still feel his spirit, just like when I visited Gracela nd. Toward the end of the tour there is a area they let you take photos. Over all a great hour spent. The gift shop is not huge and overwhelming. You can get stickers, mugs, shirts, key chains, and LPs (records for you younger readers) I opted go for the umbrella that the drops on it turn purple in the rain. If you find yourself in the area make your way over.