I have such a nice time at this park. I go here to study. To relax. To take in the scenery…read more It is a bit crowded but that's because it's such a nice environment. I enjoy finding quiet nooks at the park

Urban Oasis for a Peaceful Stroll! Centennial Lakes is a…read moregreat outing, earning five stars from me. I wanted a nice place to stretch my legs, and this park was just right. The paved paths make for an easy and accessible walk, suitable for a quick escape or a leisurely stroll. What really stood out to me was how quiet it felt. Even with buildings in the background, the park feels remarkably peaceful. The gentle sound of water, the rustling of leaves, and the overall calm let you forget you're in a busy area. It's a fantastic bubble of serenity. The scenery mixes urban sophistication with natural beauty. Modern buildings create a sleek backdrop for the beautifully designed waterways and landscaped grounds. Even without full bloom, you can see a real commitment to diverse plants here. I can't wait for a return visit in the spring! I can only imagine how bright and colorful it gets when everything is in full bloom. If you want a peaceful place to clear your mind, enjoy some fresh air, and take a nice walk, Centennial Lakes is a must-visit. Whether you have 15 minutes or an hour, it's the perfect spot. I left feeling refreshed and energized. I can't wait to see it come to life in the spring!

I'm not sure I believe this place is actually closed as their website seems to still be going…read morestrong. Nevertheless, for a mere $5 admission I was happy to explore the Brown County Historical Society and Museum when in New Ulm last year. There is not much to see in the way of exhibits (the building also houses a research library) but I'm always curious about local history when I visit a new place. Here I learned about the local farms and how the area was settled. There was also a wonderful exhibit on the US-Dakota War, something I was either never taught in history class or something that was brushed over so quickly that I forgot. A special exhibit of illustrations from Wanda Gag (local author and illustrator) was also on display at the time I was there. I also saw postings for many community events held at or sponsored by the Brown County Historical Society. While inside the museum offers a brief but informative history of New Ulm, one of the stars here is the building itself. Originally home to the US Post Office, it is described as a German Renaissance style brick building. Even if the museum and building are closed, it's worth at least stopping by to see this stunning architectural achievement.

Constructed between 1881 and 1883 in Minneapolis, MN as a railroad bridge, the stone arch bridge…read morewas converted in 1994 as a pedestrian/cycle bridge crossing the Mississippi River. It provides some great views of the old time milling operations in the area, as well as St Anthony Falls. It consists of 23 stone arches spanning 2,100 feet, and is the only stone arched bridge still on the Mississippi. It is on the National Register of Historic Places (1971) and is considered a National Historic Engineering Landmark. The entry from downtown would be via Mills Ruins Park. On my visit during mid March, there was still a lot of snow on the ground from a large snowfall a couple days before, and there was a path cleared, though to get better views on the river, some waterproof boots would have been handy.

This former railroad bridge crosses the Mississippi River at Saint Anthony Falls in downtown…read moreMinneapolis. It is the only arched bridge made of stone on the entire Mississippi. This is the second oldest bridge on the river. It's now a pedestrian and bicycle bridge and is on the National Register of Historic Places. It's a great place to visit for a walk. You can start at the Guthrie Theater or Mill City Museum, then head across the bridge to get breathtaking views of the downtown skyline, and end up in the neighborhood of St Anthony Main which has cobblestone roads and cute small businesses. I got the chance to see it and walk across it on a snowy December afternoon. It was gorgeous and I'd love to come back when it's warmer.

I went later at night on a Tuesday. Tickets are $5.50 on Tuesdays which is nice. They have actual…read moreticket stubs, which I like. They have Kiosk you purchase your tickets from - 1 was down. Even if you purchase tickets online they want you to scan them in on the kiosk. Concessions seemed to be closing down as I got there. There were 2 employees just standing around. My movie was in screen 3 upstairs, I took the escalator up, but needed to use the bathroom before the movie started, which the sign said was upstairs. If you take the escalator up you have to go back down stairs to the bathroom - it's halfway between floors I guess. The upstairs is 'The Shining themed'. Very cool. When I walked into the theater I had to double check my ticket. It was so messy, popcorn all over the floor, under seats, on seats, left behind trash, just a mess. Looked like they hadn't cleaned all day or a few days.. that's crazy before it's only like 4 screens here. The seats are upgraded to heated recliners which is nice but I found that you really had to look up because the seats are on a slant vs risers. But super grateful for the comfortable seats.

I like these places. I've seen many movies there and they were mostly pretty nice and had good…read morecustomer care.

When visiting Europe, taking a picture with a small, but significant statue is often a way to…read moreremember and record the visit (e.g. Manneken Pis in Brussels, LIttle Mermaid in Copenhagen). In the States, these small cultural icons tends to gravitate towards TV shows? This famous one depicts the end shot of the beginning sequence from the Mary Tyler Moore Show, where she throws her tam hat (always thought it was a beret, but learned that it's a tam, more appropriate for the Minneapolis weather) into the air, expressing her joy and independence (and the need to bundle up stylishly). Of course, my wife had to reproduce that scene (no tam, but a skull cap) and it was a fun thing to do (taking very little time). We had visited the statue many years before (just like we had with the Fonzie statue in Milwaukee), and was super glad that it's still very well maintained (polished, no graffiti, etc). MTM passed in 2017, and this statue is a nice tribute to her, and her ground breaking TV show.

I remember watching the Mary Tyler Moore Show with my mother when I was younger, so when I had the…read morechance to see the MTM Mary Tyler Moore Statue in person I took advantage of it. Located in downtown Minneapolis, where her famous opening credits hat toss took place, you might walk by it, if you weren't looking for it. The life size MTM Mary Tyler Moore Statue was very nice, it got the details right. There is a parking garage not too far away, if you're not able to find street parking. This little bit of nostalgia and TV history was fun to see. I highly recommend the MTM Mary Tyler Moore Statue!

We took our pup for a walk around purgatory creek park and appreciated the approximately one mile…read moreloop around the water. Having the loop non-paved, and the section crossing the water being uneven, may be difficult for those with accessibility concerns. The seating area and landscaping seemed to be well maintained. We appreciated having a bathroom as well.

This park was really a pleasant surprise. I accidently found it and I was so glad I did - looked…read morelike it had a great walking trail around it but then you can also cross the lake and go out to explore a little on this 'island' in the middle. Such a cool place to explore and see some fun animals. I meant to make it to the sunset but was not close enough to it - I am guessing they are amazing.

Did you know that Southdale opened Ion Oct. 8, 1956 and at the time it was the World's largest…read moreshopping center, and cost $20 Mil to build? You'll learn that and much more here at the Edina Historical Museum. It's a neat hole in the wall museum with fun little nuggets of fascination. If you have an hour on a Saturday between 10am and noon, you should check it out.

Appreciated my friend and her husband spontaneously taking me here on our way home from dinner…read moretonight. Just outside the Walker Art Center, this Sculpture Garden is both a greenspace and a celebration of artistry. Some of the pieces are newer but a couple have been since the beginning like the Spoonbridge Cherry and the blue rooster. You scarcely notice the highway close by as you walk amongst rabbits and geese and robins and people walking their dogs. It's peaceful, and fun, and free (except for parking, which was $1). Well worth a visit!

To find a place like this across from a busy highway and near downtown Minneapolis is special…read more You see the images and think wow that's interesting, but once you're on premise and walking around the sculptures, it's a different experience. As you walk into the park, a beautiful glass house greets you, then a small community house with different languages stenciled on catches your eye. Walking towards the pound where the spoon and cherry bridge is, you pass a beautiful circle installation. Then when you get to the main attraction, you realize how big spoon bridge is and how awesome it looks from every direction. It helps that the cathedrals are in the skyline behind the art installations too as it adds a beautiful juxtaposition of art with urban. The other sculptures just look cool like the blue rooster, the liberty-ish bell, the steam punk swing. It's all a great experience. I'm glad the garden is there, really well maintained and free.

Really loved this museum!! Especially the observation deck and the movie at the end . There was a…read morebread tasting and a fool proof recipe given. It was informative in terms of understanding the city culture and flour milling. Great gift shop too! I highly recommend.

First time visiting and both my son and I enjoyed it. He especially liked the water table…read moreactivities, the pretend meal table and going out to the dam. I like the elevator ride/video, explosion demonstration and the views. Definitely a must if you're into local history. You can easily see it all in 3-4 hours. It's more well kept and better staffed than any of the other museums in the area. The staff were very helpful.

Back in 1973 a friend and I crashed the grand opening ceremony and I recall walking away with a…read moreglossy multi-page booklet, a complementary hard hat (not remotely useable) and various other minor swag. The Philip Johnson designed IDS center seemed glittery, glamorous, exotic and impressive. I will admit to being a bit awestruck. Over the years I have innumerable fond memories whether entering at street level, walking in on the skyway level, sitting out on a balcony overlooking the Crystal Court or very occasionally parking below and taking in the scenery from the long lost observation level. In fact, at the risk of TMI I proposed to my late wife in 1978 while seated at a corner window table at the then still newish restaurant Windows on Minnesota (another casualty of change). Back in the day my father used to describe the IDS tower by slowly raising his middle finger. He dismissed it as "the box that the Foshay Tower came in." Well... that was then and this is now. My most recent memories are of of a tired, sparse, neglected and lonely place. Maybe an homage to glories past but one that has decidedly seen better days. Perhaps it is inevitable that as downtown Mpls has changed and become significantly repurposed structures such as the once inspiring IDS have lapsed into a rather sad reality. A veritable shadow of itself. I'm left with some great memories however!

The IDS center is the center of downtown Minneapolis. It is the hub of the skyways everything you…read moreneed right downtown and the IDS is in the center of it very comfortable very inviting friendly environment. I love it.