Looks great! Has a nice sign out in front. However, the F. Scott Fitzgerald Birthplace is not a…read moremuseum; there's no admittance whatsoever. One simply stands on the sidewalk and views it, or perhaps takes a snapshot.

Absolutely beautiful Sunday Morning Walk after Mass at the St Paul Catholic Cathedral. Summit is…read morelined with amazing architecture and history. This area is so worth the time to stop and explore. Amazing feeling to be Standing in front of a jewel that was home to this incredible author.

We were married here on a Sunday in June 2010. The pictures were astounding! The ceremony (in…read morefront of the big windows upstairs in the courtroom) was just what we wanted. It was traditional, classy, and secular. We had such a low-stress day! We held the reception at the Lake Elmo Inn Event Center. We were (wisely) cautioned that although a ceremony on the front steps seems like a perfect idea, it might not be the best option because, 1. Guests can't hear... anything... including the vows 2. Motorcycles go by regularly in the summer 3. Wind, rain, heat, etc WHAT WAS GREAT The price (only $1200). (Even The Husband thought so!) Low stress, helpful staff The courthouse was ours for the whole day, so we leisurley got ready and took pictures. The cute little dressing room for the bride and maids to get ready. The sweeping double staircase with oh-so-many photo opportunities An elevator for our less mobile guests A beautiful entrance and grounds for pictures The courthouse was so beautiful I didn't even decorate and it looked gorgeous. The mirror and window in the back room for pictures. The mirror and stairs in the "jury room" helped us make this awesome photo where the gals are hanging out in front of the mirror and the boys are seen on the stairs in the mirror behind the girls while the bride (me!) fixes her hair in the mirror. VERY COOL. Adequate parking for guests The sound system was simple enough that a bunch of 20-somethings figured out how to play music off an iPod with little trouble. LESS GREAT Be prepared to increase your insurance briefly to cover the event. The courthouse's policy does not cover your event. It wasn't terribly expensive, but still good to know. You can't get onto the balcony from the courtroom. :( That would have been cute.

I had fun checking out the historic courthouse. The best part was exploring the old jail cell areas…read moreand seeing how they were set up. It was also interesting to see the other historical exhibits throughout the building. I came for a Jane Austen harp concert, and the venue on the top floor was spacious enough to host about 50 to 60 people. I would definitely visit again to see more of the space and attend another event.

in late September, I was cutting through downtown Saint Paul. I am normally there for Wild games,…read morebut I was heading to West Saint Paul. Stopped at a traffic light, I noticed the Minnesota Peace Officers Memorial in front of me. It was a cool find. This memorial is between the State Capitol and the Cathedral of Saint Paul. It is also a park. It's a tasteful memorial that honours all peace officers who have carried out their duties to keep Minnesotans safe and have sacrificed their lives. This memorial was dedicated in June 1995. It was nice admiring it while I was stopped. I'll need to take a closer look the next time I'm in the area. (400)

This was a nice little side excursion. It's in between the State Capitol and the Cathedral of St…read more Paul. Go check out it's classical architectural layout.

No pictures as I was driving someone with special needs…read more Two nights per year they offer drive through nights. Wheelchairs would be very difficult to maneuver through gravel and snow unless they have heavy duty tires. Plus it is hilly. So we drove through an amazing display. The best drive through light display we have done yet. My brother was wowed and me too. So much fun. When you arrive they give you a tag for your rear view mirror. Then drive around the corner to enter. You can go through more than once. We even saw Santa at the end and he came to the car to say "hi." My niece visited on a regular night and she was impressed with the holiday village and the lights.

We went here with a group and had the most magical time! We ate at the grill on site and the food…read morewas ok. They also have a full bar with seasonal drinks and hot chocolate. The indoor market was cute but I do wish it had a little more. The light display was amazing. It isn't too spread out which is perfect for families with younger kids. It was an awesome night and we will definitely make it a yearly tradition.

If you're a Vikings fan this is a must and for only $15 for an adult it's a steal of an adventure…read more Packed full of history from 1961 to present it's a great reminder of why you love the vikes! We even had the pleasure of meeting Joe Jackson who was there visiting a former Viking who played along like the purple people eaters of the 1970s! SKOL

Stopped in to the Minnesota Vikings museum, which was included with admission to Training Camp!…read more It's a super modern, interactive storybook of the history and special moments of the Minnesota Vikings. I'm not even from Minnesota, but it was fun to walk around and take it all in. I appreciated the almost "art installation" quality of the pieces. I don't think it was worth it to pay to walk through the museum, but it's definitely worth a walk thru during Training Camp or other event in the area.

Just Go (#43) Now…read morethat I've been to Paisley Park in Chanhassen and the SPAM Museum in Austin this completes my adventures in Minnesota, unless I come back for another work trip which I'd like to pass and would prefer to not go if I could. EATS: Cafe Zupas - Minnetonka Bacio - Minnetonka Angel Food Bakery & Donut Bar - Minnetonka BLVD Kitchen & Bar - Minnetonka Big Bowl - Minnetonka 5-8 Club - Minneapolis Waffle Bar - Minneapolis Yum! Kitchen and Bakery - Minneapolis Redstone American Grill - Minnetonka Home Taste - Eden Prairie "Uff da!" Now that I look at that list... it seems that all I did in MN was eat. I was glad to have experienced having a Jucy Lucy which is a classic burger w/ a twist. If you haven't tried one it's a must when in MN. "Don'tcha know?"... turn a cheeseburger inside out and you get Minnesota's Juicy Lucy, a beef patty with an ooey-gooey cheese center. ACTIVITIES: Albertville Premium Outlets - Albertville Asia Mall Shopping isn't really my thing but my co-workers wanted to go shopping and we ended up in an outdoor outlet mall. Albertville Factory Outlets is Minnesota's largest outlet shopping center with lots of designer and brand name stores. We only walked halfway through it... let's go, ladies! ATTRACTIONS: Mall of America - Bloomington Minnehaha Park - Minneapolis Minneapolis Sculpture Garden - Minneapolis Paisley Park SPAM Museum When in Minnesota one must not miss visiting the Mall of America. This is the largest shopping and entertainment complex in the U.S. I mean, what does it not have... more than 520 stores, 50 restaurants, a theme park and an aquarium too! Visited Minnehaha Park the first time with my co-workers in 2023 then took my hubby to see the waterfall during the July 4th extended weekend. The park is a short 10-min drive from downtown Minneapolis. The falls had a good flow this time... just beautiful to see! We didn't have time to hike all the way down but a wilderness waterfall in an urban setting overlooking the Mississippi River?? "You betcha!" We topped off our visit to MN with the last two things I wanted to see before leaving the Land of 10,000 Lakes... a tour of Prince's Paisley Park in Chanhassen and the SPAM Museum in Austin. I wrote lengthy reviews for each so I won't say much about them here. One more thing I really like about Minnesota... I've never seen so many huge American flags during our travels. I love it! Bidding a "Minnesota goodbye," thank you, Great State of Minnesota! Review #3843

MN in the summer is the best place to be. Make sure to check out the many parks and lakes and of…read morecourse the state fair!

The patio here is amazing! With views of the river, the many steeples, and the building…read morearchitecture, it is a perfect place for conversation, reading or a sketchbook, like I did. The people working here were helpful and so friendly. They were curious to know about our sketching group and interested in seeing the finished sketches. Libraries have so many options for use. I saw kids playing, people on the computer, folks reading the paper, and of course, good old fashioned curling up with a book. Great place to spend the morning.

My favorite library, the upstairs is very beautiful and there is a terrace for the warmer months…read more Definitely recommend frequenting here if you live nearby and need a quiet workplace.

As far as free attractions that are meaningful go, this one is available to all those who want to…read morestop by. Take a moment to appreciate the history.