Conference in Minneapolis
October 20, 2004 8:48 AM Subscribe
What can I do in Minneapolis? I'm going to a conference next week and I 'll have some free time in the evenings. But I won't actually be in Minneapolis. I'll be at the Radisson in Plymouth. Is there anything interesting near the hotel? Can I get downtown without a car?
This former Minnesotan would say nothing much to do in Plymouth. If you can get yourself downtown Mpls (bus or cab), you could shop or eat. You could also get out to Bloomington's Mall of America, which of course has 8 zillion stores, an amusement park, aquarium, and tons of fast-food and sit-down eateries. If you're more artsy, the Walker Art Museum or Mpls Institute of Arts are good bets, but again, you ain't walking there from Plymouth.
My old neighborhood, Uptown Minneapolis, is also an awesome place. Three lakes, very cool people-watching, great food.
posted by GaelFC at 9:29 AM on October 20, 2004
My old neighborhood, Uptown Minneapolis, is also an awesome place. Three lakes, very cool people-watching, great food.
posted by GaelFC at 9:29 AM on October 20, 2004
No you cannot get to Minneapolis from Plymouth without a car. I live in Minnepolis and I use a car service when I'm out and about at night. I'm happy to give you my guy's # if you email me. Your hotel may have a shuttle service to downtown Minnepolis or the Mall of America.
There are lots of great places to go in Minneapolis. We have a many museums, a vibrant music scene, and theater galore. There are also lots of great restaurants and bars. Check out Citypage's Calendar for upcoming events.
If you email me with the types of things that you like (food, bars, music, etc.), I'll point you in the right direction. And, I work in downtown Minneapolis, so if you'll be downtown some evening let me know.
posted by Juicylicious at 9:45 AM on October 20, 2004
There are lots of great places to go in Minneapolis. We have a many museums, a vibrant music scene, and theater galore. There are also lots of great restaurants and bars. Check out Citypage's Calendar for upcoming events.
If you email me with the types of things that you like (food, bars, music, etc.), I'll point you in the right direction. And, I work in downtown Minneapolis, so if you'll be downtown some evening let me know.
posted by Juicylicious at 9:45 AM on October 20, 2004
The Art Institute is a must. If the weather is still favorable, the sculpture garden is beautiful. Also, walking around the lakes is a nice way to enjoy the greener parts of the city. The Science Museum is pretty good. Bus service from that area to downtown is, as everyone else indicated, limited (it's intended for people going in to work in the city and then out at night).
posted by whatzit at 10:09 AM on October 20, 2004
posted by whatzit at 10:09 AM on October 20, 2004
Rent a car. Plymouth is big, boring, middle-class suburbia. Buses out there suck.
It's starting to get dark early, so Sculpture Garden, Ft. Snelling, etc. are unlikely destinations.
Interesting stuff is going to be around downtown Minneapolis, around Uptown (Hennepin-Lyndale-Lake area), the Univ. of Minn., downtown St. Paul and parts of St. Paul stretching along Grand/Summit Aves. A little bit in Northeast Minneapolis.
Most of this will be dining, shopping, theaters, art-house movies, art galleries, etc. The Walker and the Art Institute are standouts. Not sure about their evening hours.
Mall of America, while still mostly just a big-ass mall, is still somewhat worth seeing, and can be done in the evening. There are regular movies, some nightclubs/comedy clubs, restaurants. Lots of stores open until 9-ish.
A little further afield, Mystic Lake Casino in Prior Lake, MN is very popular with locals, and open all night.
Anoka, Minnesota, the "Halloween Capital of the World", may have an event going on next week?
posted by gimonca at 3:13 PM on October 20, 2004
It's starting to get dark early, so Sculpture Garden, Ft. Snelling, etc. are unlikely destinations.
Interesting stuff is going to be around downtown Minneapolis, around Uptown (Hennepin-Lyndale-Lake area), the Univ. of Minn., downtown St. Paul and parts of St. Paul stretching along Grand/Summit Aves. A little bit in Northeast Minneapolis.
Most of this will be dining, shopping, theaters, art-house movies, art galleries, etc. The Walker and the Art Institute are standouts. Not sure about their evening hours.
Mall of America, while still mostly just a big-ass mall, is still somewhat worth seeing, and can be done in the evening. There are regular movies, some nightclubs/comedy clubs, restaurants. Lots of stores open until 9-ish.
A little further afield, Mystic Lake Casino in Prior Lake, MN is very popular with locals, and open all night.
Anoka, Minnesota, the "Halloween Capital of the World", may have an event going on next week?
posted by gimonca at 3:13 PM on October 20, 2004
See above: there's nothing in Plymouth. There's a large mall on the Plymouth/Minnetonka border, and IIRC your hotel is right by it, but that's about it for amenities.
The Science Museum is actually in St. Paul. St. Paul is nice but it shuts up after 5PM and there really isn't much reason to go there (I work downtown, and outside of the area around the Rivercentre there's nothing going on, and with the hockey strike there's even less going on.)
I do recommend the Minneapolis Institute of Arts; you can kill a whole lot of time in there and it's free. However, it also closes at 5, unless it's Thursday, when it closes at 9.
posted by Electric Elf at 10:33 PM on October 20, 2004
The Science Museum is actually in St. Paul. St. Paul is nice but it shuts up after 5PM and there really isn't much reason to go there (I work downtown, and outside of the area around the Rivercentre there's nothing going on, and with the hockey strike there's even less going on.)
I do recommend the Minneapolis Institute of Arts; you can kill a whole lot of time in there and it's free. However, it also closes at 5, unless it's Thursday, when it closes at 9.
posted by Electric Elf at 10:33 PM on October 20, 2004
Anoka, Halloween Capital of the World. Looks like they're having an evening parade on the 23rd.
posted by gimonca at 5:55 AM on October 21, 2004
posted by gimonca at 5:55 AM on October 21, 2004
Just FYI, the Walker is closed for construction. (The sculpture garden is not.)
posted by Utilitaritron at 8:02 PM on October 21, 2004
posted by Utilitaritron at 8:02 PM on October 21, 2004
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by norm111 at 9:18 AM on October 20, 2004