Minneapolis St Paul Travel Guide
For details of what to do and see in Minneapolis St Paul check out our Minneapolis St Paul guide to car hire in Minneapolis St Paul.
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The twin cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul lie less than twelve miles apart on the Mississippi River in the mid-western state of Minnesota, and until comparatively recently were widely considered to be one of the dullest places in the whole of the United States even by the people who lived there. Lying right in the middle of America's heartland, the cities had a reputation for having precious little to do or see, and a nightlife that revolved around a cup of cocoa and an early trip to bed rather than alcohol and nightclubs, not to mention attractions that were all a bit too worthy, rather than fun.
In short, Minneapolis was stuck in a boring rut, and was fast approaching the point of somnolence, with precious little chance of parole. Arguments rage over what made the city cool, some people say that it was the emergence of the diminutive and impossibly funky singer Prince that acted as a catalyst for Minneapolis getting groovy, but more likely, it was the desperation for a bit of fun, and rivalry between the two halves of the conurbation that led to a whole raft of nightclubs opening, and the demand for even more new venues that saw the redevelopment of the warehouse district where most of the nightlife is now located.
Other recent developments that have given the people something to enjoy include the renewal of all the museums, so now they are a bit more hands on, rather than emphatically hands off, and while people accuse Governor Jesse Ventura of dumbing down, and concentrating on voter friendly policies rather than important issues, who in their right mind is going to argue with an enormous ex wrestler, the only US politician who knows how to body slam a troublesome opponent.
Amongst the many museums and art galleries that dominate the city's art scene (including a museum about the flour industry), in the centre of Minneapolis, you can visit the absolutely unforgettable Sculpture Park, which features a number of large contemporary installations and is completely dominated by one of the most spectacular examples of artistic absurdism in the world: Spoonbridge and Cherry by artists Claes Oldenburg and Coosje Van Bruggen. This totally remarkable sculpture / fountain combo features a 16m long spoon with a big red cherry placed strategically on the top, and purports to represent the endless struggle of good against evil. Words fail me, they really do.
