The obvious weekend getaway idea is a visit to Minneapolis and St. Paul. Both cities feature vibrant downtown areas with plenty to do in terms of museums, shopping and restaurants. Travel down Nicolet Mall in Minneapolis and visit the site where actress Mary Tyler Moore threw her hat in the air at the start of her television show. Go across the river to St. Paul and visit the State Capitol building, an Italian Renaissance piece of architecture constructed in 1905. The building features memorials of famous Minnesota residents in the rotunda and on the grounds, and a large open space in the center allows tourists to look up and see the large dome from the inside. Fans of the four major sports teams in the area can see the Minnesota Twins at Target Field, the Timberwolves at the Target Center, the Vikings at the Metrodome or the Wild at the Xcel Energy Center.
At the time of publication, 20 casinos were in operation in Minnesota, including Mystic Lake (mysticlake.com) in the Minneapolis-St. Paul suburb of Prior Lake and the Grand Casino chain (grandcasinomn.com). Grand Casino is located in Hinckley, about an hour and a half northeast of the Twin Cities, and in Mille Lacs, located 90 minutes northwest. These casinos feature slot machines and table games, and dining options that include buffets and full-service establishments. All casinos in Minnesota are run by Indian tribes, but the state legislature has explored installing slots at the state's horse and harness racing tracks.
Beginning at Itasca State Park in northwest Minnesota and continuing down to the southeast tip of the state where Minnesota touches Iowa and Wisconsin, this scenic byway affords tourists the chance to tour roads and byways that parallel the path of the Mississippi River as closely as possible. Following the signs allows tourists to take in views of the river that are close to the water. Scenic vistas along the river road offer places to stop and take pictures or enjoy a picnic lunch. Small towns along the river road offer places to shop or eat, and some cities offer boat rides along the Mississippi.
Located in the northeast section of Minnesota at the north end of Interstate 35, Duluth is part of the metro area of Duluth and Superior, Wisconsin. The Duluth vista is especially breathtaking when taken in from neighboring Superior. The downtown area sits at the bottom of a hill, and winding roads along the hill afford tourists views of Lake Superior and the Superior Bay area. The Duluth area is best visited in the fall, when the colors of northern Minnesota turn to reds, golds and oranges and give the city plenty of natural decoration. Downtown attractions include the Great Lakes Aquarium and the Lake Superior Railroad Museum. The downtown area also offers a collection of shops, including clothing stores, art galleries and book sellers, and restaurants featuring ethnic cooking from Italian to German.
