Minnesota is known as the Land of 10,000 Lakes, but you don't need to have an interest in swimming, boating or fishing to find interesting travel ideas in the land of Vikings and the Twin Cities. Traveling to Minnesota during the winter is an ultimate trip for the lover of extreme winter weather. The climate during the summer months makes the state an excellent alternative to the theme parks down south.
Bloomington, Minnesota is home to the very aptly named Mall of America. This behemoth may take you a couple of days to visit in its entirety. Inside, you will find more than 400 stores, a 25,000 square-foot mirror maze, an indoor flight simulator, and an aquarium. If you absolutely cannot enjoy a vacation without a trip to an amusement park, an indoor park based around the theme of Nickelodeon TV network characters is also here.
One of the most unusual yet incredibly popular travel ideas in Minnesota is a tour of a medical clinic. Not just any medical clinic, but the world famous Mayo Clinic. Tours of this Rochester shrine to good health include a general walking tour, a tour that focuses on the architecture and art associated with the clinic, a self-guided art tour and a special tour that provides insight into the history of the clinic and its contribution to medical research and advancements.
A visit to the Land of 10,000 Lakes would not be complete without checking out at least part of Minnesota's amazing natural beauty. The Chippewa National Forest is situated in the north-central region of Minnesota and affords visitors the chance to go swimming, camping, boating and hiking. Half the area spanned by this national forest is made up of wetlands and lakes. Tilt your head backward and you may catch the heart-stopping sight of a bald eagle in pursuit of prey. Look down and you may catch a quick glimpse of the Canada lynx.
Love is all around Minneapolis when it comes to the city's most famous TV resident. Check out the actual home used for exterior shots on the Mary Tyler Moore Show. Then head into the city to get your picture taken with the life-sized statue of Moore tossing her hat into the air as she did during the opening credits of every episode.
If rock music is more your style than 1970s sitcoms, stop by the First Avenue and 7th Street Entry while in Minneapolis. Among the legion of musical acts that have performed at this club are The Kinks, The Chemical Brothers, Iggy Pop, the Ramones and U2. The club is perhaps most famous as the venue where Prince rose to stardom before coming back to film scenes at the club for his movie "Purple Rain."
