Things to see and do in and near the Twin Cities
A couple of people have asked me about things to do or see while they’re here.
Minneapolis Art Institute – Free admission! They have a massive, incredibly diverse collection. Pick a floor, you won’t be able to see the whole thing in one visit. In particular, their collection of Chinese art is pretty incredible.
Mississippi River – If you don’t mind being outdoors in Minnesota in November, the Stone Arch Bridge in downtown Minneapolis is very scenic, especially near sunset. The river runs >3,700 km all the way to the Gulf Coast, which is pretty cool to think about while taking photos of it.
Guthrie Theater – If plays are your thing, every show I’ve seen here over the years has been excellent.
Minnehaha Falls – A neat waterfall in a nice park. If it’s cold enough to be icy (unlikely), the waterfall looks especially interesting.
Sculpture Garden – Outdoor, enormous art installations. Obviously, be aware of the weather when checking this out.
Live Music
There’s a ton going on pretty much constantly. Notables coming through during Worlds week include Arcade Fire, Macklemore, Tegan & Sara, and (for the Canadians) Our Lady Peace.
If you like live jazz, the Dakota Jazz Club in downtown Minneapolis is your best bet. I’ve also seen some cool local shows at Ice House, which is nominally a restaurant but turns into a bar with live music on some nights. My favourite venue in the Cities is probably First Avenue, though – I’ve never seen a bad show there (The Heavy, Purity Ring, Opeth, and others). There’s guaranteed to be something cool going on there during Worlds week, although I don’t recognize any of the artists on the schedule.
Sports
Minnesota Timberwolves (NBA) – games vs Mavs & Hornets
Minnesota Wild (NHL) – games vs Jets, Canadiens, and Blackhawks
Minnesota Vikings (NFL) – game vs Browns
Minnesota Twins (MLB) – season over
Minnesota United (MLS) – season over
I’ll edit more stuff into this between now and Worlds if anything comes to mind. I’ve kept it to stuff within the Cities, but Lake Superior (the largest freshwater lake on the planet) is a 2.5 hour drive north and well worth seeing, even though it’ll be colder there than in the Twin Cities.