6 Things to Do in St. Paul, MN
Pucks, eats, winter carnival are good choices
With a beautiful skyline along the east bank of the mighty Mississippi River is St. Paul, the capital of Minnesota and one-half of the famed Twin Cities. Residents of St. Paul are known for being highly active and engaging in a variety of activities. The city’s many entertainment and recreational options make it easy for residents and visitors to find things to do. Here’s a look at some of the best things to do in St. Paul.
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Chow at Red Cow
Looking for a great burger joint and more? Try the popular and highly regarded Red Cow St. Paul, which serves both lunch and dinner with top-notch service. Menu items include lamb burgers, bison burgers and French onion burgers along with unusual selections like ahi tuna crisps, root beer pulled pork, Scotch eggs and parmesan truffle fries. Red Cow has a daily happy hour and full wine bar, and the restaurant’s parking lot can accommodate 100 vehicles.
Go Wild
Hockey is almost a way of life in St. Paul, and the city is home to the National Hockey League’s Minnesota Wild team that competes every season from October to May. The Wild play their home games in the downtown Xcel Energy Center, ranked among the finest arenas in the nation. On Wild game nights, be sure to have dinner and drinks at the Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 Club, the arena’s premier bar and restaurant.
Have a Grand Time
Coffeehouses and pubs along with restaurants that serve everything from Cajun food to walleye tacos can be found along tree-lined Grand Avenue. Several young professionals live in apartments and brownstones, and the nightlife scene offers many entertainment venues. Shopping for art, apparel, food, furniture, jewelry and shoes is easy on Grand Avenue because stores stretch for 30 blocks.
Embrace the Brrrr
A New York reporter once wrote that St. Paul was “another Siberia, unfit for human habitation,” so the St. Paul Chamber of Commerce decided to start showcasing the city’s livability during the winter. Now for a week every January, the St. Paul Winter Carnival welcomes more than 300,000 visitors with attractions like ice sculpting, an outdoor bar lounge, winter food, an ice palace, parade, dogsled race, treasure hunt and a kids’ day.
Please, Do Touch
Are your youngsters bored? Take them to the Minnesota Children’s Museum for a fun day of hands-on exploration and discovery. The downtown museum features exhibits like World Works, Earth World and Habitot, and one of the most popular attractions is a Rooftop ArtPark where children produce art in an outdoor gallery on the museum’s fourth floor. Also occurring daily are Story Time and live animal programs.
See Old Man River
The only national park dedicated entirely to the Mississippi River is the Mississippi National River & Recreation Area, which offers great spots in St. Paul for fishing, boating and canoeing as well as bicycling, camping and hiking. Stop by the visitor center in the downtown Science Museum of Minnesota to see videos, interactive exhibits, a Junior Ranger program and a Mississippi River Gallery.