Trip Dates
April 19 - 21, 2019
How I Got There
I flew in and out from San Francisco on United via Minneapolis.
Where I Stayed
I stayed at a Residence Inn a bit outside of downtown. In hindsight, I should have picked a hotel closer to the center of the action.
How I Got Around
St. Paul has a decent bus system, which includes the ability to use your phone as a bus pass. I mostly got around on foot, using the bus system, and the occasional Uber.
What I Did
I arrived in the late afternoon and climbed up a hill to the Cathedral of St. Paul. This massive building is sitting on a hilltop and provides excellent views of downtown St. Paul and the State Capitol. I managed to find a Russian restaurant nearby and ate some delicious Borscht.
The next day I had breakfast at a crêpe shop near the hotel and then visited the Minnesota history museum and the State Capitol. I met up with my best friends best friend for lunch and learned about the magic that is cheese curds.
After lunch, I went back downtown, visited an art gallery, and walked up a long bridge which provided me with the awesome view that you can see as the cover photo for this post. In the evening, I went to go see a locally produced play called "Pop goes the Noggin" and then had some delicious wood fired oysters for dinner at Red Rabbit.
The next day I had breakfast at a mom n' pop diner and then visited the zoo and botanical garden. This is one of the last, free, public zoos in the world. Before going back to the airport I was able to snag another batch of cheese curds and some Walleye fish cakes at a tavern.
What Was The Fuss
I loved St. Paul. I think it lives in the shadow of Minneapolis on a national stage but has a ton to offer in its own right. It has a lot of unique neighborhoods, beautiful architecture, and, besides the snow during the winter, seems like a really great place to live and raise a family.
