I live about an hour south of Minneapolis/St Paul, or "The Cities" as referred to by the locals. Both downtown areas have extensive skyways that connect many of the buildings. My son lived in an apartment building in downtown St Paul and could walk to many areas without ever going outside. They also have a light rail system that could take you from St Paul to Minneapolis and all the way to the airport and the Mall of America. Downtown Minneapolis has many bars and restaurants and ample arts venues including the Ordway, Orpheum, Guthrie theaters, Walker arts center, and a Symphony orchestra. As with any large metropolitan area, the traffic during rush hours can be daunting. There is a large Indian casino, Mystic Lake as well as a racetrack in the southwestern suburb of Shakopee. Minneapolis as many parks and urban lakes. My son regularly bikes and rents a kayak just blocks from his Uptown Minneapolis apartment. Many people enjoy boating on the Mississippi river or sailing on Lake Pepin just south at Lake City, Mn. If you are an outdoorsman, there are plenty of opportunities for hunting and fishing; after all Minnesota is "The Land of Ten Thousand Lakes". Brush up on your hockey lingo, this area is teaming with rabid hockey fans, both college (Gophers) and professional (Wild). Oh, and stay the hell away from the Lutefisk. I was invited to a friend of mind parent's house one Christmas Eve many years ago and they always have a traditional Norwegian meal which included lutefisk. When I walked into their house, it smelled just like a tannery that I used to visit when I was a kid. No way was that stuff getting past my lips. Uff Da, and good luck.
