Tell me about Minn-St.Paul (MOA)

[PatsGirl]

Hi all DD and I are going to Minneapolis on a shopping trip, oh joy! I'm not really excited about the trip but she has been asking for several years to go there and has managed to save lots of bucks for shopping We usually go to WDW around Labor Day but have opted to do this trip instead this year since we went to Disney in April.

I'm already booked with Southwest but I had no idea that airfare to MSP was so expensive. This trip is turning into a major expense (equal to our Disney trips) and I wouldn't mind so much if it was something I really wanted to do. Wow, I sound like a whiner don't I, lol?

So, can anyone tell me what we can do besides shop at the MOA? I have only found one hotel with an outdoor pool area (Ramada) but it doesn't have consistently good ratings or the amenities we generally look for. Are there are real resorts in the area?

So far I've found the Minnesota State Fair (is that good?), the aquarium and the zoo. I like to be outside so any beaches that are worth a drive? I'd love to spend my days at the beach/pool then shop and dine late afternoon. Help!

 

[golfgal]

Your problem with the airline prices is that you are buying the tickets too soon but there is nothing you can do about that now. If you had waiting until the end of July early August you probably could have gotten tickets for about $150/round trip.

Hotels--the Country Inn and Suites or the Lodge at MOA would be my choices. The Country Inn is behind the MOA and on the light rail line so you can take the light rail from the airport to your hotel. It is a nice hotel, no outdoor pool but outdoor pools are not common in MN anyway. The Lodge is more "resorty" but there really aren't any true resorts right in the metro area.

Yes, the state fair is worth the trip. If you are renting a car, there are off site parking lots with free buses to the fair-this is the best way to go because parking near the fair is next to impossible. I know for weekends there are lots near the MOA. Plan on eating a lot of food on a stick . Check out the fair website to see who is playing on the days you are there. You might be able to get some tickets to a concert. There are lots of free concerts too.

If you like history, Fort Snelling (also on the light rail line) is a good place to go, especially over Labor Day weekend. They have a live village there and reinact Civil War times.

For lakes, the closest one to MOA would probably Lake Nikomis. It is a nice sandy beach with picnic areas and a walking/bike path around the lake. There are 100's of lakes in the metro area so finding one won't be hard.

Valleyfair Amusement park is also an option. It is small but has some pretty fun rides.

The MN Zoo is just 10 miles south of MOA and worth the trip if you like zoos.

A drive out to Stillwater would be nice too. It is a quaint, Victorian village on the river with a lot of antique stores downtown. Take the trolley ride for a tour of the town (and if you see a little blond boy waiving to the tour, that is my nephew, Charlie).

The Science Museum has the Dead Sea Scroll exhibit. I also saw they are displaying the St. John's Bible. It is a hand written/illustrated Bible by a Monk in Mn. It is BEAUTIFUL.

Labor Day weekend will be busy at all these places so keep that in mind.

 

[golfgal]

One more thing, there is an outdoor waterpark not far from the MOA in Eagan called Cascade Bay. That would be a good place to hang out by a pool. There is also a smaller one in Apple Valley not far from the Zoo.

 

[PatsGirl]

Thanks you Golfgal, I'll take alot at these places

 

[snowpixiemn]

If you have the time to go down to the Mississippi River on your trip there is plenty of boat tours and there is even the University of Minnesota Theater Showboat down there, the prices of tickets are usually not too much. Also in St. Paul near the River there are the Wabasha Street Cave Tours. They were used by the mobsters during the prohibition. They are very fun and usually 20 dollars a person. They run on the weekends.

 

[PatsGirl]

Thanks for the tips on cave tours and theatre boats, they look like something we might be interested in. I'll have to google them

 

[golfgal]

Thanks for the tips on cave tours and theatre boats, they look like something we might be interested in. I'll have to google them

You can also look up the Johnathan Paddelford boat tours. Maybe because I have done so many of them but they are kind of boring. You go down the river, look at the trees, go back up the river, look at the trees .

 

[abdmom]

There is a Radisson hotel right near the MOA. It has a large waterpark called Waterpark of America. It's in Bloomington. It tends to sell out, especially around holidays and weekends, so I'd book early.

Regarding airfare - are you staying over a Saturday night? Your airfare will be cheaper if you do.