Minneapolis Official Visitors Guide - Fall/Winter 2007 - (Page 20) ATTRACTIONS Minnesota Zoo Minnesota State Fair Midway Tropical Encounters at the Como Zoo Conservatory T H I S PA G E ( L - R ) : P H O T O B Y R YA N C L A U S E N ; P H O T O © E X P L O R E M I N N E S O TA T O U R I S M ; P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F C O M O PA R K Z O O A N D M A R J O R I E M C N E E LY C O N S E R VAT O R Y Fall festivals and winter wonders provide thrills and chills, indoors and out, in Minneapolis-Saint Paul. F un doesn’t hibernate around Minneapolis-Saint Paul. Take in a fall fair, enjoy a Halloween adventure or check out the animals at the zoo as you explore the changing seasons. At summer’s end, the best place to be is the “Great Minnesota get-together.” The Minnesota State Fair is the place to coo at baby animals, admire craft displays and take in as much food on a stick as you can. If you’d rather time-travel, then head back to the 16th century with the Minnesota Renaissance Festival in Shakopee, where costumed actors play royalty, peasants, jesters and jousters, bringing the past to life every weekend through September. The spirit of Halloween is alive and well all over the area, and whether you want a trick or a treat, you’ll find it here. Head to Valleyfair amusement park after the regular season has closed to see ValleySCARE, or test your navigational skills at Sever’s Fall Festival, which has the country’s largest corn maze. If indoor adventure is more up your alley, then Mall of America is the place to be. At the center of it all is The Park at MOA, a seven-acre park with more than 30 rides. Plunge 40 feet on the Log Chute ride or leisurely circle 75 feet up in the air on the Ferris wheel. The Mall is also home to the 4,500 sea creatures that reside inside Underwater Adventures Aquarium. Travel 14 feet under the sea (no air tank required) and experience the beauty of stingrays, sharks, eels and endangered sea turtles at the world’s largest underground aquarium. In search of some indoor-outdoor adventure? Come meet the animals at two local zoos. The Minnesota Zoo, south of Minneapolis-Saint Paul, is set on 485 acres and home to 447 animal species. Take a walk inside along the Tropics Trail before trekking outdoors to the Northern Trail, where Mexican wolves and woodland caribou wander, or catch a flick at the Great Clips IMAX Theatre. To meet a Dromedary camel, black-footed penguin, polar bear and orangutan, you’ll have to head to Saint Paul’s Como Zoo. The zoo recently worked with the adjacent 20 Marjorie McNeely Conservatory to add Tropical Encounters, an authentic neo-tropical rainforest exhibit that explores the relationship between plants and animals. Yearning to learn more about Minnesota? Head to some of the area’s more stately landmarks, such as the Alexander Ramsey House and the James J. Hill House, or take in a gangster tour of the Wabasha Street Caves. For winter wanderers in search a little holiday spirit, head to Saint Paul’s Rice Park and explore the ice sculptures and other activities of the Winter Carnival. MINI ITINERARY MORNING: Explore Minnesota history at the James J. Hill house in Saint Paul. The 1891 mansion was home to one of Minnesota’s most powerful families and now houses a gallery showcasing Minnesota artists. NOON: Enjoy indoor ice skating in the Depot Ice Rink in downtown Minneapolis, where you can circle the ice with a loved one or show off your Olympic aspirations. The depot is a favorite rink for all ages and skills. NIGHT: Grab a hot chocolate and a spot in the skyway or on Nicollet Mall and watch the TCF Holidazzle Parade bring storybook characters to life in downtown Minneapolis. WARM UP: Savor the climate-controlled environment of Tropical Encounters at the Como Zoo and Conservatory in Saint Paul, where you can leave behind the snow and feel the humidity of the tropics. Minneapolis&Saint Paul Fall/Winter 2008 O P P O S I T E ( C L O C K W I S E F R O M T O P L ) : P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F M I D - A M E R I C A F E S T I VA L S ; VA L L E Y S C A R E P H O T O A N D R E N D E R I N G C O U R T E S Y O F VA L L E Y FA I R ATTRACTIONS
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.