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Hidden Gems and Local Favorites - Twin Cities, MN
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items When I visit a new city, I want to go where the locals go. Here are some clues to some popular spaces for locals in the Twin Cities, as recommended by me, a long-time Minneapolis resident.
Sections
5
Outdoor Activities
Local Food & Drinks
Arts & Entertainment
Local Shopping Spaces
Pamper Me
Outdoor Activities
The Twin Cities metro boasts some amazing parks and recreational areas. The Chain of Lakes, Minnehaha Falls, and downtown parks are well known but there are a lot of other great spaces that are less crowded and so enjoyable.
Saturday mornings are for farmers markets, and this one next door to the Guthrie Theater and Gold Medal Park is my favorite in town. Go for yoga, stay for Red Wolf's famous chai, and take home a bag of your favorite salad fixings. Cooking demonstrati...
Mill City Farmers Market
This play area is known by locals as Chutes and Ladders, and is a grand space for a birthday party or summer gathering of friends. We spent a lot of time here when my kids were younger.
Hyland Play Area
While Minnehaha Falls is a large open area to visit and enjoy, there are some wonderful quieter spaces along the creek in Minneapolis where you can walk along the bank of the creek without the crowds.
Minnehaha Creek Park - Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board
Local Food & Drinks
There are many lists of trendy spaces for a night out or a great brunch. This list is for your day to day enjoyable space to hang with the locals who know what's good.
Tucked into the little business district of Linden Hills in Southwest Minneapolis is this small, unassuming butcher shop that has some of the best sandwiches in the city.
Clancey's Meats
A recent addition made this a neighborhood destination. Now with a rooftop patio and a great little ground floor patio space, enjoy some amazing wine and snacks with some friends on a gorgeous afternoon.
France 44: Minneapolis Liquor Store, Cheese Shop, and Private Event Venue
This little neighborhood coffee shop (and its sister Rose Street Patisserie) has some of the best pastries in the metro. Make a coffee date with a friend over here and treat yourself to something delicious.
Patisserie 46 & Rose Street Patisserie - Authentically French, Minus the Airfare
Arts & Entertainment
MSP has a multitude of spaces that provide a window into so many different cultures. Take in a concert, view an art exhibit, check out a gallery, or attend a cultural event!
The Twin Cities has many galleries and is a big supporter of art. This one in Southwest Minneapolis knows how to curate beautiful jewelry, ceramics, clothing, and more. Well worth a stop.
Gallery 360 Minneapolis
Everyone knows about First Ave (don't they?) but we have a lot of great music venues in the Twin Cities. Here's one that attracts some of the best of the best local artists.
Icehouse
If you like jazz, get yourself to the Dakota for a night of incredible music and a great menu too.
The Dakota
American Swedish Institute operates out of a castle just south of downtown Minneapolis and they know how to put on a party. Midsommar is a fun festival event for the whole family. Take a ribbon to wrap around the maypole, make yourself a crown of flo...
Midsommar - American Swedish Institute
Local Shopping Spaces
These spaces are popular with the locals, tucked into fun neighborhood spaces, and filled with unique finds.
This beloved little neighborhood gem of a children's book store is an experience. Hang out with the cats, check out the birds, and get there early for the popular toddler story time to get a spot.
Wild Rumpus Books
Shopping local for a great gift? Patina has your back. So fun to browse and always on the pulse of something special for a birthday or holiday gift. Locations throughout the twin cities, with each one taking on a slightly different vibe. Support your...
Patina Stores
This is a special bookstore that specializes in Black and people of color authors to elevate diverse voices. The curated collection has some lesser known authors to expand our thinking and improve inclusion and equity. A real gem in the midway St Pau...
Black Garnet Books
This one won’t be a hidden gem for long, now that House Beautiful called it out as one of the best home stores in America. Right there on Selby in St Paul? I concur. So many antique shops are dull and dusty. Not this one. The owner has a keen eye to ...
Betty's Antiques
If you love Scandinavian style, this gem of a store is for you. Sure you can shop their website but isn’t it more fun to see everything in real life? Marimekko fabrics and Iittala glassware? Yes please.
FinnStyle - #1 iittala & Marimekko Retailer in the US
This store is one of a kind. Meat market, craft space, Scandinavian folklore, beautiful tableware and home decor, all with Scandinavian style and sensibility.
Ingebretsen's Scandinavian Gifts
Pamper Me
Here are some of my favorite local spaces for a great haircut, a refreshing pedicure, and a rejuvenating massage.
This nail salon in a nondescript strip mall in New Hope has a commitment to excellence and a vibe of friendliness that I appreciate. I recently tried the collagen pedicure, a little luxurious compared to my usual basic pedicure as a little treat to m...
Daisy Nails New Hope
I love this salon in Edina's Galleria. They have stylists at all price points and a real commitment to hospitality and thoughtfulness. I had tried several places for color and kept getting dishwater blonde vibes. Shelby understood what I wanted and s...
Lili Salon Spa
This day spa has become so popular, they're expanding and opening a new location. Go check it out for some essential me time.
Watershed Spa