The Midwestern American state of Minnesota is one of the most
popular due to its abundance of outdoor activities. Minnesota is
known as the Land of 10,000 Lakes and it’s also filled with
numerous prairies, parks, streams, rivers, wilderness areas, and
forests. It’s home to about 5.5 million residents, making it the
21st most populated and is the 12th largest in area. It became
the 32nd state to be admitted to the Union in 1858.
The
state’s capital is Saint Paul, while Minneapolis is the largest
city. However, close to 60 per cent of Minnesota's residents
reside in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul area, which is known as the
twin cities. Other major centers include Rochester, Bloomington,
Duluth, Plymouth, Eagan, Brooklyn Park, Saint Cloud, Eden
Prairie, Apple Valley, Blaine, Minnetonka, and Lakeville.
Next
to Alaska, Minnesota is actually the northernmost American state
and it’s home to some of the world’s oldest rocks. However, it’s
the lakes that make it famous as there are 11,842 of them that
are larger than 10 acres in size. The biggest is the Great Lake
of Superior.
Some of the most popular outdoor areas include
the Chippewa National Forest, the Superior National Forest, the
Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, Itasca State Park, the
Superior Hiking Trail, the Mississippi National River and
Recreation Area, and Voyageurs National Park. In all, there are
just over 70 state parks and recreation areas along with 58
state forests and plenty of wildlife preserves that are of great
cultural, geologic, and historic interest.
You’ll find a wide variety of wildlife in these
areas as Minnesota’s home to whitetail deer, bobcats, timber
wolves, moose, black bear, pheasants, grouse, turkeys,
red-tailed hawks, snowy owls, and bald eagles. And of course the
rivers, streams, and lakes are full of an assortment of fish.
The state’s weather patterns can be pretty
extreme as the winters get quite cold and the summers are pretty
hot, so make sure you’re dressed properly for the outdoors when
visiting.
While the state’s known for its fantastic
countryside, it’s also represented quite well when it comes to
the performing arts and museums. Some of the best places to
visit are the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, the Frederick R.
Weisman Art Museum, and the Walker Art Center. You’ll also find
the Minnesota Orchestra is very popular along with the Saint
Paul Chamber Orchestra.
Some other fine cultural places to visit include
the Guthrie Theater, the Minnesota State Fair, and the Minnesota
Fringe Festival. Music is another main aspect of life in
Minnesota and there are some well known acts of all genres. Some
of the best musical events include the Minneapolis' Aquatennial
and Mill City Music Festival, and the Christian music festival
that takes place in Willmar.
Getting into the state by air is pretty easy as
there’s a major international airport in Minneapolis-St. Paul.
Rochester and Duluth also have airports for regional and
domestic flights. If you’d like to arrive by train, Amtrak stops
in St. Paul and about five other towns. You can also get in and
around by bus, and Minneapolis has a light rail service
available. Driving is a great way to check out the scenery as
the road system is quite good and up to date.
When it comes to sports, Minnesota is quite the
hotbed as it houses professional teams in all of the major
sports. This includes NFL football, MLB baseball, NBA
basketball, and NHL hockey. There are also quite a few minor
league teams as well as collegiate sports. As for outdoor
activities, you can enjoy water skiing, fishing, hunting,
canoeing, biking, camping, boating, hiking, skating, skiing,
snowmobiling, and snowshoeing.
Finding a place to stay isn’t hard at all as
Minnesota offers all types of accommodations in all price
ranges. The food is excellent and the restaurants serve
international cuisine as well as local fare. The twin cities is
quite a cosmopolitan area that features a very vibrant
nightlife.
Minnesota offers more than enough to do for
people of all ages when it comes to the great outdoors, culture,
scenery, and the performing arts.
About Minnesota