Minnesota is known as the Land of Lakes. There are well over 11,000 of them, and they make Minnesota one of the nation's premiere dynamic destinations for waterway recreation. If you're a fan of swimming, boating, kayaking, canoeing, rafting, or fishing, Minnesota in the summertime is the place to be. For winter sports lovers, Minnesota offers over a dozen downhill ski and snowboard resorts as well as opportunities for snowshoeing, dog sledding, cross country skiing, and snowmobiling.
Visit the Pipestone National Monument near the South Dakota border to get a glimpse of Minnesota the way it used to be before the coming of the Europeans. Pipestone is a mineral sacred to Plains Indians. It was used to make the pipes Native Americans smoked at their religious ceremonies. The ancient petroglyphs scratched into the walls of these quarries over 1,500 years ago are quite moving to view.
Minneapolis and St. Paul may be known as the Twin Cities, but if so, they're fraternal twins. St. Paul, the more sedate city of the two, is the state capital. The city gets its name from the Cathedral of St Paul, which sits on the top of its highest hill and is an exact replica of St. Peter's in Rome. Fort Snelling is St. Paul's living history museum recreating scenes from 1820s-military life.
On the Mississippi River's opposite bank, Minneapolis is Minnesota's cultural capital. The Walker Art Center houses one of the most important collections of contemporary paintings, drawings, photographs, multimedia presentations, and other art in the country. Right across the street sits the nation's largest urban sculpture garden. There are fine Minnesota hotels in both Twin Cities, but St. Paul hotels charge higher prices. Minneapolis is probably a better bet for finding a cheap Minnesota hotel deal.
If they don't sell it in the Mall of the Americas, located just a short distance outside the Twin Cities, then it probably hasn't been designed or invented yet. In addition to over 500 retail stores, the biggest shopping venue in the United States offers an aquarium and an indoor theme park where you can ride a roller coaster, play miniature golf, or zoom along on a simulated NASCAR racetrack.
Outside of the Twin Cities and the densely populated area around them, it can be difficult to find good hotels in Minnesota. There are cheap hotel deals in Minnesota, but many of them will not include the amenities you expect. Expedia simplifies the process of tracking down the best Minnesota hotel packages. To find great Minnesota hotel deals, simply log on, read the reviews other travelers have written, and then book reservations for rooms at special discount rates that have the features you want.
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