After a successful Day 1 in Minneapolis, this is the part where the realization of traveling during a pandemic fully hits us, the search for an open coffee shop. We went on a bit of a quest, unsuccessfully walking to three spots listed as open.

At a corner, we were fortunate enough to be stopped by a gentleman who observed our touristy state. He gave us a quick personal story about standing on the balcony during the Foshay Building Grand Opening when he was 3 (Foshay! That’s fun to say).

He then told us that if we stand on the opposite street corner it was the perfect spot to get the tallest buildings in Minneapolis all in one shot. He was wrong, those aren’t the tallest buildings, but what we learned was that Minnesotans are just such friendly, helpful people. 

Finally, giving up on the coffee search, we settled for the closest Starbucks. We were lucky enough to stumble upon another Minneapolis Mural.  Please tell us if you know what song this is:

Sister side note (ssn) – This beautiful mural is 5 stories high and was painted in 1972. Apparently one of most difficult piano solo pieces, it is written by French composer Maurice Ravel called “Gaspard de la Nuit.” The section depicted on the building comes from the third movement, called “Scarbo.”

Minnehaha Falls

We wanted to make sure to get to Minnehaha Falls nice and early.  Less people, less heat.  Pandemics apparently send people out to nature more, and the Falls were first on our must-do list.  Finding such an amazingly beautiful, lush, green spot right in the middle of a huge metropolis is shocking.  But it was gorgeous.  We walked down and around the falls.

The landscape is beautiful, and the entire city park area is so well done.  Commemorated with historic information about the “fashionable tours” of the 1800s, presidential visits, and the Longfellow song “The Song of Hiawatha”, the entire area was a great place to relax, enjoy a morning, learn a little something about the area, and feel a little more connected to nature.

The Minneapolis Protests

Leaving The Falls, we realized we were mere miles away from the site of recent protests.  While trying to remain respectful of this city and all the turmoil it has been through lately, we also wanted to take the opportunity to see the reality of the area and educate ourselves so that we can share with others.

The area leading up to the third precinct is a cute little downtown neighborhood, it really is heartbreaking to think about how badly these events have shaken the people locally.  But there were many many memorials & murals all in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, tributes to George Floyd, and messages of unity.  We spotted many boarded-up windows, several burned buildings, and the completely blocked off ruins of the 3rd Precinct police building that had been burned by protesters that first week.

We Will Carry this Experience with Us

It was sobering, enlightening, and moving. In an attempt to not get too political we are sharing merely pictures of what we experienced and hope that you will take the time to learn your own truth beyond what you read in the media (and P.S., Black Lives Matter).

ssn – we really felt compelled to go visit these tributes, not as looky-loos but to show respect and feel connected. I think we can both say that the city, only one month after George Floyd’s murder, had an uplifted, not defeated spirit. There was very much a positive energy and sense of unified support. The art is tragically beautiful, moving and brought us to tears more than once.

And Then We Needed Food

That’s our transition to happier topics, hope you enjoyed it.

We had been recommended The Hen House Eatery for breakfast. It had great reviews and was located near our hotel.  Oh, so cute little downhome farm-y feel of a restaurant, and they had mimosas…and breakfast shots.  The place was super cute, the service was amazing, the food was just ok.

We loved their selection, and feel in better times it was probably a great place. Everything seemed to need salt, and our breakfast shots lacked bacon.  But like I said, we are in times where there are no condiments on the table, and the servers have an outlined path they must follow around the restaurant.  So while we cannot give this our glowing recommendations, we will definitely give them the benefit of the doubt and try them again later on.

Is That a Viking Ship?

With full bellies, we backtracked a few blocks because down a side street we saw a Viking ship.  And who would we even be if we didn’t go climb on a Viking ship!!!  The entrance to Viking Stadium has an amazing metal ship outside! So huge applause to them for going with the theme of their team, and for providing us a little entertainment.

ssn – this did hurt our Seahawks souls just a little…

Stone Arch Bridge

Also high on Peggy’s list was seeing the Stone Arch Bridge.  And with good reason, it’s also highly ranked on all “must see” lists for Minneapolis.  It’s a foot (and bike) bridge, about a half mile in length, over the Mississippi  River (The Mighty Mississip, the Ole Miss, The Old Man, Big Riiiver).

So we got our steps in, laughed a lot, experienced some locals moving at increased speeds which Peggy said was just this thing called “jogging”. But I took it to mean we should get off this dang bridge because the locals probably knew better than us that it was going to collapse. . .potayto potahto. . .

ssn – so Patti geeks out over literature, I geek out over architecture. I fell in love with this…Mill City Ruins. Another side note – with all of the construction going on, there was no way to actually see the Stone Arch Bridge from the shore so we had to grab a stock image, very frustrating!

Paisley Park (sort of)

With a few hours to kill before our next meal, we needed the make our way to the outskirts of town to see Paisley Park.  It was listed as closed due to Covid, but we decided it was worth the drive to see it. Just to be there, and hope for a good photo opp.  But, alas, it was all locked up, couldn’t even get into the parking lot to pose for a selfie with all it’s purpley magnificence or perform our rendition of Raspberry Beret for security. This obviously would have swayed them in our favor to gain private entry to the museum and recording studio. 

Betty Danger’s Country Club

“Dinner” on day two was one of the plans we had been looking forward to the most:  Betty Danger’s.  In all it’s glory of all you can eat, all you can drink, mini-golf and Ferris Wheel paradise. We had reservations for 5:30 and had zero intention of being late.  Reservations are a must, and it’s a timed entry.

<At this time, Betty Danger’s is permanently closed, but was sold in December 2024 so hopefully will reopen!>

Make Every Minute Count

So get there on time to get front of the line for drinks!  All you can drink, and they are top shelf, not well drinks, poured with love from the amazing bar staff. They have a selection of Ivy League and Sports themed cocktails, but you can also just get beer, wine or a shot.  The food, again, all you can eat, was an awesome selection of chicken filets & sliders and fries and donuts (which we forgot to try!); not health food by any stretch of the imagination, but way above the flash fried frozen food we were expecting.

A couple of drinks, a couple of sliders, a side of awesome sauce, and we were off for a round of mini-golf. . . or was that a Ferris Wheel ride. . .well, first one, then the other.  Plenty of giggling, posing like pin-up girls with our putters and animal statues (that forbade mounting).  We left 90 minutes later, stuffed, buzzed.

ssn – Betty Danger’s was a blast!! Everything was on-theme, pink & green throw back Country Club cute! But watch your time, when your 90 min session is up, it is up!! Highly recommend!

We finished off our night with a walk to see the famed Bob Dylan Mural and then called it a night, looking forward to St. Paul and a drive up north for Day 3 – St. Paul and Duluth.

Back in February 2020 I signed up for a yoga training that I had been trying to schedule for over a year. I was so excited to have a weekend available to finally get this training done. However, it was in Minneapolis, not exactly a booming vacation destination from my bucket list. I was going for business reasons though, so flights were booked and Peggy decided she would meet me there to explore “Up North”.

Sister Side Note (ssn) – In my comprehensive travel list, part of it came from “The 24 Most Breathtaking Places in the US”. Apostle Islands National Lakeshore in Wisconsin is on it. When else was I going to get close to Wisconsin? Plus, the quest to see all 50 states….

Sadly, in May the training was moved online due to continuing Covid restrictions. We were so sure that the country would absolutely be reopened by then, we kept our reservations. Naturally, we were wrong. Most states were barely into Phase 2 by the time our departure date approached.

Then, a mere 4 weeks before our trip, the horrendous George Floyd murder occurred in Minneapolis. With protests and riots, we were completely unsure of what to expect. But slightly hesitant, off we went for a little Sisbehaving.

Downtown Minneapolis

The Marquette in downtown Minneapolis was our urban paradise for the first two days. Centrally located, close to shopping, and coffee, and nightlife; it was also reasonably priced. Compared to quite a few places we have traveled, Minnesota proved to be rather inexpensive.

ssn – The Marquette was beautiful and our corner room had fabulous amenities and views down 7th St and Marquette St. The hotel’s restaurants and bars were closed, unfortunately, because they looked fantastic. The hotel is attached to IDS Center (the tallest building in Minneapolis) through Crystal Court and connected to shopping by the Skyway System, the enclosed pedestrian walkway that connects the entire downtown.

Nordstrom Rack and Walgreens were right next door. We also were slightly giddy to discover the Mary Tyler Moore statue was at the end of our block. Our mom loved MTM and her show was definitely a childhood memory for us. The city of Minneapolis has amazing street art and city beautification efforts including some notable and well-known murals we were looking forward to. Some we would manage to stumble on by accident.

What we soon, frustratingly, discovered is that we were there for the high season of road construction. I mean, it makes sense, short warm weather season and freezing winters means that they have to get as much done over the summer as possible…but it was EVERYWHERE we went. Torn up streets and sidewalks, and closed roads. Our rental car was parked, and we focused on walking distance locations for food and beverages.

Happy Hour

Peggy had made reservations at the Union Rooftop bar where our plan was Happy Hour upon arrival, craft cocktails and appetizers.

The rooftop was beautiful, but hot and sunny. They have a retractable rooftop, so we were unclear as to why they hadn’t extended it for a little cover, but this is not a fantastic spot if you are sensitive to the sun or heat. No umbrellas for the table either. The tuna poke was good and the drink menu was varied, but we didn’t last long under the June sun, but loved the atmosphere that this rooftop bar provides.

Happier Hour

We headed across the street for The Capital Grille and a little air conditioning. We know, it’s a chain and we don’t normally do chains. But 1) it was close, 2) it was open, 3) air conditioning. But we found so much more…the Stoli Doli – a big glass dispenser filled with huge pineapple chunks and Stoli vodka. Mike, the bartender, was funny and attentive, and was from Duluth, our Saturday destination.

He filled us in on Duluth and then recommended while in Minneapolis we not miss the gay bar across the street, The Saloon; and then filled us with a couple more rounds of the Stoli Doli, because it was simply fabulous.

Happy Hour Keeps Getting Happier

Great plan for our next stop, until we discovered that next door was an Irish Pub. Ok, maybe it wasn’t exactly right next door, we detoured slightly up the block to see The Orpheum, discovered the “Baby, I’m a Star” mural, and THEN we discovered the Irish Pub. And how do you not love a good Irish Pub?

There is nothing to not love about an Irish Pub as a pre-game for a gay bar. So, the Irish pub became a stop over and relief from the summer heat on the way to The Saloon.

And then the real truth hit us in the face. . . it was NOT an Irish pub, but a Scottish Pub, MacKenzie Pub next door to The Orpheum. Not even sure I knew that was a thing, but there we were, pulling a one and done prefunc drink in a Scottish Pub.

Guinness (see…seems Irish) on Tap, and the downtown requirement of a long bar and a brick wall, and clearly a locals’ standard haunt; and a fantastic back patio behind the bar, and overlooking the aforementioned mural.

Our great-grandmother would have approved, or at least that’s the story we are telling today.

Happiest Hour

We were on our way to get to The Saloon before cover charge time. With a $7 special bucket of Jeremiah Weed Sweet Tea Vodka and Lemonade, we were set. SET! The Saloon servers were super friendly! We loved the seven different bar rooms, each with a different feel, plus an outdoor seating area. The Saloon had something for everyone including a slightly crazy night life!

Peggy manages to find yet another bartender with knowledge to share about Up North, and I head out to the patio to find more friendly patrons willing to share stories and experiences.

Minnesotans are definitely friendly and helpful, dontcha know.

ssn – why didn’t we find the buckets first?? That would have saved us 1) sweating our not-used-to-humidity asses off and 2) an all-you-can-do-is-laugh-about-it Stoli Doli bill…LOL, although we did love those! The bartender at The Saloon told us there were 27 shots in these buckets, while I’m sure he was exaggerating, they were worthy!

Food!

We managed to crush the first night, but definitely needed some food. Several amazing options were listed as open for Phase 2, and while burgers were tempting, Dong Hae listed Korean BBQ and sushi.

One thing that has been missing in my world during the Covid Quarantine has been sushi, I just don’t like it as much to-go as I do at a sushi bar. Dong Hae was fantastic.

Pork Belly and Ribeye on the grill, great Kimchi and pickled variations on the side, we also split a sushi roll and an order of shrimp tempura. Everything was amazing. So glad we chose this option. This was an amazing meal.

Thus ended a perfect evening, a little tipsy, a little full, and a happy heart!!!

Follow along on the rest of the trip

• Day 2 in Minneapolis
• St. Paul to Duluth
• Bayfield, WI