1. Any Culinary Indulgence (Read: Fried Everything) Can Be Yours At The State Fair
There are dozens of rides, games and cultural showcases at the Minnesota State Fair, but let’s be honest: it’s all about the eats. Corndog pizza, spaghetti and meatballs on a stick and deep fried everything (bologna, beer, camel—seriously everything) are some of the fair’s greatest waistline expanding attractions.
2. It Gave The World The Coen Brothers
Hey, you know how the Coen Brothers are responsible for about half of the great movies that have come out over the last thirty years, including “Fargo,” “The Big Lebowski,” “No Country For Old Men,” and “Raising Arizona?” Minneapolis says “you’re welcome.” Joel and Ethan Coen were born in the Minneapolis area in 1954 and 1957, respectively.
3. Minneapolis’ Zombie Pub Crawl Is A World Record Holder
The people of the Twin Cities recently took the Guinness World Record for "Largest Gathering of Zombies" when their enormous annual Zombie Pub Crawl drew some 30,000 walkers. More than any other city in the world, Minneapolis has a hankering for brews and brains.
4. Other Cities Wish They Had A Gorgeous Massive Waterfall Within City Limits
Not a lot of cities can boast a 53-foot waterfall within their limits. With Minnehaha Falls, Minneapolis has a beautiful outdoor landmark that is arguably even prettier when the water freezes during the winter. Plus, it’s surrounded by the not-at-all-shabby Minnehaha Falls park.
5. There’s No Other Place To Get An Authentic “Jucy Lucy”
Chicago has the hot dog. New York has pizza. But Minneapolis has a burger WITH MELTED CHEESE ON THE INSIDE, most famously served up at Matt's Bar and the 5-8 Club. That’s one Jucy Lucy, as they say.
6. Who Needs The Bahamas? Minneapolis Has Its Very Own Island Getaway
Minneapolis natives only need to look as far as Nicollet Island, home to about 150, for a quaint island escape. Located in the Saint Anthony Falls Historic District adjacent to downtown, the island features Victorian-era houses, an inn and horse-drawn carriage rides.
7. Food Trucks. Food Trucks Everywhere
With around 90 roving breakfast, lunch and dinner spots on wheels, Minneapolis has the fourth highest number of food trucks per capita in the United States. The city’s 22 food trucks for every 100,000 people puts it ahead of such food truck meccas like Austin, Los Angeles, and New York City.
8. Just Try Recreating Mary Tyler Moore’s Hat Toss Anywhere Else. We Dare You
There’s only one city where you can (accurately) recreate the iconic opening of the Minneapolis-set “Mary Tyler Moore Show.” You can even toss your hat right beside the statue of Mary Tyler Moore’s likeness in Nicollet Mall.
9. Minneapolitans Never Have To Risk Frostbite Thanks To The World’s Biggest Skyway
Considering how nippy the winter months tend to get in Minneapolis, it’s nice that you can get most places spending only minimal amounts of time outside using the city’s skyway system. The interlocking systems spans 69 city blocks over 11 miles, making in the world’s biggest.
10. The Minneapolis’ Sculpture Garden Is Seriously Iconic (And Looks Delicious)
With 40 permanent installations, and dozens of other exhibits rotating in and out during the season, Minneapolis’ Sculpture Garden is one of the largest in the country. While there are lots of awesome, larger than life works in the Garden including oversized rabbits and fish, the Spoonbridge and Cherry remains the park favorite. Probably because it’s so fun to take whacky pictures with.
11. At The Basilica Block Party, Even Going To Church Rocks
How many iconic places of worship host their own iconic rock festival? Basilica Block Party, held at downtown’s Basilica of Saint Mary has been going strong since 1995, and over the years, has featured the likes of Weezer, The Avett Brothers, and Counting Crows.
12. Its Art Car Parade Is The Quirkiest Procession You’ll Ever See
Minneapolis is loaded with highbrow art spots like the Walker Art Center and the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, but what’s a great American city without some good old fashioned grassroots community contributions? Minneapolis’ ArtCar and ArtBike parade has been going strong for 20 years.
13. Rock On Because Hüsker Dü, The Replacements, And The Hold Steady All Originated Nearby
Sure, when it comes to Minneapolis’ musical heritage everyone knows about Prince, and there’s no doubt he’s one bizarre, undeniably talented dude. But how about the Twin Cities’ role in developing alternative rock as we know it? All of your favorite bands listened to Hüsker Dü and The Replacements, and The Hold Steady, so say thanks.
14. The Stone Arch Bridge Is A Civil Engineering Icon
A Minneapolis landmark, the Stone Arch Bridge is the only stone arch bridge in the country that crosses the Mississippi river. Its historical significance and engineering brilliance makes it one of only 260 Historic Civil Engineering Landmarks on the planet.
15. It’s Home To North America’s ONLY Somali Cultural Museum
Since Minneapolis has the largest Somali population in the United States, what better place to have an incredible Somali art museum, artifacts collection, and education center? Minneapolis’ Somali Artifact and Cultural Museum is full of pieces worth checking out for both Somalis and non-Somalis alike.
16. Everybody Flocks To Minneapolis’ Fantastic Fringe Festival
This year’s Minnesota Fringe Festival featured 878 performances of 169 to an audience of over 50,000, making it the third largest in North America. “Something for everyone” isn’t a cliche here, with performances ranging from comedy to dance to music to drama to everything betwixt.
17. The Lake Of The Isles Will Turn Anyone Into An Outdoor Enthusiast
Even if you only kind of, sort of, like the outdoors, Lake of the Isles is your spot. During the summer it’s prime fishing, hiking, kayaking, and biking territory. During the winter it makes for one heck of an outdoor ice skating and hockey venue.
18. Marquette Plaza Is The Only Building Of Its Kind On Earth
With Marquette Plaza, Minneapolis is home to a very unique building. There’s absolutely no other building in the world built in its style—the highrise former home to the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis is supported by a catenary arch, much like a suspension bridge, making it truly one of a kind.
19. You’ll Want To Set Up Camp In Lyndale Park’s Absurdly Gorgeous Gardens
In Lyndale Park, you can choose to find peace of mind within the Japanese Peace Garden, featuring soothing bridges, fountains and sculptures, or within the wonderfully well-manicured rose garden, which is the second oldest garden of its kind in the country
20. Riverview Theater Is Old School Cinema In Every Good Way
The historic, single screen Riverview Theater is also Minneapolis’ coolest. Riverview is constantly ranked as the city’s best, with an old school setup that seats about 700, and programming that includes cheap second-run showings, film festivals, and midnight movies.
21. Minneapolis Is A Melting Pot To Rule All Melting Pots
How’s this for a melting pot: Minneapolis is home to large Somali, Ethiopian, Vietnamese, and Cambodian populations in addition to a mix of Hispanic, African American, and European Caucasian communities. Especially amazing, considering the city is located smack in the middle of the country.
22 There’s No Better Place In America To Be A Bookworm
Between the nonprofit Loft Literary Center, which helps foster a local literary community through events and classes, the Minnesota Center for Book Arts, the largest center of its kind in the country, and the nonprofit publisher Milkweed Editions, there’s no better place in America to be a bookworm.
23. You’re Welcome For Softball
Alongside Chicago, Minneapolis helped develop everyone’s favorite rec league sport—a local fireman organized a variation of the game for firefighters in 1895. It’s since gone on to become everyone’s favorite sport to get a drink during and after.
24. You Can Still Ride An Old-Fashioned Streetcar
It may not be convenient, running only a mile, but a ride on the Como-Harriet Streetcar Line makes for a good time, if fun, historic, discontinued forms of public transportation are your thing.
25. Art-a-Whirl Is One Massive Art Show That You Won’t Want To Miss
Put on by the Northeast Minneapolis Arts Association, the annual Art-a-Whirl event is the largest open art studio event in the country, spanning three days, 60 locations, and works by 500 artists. Oh, and if visual art isn’t for you, there’s music and food too.
26. Minneapolis Co-ops Harder Than Anywhere Else
The Wedge community co-op boasts the title of “the largest consumer owned single store natural food co-op in the country.” Still, unsatisfied to rest on their significant laurels, Wedge is currently in the process of expanding its space by adding a cafe and bodega.
27. Minneapolis’ Comedy Scene Is A Hidden Gem
With all the comedy scene love for New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago, it’s easy to overlook Minneapolis, but don’t sleep on the Mill City. It’s home to seven comedy-specific venues and countless other spaces that host comedy shows, including the legendary Brave New Workshop, where the likes of Louie Anderson and Al Franken developed their comedic chops.
28. It’s The Most Bike-Friendly City In The Country. Really
Bicycling.com recently named Minneapolis “America’s Best Bike City,” beating out Portland, Seattle, and New York. To what do they owe such an honor? One hundred and twenty miles of bike facilities, indoor bike parking, and the geographical advantage of being pretty much flat.
29. Minneapolis Has One Wicked Cool Gehry Building
Sure, a good number of cities have their own Frank Gehry building, but Minneapolis might just have the Frank Gehry-est Frank Gehry building in the Weisman Art Museum. That is to say, the building that looks the most like artistically crumpled up tin foil.
30. Minneapolitans Host One Heck Of A PrideFest
What else would you expect from a city that constantly pops near the top of The Advocate’s “Gayest Cities in America” list? The Twin Cities’ four day pride bash draws a whopping 300,000 yearly, making it one of the biggest pride events in the country.
Did we miss anything? Tell us why you think Minneapolis is underrated in the comments below!
