A Mini Road Trip from the Twin Cities to Mankato, MN. – Autumn Aquarius Adventures

The wedding of my beautiful cousin Brittany to her amazing husband Mike brought me out on a rare Spring trip to Minnesota this past weekend. I usually venture out there for the Elder Family Reunion in the Summer, the time of year well removed from the notorious blistering Minnesota Winter.  As soon as we touched down from the plane I felt the crisp Spring air, saw the colorful flowers bursting with life all over the place, and knew it was a grand time to visit for a wedding in Minnesota. I arrived a day ahead of my husband, and had to pick up the rental car but instead of just driving myself 100 miles straight to Mankato, I took the opportunity to have an adventure in the Twin Cities without worrying about what anyone but little old me wanted to do. I stopped at some old favorites and found a cool new one for me to check out along the way. When you find yourself near Minneapolis/Saint Paul, these places are pretty awesome to see:

1. The Mall of America.

It’s massive and even has a theme park inside! It’s a hop, skip, and a jump away from the airport so it was easy to get to from there. I walked around being a typical tourist snapping photos and people watching.  I also hauled a gift over from San Diego for my cousin when I totally could have just bought it there and saved room in my luggage. They have nearly every store imaginable.  It’s definitely worth spending some time strolling around! If you have more time check out Nickelodeon Universe!

2. Lake Nokomis.

Not really sure why I never noticed this beautiful lake before on the drive up, but I’m glad I finally did. It’s a perfect place to walk around, or just sit and admire the sky reflect off the water during golden hour.

3. Matt’s Bar and Grill.

Three words you guys: Original Jucy Lucy.  Yes, it’s spelled “Jucy.” If you have not tried one yet, you are missing out. It’s a delicious cheeseburger with the cheese melted inside the burger patty. SO GOOD. Matt’s Bar is one of two bars that claim to have invented it.

Minnesota’s Largest Candy Store.

Okay, I have to admit I’m cheating a little bit on this one.  Unbeknownst to me, the store was closed for the season when I was in town this time but technically I did stop there! Even if only to find out it was closed. Don’t miss it if you’re in town and it’s open. It is sure to have any sweets you can think of to satisfy your sugar cravings!

I would love to check out more cool places in and around the Minneapolis/Saint Paul area! If you have any suggestions of things I can’t miss, leave them in the comments!