While growing up in Minnesota all of my life and with my love to explore, I have been to about every corner of the state. Minnesota is beautiful and has so much to offer. Many of it goes unknown and remains hidden in the walls of the beautiful cities, which in my opinion makes it all so much more special. There are so many incredible locations in this state that I felt that I needed to share them so that others who haven’t experienced them have the chance to. Here is what I feel are 40 of Minnesota’s best locations in no particular order because I found it to be way too hard to choose:

The Electric Fetus

The Electric Fetus is an independent music store (only 3 locations: Minneapolis, St. Cloud, and Duluth). It is one of the coolest music stores that I have ever been to and the vinyl selection is incredible. They have many of the local Minnesotan artists’ music as well which I find to be awesome!

The Foshay Sky Deck

The Foshay sky deck is located in the historic Foshay Tower on Marquette in Minneapolis. It is something that isn't very advertised. It is a sky deck on I believe the 30th floor of the building and it has a super cool view of the city. The way in which I have gotten up there is by going to the front desk at the hotel in the building and asking to go up. It is only $5 for students and $8 for adults. There is also a cute museum on the floor as well.

Canal Park

Canal park is a tourist spot in Duluth, Minnesota. There are super cute shops located there and many shops that have local artist’s work which I was fond of. There is also an incredible view of Lake Superior and cute paths to walk on.

Dowling Studio at Guthrie Theatre

This is a place where I knew about but thought it was overrated so it took me forever to go there. A few weekends ago I finally gave in and went and it was amazing. The view of the city was beautiful and the way that the yellow windows created a whole new perspective of the city was super cool. It is also free to go here. It is on the top floor of the Gutherie Theatre!

Stone Arch Bridge

The stone arch bridge in Minneapolis is a super scenic place to take a walk in the morning or evening. There are times where it is super busy, but also times where it is almost empty. Once you find the time that appeals to you it is great! There is also the Mill city museum which is located right next to the bridge which is cool to look at!

First Avenue

First Avenue is one of my all time favorite places to go in the Twin Cities. It is probably because of my die hard love for music. Just being there and looking at the stars on the side of the building and seeing who performed there is incredible. It is one of the coolest feelings knowing who stood where you stood. There is also the Prince Star located on the side of the building that is now painted gold which draws many people in!

Honey

Not many people seem to know about Honey. It is a basement bar/club on Hennepin Ave in Minneapolis. I would say that it is a “hipster” place. There are many live bands and DJ’s that provide some great music. It is a really relaxed setting but when the right act comes in to perform it starts to get crazy!

Mall of America

I just had to put this on here because it is one of the main attractions of Minnesota. Living here all my life I don’t really feel that special when I go to the mall, but when I see what the malls in other states look like I understand why this one is so special!

Minnehaha Falls

If you want to go out and explore check out Minnehaha falls. It is great in every season. There is a beautiful waterfall that many photographers capture throughout each season. In the winter you can even go behind the frozen falls. It is super cool! There is also a cute restaurant called “Sea Salt” which always seems to have a line outside of it. I haven't tried this yet, but I see people riding cruiser bikes around with their friends and family which looks fun too!

Spyhouse Coffee

I cannot say enough good things about Spyhouse Coffee. I believe there are four different locations in Minneapolis, but my favorite one is located on Broadway. It has such a cool hipster vibe to it and the coffee is amazing. If you go there I recommend the “Carmella” or the “Jasmine Tea Lemonade.”

The Bookhouse in Dinkytown

This is one of the cutest bookstores that I have ever been to. It is located in Dinkytown in Minneapolis. To get there you have to go upstairs with walls covered in posters and flyers and not going to lie, I took a picture of it because it looked super cool. There are books on shelves from the floor to the ceilings and the prices are great! If you love to read or are just feeling like opening up a book, go check it out!

Mickey’s Diner

I had to put Mickey’s on here! It is a 24-hour landmark diner located in St Paul in a vintage train car. They have the best hash browns! I go here with my friends some weekend mornings, but it is usually packed at that time so I have found that it is a great “late night bite” place to go and isn't as packed at the later times.

Vali-hi drive in

It makes me so sad to know that so many drive-in theaters have been closed down. I think they are so fun and are a great thing to do with good friends in the summer. They just give you a new way to watch good movies. Luckily enough there is on located near me in Lake Elmo, MN. Make sure to get there early if you want a spot! There is usually a long line to get in and it sucks if you wait the whole time and get turned away! They play three movies and I believe the price per person is only $8.50 which is much less than a normal theater in the evenings.

Walker Sculpture Garden

The Walker sculpture garden in Minneapolis is “one of the crown jewels of the city’s park system.” In it is the very popular “Spoonbridge and Cherry” where many people come to take pictures by. If you are looking for somewhere to wander and have cool art pieces to look at, this is the place.

Magers & Quinn Booksellers

This is another cute bookstore that I came across. It is located on

Hennepin Ave in Minneapolis. It has a wide selection and is open late which I love because I am a night owl! I believe that I read somewhere that it is one of the Twin Cities’ largest independent bookstore.

Movies in Father Hennepin Park

In the summer they play movies at Father Hennepin Bluff Park in Minneapolis. The movie schedules are online and the movies start 15 minutes after sunset. This is another cool and fun way to watch movies with friends besides sitting in a chair in a theater or on a couch at home!

Al’s Breakfast in Dinkytown

This is a cute little diner in Minneapolis. It has an old school vibe to it and has some pretty great food. If you go there I recommend the pancakes! They are to die for!

Grand Avenue

If you are bored, you can’t go wrong with wandering down Grand Avenue in St. Paul! There are so many coffee shops, restaurants, and places to shop!

Candyland

If you are in the mood for something sweet I definitely recommend CandyLand! There is one located in St. Paul and one in Minneapolis. They have some incredible popcorn and their sour cherry balls and gummy cubs are my favorite!

Uptown Minneapolis

Just like Grand Avenue in St Paul, Uptown in Minneapolis is another great place that I have found to wander. There is so much going on and so many places to go!

Minnesota’s Largest Candy Store

The name explains it all. What is there not to love! SO much candy! It is located in Jordan, MN which isn’t a good thing for me because I pass it every time I head to my college and I can’t help but stop!

Target Field

Not only is Target field the home of the Minnesota Twins, but there is also a lot of other events that go on there. I have been to outdoor yoga which was fun! Target field also has a great view of the city! At night it is fun to walk around because the lights around it light up the ground and create this sparkly effect!

End of Summit Ave

If you are looking for a cool place to watch the sunset this is your place! When you drive to the end of Summit Avenue you come to a park and there are bluffs/cliffs that many people sit on to watch the sunset. There is a beautiful view of the Mississippi river as well!

Downtown Stillwater

“Minnesota’s birthplace”! It is so cute! It is very scenic and is along the St. Croix river. There are cute shops as well as restaurants. Super cute place to go for a date or to take pictures!

Minneapolis Institute of Arts

If you are an art fan like I am, or even if you aren't the MIA is a great way to spend your day! There are so many pieces of incredible art in that building that you could be amused for hours by. I don’t think people realize how lucky we are to have this amazing resource located right in the city. It is amazing!

Minnesota State Fair

Food, food, food, food, food. Enough said.

Cabins up North

I find one of the best things to do in the summer is to go up north to my cabin and my friends. It is so calming and I guess you could say, therapeutic to get away from everything for a few days. Minnesota is the land of 10,000 lakes so if you aren't spending any time on a lake I’m not sure what you are doing!

Riverview Theatre

Located in the Howe neighborhood of Minneapolis. It is a 21st-century cinema in a 1950’s style theater. It is super cool! They play the movies that are currently playing in other theaters but it is just another way to see a movie and the prices are much cheaper! I believe it is only $2!

Izzy’s Ice Cream

This is a very upbeat ice cream parlor. I know that there is one in St. Paul and also one in Minneapolis. They have so many flavors and they make their waffle cones fresh which gives them such a great taste! They also give you an “Izzy Scoop” which is a tiny scoop on top of your ice cream. It is so cute and delicious!

St. Cloud Quarry

If you are looking for something fun and spontaneous head to the quarry in St. Cloud. You can jump off of the cliffs into the water as well as just floating around in it. It is a great summer chill spot with friends especially when it is hot out!

Lake Superior

Lake superior is, in my opinion, one of the many beautiful things that Minnesota has to offer. There are many beaches located along the shore and it has so many cool looking rocks and sometimes you can even find some “Sea Glass” which is awesome for art projects or to just simply collect!

Taylor’s Falls

My friends and I head to Taylor’s Falls on many weekends in the summer. It has some breathtaking views and is just a fun hike. I also find it cool how the river separates Minnesota and Wisconsin so if you feel like going to another state for a few minutes all you have to do is cross the bridge!

Nelson’s Ice Cream

Another great ice cream shop located in St. Paul! You definitely get what you paid for when you come here. There are so many great flavors. I get the “Superman” flavor and get the “Child size” because they give you so much! I seriously have to split the child size with my friend. It is crazy!

Boundary Waters

Although it is a super long drive, it is totally worth it! So much fun to explore and has the most amazing views of what Minnesota has to offer. Many people go canoeing and I can’t think of anything more relaxing! You can get some pretty sick pictures here as well!

St. Anthony Main Theatre

Another awesome movie theater located in the cities! It is an independent cinema that offers first-run Hollywood movies as well as art-house films. Also great prices for a movie!

Ax Man

This is a very random place to put on this list, but it seriously is so much fun! It is a store in Minneapolis that honestly has anything that you could ever need but not need at the same time. It is a surplus store that legit has junk. It is so fun to go look in it with you friends. It is basically like a huge treasure hunt. One time my friends and I created a scavenger hunt and saw who could find the materials first in the store.

Peace Coffee

Another cute coffee shop in Minneapolis. It is located in the Cappella tower and has some great coffee! It is also a fun place to hang with friends and get work done.

Witches Hat Tower

This is another place that has a super great view of the sunset over Minneapolis! You can get some great photos from here and I believe that they even open up the tower on certain days. It also was the inspiration in one of Bob Dylan’s songs which I think is cool!

Bob Dylan Mural

The Bob Dylan mural is a kaleidoscopic portrait that is 60 ft fall and 150 ft wide by a team of artists. It is located in Minneapolis on Hennepin Avenue. It is so beautiful and many people take pictures of it!

Prince Mural

This is a mural of Prince located in Uptown of Minneapolis. It was painted as a nice present to the city of Minneapolis!