A Terrific Twin City

A capital assortment of attractions fills St. Paul, Minnesota, home to the Minnesota State Fairgrounds, where FMCA's 80th International Convention will take place.

By Marion Amberg

Whether you travel by map or GPS, soon it will be time to "Navigate to the North Star State" for Family Motor Coach Association’s 80th International Convention, to be held July 14 through 17, 2008, on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds in St. Paul. In addition to great FMCA fellowship, seminars, and entertainment, a constellation of local attractions promises to make this convention a memorable event. And with so many things to see and do in St. Paul, Minneapolis, and their environs, planning ahead is a necessity.

This will be FMCA’s second convention on the 320-acre fairgrounds (the first was in 1980), which is centrally located between St. Paul and Minneapolis. Home to the third-largest state fair in the United States, the fairgrounds easily can accommodate everything needed for a convention, with room for seminars, merchandise displays, and hundreds of exhibit coaches. The venue has plenty of shade trees, well-landscaped flower gardens, and a homey atmosphere.

The fairgrounds will welcome another state fair August 21 through September 1 of this year, and, coincidentally, St. Paul will host the Republican National Convention beginning September 1 at the Xcel Energy Center. Although FMCAers will arrive well before these events, the town will be buzzing with anticipation.

Before you're ensconced in your space at the fairgrounds, or after the conclave, you owe it to yourself and your family to have a look around this beautiful part of the United States.
Explore St. Paul

St. Paul wasn’t so saintly when it began in the 1830s. Originally dubbed "Pig’s Eye" for the one-eyed owner of a nefarious watering hole, the town was renamed St. Paul after Father Lucien Galtier dedicated a log chapel to the saint in 1841. The "Last City of the East," as it’s sometimes called, was built to Eastern standards. Arches and domes, towers and turrets, parks and squares still charm visitors to Minnesota’s capital city, population 287,151 (as of the 2000 census).

It wasn’t charm but opportunity that lured fur traders and settlers to Fort Snelling. Perched high above the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers at Fort Snelling State Park, the restored stone fortress attracts tourists today with costumed interpreters re-enacting life in 1827. You can barter with the sutler, take tea with "Mrs. Snelling," or dance with the soldiers, but beware of cannon fire!

For a peek into St. Paul’s rich-and-famous past, cruise down Summit Avenue, a road with the largest collection of Victorian houses in the United States. The James J. Hill House at 240 Summit — a red sandstone mansion that cost the Great Northern Railroad tycoon $931,275 when completed in 1891 — is 32 rooms of Gilded Age opulence. The five-floor mansion includes 13 bathrooms, 22 fireplaces, a three-story pipe organ, and a two-story art gallery. Other famous homes are the F. Scott Fitzgerald House at 599 Summit and the Governor’s Residence at 1006 Summit.

Minnesota is celebrating its 150th anniversary of statehood in 2008, and is rightly proud of its state capitol. Designed by native son Cass Gilbert (he also designed the U.S. Supreme Court building), the "shining star on a hill" is crowned with the world’s second-largest unsupported marble dome. Tours include a look at the Quadriga — four golden horses and a chariot — on the capitol roof.

You can’t miss the Cathedral of Saint Paul, with its dramatic location on Summit Hill. The eye-catching dome of the Renaissance-style cathedral is topped with a nearly 30-foot-tall copper-clad lantern, while stunning rose windows, mosaics, and six chapels honoring the ethnic patron saints of area settlers grace the interior. The cathedral is a scale copy of St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome.

Looking for outdoor fun? St. Paul boasts 83 lakes, 70 parks, 49 playgrounds, and 20 golf courses. At Harriet Island, a downtown riverfront park, paddleboats take passengers for a lazy afternoon cruise or a sunset dinner excursion on the mighty Mississippi. You’d also enjoy a theatrical performance aboard the Minnesota Centennial Showboat, moored at Harriet Island Regional Park East.

While you are touring the downtown area, stop at Landmark Plaza, where — "Good grief!" — bronze statues of the Peanuts gang add a whimsical touch (and good photo ops). They honor St. Paul native son and Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz. In addition, Old World charm and architectural elegance make for an enjoyable walking tour of downtown St. Paul.

Within a block or so from the Minnesota State Fairgrounds is Como Park. It features an 18-hole golf course; Como Lake; a conservatory; a 1914 carousel; and Como Zoo, one of the country’s largest free zoos. Another zoo is in nearby Apple Valley: the 500-acre Minnesota Zoo, home to 2,449 animals and 445 species. A monorail there offers a bird’s-eye view of various animals from the Northern Hemisphere.

The Science Museum of Minnesota offers something for everyone. Major exhibits include the Human Body Gallery and the Mississippi River Gallery, where landlubbers can become "virtual river pilots." You can get your spouse’s head examined at the Questionable Medical Devices exhibit in the Collections Gallery.

The nearby Minnesota Children’s Museum invites children and their adult guests to burrow through a giant anthill, create a thunderstorm, or explore the rooftop art park.

It just wouldn’t be right to visit the Minneapolis-St. Paul area without making a pilgrimage to the Mall of America. With more than 520 stores, 50 restaurants, and a 14-screen movie complex, the 4.2-million-square-foot mall is one of the country’s most popular travel destinations. Everyone has fun there, even if they don’t like to shop!

Located in Bloomington, approximately 15 minutes from St. Paul, the mall has Nickelodeon Universe — the world’s largest indoor theme park — and the LEGO Imagination Center. This latter attraction boasts more than 90 giant LEGO sculptures, including a blimp made of 130,000 LEGO bricks. No need to hold your breath at Underwater Adventures Aquarium; the 1.2-million gallon walk-through "fish tank" is home to 4,500 sharks, stingrays, and other sea creatures. Start your engines at NASCAR Silicon Motor Speedway for a thrilling simulated race experience.

Back in St. Paul, try a different shopping experience along Grand Avenue’s "United Nations" of stores and restaurants. More than two miles of shops in quaint Victorian buildings offer everything from Thai cuisine and Minnesota walleye to Amish furniture; fair trade clothing; and gifts from around the world.
St. Paul is also renowned for its many theaters, including the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts. Or you can take the family out to the old ball game at Midway Stadium and cheer for the minor league St. Paul Saints. Major league games for the Minnesota Twins are played in Minneapolis.

The Twin Next Door

Minneapolis may be the other twin of the Twin Cities, but the two towns are hardly identical. If St. Paul is the "Last City of the East," Minneapolis is the "First City of the West." St. Paul was built on river power and railroads; Minneapolis grew up on wheat and flour mills.

Located along the Mississippi River, the Mill City Museum tells the story of "King Flour." Seating 30, the museum's eight-story elevator tour opens on various floors to exhibits about the mill. Professional baking demonstrations are a favorite with visitors, as is the view from the rooftop observation deck.

This is a land where many settlers claimed ancestors from Norway, Sweden, and the like. Celebrating all things Swede, the American Swedish Institute is housed in a 33-room castle built by Swan J. Turnblad, a Swedish immigrant and newspaper publisher. Highlights include hundreds of examples of Swedish glass, Swedish immigrant artifacts, and exquisite Swedish porcelain tile stoves called kakelugnar.

Art lovers will get lost in beauty and time at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. The institute’s internationally renowned collection includes 80,000 art objects from diverse cultures and spans 5,000 years of world history. Another local treasure is the Russian Museum of Art, the country’s only museum dedicated to 20th-century Russian art.

Tourists always ask, "Where’s the giant spoon bridge with the cherry?" Minneapolis’ icon is found in the Walker Art Center’s sculpture garden — the United States' largest urban sculpture garden — while the nearby Cowles Conservatory houses the famous 25-foot-tall Standing Glass Fish. Those who recall the "Mary Tyler Moore" show will want to see the bronze statue of a buoyant Mary Richards tossing her hat, located on Nicollet Mall, an 11-block thoroughfare with traffic limited to service vehicles and pedestrians. Farther on down Nicollet Avenue is a section called "Eat Street," with more than 55 restaurants in a span of approximately 17 blocks.

Minneapolis is dubbed the "City of Lakes," and the 50-mile Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway follows the city’s waterways with "urban wilderness stops" at places such as Theodore Wirth Park (see the wildflower garden and bird sanctuary) and Minnehaha Falls, immortalized by Longfellow’s epic poem "The Song of Hiawatha." During your stop at Lake Harriet, take time to visit the century-old Lyndale Park Rose Garden or ride the Como-Harriet Streetcar.

So Much More

This only outlines a few of the fun things to see and do in St. Paul, Minneapolis, and the surrounding area. Check online or call to obtain visitors guides from St. Paul, Minneapolis, and the state of Minnesota. See you this summer in St. Paul!

Info Resources
Saint Paul RiverCentre Convention & Visitors Authority
175 W. Kellogg Blvd.
Suite 502
St. Paul, MN 55102
(800) 627-6101
(651) 265-4900
www.visitsaintpaul.com

Minneapolis Convention & Visitors Bureau
250 Marquette Ave. S.
Suite 1300
Minneapolis, MN 55401
(888) 676-MPLS (6757)
www.minneapolis.org

Minnesota Department of Tourism
121 Seventh Place E.
Metro Square, Suite 100
St. Paul, MN 55101
(888) 868-7476
www.exploreminnesota.com

Convention Area Campgrounds

The following is not a complete list, so please check your favorite campground directory or the Business Directory, published in the January and June issues of FMC and online at FMCA.com, for additional facilities.

Bunker Hills Campground
550 Bunker Lake Blvd. N.W.
Andover, MN 55304
(763) 862-4970
www.anokacountyparks.com

Lebanon Hills Park Campground
12100 Johnny Cake Ridge Road
Apple Valley, MN 55124
(651) 688-1376
(651) 438-4636
www.co.dakota.mn.us/parks

Timm’s Marina & Seasonal RV Parks
9080 N. Jewel Lane
Forest Lake, MN 55025
(651) 464-3890

Ham Lake Campground
2400 Constance Blvd.
Ham Lake, MN 55304
(763) 434-5337

Greenwood Campground
13797 190th St. E.
Hastings, MN 55033
(651) 437-5269

St. Croix Bluffs Regional Park Campground
10191 St. Croix Trail South
Hastings, MN 55033
(651) 430-8240
www.co.washington.mn.us

Lake Elmo Park Reserve
1515 Keats Ave.
Lake Elmo, MN 55042
(651) 430-8370
www.co.washington.mn.us

Rice Creek Campground
7401 Main St.
Lino Lakes, MN 55038
(651) 426-7564
www.anokacountyparks.com

Minneapolis Northwest KOA
10410 Brockton Lane N.
Maple Grove, MN 55311
(800) 562-0261
(763) 420-2255
www.mplsnwkoa.com
E-mail: mplsnwkoa@aol.com

Lowry Grove RV Park
2501 Lowry Ave. N.E.
Minneapolis, MN 55418
(612) 781-3148

Dakotah Meadows RV Park
2341 Park Place
Prior Lake, MN 55372
(800) 653-2267
(952) 445-8800
www.ccsmdc.org/DakMead/index.html

Fish Lakes Acres Campground
3000 210th St. E.
Prior Lake, MN 55372
(952) 492-3393
www.frontiernet.net/~busacker

Town & Country Campground & RV Park
12630 Boone Ave. S.
Savage, MN 55378
(952) 445-1756
www.townandcountrycampground.com

Golden Acres RV Park
15150 Square Lake Trail N.
Stillwater, MN 55082
(651) 439-1147

St. Paul East RV Park
568 Cottage Grove Drive
Woodbury, MN 55129
(651) 436-6436
www.stpauleastrvpark.com