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I love traveling with my kids, it is so fun to experience new places and old stomping grounds through their eyes. I love those rare trips with just my husband, but the other type of travel I love – girlfriend trips. I will admit, sometimes I feel guilty that I hold this group in such high regard- but I’ve been with them, and traveling with them, longer than with the other travel companions.
I went to college in Washington, DC. Which, for better or worse, attracts students from all over the country, and world. It was a great experience as an 18-year old sheltered Long Island girl, to roll up on campus and make friends with people who were very different from myself. But the downside of attending college far from home, and in such a transient city like DC, is that after college most graduates eventually move away.
My true group of friends stemmed from my time playing collegiate rugby. These are the group of girls I started playing with some 20+ years ago. As we moved on through our college years, new students joined the team, and hence our group of friends. Immediately after graduating, we started taking trips to get together, usually in one girl’s hometown. On New Year’s 2002, we started an annual trip, with the first host city being Las Vegas. Subsequent NYE trips included Tampa, New York City, Hawaii, San Diego and Chicago.
During our twenties, there was at least one wedding a year, prompting large get-togethers with our expanding clan. We came to add in significant others, spouses and eventually kids, so we now have quite a contingent. In fact we have 15 kids between us!
Our alma mater women’s rugby team hosts alumnae events each year. As a group we traveled back to campus for the 10 year anniversary of the team’s founding, and in 2016, its 20th. Basically we find any excuse, or none to get together! And the fun usually involves some mix of activity, sightseeing, eating, drinking and dancing.
With weddings behind us, we have now entered the next phase of get-togethers- 40th birthdays. We celebrated our first one last September, in the birthday girl’s hometown of Minneapolis.
48 Hours in Minneapolis
This trip was a little over 48 hours in actual length (for me at least). But as the second post in this series, a reminder that most of my traveling seems to be in short bursts so I like to highlight where to stay, what to eat, and fun stuff to do in that short-ish period of time.
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Where to Stay: Minneapolis
On this trip, we stayed at said friends house. She lives in an awesome Minneapolis neighborhood near Lake Harriet. The houses are all gorgeous, I loved walking around this neighborhood. This is definitely a family friendly part of town, with that suburban feel, but in close proximity to “stuff.” I would definitely recommend this part of town if you are looking into a home rental (or for longer term real estate purposes). But since this trip did not involve actually booking accommodations, I am going to skip to the fun stuff.
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Where to Eat: Minneapolis
So my group is like me, we like to eat. We always look for restaurants with good food, that is not too expensive, and just overall fun! We definitely had some memorable meals in Minneapolis.
Red Cow– We ate here for a late lunch one day. I think this was the only sit down restaurant we attempted with a group of 15+ friends. They were very accommodating to our large party. We started the meal with the quintessential Minnesota appetizer- cheese curds. Honestly, I am not even sure what cheese curds are, but they are deep fried cheesy deliciousness served with a sweet dipping sauce. And the cheese curds at Red Cow did not disappoint.
For entrees most of us had burgers, or veggie burgers. This place was great for a large group and we saw several families happily dining here as well. Casual atmosphere, good food, large menu (we have vegetarians, and gluten free eaters in our group and there were plenty of choices for all) and reasonable prices. I actually wish we had more than one meal here.
SotaRol– when my friends kept talking about this place, I thought they were calling it “Soda Roll” so of course I was like, WTH? But the ‘sota comes from Minnesota and the Rol is for rolls, as in sushi rolls. But not just regular sushi rolls, they make sushi roll burritos here.
This is a fast casual restaurant that again offers plenty of vegetarian and gluten free choices. The restaurant considers themselves pan-Asian and their signature dish is the sotaritos (sushi burritos). I will admit, I chickened out on the Asian burritos, but did order a bowl, which was amazing.
Agra Culture Kitchen– We ordered breakfast from here one day. You can order online, which I am always a fan of. Their breakfast menu has traditional breakfast type items, or you can get some funky dishes such as the arugula and bacon sandwich (a favorite among my group) or breakfast bowls such as “the chicken and the egg” or a Mediterranean themed breakfast which is what I opted for. Everybody loved their breakfast from here, and again a good option for groups with varied dietary preferences (we even have one guy who doesn’t eat cheese!)
The next two were snacky stops along the way, both of which I highly recommend!
Bread and Pickle Pavilion at Lake Harriet – we stopped here after a morning of biking to have some grown-up beverages (beer, wine and prosecco) and some delicious appetizers. As the name suggests, they had amazing dill pickles, which we devoured. We also had some fancy popcorn and a hummus platter. We sat overlooking the lake on a beautiful fall morning. This place was awesome, but I have to imagine the opening of this snack shack is seasonal, so check for hours in the warmer months.
Bogart’s Doughnut Co.– we stopped in here for a treat on our scavenger hunt (see below). They had an interesting selection of donuts and we opted for a chocolate cake doughnut and a brown butter glazed. My friends also bought boxes of water, which I thought were interesting and apparently the new “thing.” NOTE: this place closes early, or when they are out of goodies. Our scavenger hunt rivals rolled up too late, and there were no more doughnuts.
Fun Stuff to Do: Minneapolis
Since I have been to visit said friend several times in our post-college days, I know that a trip to Minneapolis is always full of fun and often outdoor activities. I have also been to the Mall of America several times and did not make it there on this trip. Here is a glimpse of what we did do:
Rent Nice Ride bikes. So my friend’s husband set up a scavenger hunt for us, to complete on rental bikes. We have these in New York (and I am sure in other cities) and they are a great way to get around, especially in Minneapolis where there are bike lanes along almost every street.
We rented at the Lake Harriet location. With a credit card, you pay to unlock the bikes and then you are on your way. When you return the bikes, you are charged for how long you use them. I think we paid about $8 a bike and rode for two hours. We were able to bike around Lake Harriet, down to the doughnut shop and then over to Lake Calhoun to complete our scavenger hunt.
Surly Brewery– so I guess technically this could also fall under “where to eat.” We made this the first stop on our Friday night bar crawl (complete with party van). We arrived here around 5pm and it was very packed, mainly because it was raining, and the outdoor space was closed. We managed to find a few stools at the bar and sample some different beers. We also had a delicious hot chaat appetizer that I am still dreaming about! I am not a huge beer fan, but the space here is gorgeous and this seemed like a great family friendly place that both kids and grown ups would enjoy.
Betty Danger’s Country Club– This was literally my favorite stop of the weekend. I mean where else can you visit a restaurant, bar, country club AND ride a full size Ferris wheel all in one place! There is even mini-golf, but it was raining the night we visited so we did not get to play. Seriously, this place is a good time and worth visiting whenever you are near the twin cities. The margaritas were amazing (maybe a little too good if you know what I mean) and riding the Ferris wheel was not only just good fun, but a great way to see beautiful views of downtown.
The 1029 Bar (Karaoke) – as you may recall from my Las Vegas post, I love karaoke. And thankfully my friends do too. Our party bus tour ended here, and honestly this place was so much fun. It was packed, and the karaoke was great. We sang several songs into the wee hours.
PRO-TIP: Be sure to tip the MC, and your name will magically move up the karaoke list.
Well this was another great trip with #thegirlfriends and set the bar pretty high for future fortieth birthday celebrations. Have you ever been to Minneapolis? What are you favorite Minnesota eats and activities?
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Sounds like a great trip!
Love this; sounds you had a great time!
One Awesome Momma
My husband and I just moved to the midwest from Texas and we are definitely making a weekend trip to Minneapolis. Saving this list for later :)!
Wow! I LIVE in Mpls, and there were a couple places I haven’t even heard of! Thanks for the review. 🙂
def check out the ferris wheel bar- it was so fun!
Love all the tips. Whenever I travel I like to get ideas from others who have been there =) Sounds like you had a blast!
me too! Im finding blogs are the best way to plan a trip.
It looks like you had a great trip! If I ever find myself in Minneapolis I will know exactly what to do! Thank you for sharing.
I’ve been through Minneapolis for a short time. Looks like a great place to go back to and visit based on your suggestions.
there is so much to do! not just mall of america, although that is fun. we have also done some awesome river tubing in the twin cities area
That sounds like so many memorable places to go! Sounds awesome!
What a great post. I actually have. Long layover during Christmas in Minneapolis so I will definitely have to check out some of these places! That karaoke bar sounds super fun. Have a great Thanksgiving!!
oh enjoy! the airport is actually really nice too 🙂
I haven’t been to Minnesota for years but we always enjoyed going there. I think it is great you still get together with your friends after all your college playing days.
I know its really special. I love my kids and husband, but I have known these gals for 20+ years!
Minneapolis is probably not one of the cities most Europeans want to check out in the US, but your presentation made it look really interesting. I’m just a bit worried about the climate. 🙂
I hear ya! I dont think I would want to visit in the late fall or winter. I also dont think spring gets underway until at least late May. But honestly, the warmer months are so beautiful!
I grew up in Plymouth, MN. I absolutely loved it there. My favorite was the Minnesota State Fair. So much fun, great food and great memories. I hope to make a trip up there this August to eat some yummy foods!
Oh yes! we have been to the fair! Butter busts, cheese curds, birthing tents…
Sounds like a really fun trip! My best friend’s mom lives in Minneapolis so I’ll definitely be making a trip up there and will certainly reference your recommendations! Loved your tip about hopping up the Karaoke list! 🙂
OH MN! I’m in Chicago and have been to Minn a few times. Love all these ideas and looks like you had a great time!!
I’ve never been to Minneapolis, but it sounds like you had a great time. I’d love to visit one day. I’m also a huge fan of good food, so I’d definitely be checking out all the places you recommended 🙂
Awe how nice , looks like you had a fantastic time!
Looks like such a fun place to visit! Putting it on the list
Sounds like a great trip. We love traveling as well need to keep this in mind.
As a Minnesotan:) I approve this?
that means alot!
Cool post – thanks for sharing! I love 24 hour posts, always such a great guide if you are in town for only a little amount of time. I’ve never been to Minneapolis but the Surly Brewery sounds like a fun place to check out!
Hehe sorry I meant to write 48 hours but can’t edit it anymore 🙂
This sounds like a fun trip! I especially like that you went on a bicycle scavenger hunt. My favorite cities are those with nice bike lanes and city bikes to rent.
There’s nothing like a trip with friends! I haven’t exactly been to Minneapolis–only the Mall of America. It looks like a need to plan another trip to see more of what the city has to offer. It looks like there are some great places to eat. I’d especially like to try the donut place. A Ferris Wheel ride is always welcome, too. I’m glad you had a great trip!
I’ve been to Minneapolis once. Would like to go back and try the Red Cow place and get some fried cheese curds! Sounds yummy. 🙂
Say what now? …. sushi roll burritos …that right there, you have me, getting on plane today heading to Minneapolis right now to try one haha 😀 – That is something I need to try. I’ve just added it to my list of places to visit in USA 😀
I live in Minneapolis and frequent a few of those places myself!
I didn’t know anything about Minneapolis, thanks for enlightening me! Cheese curds sound great (anything with cheese in it, I’m down for). Doughnuts too! Would love to go to this foodie paradise:)
I would love to visit Minneapolis! What a fun trip and you have inspired me with the bizarre food tips including cheese curds and sota rolls!
Never been but sounds like fun!
I don’t know if I’d try a Sushi Burrito but I WOULD try that beer <3