When I resided down in Los Angeles, every fall I really missed back home (Minnesota!)  Since moving North and seeing the fall colors cover the wine leaves in the vineyards it has curbed my feelings of missing fall, however, I’ve been thinking about some of my favorite places to visit in Minnesota..

and of course, I thought it’d be fun to share them with you:

Como Zoo and Conversatory:

Although the Minnesota Zoo was just about a mile from where I grew up and lived, there was something special about going across town and driving to the Como Zoo.  This zoo just costs a simple donation of 5 dollars for every visitor, but you can donate what you’d like.

The zoo has Giraffes, Lions, Tigers, Monkeys, Gorillas, and more.   And was always a fun place to take my younger siblings too.  I carried on the tradition last summer when I took my mom there for a day of exploration.

Another fun part about the zoo is the beautiful conservatory attached to it.  Inside, with this view, a place where many choose to have their weddings:

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At the Como zoo conservatory

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The North Shore:

Every three months, near my last few years in Minnesota, I caught myself spending more and more time up in the North Shore (3 hours North of the Twin Cities area!) It was fast becoming my favorite part of Minnesota.  As I explored more of the Lake Superior coastline, and even crossed the border into Canada, this is the place I want others to experience for their own.

A great place to head for hiking, camping, or a nice scenic view as you look for waterfalls or just want to enjoy a bit of the outdoors:

Gooseberry Falls: The North Shore

Lake Calhoun/Minneapolis Lakes:

Minnesota is known for the the land of 10,000 lakes even though they have over 11000 documented.  And yes, there is a complete list of ALL the lakes somewhere on the internet.  But, in the cities, nothing was better than driving to one of the Minneapolis lakes after work, and even rollerblading around them, biking around them, or walking around them.  With great views with the city as your backdrop, very great way to relax.

Mall of America:

I grew up on this mall, and was quite proud of it.  I’d often catch a bus after school, head to the mall then head back around 7pm being often coined with the term “Mallrat.”  Needless to say, a huge reason why I don’t spend too much time at malls now a days.

With both an indoor aquarium and theme park right inside the mall, there was enough to keep you entertained for hours with 4 levels of fun.

Stillwater:

And of course, it was tradition to spend a day in Stillwater every fall.  I’d start off going to the Apple Orchards and Pumpkin patch then spend the rest of the day walking around the vintage antique shops along Old Town Stillwater, which coincided with the Mississippi River.

Just one of the two lift bridges in the state of Minnesota.  The other residing in Duluth, Minnesota (seen below):

Duluth Lift Bridge

I know I don’t talk about Minnesota enough on here, but as I venture more into traveling and talking about different parts of the US I will be share to continue to share more about Minnesota, and some of my favorite places along with some stories.