What to do

Fitzgerald Theater Built in 1910, the 1,058-seat Saint Paul theater is Minnesota Public Radio’s largest studio and the home of A Prairie Home Companion. (651) 290-1200; fitzgeraldtheater.org [1]

Minnehaha Falls Stop to see the tumbling falls along Grand Rounds Scenic Byway. (612) 230-6400; minneapolisparks.org/grandrounds [2]

Grand Avenue High-end restaurants and shops, including Golden Fig Fine Foods and The Grand Hand Gallery, line this Saint Paul street. (651) 699-0029; grandave.com [3]

Guthrie Theater  See excellent performances at this majestic Minneapolis theater on the banks of the Mississippi. See reviews and ratings. [4] (877) 447-8243; guthrietheater.org [5]

Mall of America The nation’s biggest mall has more than 500 stores, dozens of restaurants, an indoor amusement park, an aquarium and a comedy club. In Bloomington, 10 miles south of Minneapolis. See reviews and ratings. [6] (952) 883-8800; mallofamerica.com  [7]

Minneapolis Institute of Arts See more than 80,000 pieces, plus special exhibits. Admission charged for some special exhibits. (888) 642-2787; artsmia.org  [8]

Nicollet Mall An 11-block pedestrian thoroughfare in downtown Minneapolis balances big-city feel with hole-in-the-wall discoveries. Highlights include The News Room restaurant, Dakota Jazz Club and a seasonal farmers market. minneapolis.org  [9]

Science Museum of Minnesota On the Saint Paul riverfront, engaging permanent exhibits mix with top traveling shows and breathtaking Omnitheater movies. See reviews and ratings. [10] (800) 221-9444; smm.org  [11]

Walker Art Center and Minneapolis Sculpture Garden The art center is a world-class destination for viewing contemporary art and media, while the neighboring sculpture garden—one of the largest urban sculpture parks in the country—features popular works such as Claes Oldenburg's Spoonbridge and Cherry. (612) 375-7600; walkerart.org [12]

Where to eat

The Blue Door Pub In Saint Paul, you’ll find 12 variations on the classic Juicy Lucy (a fresh-ground burger stuffed with cheese). We love the flagship Blucy, filled with garlic and blue cheese. See reviews and ratings. [13] (651) 493-1865; thebdp.com [14]

Cafe Latte Legendary chocolate turtle cake tempts diners at a gourmet cafeteria-style bakery cafe. (651) 224-5687; cafelatte.com  [15]

Crema Cafe Minneapolis regulars know Crema for Sonny’s Ice Cream. Staffers make everything from scratch with local and organic ingredients. (612) 824-3868; cremacafeminneapolis.com [16]

Heartland Restaurant and Farm Direct Market High-end gastronomy meets sustainable-food ethics in Saint Paul’s Lowertown, where the changing menu may include rainbow trout with curried goat cheese and microgreens. For dinner, consider one of the prix fixe options. See reviews and ratings. [17] (651) 699-3536; heartlandrestaurant.com [18]

Lucia’s Chef Lucia Watson served organic, regional fare before it was cool. The menu changes weekly and includes entrees like apple-cider-glazed Berkshire pork chops. See reviews and ratings. [19] (612) 825-1572; lucias.com [20]

Midtown Global Market Peruse ethnic groceries and ready-made foods. See reviews and ratings. [21] (612) 872-4041; midtownglobalmarket.org  [22]

Salty Tart Bakery A must-stop for oatmeal cake. (612) 874-9206; saltytart.com [23]

Modern Cafe In Minneapolis’ Northeast neighborhood, the hip diner serves classics with their own twists, like the pot roast with horseradish sauce. See reviews and ratings. [24] (612) 378-9882; moderncafeminneapolis.com [25]

Red Stag Supper Club A green restaurant in northeast Minneapolis offers a Friday fish fry featuring seasonal catches. (612) 767-7766; redstagsupperclub.com [26]

W.A. Frost and Company Local ingredients shine in the unique menu items, such as roasted Wild Acres Pheasant. In Saint Paul. (651) 224-5715; wafrost.com [27]

Where to stay

Le Meridien Chambers Minneapolis Walk from the boutique hotel to the theater district and Nicollet Mall. Well-curated artwork hangs in the lobby and guest rooms. If you come in winter, visit the bar made of ice. From $199. See reviews and ratings. [28] (800) 543-4300; lemeridien.com/chambers [29]

The Depot Renaissance Minneapolis Hotel A good choice for families, the renovated train depot offers comfy modern rooms and loads of entertainment, including an indoor water park. From $139. See reviews and ratings. [30] (612) 375-1700; thedepotminneapolis.com [31]

Hotel 340 Occupying three floors of the soon-to-reopen Saint Paul Athletic Club—a 13-story brick building in downtown Saint Paul—this hotel offers classy rooms and a big stone fireplace in the lobby. From $99. See reviews and ratings. [32] (651) 280-4120; hotel340.com [33]

Radisson Hotel Bloomington by Mall of America Kids love the ginormous Minnesota-theme water park. A free shuttle takes guests to the mall. From $119, not including water park passes. (800) 333-3333; radisson.com/bloomingtonbymoa [34]

The Saint Paul Hotel Elegance endures in the 254 rooms and suites at this renovated downtown landmark known for its European-style furnishings. From $169. See reviews and ratings. [35] (800) 292-9292; saintpaulhotel.com [36]

For more information: Meet Minneapolis (888) 676-6757; minneapolis.org [9]