Twin Cities Highlights Tour - Advice Anyone?

My husband and I are coming to MN for 5 days at the end of May for our 17th anniversary. We%26#39;re considering doing the Metro Connections Twin Cities Highlights Tour. It%26#39;s about 3.5 hours and covers the following according to the MC Web site:

... Travel past the Tyrone Guthrie Theatre and the Minneapolis Sculpture Gardens; through the Kenwood residential area to see the television home of Mary Tyler Moore; past the Mall of America; stop at the legendary Minnehaha Falls and follow the Mississippi River past Fort Snelling into Saint Paul. From there you鈥檒l drive down stately Summit Avenue to see the magnificent Cathedral of Saint Paul, the State Capitol, the home and haunts of F. Scott Fitzgerald, the Governor鈥檚 Mansion and the revitalized downtown area of Saint Paul including: Rice Park, Ordway Music Hall and the Landmark Center.

It%26#39;s $32 per adult. Has anyone taken this tour, how was it? Was it worth it? We will be staying in Bloomington near MOA and not renting a car.

Thanks for the feedback and advice.

D.

Twin Cities Highlights Tour - Advice Anyone?

This is totally opposite to my travel philosophy (though I stress that%26#39;s just me, not trying to force my beliefs on anyone) in most situations. I prefer the method of seeing places on your own and not doing essentially drive-by tourism.

BUT, if you won%26#39;t have use of a car, I think it allows you to see places you should see --Summit Avenue (you don%26#39;t need to be on your own to drive down that lovely stretch) and the Capitol area of St. Paul in general.

I think as long as you do spend some time seeing the area in greater detail the other days you%26#39;re here, why not?

The price seems fine to me considering the cost you find in other cities that have similar tours.

I would use the light rail from MOA to get downtown and wander around there, check out the riverfront area and St. Anthony Main and the Stone Arch bridge to supplement your tour. Make sure to get into a few personal situations too.

And make sure, if you go, to report back. I have really no experience of this tour or anyone who%26#39;s done it.

Twin Cities Highlights Tour - Advice Anyone?

I haven%26#39;t taken the tour, but seems like a great way to see the cities.

Are you staying in Bloomington to be near the Mall of America, or could you stay downtown Minneapolis. You%26#39;d be near alot of sites you would walk too, also.

We%26#39;ve always wanted to see the MOA so we found a hotel near the Mall in Bloomington on a Buy One Night get One Free deal that meets our needs. We do plan to take the light rail one day to go to the MN Zoo and to walk around downtown. That will be in addition to the tour if we decide to do it. Wherever we go, we try to get an overview of the place either on an organized tour (in the US or elsewhere) or with a taxi driver (when we go to the Caribbean).

There%26#39;s probably a bus to get to the Zoo from Mall of America

check out MetroTransit.org

I think it%26#39;s a 20 min hoof down 77 then to the east

so much to do downtown Minneapolis

here%26#39;s a links to look around

http://www.minneapolis-riverfront.com/

travelandleisure.com/cityguides/minneapolis-鈥?/a>

http://www.guthrietheater.org/

www.exploreminnesota.com/listing.aspx鈥?/a>

Yeah, make sure you%26#39;re aware that there is no light rail train to the zoo. You%26#39;d have to look into whether there is a bus. I%26#39;ve always just gone by car, so I%26#39;m not sure.

Zoo web site likely would have info.

If you do this tour please report back I would love to hear about it as well!

Driving time is 10 min by car from MOA to zoo, both places off hwy 77. But it will be longer with bus stops. I believe there is still one bus that runs once an hour from MOA to zoo in Apple Valley.

MOA is your last stopping point on light rail, or first starting point if you are heading downtown.

Thanks everyone. We%26#39;re looking forward to our visit and the tour. Will report when we get back.

D.

Trini:

Great to hear you will be using public transport..........most people around these parts are not particularly well-versed in that area save for the light rail. This is basically a ';car-culture'; metro. As others have said, please write back to us with a report of your Twin Cities expoits.

tptr

Oops, lazy fingers........

';exploits';