Minneapolis 11/28-12/1

Hi there,

We%26#39;ll be arriving Minneapolis late Friday (November 28th) evening and leaving Monday (December 1st in the early afternoon)...so, with that said, here are some questions for you:

* What is the best way to get from the airport to the Marquette Hotel? (We were assuming taxi.)

* How about a decent place to have a few drinks? (Keep in mind we%26#39;re in the 35 to 45 age bracket, so something kinda mellow. Also, I%26#39;ll be 6 months pregnant, so it%26#39;ll be non-alcoholic for me.)

* Is there some place we *must* dine? (While we both enjoy good food, we are not interested in a restaurant that requires black tie attire. Since this is our last kid-free getaway, a cozy atmosphere would be especially appreciated.)

* How do you recommend one get from the Marquette Hotel to the Mall of America? (My ridiculous husband insists that we must visit the Mall of America as this is our once-in-a-lifetime opportunity...despite the fact that it will be the weekend after Thanksgiving and I%26#39;m personally dreading the crowds.)

* We%26#39;ll be attending the Vikings v. Bears games on Sunday evening, so we do have that one thing scheduled. What about Monday morning . . . anything we could fit in there?

* Any *must see%26#39;s* or *must do%26#39;s* in the opinion of you pros???

Thanks so much!

Minneapolis 11/28-12/1

You could taxi for about $40, or for about $1.75 each, you can take the nice/new light rail line from the airport to Nicollet Mall station.

It%26#39;ll drop you on 5th street, and your hotel is on 7th street. Easy walk.

metrotransit.com/rail/Hiawatha_map_freq.pdf

There%26#39;s a bunch of places for drinks. Inside the Crystal Court / IDS Center where the Marquette Hotel is, is Mission. Nearby is Seven, Chambers, the W Foshay, Ikes, the Local, Brits.. the list goes on.

You might like dining at Manhattans, Murrays, Hells Kitchen, or even something a little romanitic like Nicollet Island Inn.

Either Sat or Sun a.m., do Brunch at Ike%26#39;s. It%26#39;s legendary.

The same light rail from airport to hotel, also goes to the Mall of America, 4 stops south of airport.

If you can squeeze in Nye%26#39;s Sat night, you%26#39;ll enjoy.

Minneapolis 11/28-12/1

Not sure how far along on the pregnancy you are and how you feel about walking. If walking is easy, then the light rail is a no-brainer.

It runs from the Mall of America to downtown, taking the tunnel underneath the airport along the way. Which means you could take it (about $2 a person, with a ticket bought before you board the train from the vending machine on the platform) to downtown (as DowntownMinneapolis said, to Nicollet Mall Station then a 2.5 block walk) and also from that same station to MOA. ESPECIALLY for the mall trip. It would be ridiculous to travel there any other way. Cab ride would be $50 or so. $30 from the airport.

I really don%26#39;t think there%26#39;s a ';must dine'; spot in Minneapolis. Believe me, there are countless places I love, but nothing I would feel sorry for someone if they missed it. 112 Eatery is probably the most recommended place and certainly fits the cozy bill -- but you must call ahead to get reservations to ensure a table. No black tie by any means and moderately priced. $15-$24 entrees ballpark.

It%26#39;s downtown but would require a taxi ride, maybe $6-$8. Otherwise, if you wanna go spendy, the best steak for my dollar is Murray%26#39;s.

The best bar nearby is surely the Local, if only for the imported woodwork. It can get crowded, though. But it%26#39;s close enough to the hotel that it%26#39;s worth a peek. Definitely fits the age range.

Enjoy!

I%26#39;d second light rail to/from airport/MOA unless you%26#39;re too uncomfortable walking - it%26#39;s cheap and easy.

Good luck at the mall, it will be a zoo. I%26#39;d recommend seeing it Monday before you leave - it%26#39;s en route to the airport (could check your bags beforehand, or use the lockers at the mall if they%26#39;re small). Also, everyone will be back to work on Monday, so it should be pretty deserted.

Restaurants at the top of my list include 112 Eatery (grab seats at the bar right when it opens at 5 if you can%26#39;t get reservations) and Palomino (the bar has a great happy hour menu 4-6). If you%26#39;re into ethnic food, Taste of Thailand is really good, as is Bombay Bistro.

I%26#39;d avoid most of the bars on Nicollet Ave - they%26#39;re a younger, loud crowd %26amp; will be packed since the Holidazzle Parade %26amp; Macy%26#39;s holiday show will happen all weekend. Although, Dakota has a great HH and live jazz, pretty laid back. I really like O%26#39;Donovans - a cozy, little Irish pub that%26#39;s a little off the main path. Grab a sit by the fire. There are several (new) chic hotels in town whose lounges would be fun to check out - Chambers, Hotel Ivy, Hotel Minneapolis, Graves 601, W Minneapolis

I would recommend spending one day exploring downtown, N Hennepin or the Walker. The Macy%26#39;s show is really cute and festive and they%26#39;ll probably have great sales, Saks on 5th is the country%26#39;s largest, Neiman Marcuse has an outlet on their top floor, and there are countless boutique-style places. Nye%26#39;s is a riot - neighborhood dive with live polka music and a piano bar in a great area. And Loring Park is a beautiful view from Bar Lurcat. Nick %26amp; Eddie%26#39;s in that area is a also very popular restaurant.

Thanks for all the tips. I%26#39;ve scoped out the light rail and that definitely seems the way to go. I%26#39;ve printed out your suggestions and feel a little more prepared now.

We%26#39;re looking forward to our trip, although I noticed the high yesterday was 24F....bbrrrrrr!

Well there%26#39;s always the downtown skyways if you get chilly... much better forecast than what it could be!