5 (out of 100) things to do in the Twin Cities before you die
You can't say that there's nothing to do in the Twin Cities.
A new book from MPR News host Tom Weber explores 100 things everyone should do in the metro area before they die.
It includes everything from kayaking the St. Croix (No. 43; how very Minnesotan), joining other feline fans for the Internet Cat Video Festival (No. 36; it's world famous) to seeing a show at the legendary First Avenue (No. 16; keep an eye out for Prince).
Weber is appearing at SubText: A Bookstore in St. Paul Tuesday night to discuss the guide, and heads across the river to Magers & Quinn in Minneapolis on May 27.
Create a More Connected Minnesota
MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.
Here's a sampling of five from the bucket list.
No. 8: Eat at Al's Breakfast
One counter and 14 stools. That's how big (or tiny) the Dinkytown mainstay near the University of Minnesota's Minneapolis campus, so get there when it opens or be prepared to wait. But who are we kidding? You'll probably wait even if you arrive early.
The diner, which is only about 10 feet wide, has been featured on the Food Network's "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" and it won an America's Classics award from the James Beard Foundation in 2004.
No. 14: Scare up fun in the Halloween capital of the world
Sure, St. Paul is Minnesota's capital city, but Anoka, Minn., is the Halloween capital of the world.
As Weber writes, "City fathers first scared up nearly a month of activities back in 1920 as a way to deter kids from pranks! Idle hands, you know."
Apparently, Anokans used to wake up and find "their cows roaming Main Street, their windows soaped and their outhouses tipped over."
The monthlong celebration now includes a high school football game called the Pumpkin Bowl, dances, bingo and one of the largest parades in the state.
No. 19: Celebrate July 4 with the Hmong
Hmong music, food and sports — especially the sports — are all on display at the Hmong Freedom Celebration and Sports Festival in St. Paul. The soccer tournament last year featured 150 teams from around the world.
The annual event, which is also known as "J4," at Como Park draws as many as 60,000 people over its two-day run.
The Hmong are marking a milestone in Minnesota this year. Four decades ago, the first Hmong refugees began arriving in the state. Today, the Twin Cities metro area is home to the largest urban population of Hmong people in the country.
No. 39: Ski, walk or snowshoe the Luminary Loppet
Get out and feel utterly Minnesotan at this nighttime winter event on Lake of the Isles in Minneapolis. Participants walk, ski or snowshoe around the frozen lake, which is lined with thousands of candles inside little vases made of ice. Attendees get cocoa and treats along the way, too.
No. 68: Ride a streetcar
Who says you need to go to San Francisco to ride an historic streetcar? Take a short excursion on a stretch of track between lakes Harriet and Calhoun in Minneapolis or in Excelsior, Minn., in the west metro.
The Minnesota Streetcar Museum operates the trolleys, some of which are more than 100 years old, during warm weather months but rides are canceled in the event of rain.
If you go
When: 7 p.m. Tuesday
Where: SubText: A Bookstore, 165 Western Ave. N., St. Paul, MN 55102
On Facebook: More info
When: 7 p.m. May 27
Where: Magers & Quinn, 3038 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55408
On Facebook: More info