Saint Paul is the capital of the U.S. state of Minnesota and along with its neighboring city Minneapolis forms the “Twin Cities”. There is a lot to see and a lot to do.
Minnesota History Center offers information on everything from when the Hmong tribespeople migrated from Laos and China in the 1970s to settle in Minnesota to the conflicts of the Dakota War. Here you can also find a vast book collection in the Minnesota History Center Library. It is open to the public for research and learning purposes.
Cathedral of St. Paul sits atop a hill overlooking downtown St. Paul. It is the fourth-tallest church of its kind in the U.S. The building has a copper dome and spire. It is the official shrine to Paul the Apostle in the U.S. The façade has a combination of Gothic, Baroque, and Beaux-Arts architecture. In the interior you can see a beautiful bronze baldachin and several chapels dedicated to patron saints of the city’s various immigrant communities.
The cathedral was modeled after St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican City. It has become a pilgrimage site for many Catholics. The church hosts concerts all through the year. The Shrine of the Nations surrounds the sanctuary, symbolizing the contributions of immigrants in the history fo the cathedral.
Take a walk along legendary Summit Avenue. You can see lovely mansions built in the 19th century. This street is considered to be one of the most fashionable and stylish in town. Summit Avenue is home to the largest and longest collection of Victorian buildings in the U.S. 373 of the original historic mansions are still standing. It all begins are the highest point with the city’s most prominent landmark, the Cathedral of St. Paul.
There are historical sites to see like the Landmark of Summit Terrace or the F. Scott Fitzgerald House, where author F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote many manuscripts in the rooms until 1920.
The Frank B. Kellog House was home to the famous U.S. diplomat and Nobel Prize winner.
James J. Hill House was built by the founder of the Great Northern Railroad. It is a red sandstone Richardsonian Romanesque-style mansion and the largest home in the state. The Gilded Age home features a 100-foot reception hall, a two-story art gallery, and thirteen bathrooms. You can take a guided tour of the first-floor art gallery displaying the artwork of Minnesota artists.
The Wabasha Street Caves were carved out of the Minnesota hillsides in the 1840s. They are located on the south banks of the Mississippi River. At one time the caves were favored by the Mafia but today they host swing nights every Thursday. Local tour companies offer guided tours through the complex with reenactments and period costumes. You’ll find a coffee shop Grumpy Steve’s Coffee serving great coffee and the best Belgian waffles.
The Science Museum of Minnesota sits on the north banks of the Mississippi. There are many hands-on science exhibits. There is a great section of the human body and one colossal fossil collection.
One of the most iconic attractions is the Como Park Zoo and Conservatory. The Marjorie McNeely Conservatory is a beautiful Art Nouveau construction with bonsai trees and san sui gardens.
Among the manicured gardens are elegant bridges with busts of Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen and the fiberglass creations of the Como “zoo” like sculptures of Don the Gorilla and carvings of giraffes, penguins, and wolves.
Como Park Conservatory houses a wide variety of animals in natural habitats among them lions and snow leopards, primates like gorillas and spider monkeys, and also sloths and zebras. There are sea lions, seals, and penguins. Among tropical creatures anacondas and the Galapagos tortoise.
Next door is Como Town a family amusement park.
The State Capitol was constructed in 1905. In the Senate House, Supreme Court, Rathskeller Café you can find the original furnishings. There are guided tours available or you can take a self-guided tour. Among the highlights is the self-supported marble dome that is the second-largest of its kind in the world.
In good weather, you can get a look at the iconic Quadriga, the golden horses on the roof.
Grand Avenue makes its way through western Sain Paul, out to the banks of the Mississippi and northward to the metro area of Minneapolis. It has some of the best shopping in the Twin Cities. There are shady trees and Victorian street lights, Tibetan craft stalls, and whole-food markets. There are plenty of cafes and restaurants.
The Landmark Center has found its home in a restored 1902 Federal Court Building that includes restaurants galleries, function rooms, and performance spaces. It hosts theater and dance productions and concerts.
Gateway Trail begins in the city and heads on through the leafy neighborhoods of Maplewood and Oakdale and Pine Springs to secluded woodlands and ponds.
The second part of the trail has hiking trails and bike paths. In the wintertime, you can go cross-country skiing.
The Gibbs Museum is on a farm that once prospered in the late 1800s. You can see the original farmhouse and barn. Guided tours are available by costumes interpreters. There is a log and sod home and a one-room schoolhouse. Visitors can see presentations that depict life on the farm.
https://www.thecrazytourist.com/15-best-things-saint-paul-mn/
https://www.planetware.com/tourist-attractions-/st-paul-us-mn-sp.htm
https://www.pilgrim-info.com/st-pauls-cathedral/
https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/f-scott-fitzgerald-house
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Thanks for the tour. I used to live in Minneapolis and have lived in Britain for fourteen years. With the coronavirus, I’ve never felt so far away. It’s good to touch base again.
By: Ellen Hawley on May 11, 2020
at 8:00 pm
I am glad you enjoyed the tour Ellen and were able to relive some memories.
By: RasmaSandra on May 19, 2020
at 4:25 pm
I drove through St. Paul on the way to somewhere else. The only tornado I ever saw was there, about ten miles away, as I sped in the opposite direction at 70 mph. That’s my memory of St. Paul. lol
By: Billybuc on May 19, 2020
at 4:05 pm
That is some memory Bill perhaps one day you might like to go back ad explore the city.
By: RasmaSandra on May 19, 2020
at 4:26 pm
What a gorgeous place this is! I have never visited, but the old buildings are really wonderful!
By: divalounger on May 26, 2020
at 5:07 pm
I am glad you enjoyed the tour. I try to provide the best photos I can find to make it seem like an actual tour. I have also never been to St. Paul but I was once in Minneapolis, where one of my mom’s best friends used to live.
By: RasmaSandra on May 26, 2020
at 6:01 pm
I grew up in Iowa. We did not travel to St. Paul. I wish we had done so. You have a beautiful city and have kept your monuments and old houses in condition. Would love to see those golden horses! Your interest in preservation and education is impressive.
By: Jane Gilchrist on May 29, 2020
at 10:10 am
St. Paul is a lovely city indeed/ I try to pick out the highlights and find photos to include with the information. I have not been to the city but I was in Minneapolis once and mom had a good friend living there. That is why I started this armchair travel blog to let people know about all the wonderful places that they could visit. I am glad you enjoyed the tour.
By: RasmaSandra on May 29, 2020
at 2:43 pm
Thanks for sharing! It’s been awhile since I’ve been there
By: Shell-Shell's🐚tipsandtricks on June 9, 2020
at 6:11 am
You’re welcome and glad you enjoyed the tour,
By: RasmaSandra on June 9, 2020
at 4:18 pm
Reblogged this on By the Mighty Mumford and commented:
wow! all kinds of things to do and see! and lots of rail fan opportunities, I hear ! 😀
By: Jonathan Caswell on June 12, 2020
at 9:22 pm
Thank you very much much appreciated.
By: RasmaSandra on June 13, 2020
at 8:53 pm
Yowza!
By: Jonathan Caswell on June 13, 2020
at 9:37 pm