When I drove through Minneapolis on my way home from a summer in Chicago in the early 1980s I remember thinking how it felt like a welcoming, small big city. At that time we were still living in North Dakota, but even now after living in the Twin Cities for more than 30 years that is perhaps what I love the most about it… it has benefits of a large city (world-class sports, arts, music, theater, dining, shopping), combined with small-town neighborhoods, green space, parks and lakes.
The city was planned way back in the 1880s so no house is more than six blocks from a park. The city also bought up land around the city’s 22 lakes and the 20-plus miles of property along the Mississippi River, so nearly every inch of waterfront is held for public use. There are more than 200 miles of walking and biking trails winding around and through these neighborhoods, with parks, picnic areas, cafes, and beaches for public use.
Minneapolis has a unique blend of urban and pastoral living. I remember marveling at Minnehaha Falls Park the first time I visited it decades ago. It felt like I was in a remote nature setting… but it was only 20 minutes from downtown, and still in Minneapolis.
In Minneapolis, going to a park doesn’t mean escaping from the city, but rather being in the essence of the city’s identity. Perhaps that is why Minneapolis has been ranked the #1 park system in the US for the last 5 years… and in 2017 St. Paul came in second!
Minneapolis parks named tops in the nation, and St. Paul comes in second
RE/MAX Results HomesMSP Team
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