Minneapolis?

Sure, go see the mall, there isn't much else. In downtown minneapolis a lot of the buildings have connecting walkways so you don't have to go outside.Dress warm.

 

January is a pretty sucky time to visit Minneapolis, unless you travel outstate to snowmobile or up north to ski.

So let's see. What to do for an afternoon?

Well, the Mall of America is the high altar of commercialism, so lots of people go there when they visit. To be honest, if you've been to a mall--any mall--you've seen pretty much everything you'll see there (except maybe for Camp Snoopy [amusement park] in the center).

That said, if you only have an afternoon to waste, there are a wide range of restaurants (I like Napa Valley Grille and California Cafe--kind of odd, I guess being we're in the Midwest and all that) and a movie theater. And, of course, there is some version of just about any retail establishment out there.

The light rail will take you downtown. I agree with the earlier poster in that there's not really anything to see downtown. Still, if you want to go down there and wander around, you can get in the skyway about a block from the Nicolet Mall stop. Go up the slight incline and enter Neiman Marcus store (on the left). Go to the second floor, and you'll be in our famous skyway system.

Again, if you're just killing time, you'll find a wide range of stores, cafes, full restaurants, coffee shops, etc. It's easy to kill an afternoon wandering around in the skyways.

My favorite pub, which also shows a lot of soccer matches, is about five blocks further west (??-same direction as Neiman Marcus) on Nicolet. It's The Local. They almost always have a match on in the backroom, and their fish and chips are decent. (Go about four more blocks to Brit's Pub for the best fish and chips in the Twin Cities, IMO.) But I digress.

Anyway, there are some cool places to visit around the Twin Cities, but none that I can think off directly off the light rail line.

Either way, have fun.

 

I grew up in Baltimore, so my guess is that if I can handle it, you can.

You can't get all the way to The Local in the skyway, but you can get to the Barnes and Noble, which is just about two blocks from the bar. One arm (leg?) of the skyway runs parallel to Nicollet, so you'll be able to see where you are.

I guess you could take a cab from the train stop, but it probably would actually take longer than walking because only buses are allowed on Nicollet in the downtown area.

Here is The Local's Web site:

http://www.the-local.com/directions.html

You will get off the light rail at the Nicollet Mall stop. I think it comes in on 4th St. As you can see, The Local is right there just down the street.

There are two bar areas. The one you want is the back right. If you email them, they will send you a schedule of the games.

It's pretty dead in the afternoon, but as I said, there's almost always a game on. It picks up in the afternoon toward happy hour.

Oh, final note: If it's cold (like 5 or lower without wind chill), get something to cover your ears as the wind can be wicked. I literally got frostbite on my right ear (wind side) walking about eight blocks downtown the winter I first moved here!

 

If you are into history, I can recommend the Mill City Museum which opened about a year ago. It's about 3 blocks toward the river from the Metrodome light rail station in downtown. If it wasn't so cold, I'd recommend exploring the mill ruins, stone arch bridge, and St. Anthony falls (but you can still enjoy the views of that from the observation decks inside the museum).

Minnehaha Falls is also a couple blocks off of the light rail (50th/Minnehaha station), but it's probably too cold for a visit. Although, if you want to see what a frozen waterfall looks like, that would be the place to check it.

The mall is not a big deal. It has all the stores that any other mall would have. The only difference is its size and the amusement park.

 

There's also the original Famous Dave's BBQ...

 

Famous Dave's has fairly good BBQ for a chain. (We visit the locations here in Utah quite a few times each year.) Might be fun to visit the original location. (Didn't know it was based up there in Minnesota)