Friday Evening: Russian Art, Mexican Street Food & Wild Beers

Our journey begins at The Museum of Russian Art, taking in the curated collection of Realist paintings, Faberge, and matryoshka nesting dolls, for a cultural experience before you get a more street level experience of the city. Nearby, you can find dining along Nicolet and Lyndale Avenues, but also at Taqueria Victor Hugo #2, a food truck parked near Nicolet and 58th Street, serving chewy and authentic tortillas with traditional taco and burritos options, and more. Just a few blocks west, nestled in an industrial neighborhood but offering a cozy urban patio, Wild Mind Ales offers distinct beers that range from classic pilsners to hazy IPAs and their specialty – wild and foeder-aged farmhouse saisons. You can get a high quality IPA if that’s your style, but also one-of-a-kind ales with more earthy and elemental character. They also serve coffee (limited hours) and sell THC products.

Saturday: Minnehaha Falls, Craft Sips & Shopping

Seize the day Saturday by visiting one of Minneapolis' most iconic natural wonders. Minnehaha Falls has long captivated visitors, first as a gathering spot for Native peoples and later drawing settlers after Minneapolis purchased the land in 1889. Presidents Lyndon Johnson and Barrack Obama are among the many visitors to the site, a 50 foot waterfall where Minnehaha Creek meets the Mississippi River. Sea Salt Eatery, at Minnehaha Park, offers affordable seafood (and ice cream), with local beer, cider, and wine available within earshot of the falls. While there, you can rent bicycles, play disc golf, and explore the Longfellow Gardens. Minnehaha Dog Park gives visitors and their feline friends ample room to roam the natural beauty of the river leash free. After, you can dine at The Howe and their dog-friendly patio.

Venn Brewing Company is another dog friendly establishment. Located at the 46th Street transit station, it is also a coffee shop by day. As for the beer, Northodox is a popular choice, a citrus-forward thick and hazy IPA, and their imperial sour ale Cosmosis series gives a rotating, fruit-forward sour option. The brewery frequently rotates their lineup, which includes a quality pilsner and cream ale for those who want a crisp summer option. Bull’s Horn is a classic dive bar down the street, serving equally classic greasy burgers without pretension. Town Hall Lanes is a quaint bowling alley that serves Town Hall Brewery made beer.

Heading up to 38th Street you’ll find more beer, and barbecue too. Northbound Smokehouse & Brewpub serves true-to-style American and European styles to pair with slow-cooked meat (and vegetarian offerings). Popular beers include the crisp Pravy Pils, plus Big Jim IPA and a smoked porter to live up to their smokehouse name. Tare Market is a zero waste marketplace across the street, next door to the romance-only Tropes and Trifles bookstore. You can find even more barbecue at Ted Cook’s (takeout only), or head to the light rail station adjacent to The Cardinal, a long-running neighborhood joint. A few blocks away, A Baker’s Wife serves up fresh baked pastries and Angry Catfish Bicycle offers rentals to get around town on two wheels. Across Hiawatha Avenue, Riverview Theater is a timeless single screen movie theater that opened in 1948. Trylon Cinema is a local arts theater that shows independent and cult films on Minnehaha Avenue, while is also called The Minnehaha Mile due to a stretch of boutique and antique shops in the area.

Moving north, Lake Street is a dynamic urban corridor with cuisine that ranges from gastropub Longfellow Grill to Himalayan, and Merlin’s Rest Irish Pub and a plethora of taquerias. Midtown Global Market is a food hall and market with a variety of foods that include Moroccan Flavors, Indigenous Food Lab Market, Slice Pizza, and diverse vendors. Arbeiter Brewing, also on East Lake Street, is a German-inspired brewery with a bright, working class/industrial aesthetic where you can try traditional beers that utilize modern hop ingredients and techniques, such as bright and citrusy lagers or roasty dark ales with a unique touch. Cider and sustainability fans should also check out Urban Forage Winery & Cider House, located in a former pawn shop, is a cozy space that serves wine and cider made with foraged ingredients, such as dry-hopped cider, dandelion wine (seasonally), and classic ciders and perries too. They host their own themed-trivia nights on Thursdays.

Milkweed coffeeshop will offer you a chance to recharge. Shopping-wise, Hymie’s Records has something for everyone, Moon Palace Books is another local gem, and East Lake Library will give you a chance to experience the neighborhood like a local. Hook and Ladder Theater has concerts and other entertainment in the evening.

After shopping, beverages, and food, unwind with more nature. Winchell Trail is a 5-mile pedestrian trail with peak views of the river, offset with benches, impromptu picnic spots, and restored natural vegetation in the heart of the city. The twin city and state capital, Saint Paul, is across the river along this stretch.

Sunday: Chain of Lakes, Rose Gardens & Sake

Fans of The Mary Tyler Moore Show may recognize Bde Maka Ska, the largest in the region’s Chain of Lakes. Bde Maka Ska (pronounced Be-DAY Mah-KAH-Ska) has three popular beaches and a modern, new pavilion, which includes Pimento on the Lake Jamaican restaurant, plus a small market that specializes in goods from local businesses owned by people of color. You can rent kayaks and canoes to enjoy the water, or a variety of bicycle styles to get the full park experience. Lake Harriet is just to the south, known for its distinct (with frequent live music and movies). Grab a snack at Bread and Pickle, the resident food stand. Choose from picnic foods, craft beer and wine. Lake Harriet is also home to Lyndale Park Rose Garden and Thomas Sadler Roberts Bird Sanctuary.

You’ll need a sit down and sip refreshment at some point as you explore. Wooden Ship Brewing is nestled between homes in the Linden Hills neighborhood. You’ll be sure to find something unique on tap at this small and experimental brewery. They brew a bit of everything, including saisons, a coffee Kolsch and, yes, IPAs too. Check out the local shops, including antiques near the intersection of Xerxes and 50th. If you’re still seeking local, unique drinks, Town Hall Tap and The Sidecar serve local award-winning beer and bourbon-focused cocktails. Moto-i, on Lyndale Avenue, is one of North America’s only sake breweries. You'll find LynLake Brewery steps away, which has a rooftop with great views of the city skyline and ornate firepits.

For dinner, take Nicollet Avenue north toward downtown. This stretch is locally known as Eat Street and has Greek, Caribbean, Vietnamese, and much much more to offer. The CC Club was a hangout for the 1980s alt-rock music scene and Cheapo Records is a used shop where you can search for treasure. That’s a lot to cover and we haven’t even crossed I-94 into downtown yet. The Walker Art Center and Sculpture Garden are iconic, and you’ll find even more breweries near US Bank Stadium. For indoor entertainment, catch a concert at Uptown Theater or Uptown VFW, or get a full arcade bar experience at Up-Down at the busy Lyndale/Lake intersection.

Bring Home a Hoppy Souvenir

You can buy take-home beer at any of the breweries mentioned, in various formats. You can also shop at local liquor stores like South Lyndale Liquors, France 44, Elevated, Zipps, East Lake Liquor, and the family-run McDonald’s Liquor and Wine.