Minneapolis Sculpture Garden
Minneapolis and St Paul sit on opposite banks of the Mississippi River. Minneapolis is a much larger city and is the state's center for just about everything. St. Paul is the State Capita, but is a much smaller town. Due to long and cold winters, a lot of downtown Minneapolis is centered around indoor activity. The Pedestrian Walkways and Mall of America, the nation's largest mall, are indoor and not dog-friendly. The Nicollet Mall, in downtown, is an open air shopping area and does welcome leashed dogs. During most of the year, Minneapolis is rather dog-friendly. In the winter, there are less choices to do with your dog. A visit to Minneapolis with your dog should take account of the cold winter weather. Only small dogs that can be carried are allowed on the Metro Transit.
Minneapolis has many dog-friendly hotels. Dog-Friendly are the Grand Hotel Minneapolis, which offers a pet welcome program and has a number of pet amenities, the Sheraton and W Hotels in Minneapolis and the Marquette by Hilton. The Millenium Hotel is also pet-friendly. There are also dog-friendly La Quinta, Best Westerns and hotels from each of the major hotel chains. In addition, there are a number of pet-friendly extended stay hotels for people and pets who are planning a longer stay and want more room. If you are camping in the area, consider the St. Paul East or Minneapolis Northwest KOAs, the Dakotah Meadows RV Park or the Greenwood Campground.
Dog-friendly attractions in Minneapolis are mostly outdoor activities. Therefore, unless you are into cross-country skiing or skijoring with your dog you will want to avoid visiting during Winter. You can take your leashed dog through the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden at 1750 Hennepin. This is a beautiful 11 acre sculpture park. You can rent watercrafe at Excel Boat Club rentals in Excelsior or at the Hitching Company in Minneapolis. There are scenic walkways and nature trails in Minneapolis which welcome your leashed dog. The Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock and Dam, The St. Anthony Falls Heritage Trail and the Chain of Lakes Byway are all scenic walks with your dog where you can enjoy Minnesota's lakes and the boat locks. You can take your leashed dog to the Jackson Street Roundhouse Railway Museum but only in the outdoor areas. If you want to shop with your dog in Minneapolis, try the Nicollet Mall between Washington Avenue South and 13th Street South in downtown.
There are a number of dog-friendly restaurants in Minneapolis. For people looking for natural or organic foods, you can take your dog to the outdoor tables at Lakewinds Natural Foods in Minnetonika or Minneapolis' Craftsman Restaurant or the oddly named "Bad Waitress". Other dog-friendly dining can be had at Sweeneys, with a patio fireplace, 331 Bar during daytime hours and Cafe Maude. There are also many other dog-friendly restaurants to meet everyone's tastes.
Minneapolis and Minnesota in general are outdoor paradises for dogs. There are a lot of parks that are dog-friendly and you have a choice of many destinations for hiking or spending time outdoors. Some interesting parks to visit with Fido include Mississippi National River and Rec Area and Fort Snelling State Park in St. Paul. Also the Hidden Falls Park has a 6.7 mile paved walkway. For limitless hiking there is the Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway which stretches 50 miles through the city and region. There are many off-leash dog parks in and around Minneapolis.
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