Minneapolis is a place very near and dear to my heart. I grew up in Northeast Minneapolis and honestly, there is no other place I would rather be. “Wait Thomas!” you might say, “I go to Uptown all the time! That’s part of Minneapolis right?” Well, Minneapolis is more than just a place for suburbanites to go when they want to feel hip. There is an entire major metropolitan area with diverse neighborhoods just outside of your doorstep. Here are three of my favorites:

Loring Park

Loring Park is just southwest of downtown. It is part of the bigger Central community and lends its name to the large park that exists within. Loring Park contains some of Minneapolis’ most famous landmarks in Minneapolis.

If you happen to find yourself in Loring Park, check out the Walker Art Center (it’s free for teens) then head north on Lyndale Avenue to the Basilica and admire its unique appearance. Finally, head back down Lyndale and enter the park itself. The park has many walking and biking routes and contains a famous view of downtown over Loring Lake. In August you can also see the Loring Art Festival, a two day festival that takes place in the park itself. There you can enjoy different varieties of art from over 140 artists.

Cedar-Riverside

Cedar-Riverside, also known as the West Bank, is part of the academic Community. The Mississippi River, 35W, and 94 create a natural border for the West Bank. This community is famous for its diversity; it has a high population of college students from both the U of M and Augsburg College, and a high population of immigrants from North East Africa. This neighborhood is for the hardcore hip. If you like playing dress up at American Apparel you should probably skip this one. However if bike co-ops and African delis are more your thing then by all means go and check it out.

If you enjoy theater, you can go to the Southern Theater on Washington Avenue, go to Theater in the Round for some arena style drama, or head to the Rarig Center to to see performances by U of M students. If music is more your thing, you can head down to the Cedar Cultural Center and enjoy awesome, intimate performances. Or you could go down to the Triple Rock Social Club, which was awarded best new venue in the City Pages. If you hear the call of nature, you can even go to Midwest Mountaineering, the famous outdoors shop.

Northeast

Northeast, affectionately called “Nordeast” by its residents, is directly across the river from downtown. Northeast’s borders are created by the Mississippi in the south and west, city limits in the north and east, and the U of M campus in the southeast. Northeast is one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city and is also one of the more diverse. Northeast has strong cultural ties to countries in south and east Europe and in recent years have seen a growth in residents from Central America and the Middle East.

Northeast is also home to the arts district. This area is home to around 400 artists who live in old factories that have been converted into lofts and studios. If you are a major art fan there are countless galleries to visit and in May Art-A-Whirl, an art festival all across Northeast, begins.

If you find yourself in Northeast check out Saint Anthony Main by the river, then head up Hennepin and grab a bite to eat at Kramarczuk’s, the Eastern European deli. Go to one of the many parks and watch a pickup game of soccer. Then end your day by heading up Central to Broadway and going to an art gallery.

Minneapolis is a rich cultural center that rivals any other city in the United States. I say go there while you can, explore, and be proud of where you live.