Oh, my thinking was if it's not too bad outside (say in the 20s), a 30 minute jaunt would not be so bad.
But in case anyone else uses this thread (or if we combine with the other Twin Citries thread), it would be a very cool thing for folks to know about. We have not gone yet but will this year.
Also for others as a general thread, I'll toss out some other things:
The Guthrie Theatre is not to be missed. It's in Minneapolis. We go a lot. The Twin Cities is second only to NYC for the most theatre seats per capita. We have so many wonderful theatres in both cities. Such a lucky place to be for our famiky.
And along the same lines--the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra has one of the most talented oboists in the world. And now they are off strike, the Minnesota Orchestra is very good. We are lucky to still have Vanksa as our conductor. Two world renowned choral groups, the all male Cantus and The Rose Ensemble have their home here.
St. Olaf is in Northfield, not very far south. And their music program is amazing. Their annual holiday concert is in early December, but you must get tickets in the fall. DS always has a stage production then, so we've not been. We'll go when he's in college. But Northfield is such a fabulous town--very Austin-like. The town doesn't allow guns. It's a crunchy place--and also home to Carlton College, a very selective place.
Another town nearby on the St Croix River is Stillwater. It's a favorite place of my family. It's filled with quaint shops. The river was frozen this year though May. There are bluffs there--and a wine cave inside the bluffs. It's best visited Spring through Fall.