As far as driving in Minneapolis, every time is rush hour. It's fairly easy to get around, just A LOT of traffic so plan extra time.

You don't say exactly when you will visit, but a couple of suggestions would be a matinee (wed or sun) at the world class Guthrie Theater or a visit to the Minneapolis Institute of Art - a wonderful Degas exhibit opens June 17. Both places have web sites with specific information. There are actually several really good bus tours of the city which cover lots of sights and give a nice overview. I don't think the city is difficult to navigate, but then I live here. Your money and time might be better spent using taxis or our quite good bus system. What kind of things are you most interested in?

TC:
I'm going to be in Minneapolis for 4 days (August 19-23). Which bus tour would you suggest for my daughter (8) and me and where can find it? What does it cover? We're definitely seeing the Institute of Art and Lake Calhoun. What other downtown Mnpls areas are interesting? Any other suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.

I would recommend taking a walk around Lake Calhoun (3 miles)...this offers a great view of downtown. Then visit the nearby sculpture garden at the Walker Art Museum. This outdoor sculpture garden features the famous 'Spoonbridge and Cherry'.

Definitely visit 'Uptown', the trendy shopping and restaurant district south of downtown (the heart is at Hennepin and Lake Street). The new hot restaurant in Minneapolis is 'Chino Latino', located in Uptown.

Another area worth walking around is the 'Stone Arch Bridge', which connects downtown Minneapolis to the 'St. Anthony Main' area....across the Mississippi river. You can walk across the bridge, view the falls, and have a nice lunch at one of many restaurants in the 'St. Anthony Main' complex.

Dinner recommendations:

Buca di Beppo. Family-style Italian in DT Minneapolis.

Black Forest Inn. German cuisine in a romantic outdoor patio setting in S. Mpls.

Good for you! You are not going to waste away your days in a mall like so many visitors do. That is the first step to a good visit.

Ditto to the other posts. Drive your car to the Uptown area and park it. From there, you can walk around this trendy little area, walk over to lake Calhoun and take a stroll around the lake on the well-maintained footpaths, and then drive a few minutes north to the Walker Art or Guthrie Theatre area. What a great way to spend a day.

By the way - if you are familiar with driving in major cities, Minneapolis won't be any better or worse for you.

I also agree that driving around Mpls. won't be that big a problem if you drive in any other big city. We always enjoy walking around Lake Harriet or Lake of the Isles too. They are both pretty and fun areas. If you have more time drive over to Stillwater which is on the river over by St. Paul. There are antique stores, B & B's, restaurants and it is just fun being by the river. I also like the area over on Grand in St. Paul or out on Lake Minnetonka in Wayzata. We always look forward to our visits to Mpls. and St. Paul Area.

Dee: My 7 1/2 year old niece just spent 10 days visiting. Here's what we did that she loved. Spent a day at Camp Snoopy and Underwater World in The Mall of America - this was her favorite. Ate at Cafe Odessy (in the African room) also at The Mall. Attended a performance of Pippi Longstockings at The Childrens Theater. Spent a day at the Minnesota Zoo & Omni Theater in Apple Valley and a day at The Science Museum (also w/ Omni Theater) in St. Paul. You can also visit the Children's Museum in St. Paul which she loved last year - geared to a bit younger crowd. She also liked boating on our home lake, and you could rent canoes, etc. on city lakes for a day of fun. We took in movies, went swimming, and had dinner at Chuckie Cheese's Pizza. She also liked the sunday hustle bustle of our Farmers Market near downtown Minneapolis. Valley Fair is a great regional amusement park if you have more than one child, she didn't care for it without a friend along. She liked eating ribs at Famous Dave's and getting Chinese take-out. Hope this helps. TC