Peth8

I have printed the tips and their are a few that we liked so thank you Cranachin and Salive.

travelerfromtx

If you are in Dallas in March, a must-see is the Dallas Arboretum's "Spring Blooms" displays. With the right weather, it is gorgeous. Also in Dallas is the JFK museum which highlights that time in our nation's history.

Between Dallas and Oklahoma City, there is an Oklahoma State Park in Ardmore called Lake Murray State Park. It is definitely worth a stop. It's a beautiful lake with a number of activities, although not sure about some of them in March (e.g. canoeing in March?). They have Tucker Tower which was built by the CCC and is worth visiting while there. You could eat lunch in their quaint cafe while there or take a lunch and eat by the lake on a picnic table and feed the many ducks, etc.

Hope you have a great trip!

SAnParis2

I am also curious as to the places selected. I live in the US & have been to all but one of the cities mentioned, but all were for work. I would not choose to visit any of those places, except for maybe Mnpls. Granted, when I travel for work I take advantage of those trips but still, if she has not been to NY or San Francisco, etc. why choose these ? We are also still seeking info from her as to WHAT exactly she is seeking on this trip. So, unfortunately, we still have more questions than answers. I'd just stay in Texas.

GeorgeW

All the listed cities are fine places to work and live but none are filled with scenic beauty or historic significance. The Grand Canyon, the Pacific Coast of Washington and Oregon, Jefferson's Monticello, North Carolina's Outer Banks, Gettysburg Battlefield in Pennsylvania and the rugged coast of Maine are the sort of places I would recommend to a European traveler. I would not recommend Dallas, Minneapolis, Oklahoma City or Houston.

happytrailstoyou

SAnParis2 and GeorgeW,

Thanks for living dangerously--risking chastisement by boots08 who is monitoring this thread to berate anybody who dares to talk sense to Peth 8 by deviating from addressing directly the questions in her post.

HTTY

PamEwing

Skip Houston and go to San Antonio instead. Houston is just a big ugly city with nothing much of interest. San Antonio has charm. The Riverwalk and Alamo are really interesting to explore. Dallas is a good choice for a visit to Texas. If you were a fan of the show, you could visit Southfork Ranch in Plano. You can also check out the fun rodeo in Mesquite. If you really want to see Oklahoma, go to Tahlequah instead for a taste of Native American culture.

carm198

Minneapolis/St. Paul:

The Guthrie Theater
The Walker Art Center
Uptown for restaurants and nightlife
"Eat Street" (Nicollet Ave) for a wide range of restaurants
Mall of America
Wild game at the Xcel Center
Ice Skating at the depot
Acme comedy club
NE Minneapolis for restaurants and bars
Punch Neopolitan Pizza (a few locations)

SAnParis2

Based on prior posts based on the initial request it would appear the OP would spend @ least 1/3 of their trip driving (possibly more) w/the inclusion of inclimate weather. The poster (as stated prior) was not aware of the likely weather issues that may confront them. I won't even get into the cost of picking up a car in Tx. & dropping it in Mn. So, is she looking for vibrant cities ? Art/history ? Parks & outdoor stuff ? We really don't know. We would appreciate it, if the OP would provide a little more (specific) info re: said trip.

spirobulldog

Maybe it's just because I live not far from Tahlequah Oklahoma, but I don't really see that much real native American culture. I think of the Navajo area being much more like it would have been 150 years ago. Yes, there is some(museums, etc), but it just isn't the real deal or that impressive to me. And yes, I am a registered Cherokee Indian(CDIB card=1/128).

There are a few places that people have mentioned on here that I haven't visited, but will now. But, I want make a special trip to see any of them, but will certainly stop when I am in the area.

PamEwing

To each their own Spirobulldog, but I was very moved by the Trail of Tears and really learned a lot during my visit.

5alive

Just a guess...but my thought from the beginning was that the poster is from out of the USA and the exchange rate is good, so she wants to go to the Mall of America and is trying to see some of the country along with it. Or perhaps part of the trip is work related.

ncounty

"my question wasn't "give a lot of criticism to each other".

lol..... this is the best line I've read in a long time.

mona2

From Des Moines to Minneapolis-

The Great Ape Trust in Des Moines has limited visiting hours.

The Reiman Gardens in Ames- granted, March is not the best times to visit but the butterfly wing is awesome year round.

The Spam museum in Austin MN. Corny, but why not?

Stop to shop and eat at Cabellas in Owatonna. Sporting goods of all sorts.

Just south of Des Moines is Winterset, the birthplace of John Wayne, and a handful of scenic covered bridges made famous by the movie/book The Bridges of Madison County

Cranachin

If you are interested in governmental and political things, you might want to consider visiting a state capitol building during your trip. You will pass through or near several state capital cities. Interstate 35 goes through Oklahoma City (Oklahoma) and Des Moines (Iowa), and St. Paul (Minnesota) is the twin city to Minneapolis. Also, Topeka (Kansas) is not much of a detour from I-35 on the way to Kansas CIty. Austin (Texas) is more out of the way in going from Houston to Dallas, but if you have time, both Austin and San Antonio are worth visiting.

Personally, I have been to the Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas state capitol buildings. The Texas capitol is worth visiting for its sheer size and is, to me, one of the most attractive of the state capitol buildings.

The Kansas capitol has been unique in that it offered tours that climbed stairs between the internal and externals domes, including an outdoor observation platform at the top of the dome. Unfortunately, the tours will not be offered from January 2010 until June 2012 due to renovation work on the dome.

The Oklahoma capitol grounds are unique in that they have oil wells on them.