Minneapolis. Wait, Minne-what-polis?

Where is Minneapolis? What goes on in Minneapolis? Minneapolis, Minnesota – why would somebody make such a confusing combination of names? What is the Twin Cities? In this post, we’ll explore Minneapolis and delve into why it’s a trendy city to relocate to in 2018.

“Minneapolis” is a combination of the Dakota Sioux word “mni,” meaning water, and the Greek word “polis,” meaning city. Similarly, “Minnesota” comes from “mní sóta,” the Dakota Sioux word meaning clear blue water. Minnesota is known as the “land of ten thousand lakes,” which is why there are so many references to water. 

Minneapolis is the main social and industrial hub in the north-central U.S., connecting Chicago and Seattle. Together with neighboring Saint Paul (the twin that forms the “Twin Cities”), it is the second-largest economic center in the Midwest, after Chicago.

Location, location, location.

Flying to the Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) only takes 3 hours from New York City, 2.5 hours from Dallas, and 3 hours from Seattle. Convenient right?  

Once inside the city, there are two light rail lines and one commuter line, as well as plenty of bus routes to get you to work.  Minneapolis is the 12^th most walkable city in the U.S., and the most bike-friendly city according to Walk Score.

Four seasons.

That’s the number of seasons there are supposed to be, but sometimes depending on your location it feels more like there are two long seasons: Siberia and Death Valley. Minneapolis is defined by the Köppen Climate Classification to be a “hot-summer humid continental climate zone” – what does that mean?  It means four, evenly spaced seasons with appropriate temperatures and precipitation levels.

Ok, so you’ve arrived in Minneapolis, taken the rail to your hotel, and want to find out what this whole Minneapolis craze is about?  Well, you have plenty of options.

If you’re an art connoisseur, you will not be disappointed by the “the nation’s best art district” according to USA Today in 2015.

If you’re a sports fan, you’ll be pleasantly pleased with plenty of sports hype (unless you’re a Saints fan…) as Minneapolis has teams in all 5 major sports, all with one of the strongest fan bases in the country.

More of an outdoorsperson?  Minneapolis is home to the nation’s oldest public wildflower garden, the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird Sanctuary.  Like open space? Theodore Wirth Park is 90% the size of Central Park in New York City.  Are you a runner?  Runner’s World ranks the Twin Cities as the 7th best city for runners in America!

Not a sports fan?  Go to the Mall of America, the nation’s largest mall, with over 400 events each year and 300+ stores there is something for everyone to buy or experience. There are even an aquarium and an amusement park, all inside!

Interested in the downtown scene?  Minneapolis’s famous Hennepin Avenue is lined with award-winning bars and restaurants for the casual night owl or frequent downtown enthusiast.

Wow, you made it to the bottom of this blog post; you’re a keeper.  At this point, you’re probably looking for a reason to move to Minneapolis!

Numbers don’t lie.

At 2.7%, Minneapolis ranks 5^th in the nation for lowest unemployment, has numerous large company HQ’s (UnitedHealth Group, Target, Best Buy, etc.), and has 7 hospitals,  four of which are ranked among America’s best by U.S. News & World Report.

We hoped you learned something about Minneapolis through this blog post, happy traveling!