An interesting, out of the ordinary Victorian bed and breakfast, just north of St Paul near the Saint Croix Riverway at 801 West Pine Street in Stillwater, MN. Four exquisite luxury rooms, each decorated in themes recalling exotic travels of the innkeeper - Cadiz to Chaing Mai, Rangoon, and Singapore. Amenities include gas fireplaces, 4-course breakfasts, fridges, complementary waters, coffee, soft drinks and wine; and CD/iPod sound system in each room. See website or phone:  651 430-0359,  (888 430-0359).

The Black Bear Casino Resort, operated by the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, has state of the art gaming, a modern new 12-story hotel tower, a cabaret showbar and a steakhouse restaurant, two hours drive north of the Twin Cities.

Huge retail and dining center of 520 stores, entertainment includes over 350 events each year -- music, comedy and more; 17 movie screens including 21+ bar VIP Theatre and D-Box realistic motion seats;  25 rides and attractions at Nickelodeon Universe theme park; indoor park of 400 trees; aquarium; Lego Imagination Center; NASCAR Speedway; a flight simulator; miniature golf -- and more -- all in a constant, climate-controlled, 70 degrees. The complex is growing too - with phase II to bring even more attractions -- see their website.

The Hiawatha Line light rail system connects the MOA both to the airport, and to downtown Minneapolis with frequent service. Fares are $1.75 to $2.25 (at rush hour).  Tickets can be bought at machines, outside the stations, but not on the trains.

This member-owned cooperative has emerged with the influx of almost 200,000 Latin Americans to the Twin Cities area, creating an authentic Latin marketplace & cultural center at 1515 E. Lake Street. The 48 businesses include restaurants (Manny's among them), a coffeeshop, a tortillería, a taquería, a clothing stores, a Spanish language school, general stores, grocery stores, book stores, a video store, a Spanish-language radio station, a community resource center, and more. Restaurants/ coffeeshops open 7am-8pm; stores open 10:30am - 6:30pm, daily.

With over 80,000 objects from diverse cultural traditions spanning 5,000 years of world history. Also lectures and special exhibits; free admission daily. The MIA also offers free Wi-Fi in every gallery.

Presenting the best of new and historical independent and international cinema with year-round programming at St. Anthony Main Theatre, as well as the annual Minneapolis/St. Paul International Film Festival each April.

The Hennepin Theatre Trust is the umbrella organization for four local stages: the State, the Orpheum,  the Pantages, and Hennepin Stages. They present a broad array of live entertainment, working with outside groups such as Broadway Across America, the Jungle Theater, the Loft Literary Center, Theatre Lattè Da & Cantus, the History Theatre, Actors Theater, Chanhassen Dinner Theaters, the Guthrie Theater and National Geographic -- to provide the most diverse mix of programming possible. See their website for details.

The Guthrie Theater (818 S 2nd St), a center for theater performance, production, education and training, uses classical literature, and new works from diverse cultures, to illuminate the common humanity connecting all peoples. Dynamic, world-class productions of Shakespeare here feature some of the nation's best actors.

In St Paul, the Park Square Theatre (20 W 7th Place) endeavors to touch the heart, engage the mind, and delight the spirit as the area's producer of new work from adventurous stages of New York, London, and the regional theater circuit.

Other area stages include the Jungle Theater (2951 Lyndale Ave South, Minneapolis); the History Theatre (30 East Tenth St, St Paul); the  Illusion Theater (528 Hennepin Ave); and the Minneapolis Musical Theatre (8520 W 29th St).

For the dance and performing arts community the Cowles Center (516 Hennepin Ave) will provide a home in a world-class complex for rehearsal, education and performance. In the heart of downtown Minneapolis, at the former Shubert Theater and Hennepin Center for the Arts building, this will be the place to experience dance excellence. Anticipated completion: mid- 2011.

The Minnesota Orchestra is one of the finest American symphony orchestras. Performances take place in downtown Minneapolis at Orchestra Hall, (1111 Nicollet Mall).

The Minnesota Opera, a new, dynamic and innovative opera company founded in 1963, is now the 15th largest in the US. Performances take place at Ordway Center for the Performing Arts (345 Washington St), in downtown St. Paul.