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  • Friday, July 13, 2018

    National Convention Update: Time for Some Minneapolis Tips!

    By Paulette Casey

    HOTEL

    We have been very fortunate this year to be assigned a hotel with a great location. Our hotel is the Millennium Minneapolis, located at 1313 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis. We are the closest hotel to the Convention Center. In fact, it is right behind us. You make a right out of the hotel and a right on the corner. You will see it up ahead on the next block. It is also accessible via the Skyway from inside our hotel. In fact, the Skyway is air conditioned, contains shops, and connects to all of downtown!

    All of the hotel rooms include a Keurig coffeemaker, a mini fridge, a safe, and complimentary WiFi. There is a business center and ATM on the main floor and an indoor pool, sauna and fitness center on the lower level. The hotel’s restaurant and bar, North 45, offers a Happy Hour Monday to Friday from 4 to 7 p.m., with appetizers including flatbread pizza, quesadillas and wings. Of course, they are open from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., with a breakfast buffet and with a breakfast through dinner menu available.

    The Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport is 12.5 miles away. The hotel does not provide a free shuttle from the airport; however, hotel staff suggested Super Shuttle ($16-$18). Uber and Lyft is also available in the area. There is a bus stop outside the hotel where you can take the #18, a free ride up and down Nicollet Mall. The Nicollet Mall is open to pedestrians and buses only, no cars.

    DOWNTOWN

    We are located at 13th Street on the Nicollet Mall. Across the street is the Hyatt Hotel, with a nice restaurant and bar called the Prairie Kitchen. You can find anything you need by making a right out of the hotel onto Nicollet Mall (the street numbers go down). There really isn’t anything worthwhile to the left.

    Einstein Brothers Bagels is 2 blocks down on 11th Street. Brit’s Pub, with rooftop lawn bowling, is next door. One block down, on 10th St., is the Dakota Jazz Club and Restaurant, with live jazz music and a Happy Hour Mon to Friday from 4 to 6 p.m. Across the street from that is an Irish pub and restaurant, The Local. I’m sure many of you remember Brit’s and The Local from our last convention in Minneapolis.

    On 9th Street you will find Target, with a grocery store and beer and liquor store downstairs, Starbucks and a CVS and Urgent Care upstairs inside Target. One stop shopping for sure!

    For our shoppers, there is a Marshalls, Nordstrom Rack and Walgreens on 7th Street and “Saks Off 5th” on 6th Street. The Minneapolis Visitors Center is on 5th Street, near the Light Rail, which you can take to the Mall of America, a half-hour trip. The Convention Center will also be running buses to the Mall of America, although it may be more costly but more convenient.

    For a fantastic view of the city, check out the Prohibition Bar on the 27th floor, located in the Foshay building, in the W Hotel. They have a Happy Hour Mon to Friday from 5 to 7 p.m. and offer unusual appetizers and drinks. It’s like stepping back in time, we loved it!

    There are many interesting things to see in the downtown area, including the Basilica of St. Mary, the Minneapolis Institute of Art, the Minnesota Twins at Target Field, and the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium.

    FURTHER AFIELD

    If you would like to venture out from downtown, Stillwater is a beautiful town and Minnehaha Falls and St. Anthony Bridge are quite scenic. The Minnesota State Fair will be taking place in St. Paul during our stay. The Cathedral of St. Paul is really impressive also. The Convention Center is running several tours including the Mill City Museum, a Paddleboat Lunch or Dinner Cruise, a Brewery Tour, Historic Fort Snelling, and Mystic Lake Casino, among others. Tour information, parade details and more convention information is available at www.legion.org under “Programs”, then “National Convention”.

    MEDICAL CARE

    Urgent Care centers include Hennepin Healthcare at South 8th St. and University of Minnesota Health Nurse Practitioners Clinic at South 3rd St. The closest hospital is Abbott Northwestern Hospital, 3.2 miles away from our hotel. The Minneapolis VA is 4.2 miles away. Both are open 24 hours. Fingers crossed we will not be frequenting any of these!

    Hope this has been helpful. Wishing you all safe travels and a very successful convention in Minneapolis!