Final Tales of Minnesota

I bring you a few remaining tales of the trip my husband and I took to Minnesota.

Our last full day began with a trip to the Science Museum of Minnesota. With exhibits spread across many floors, the museum offered diverse collections of interesting artifacts, interactive presentations, and thought-provoking information. Some of it was oriented for children, but much of it was not, and it proved well worth the time.

My personal favorite (unsurprisingly) was the section devoted to human space travel, but there was plenty more to see. An exhibit on racism was incredibly powerful -- particularly a video projecting the names of black victims of police violence (playing out over the duration of time that George Floyd was choked and killed). For emotional release, a large display of "Questionable Medical Devices" throughout history (some sadly recent) was good for laughs.

The rest of our day was devoted specifically to brewery hopping. Dangerous Man had come recommended both generally on the internet and specifically by friends, and it was indeed a highlight. But Inbound surprised with a Peanut Butter Honey Blonde (no, not a porter or stout, as all the breweries do). We didn't stick just to breweries though, also stopping at O'Shaughnessy Distilling for a tasty flight of whiskeys.

We only had half of the next day before our flight home, but there was still time for a couple more stops. Minnehaha Falls is right there in the city, in a park that made for a nice walk and some beautiful photo opportunities. And ultimately, because it's quite near the airport, we spent our last spare hour-or-so back at Mall of America to grab a couple souvenirs before leaving town.

A few final random tidbits that didn't quite fit in to my stories so far:

• Cheese-stuffed hamburgers, aka "Juicy Lucys" (or "Jucy Lucys") are a big thing about town. A couple places claim to be the originator of this indulgence; I got one from the 5-8 Club.

• Wild rice is really a thing, particularly around Duluth. Basically every place selling souvenirs was selling little bags of wild rice, while more than a few road signs advertised multi-pound bags.

• There's a realtor in Minneapolis who puts his face on every billboard everywhere. But he looks more like a televangelist than a realtor. I would not trust this guy.

• Though Dunkin Donuts are in Denver too, there really aren't any near me, so I don't go very often. Thus, it was at a "quick breakfast stop" here on vacation that I learned of the existence of their "Snackin' Bacon." Well played.

• 
  I could not see any breaks in this awesome orange peel served in my Old Fashioned by Vikre Distillery in Duluth. But there MUST have been, right? I'd love to know how they achieved this wizardry.

In all, Minnesota was a lovely vacation. Thanks for indulging me as I've recounted and relived the highlights.