The Twin Cities Offers A Lot To Do In Addition To Softball

From Monday, August 28^th through Saturday, September 2^nd, the Twin Cities will play host to a gathering of thousands of athletes from all over the country when the NAGAAA Gay Softball World Series comes to town. Many of these players will have been to the Minneapolis/St. Paul area before, but plenty of others will be visiting our amazing metro area for the first time, and we look forward to welcoming you and showing you what we have to offer.

Mention “Minneapolis” and many people will automatically say “Prince” or “the Mall of America”….but we are far more than just those two things. For all of you who will be visiting our fair metropolis for the first time (or perhaps we’ll be welcoming you back!), here are a few things that you might want to visit and take in between ball games.

Tired of hitting the ball with a bat? How about hitting the Midway and taking a hammer to the high striker at the Minnesota State Fair? You might ring the bell and win a stuffed animal for your sweetie! One of the largest State Fairs in the country, this extravaganza of thrilling rides, delicious foods, great musical entertainment and barns filled with prize livestock runs from August 24 – September 4^th. www.mnstatefair.org

Of course, if you’re more into chowing down on a turkey leg like Henry VIII while watching knights jousting on horseback to the applause of fair damsels in Renaissance finery, take some time to visit the Minnesota Renaissance Festival which occurs every weekend in Shakopee with different themes from August 19– October 1^st. Huzzah!  www.renaissancefest.com

If playing in the Gay Softball World Series isn’t enough sports for you, there are a number of games you might wish to take in while you’re here. Minnesota’s own professional soccer (or football, if you hail from the rest of the world!) team, the Minnesota United FC will play two games at Allianz Field on August 27^th and 30^th. www.mnufc.com  Is American football more of your jam? Head on over to US Bank Stadium on August 26^th to watch the Minnesota Vikings take on the Arizona Cardinals in a pre-season game. www.vikings.com  Not to be outdone, the ladies of the Minnesota Lynx will be taking to the hardwood of Target Center on August 24, 29^th and September 3^rd. www.lynx.wnba.com

Of course, there’s plenty of America’s pastime to enjoy at Target Field as well, when the Minnesota Twins enjoy a seven-game homestand from August 24^th through the 30^th. www.mlb.com/twins

If you’re exhausted from being around all of the people and the hubbub and want some quiet time after the dust has settled on the infields, Minnesota is rich in natural beauty. We may be known as the Land of 10,000 Lakes, but we’re also home to one of the best park systems in the country! Close to and within the Cities themselves, there’s ample opportunity to commune with nature on parks, trails, lakes and rivers. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources can lead you in the right direction for all kinds of hiking fun. www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/index.html  Additionally, the Three Rivers Park District is also a great resource for any number of parks, trails, kayaking, paddleboarding and other delights in Minnesota’s great outdoors. www.threeriversparks.org

Perhaps instead of hiking, you’d prefer a relaxing afternoon jaunt on magnificent Lake Minnetonka on a charter boat. You can marvel at the breathtaking lakefront homes of Vikings players and corporate CEOs while enjoying refreshing drinks on a sunset dinner cruise. Shopping and dining also abound on the shores of this lake and are just the right medicine after a long day of playing ball. You’ll find plenty to choose from in both Excelsior and Wayzata, two gems on the shores of the legendary lake. www.wayzatachamber.com   www.excelsiorlakeminnetonkachamber.com

Of course, if you’re in the need of a bit of retail therapy, be sure to check out Grand Avenue & Summit Avenue in St. Paul. Grand Avenue’s famous tree-lined, 26-block shopping district is one of the crown jewels of the Twin Cities. And, for the architecture lover, just one block north is a five-mile boulevard of breathtaking Victorian homes—the longest stretch of its kind in the entire country. www.visitsaintpaul.com/things-to-do/neighborhoods/grand-summit-avenue/

Minneapolis is also home to numerous art museums, galleries, theatres and music venues. Take in a concert at the famed First Avenue & 7^th St Entry, which helped in giving a platform for that distinctive Minneapolis Sound, but don’t forget to take photos in front of the The Stars on the wall that memorialize the notables who’ve performed on stage at this iconic venue. www.first-avenue.com 

An exhibit that may be of considerable interest to many coming in for the World Series is a special exhibit at Mill Commons entitled “Going Out, Coming In” which runs through October 8^th. This photo exhibit details queer resistance, love, and identity formation amid the evolution of the Downtown Minneapolis neighborhood throughout the 20^th century. www.mnhs.org/millcity/activities/exhibits Another great site for an Instagram-ready selfie is the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden where you can snap a photo in front of the ubiquitous and iconic Spoonbridge and Cherry sculpture that was the first work commissioned for the Garden which opened in 1988. www.artgarden.org

If you want to spend a few days getting your Pride on, you can take a short drive up to Duluth, on the shores of Lake Superior, for their annual Duluth Superior Pride Festival which takes place over Labor Day weekend. Rainbows, balloons, parades, drag queens and lots of glittery-glam fun can be had in the Twin Ports of Duluth, MN and Superior, WI at Bayfront Festival Park. www.duluthsuperiorpride.com

Of course, if all of this hasn’t caught your fancy, let’s circle back to those two aforementioned Minnesota notables—the Mall of America and Prince. Featuring over 500 stores, restaurants, an amusement park and an aquarium, the Mall of America offers something for everyone. It truly IS one stop shopping, and a great way to get your retail fix after a day spent in the dugout. www.mallofamerica.com  And, since you’re already down in Bloomington, it’s only a hop, skip and a jump on over to Chanhassen to visit Paisley Park, where The Purple One had both his home and his studio. While there, you can even tour the complex to get an up-close look at Prince’s world where the magic happened. www.paisleypark.com

The Twin Cities metro is filled with so many great things to check out that we couldn’t possibly list them all here in the space provided. We have multitudes of LGBTQ+ owned and LGBTQ+ friendly bars, restaurants and coffee houses that serve the community, and we encourage you to check them out and patronize their establishments to show your appreciation for their support while you’re in town. Lavender’s annual Pride Pages directory is a great resource for finding them, and it’s available online! https://issuu.com/lavendermagazine/docs/lavender720

So, whatever piques your interest, you can surely find it here in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro. We know that you’re here to play softball, but don’t forget to check out what else we have to offer—it might tempt you to come back and plan a vacation with us!