Visit Goldy in Minneapolis

Minneapolis is the urban hub of Minnesota's Land of the Lakes. Here, you'll find Twins Major League Baseball, the famous Lakes Chain and the spoon and cherry sculpture (known as Spoonbridge and Cherry). It's also home of one of the largest and most well-attended state fairs in the country. Visit these three attractions and you'll find art to ponder, historical sites to scoot through and even a smiling gopher:

TCF Bank Stadium
Drive your Minneapolis rental car to 420 Southeast 23rd Avenue and you'll spot the maroon and gold of the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers football team waving from TCF Bank Stadium. This facility was built to hold a total of 50,720 people. The University of Minnesota made major efforts to promote sustainability in the creation of the field. The construction team used 97 percent recycled steel when creating the horseshoe design and worked to clean up the site of the old stadium in order to adhere to the University Board of Regents standards. The field is open-air and provides a beautiful view of the entire facility, as well as optimum sunlight. TCF Bank Stadium was built between 2007 and 2009, in part of a 75-acre expansion of the Twin Cities U of M campus. When you visit, be sure to look for Goldy the Gopher. This mascot, in his U of M sweater, has big buck teeth and a happy smile. He mingles with fans in their seats and storms the field during halftime. You can get your picture taken with him before and after the game. 

Minneapolis Institute of Arts
The Minneapolis Institute of Arts is situated in the middle of downtown Minneapolis. Through its windows, you can see stunning views of nearby Washburn Fair Oaks green space and make a beautiful sketch or two while you're there. Artifacts here range from all ages and art periods as far back as 40,000 years. There are paintings, sculptures, photographs, drawings, sketches, performance pieces, mixed media arts and other wonderful things to look at in this extensive collection. You'll want to spend several hours wandering the halls and exhibits to take it all in. Entrance to the museum is totally free, and you can bring your camera, laptop, sketchbook or whatever medium you use to make your own art for capturing memories of what you see here.

Magical History Tour
Want to take in the sites in Minneapolis without getting sore feet? Drive your rental car to the Magical History Tours headquarters where you will learn how to Segway. Spend the next three hours weaving in and out of awesome landmarks like St. Anthony Main, the Stone Arch Bridge and even St. Anthony Falls. Visitors will wear helmets provided by the company, and each tour makes a stop at the Mill City Museum for refreshments. Children under age 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. The tour is not physically demanding, but it is outside for most of the time, so sunscreen and a water bottle are recommended.