ITINERARIES Anglers Katie Cahn and Kendra Lilley took a trip to the northernmost reaches of Minnesota to fi sh the Walleye Capital of the World. Along the way, they savored art and folklore, sipped cocktails in convents and saw the headwaters of the Mississippi River. Follow in their footsteps. Minneapolis CHOOSE YOUR OWN CULINARY ADVENTURE Kick off your trip in downtown Minneapolis with a foodie feast fi t for an adventurer. Chef Yia Vang landed on the cover of Bon Appétit by honoring the Hmong dishes of his youth. Sample his entire Union Hmong Kitchen menu with a communal feast that includes a whole fi sh marinated with lemongrass and grilled in banana leaves, hunks of crispy chicken and mounds of purple sticky Celeste of St. Paul Hotel + Bar rice, rice noodles, fried Brussels sprouts and pickled veggies. For more Hmong fl avors, look for Vang’s restaurant Vinai in Northeast Minneapolis or head to St. Paul’s Hmongtown Marketplace , a sprawling open-air food court with more than 100 shops and stalls. Chef Diane Moua also channels her Hmong upbringing into Diane’s Place , an all-day survey of Southeast Asia in Northeast Minneapolis’ Food Building . Entrepreneur Kieran Folliard (2 GINGERS Irish Whiskey, Kieran’s Irish Pub, The Local) kickstarted the complex in 2014 as an incubator for local artisanal food makers like Baker’s Field Flour & Bread, Lowry Hill Provisions and Alemar Cheese Co. levels. Keep things simple with a splashy top-down sock or chip away at a chunky sweater. It’s all here alongside spindles of yarn in nearly every color and weight imaginable. St. Paul CHECK INTO A FORMER CONVENT St. Agatha’s Conservatory of Music and Arts was converted into one of Minneapolis-St. Paul’s hippest boutique hotels in 2019: Celeste of St. Paul , a Beaux Arts beauty that boasts 71 rooms and design touches like hand-painted tiles and gorgeous stained-glass windows. Want to scope it out without spending the night? Swing by the hotel’s cocktail bar for a Bad Habit (tequila, bitter aperitivo, Prosecco and grapefruit) or a heady glass of Deacon Carl’s Holy Water (whiskey, bitters and BroVo Spirits’ vibrant sweet vermouth). St. Paul WIND THINGS DOWN WITH HOPE & HEALING If you’re visiting in the middle of summer, try to catch St. Paul’s annual Water Lantern Festival . Happening toward the end of July, it revolves around the release of rice paper lanterns covered in personal messages and a prevailing sense of positivity. If you’re not in Phalen Regional Park during its biggest event of the year, it’s still worth exploring. The park features one of St. Paul’s largest lakes, miles of trails and a large-scale replica of an 18th-century pavilion shipped from China. CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE #ONLYIN MN | 81 Minneapolis FIND YOUR FLOW STATE WITH FIBER ART StevenBe Studio in Minneapolis is more than just a yarn shop; it’s a source of inspiration for needle whisperers in search of satisfying projects. Whether you prefer crocheting or knitting, Berg’s shop — a lynchpin of the DIY craft scene for more than two decades — has a wide range of clothing and toy kits for all skill Union Hmong Kitchen
Explore Minnesota Travel Guide 2025 Explore Minnesota Travel Guide: Page 81
