Mill City Museum sign. Photo by Eric Mueller.
WHERE TO STAY
The Saint Paul Hotel
Join the honor roll of notable guests such as John F. Kennedy and Charles Lindberg who have spent the night at this century-old grand dame known for its service. Take in the hotel’s traditional tea during the afternoon, the head across Rice Park to the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts for an evening show or concert.
MORNING
Mill City Museum
Nestled on the banks of the Mississippi and housed in the ruins of Washburn A Mill—once the world's largest flour mill (it was first leveled by a flour dust explosion in the 1870s and again in a 1991 fire)—this museum teachers visitors about the history of Minneapolis and its flour milling past through interactive exhibits.
AFTERNOON
F. Scott Fitzgerald Sites
The author’s birthplace, a childhood home and his parents’ house—where he wrote This Side of Paradise during the summer of 1919—are located just steps apart in a beautifully preserved Victorian-era neighborhood in St. Paul.
DINNER
The Commodore Bar and Restaurant
This restaurant opened in the 1920s as a speakeasy frequented by the likes of F. Scott Fitzgerald, his wife, Zelda, and gangsters such as John Dillinger. Today, diners at the art deco gem can sit in three unique lounges, order classic dishes (think rabbit and steak) and sip on cocktails inspired by its famous habitués.
EVENING
Wabasha Street Caves
Mobsters, speakeasies and a nightclub have called these sandstone caves near the Mississippi River home. Now the venue hosts Swing Night on Thursdays, which kicks off with a lesson followed by dancing to live music. Not a night owl? Join one of the day tours on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.