Minnesota's Best Guided Tours (Even For Locals)
There is much to see in Minnesota. Every corner comes alive with history, culture, art and nature, and on these tours, you'll get to experience all of it. It's important for visitors and locals alike to understand what this state has to offer, and Minnesota's tours are one of a kind. If you haven'' crossed these guided tours off your list yet, you're really missing out.
Wabasha Street Caves
215 Wabasha St S
St Paul, MN 55107
(651) 292-1220
www.wabashastreetcaves.com
St. Paul's gangster past is one of the most interesting pieces of the city. If you haven't found yourself lost in the whirlwind of car bombs, shootouts, kidnappings and bootlegging, the tour of the Wabasha Street Caves, formerly a nightclub that saw many unsavory characters pass through its doors, will tell you everything you need to know. Can't get enough? Take the full Gangster Tour, a bus trip around the city that will show you the sites of famous gangster hideouts and gruesome murders. You don't know St. Paul if you don't know St. Paul's illustrious past.
James J. Hill House
240 Summit Ave
St Paul, MN 55102
(651) 297-2555
www.sites.mnhs.org
Many of us have been to the illustrious rail baron's Summit Avenue mansion. The house is a testament to the grandeur of St. Paul's past and importance to the growth of Minnesota and the country. Simply, if you haven't taken the tour, you haven't seen one of the coolest houses in the Midwest, complete with secret passageways, incredible carved wood, ornate touches, chandeliers and a constantly changing art gallery that is stunning in itself. Even if you've taken it before, you're bound to see something new.
Twin Cities Tours
(612) 240-6048
www.twincitiestours.com
Enjoy private sightseeing tours around Minneapolis, St. Paul and beyond for groups up to 14. Explore ancient treasures with the Sacred Sites tour, or historic homes you might never get to see on the Secluded Neighborhoods tour. One of the best and most comprehensive tours, the Hidden Treasures tour, will take you all around the finest parts of our fair cities. Want to learn something about the Twin Cities that you wouldn't learn otherwise? Just choose whichever tour you want and enjoy a most intimate look Minneapolis and St. Paul.
Related: Best Museum Tours In Minnesota
Segway Magical History Tours
125 Main St. SE
Minneapolis, MN 55414
(952) 888-9200
www.magicalhistorytour.com
If you want the full tourist experience in one of Minneapolis' most beautiful and historic neighborhoods, this is the tour for you. Glide through the stones streets along Main Street, cross the river over the Stone Arch Bridge, take in the industrial magnificence of the Lock and Dam, stop by quaint Nicollet Island and swing over to the Mill City Museum. See it all. Why not? You're feet aren't going to get tired as the Segway carries you around.
Minnesota State Capitol
75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
(651) 296-2881
www.sites.mnhs.org
Politics on the state level can be more important for your day-to-day life than national politics. Want to see where it all goes down? The incredible building, designed by noted architect Cass Gilbert, is at once magical and impressive, a blend of imposing dominance and whimsical detail. Guided tours are offered daily, and you can enjoy both the beauty of the building and the importance of our government. It's an important tour for Minnesotans to take.
Related: Best Free Tours In Minnesota
Adrian Schramm is a resident Saint Paul writer with a passion for all things local. Through his work with Saint Paul Almanac and Minneapolis Examiner at Examiner.com, as well as in the kitchens of bars and restaurants around town, he has discovered what truly makes the Twin Cities tick.