Everyone has their favorite icons, foods and spots to take out-of-town guests that are considered quintessentially “Minnesotan.” In honor of the NCAA Final Four being hosted in Minneapolis this year, we here at AAA Minneapolis have compiled our own top 16 Minnesota icons, bracket style. Check it out and let us know if you agree or disagree.
Download & Fill Out Your Bracket! (PDF, 425KB)
No list of icons would be complete without including our beloved Purple One. Not only was he born and raised here, he also had a love and respect for Minnesota and still called it home. He immortalized many famous Minnesota locations in song, including First Ave and Lake Minnetonka. And with tours of his famous Paisley Park continuing to be as popular as ever, Prince and his music will always have a special place in the heart of Minnesotans.
It doesn’t get much more Minnesotan than the Minnesota State Fair. Butter sculptures, food on-a-stick, grandstand concerts and animal barns—everyone has his or her favorite foods and attractions. Some come prepared with a list and spread out the fun over several days, while others can’t stomach more than a few hours. Either way, this 12-day festival is a highlight of Minnesota culture and continues to draw in record-breaking crowds every year.
As the land of 10,000 lakes, the Minnesota lakes are an obvious choice for our list. Spending time on the water during a summer weekend is an inherent part of Minnesota life (including the dreaded cabin traffic) that many outsiders may not fully understand until they’ve experienced it for themselves. Even if you don’t own a family cabin, there are plenty of lakes and beaches to enjoy in the Twin Cities area.
PHOTO SANECHKA/FOTOLIA
We love it when our own make it big, and one of the biggest of our time is singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, born in Duluth, MN. Our love for him runs deep, which can be seen in the large mural dedicated to him in downtown Minneapolis at the intersection of Hennepin Avenue and Fifth Street. After all, who doesn’t love “Mr. Tambourine Man” or “Like a Rolling Stone”?
Minnesota is the home and birthplace to the Mississippi River. The headwaters can be found in picturesque Itasca State Park in the northern part of the state, and as it takes shape and speeds further south, it also physically divides our beloved Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul.
While it may not be a staple in your everyday diet, this American icon was created in 1937 by Hormel Foods. Originally intended for GI’s in World War II, this canned cooked meat is made with only six ingredients and has since gained world-wide popularity. Can’t get enough? Make sure to visit the SPAM museum in Austin, Minnesota, to get your full fix of SPAM knowledge and history.
Minnesota is all about its shopping malls. Home to the first indoor mall (Southdale Center in Edina), we’re also home to the largest—Mall of America (MOA). Opened in 1992, this behemoth boasts an indoor theme park, an aquarium with 10,000 sea creatures, 30,000 live plants, 520 shops, 50 restaurants and a whole lot more. It brings in 40 million visitors from around the world every year, generating $2 billion for the state, and is kept at a consistent 70 degrees year round, perfect for a state that withstands winter for half of the year.
Don’t mess with Minnesotans and their Target. People in other states may enjoy Target runs, but for many Minnesotans, they are a way of life. The state is home to the corporate headquarters, so if you don’t work for Target, chances are you know someone who does.
If you work in downtown, you know this complex enclosed above-ground walkway system is a lifesaver in the winter, and home to your daily lunch routine. Development for the project began in the 1960s and has since evolved into 11 miles and 80 city blocks of tunnels connecting banks, restaurants, retail stores, office buildings and hotels all over downtown Minneapolis. The hours can vary for the different segments as they tend to be owned by the buildings they connect, but it is tough to imagine our downtown scene without them.
Not many athletes in professional sports today can claim hometown hero status quite the way Joe Mauer can. Born and raised in the Twin Cities, he spent his entire 15-year Major League Baseball career with the Minnesota Twins, where he received many awards and titles, including three Gold Glove Awards and the 2009 American League Most Valuable Player Award. He may have retired after the end of the 2018 season, but for many baseball fans, he will always be a Minnesota Twin.
On the list of things to pride ourselves on, the bustling theater scene is definitely at the top. And one of the main standout theaters is the Guthrie Theater. Originally attached to the Walker Art Center when it opened in 1963, the theater has since relocated to a site along the Mississippi River, and its stunning new building opened in 2006. The signature thrust stage was brought to life at the new location, and is a theater experience of a lifetime. Though the new building and location are from a more recent history, the Guthrie continues to be a staple landmark for the Twin Cities.
PHOTO MONTYWHEELS
If you’re sending someone a postcard from Minneapolis, chances are it will feature the famous Spoonbridge and Cherry sculpture from the Sculpture Garden at the Walker Art Center. Completed in 1985 by artists Claes Oldenburg and his wife, Coosje van Bruggen, this iconic sculpture has become a symbol for Minnesota culture. The cherry alone weighs 1,200 pounds and needs to be cleaned several times a year. The cherry stem acts as a fountain that sprays into a pond next to it, which was intentionally shaped to resemble a linden seed.
Few places in the world can be considered as peaceful and idyllic as the BWCA. Located within the Superior National Forest and extending into Ontario, Canada, it covers 1.1 million acres of wilderness and is popular for canoeing, fishing, camping and hiking among its 1,100 lakes and 12 hiking trails with over 2,000 campsites. Thanks to the 1978 Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Act, there are limitations on motorized boats and snowmobiles, and the area is only accessible by a limited number of overnight permits—the peace, quiet and beautiful scenery is pretty tough to beat.
PHOTO JOSH HILD
For many people, this is one of the first associations they have with us hardy Minnesotans. Stereotyped as being polite, passive aggressive, mild-mannered and avoiding confrontation at all costs, we are known as being a far cry from the typical loud and brash New Yorker. We could be called worse things, and no one would be confrontational enough to argue it anyway.
Who can live without Post-Its? The colorful sticky life organizers created in the 1970s by Minnesota company 3M, is a global phenomenon in the office supply world. Though there was some debate over the actual inventor, 3M held the patent until 1997. The product offerings have expanded considerably since its original trademark yellow sticky note to include flags, extreme notes, page markers and more. And no matter who is making them, sticky notes will most like always be referred to as the iconic ‘Post-It.’
PHOTO ARIYAPORN/FOTOLIA
It doesn’t get more iconic—or visually stunning—than the Stone Arch Bridge. Originally created as a railroad bridge in 1883, it was converted to a pedestrian/bike path in 1994. Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971, it is the second oldest bridge along the Mississippi. It’s a great place to take out-of-towners, go for a walk or catch Fourth of July fireworks. With restaurants and trails on both ends of the bridge, it’s easy to waste away more than a day here.
PHOTO NICOLE HARRINGTON
AAA’s annual automated vehicle survey finds that less than a quarter of people feel manufacturers should focus on developing self-driving vehicles. The majority of drivers (80 percent) say they want current advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) to work better.
Electric vehicles (EVs) are often the most technologically cutting edge and the most fuel efficient.
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