It’s no secret that at LakeState we have a passion for the community around us. Not just our friends Uptown, or even the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, we are proud to represent the entire state of Minnesota. Whether you’re from Alexandria or Zumbrota, we’re proud to call you our neighbor. Lets take a look at ten things that we at LakeState love about the Land of 10,000 lakes.
1. The People
It’s called Minnesota nice for a reason! The people of this state are who keep us up and running everyday. Whether its interactions at the brewery or just a side conversation at Trader Joe’s, the light-hearted cheerful spirit of Minnesotan’s is something to be cherished. While Minnesota nice sometimes comes with negative connotations (passive-aggressiveness), we hope that people can combine that sense of cheerfulness and positivity with honesty and openness. That combination sounds like the perfect brew to us!
2. Lefse, and Lutefisk, and Hotdish (oh my)
Anyone who is from Minnesota knows that there is deep tradition rooted in Scandinavian foods such as those listed above. And well these Norwegian niblets are fun to break out over the holidays, there’s plenty of other great food options that our state is known for as well!
Check out the Loon Cafe in Downtown Minneapolis. The sports bar has been recognized nationally for its award winning chili, but has a boatload of other killer options. You can’t go wrong with the Mexicali Nachos.
Venture 260 miles west of the Twin Cities to Moorhead to find the historic Moorhead Dairy Queen. Serving as one of the oldest DQ’s out there, the Moorhead DQ isn’t owned by corperate, which means they can offer special menu items that regular DQ’s can’t! Try a curly shake; a medium sized milkshake topped with a sundae of your choice with whipped cream and a cherry on top.
3. “And We’ll See You Tomorrow Night!”
While Minnesota may be known for it’s unlucky history in sports, it’s important to remember that some incredible moments have happened on the field, rink, and court here. Kirby Puckett’s Game 6 walk-off home run off of Charlie Liebrant in the 1991 World Series will always be revered as one of the greatest moments in MLB history.
On the gridiron the Vikings haven’t had a whole lot of success in Super Bowls, but they’ve sure had some great teams! Legend Fran Tarkenton dominated the league as the Vike’s QB in the early 60’s and again in the mid-70’s. Many of those teams were also known for their stellar defenses, better known as the Purple-People Eaters. More recently, Vikes fans have been gifted with great Wide Receivers including in-state product Adam Thielen. And while the team has yet to hoist the Lombardi Trophy, things are likely to change in the near future, with the team looking electric as ever.
4. The Times they are a-Changin’
The hit 1964 single by Bob Dylan wasn’t the only musical gem to come from Minnesota. Lizzo, Judy Garland, Semisonic, and the Replacements all join Dylan as Minnesota music icons. Perhaps no one is more famous than the great Prince, however. Born and raised in Minneapolis, Prince rocked the music world with hits such as Let’s go Crazy, Little Red Corvette, and his biggest hit, Purple Rain. Up until his death in 2016, Prince was always a huge advocate for the state of Minnesota. His famous quote “I like Hollywood, I just like Minneapolis a litter bit better,” stays near and dear to fans across the state.
5. That’s a nice boat ya got there!
Those 10,000 lakes (actually closer to 11,000) aren’t just sitting there empty. Anglers from around the world flock to Minnesota for it’s world-class angling. The Walleye certainly gets the most hype across the state, but Minnesota is home to supreme angling for all types of species.
Monster Muskie and Pike can be found throughout the state. In fact, the state Muskie record (catch and release) was broken just this past year on Lake Vermillion! While Pike don’t get quite as larger as their Muskie relatives, they sure do taste good. If you can learn to clean the “Y-bone,” you’ll be set for life!
6. Get Outta Town
While Minnesota has it’s share of metro hubs such as the Twin Cities, Duluth, and Rochester, it’s so easy to get out and escape from the busy life of the city. With lakes, bike trails, and forests all over the state, diving into nature is about as easy as it gets. Check out our friends at Hovland Expeditions to schedule a wonderful Minnesota adventure for you and your loved ones.
7. Higher Education!
While post-high school plans look different for everyone, Minnesota has a versatile spread when it comes to higher education! The University of Minnesota is cited as the state’s marquee college and is the 3rd largest in the United States. The U features world-class programs with students from all over the state, country, and world. In addition to the large-campus atmosphere that the U offers, the state also has some incredible private institutions that offer stellar educations and smaller class sizes. Carleton College in Northfield is renowned as one of the top liberal arts institutions in the nation, and features 33 different majors on a campus with just over 2,000 students.
The state also offers some great 2-year options as well. There are over 54 community colleges in Minnesota, serving over 143,000 students. St. Paul college was ranked the #9 community college in the nation by thebestschools.org.
Regardless of whether you are looking for a public, private, or community institute, Minnesota has a variety of options that cover the entire spread.
8. Sweet Martha’s and more!
Ask anyone Minnesotan about Sweet Martha’s cookies and they’ll know what you’re talking about. The popular cookie stand is just one of the perks of the Minnesota State Fair, a yearly event held in St. Paul. The Great Minnesota Get-Together features rides, contests, concerts, and much more. A must-attend event!
9. Employment
With major company’s such as Target, Best Buy, Cargill, and Marvin Windows, Minnesota is a place where there are always employment opportunities opening up. While there are certainly big company’s such as the one’s listed, Minnesota takes great pride in small local business. There is a strong startup culture, and a mutual level of support among small businesses.
10. Let it Snow
While winter driving isn’t exactly fun, Minnesota is the perfect definition of a winter wonderland. There is nothing more beautiful than a peaceful night of falling snow in the mid 20’s. If you’ve got your hat and choppers, it doesn’t get any better!
LakeState Life 