UMN Twin Cities Visitor Info
Meeting Location:
The meeting will take place in the Cargill Building on the St. Paul campus of the UMN Twin Cities campus (1500 Gortner Ave, St Paul, MN). This is the smaller of the two campuses and includes most of the agriculture and veterinary facilities. There are some buses, but this campus is not particularly easy to access via public transportation. For folks with cars, there are some parking meters, but the safest bet is probably the Gortner Parking Ramp (1395 Gortner Avenue).
The Cargill Building is secured, a UMN card is required to unlock entry. During the registration and break/social times there will be someone in the atrium to let attendees in. If you arrive while the meeting is in session, text Rebecca (612-845-2710) and someone will come let you in.
WiFi:
Eduroam is available through the St. Paul Campus – if you have trouble, there’s also ‘UofM-Guest’ that can be accessed without a password.
Weather:
April in the Twin Cities is unpredictable - average temperatures are in the mid-50s during the day and mid-30s at night, but this changes a lot as the month goes on. Fingers crossed for weather closer to the 70s.
Food:
St. Paul Campus
Mim’s - mediterranean and coffee spot - mostly lunch though I think open for dinner
Student Center - A few sandwich or grain bowl options, not great
Gopher Stop - downstairs from the Student Center, has some fried options and, importantly, UMN dairy ice cream.
Roseville Area
Tons of places near the mall - a few favorites below
Mi Sant - fast casual Vietnamese sandwiches and bowls
Centro - Mexican
Karta Thai
India Palace
Portillos - Chicago dogs, burgers, Italian beef, chocolate cake shake(!)
Iconic vibes
Matt’s Bar - home of the juicy lucy, I think it’s cash only
Al’s Diner - for early risers, this counter-service only and cash only spot is worth a visit
Marc Heu Patisserie - pastry heaven
Pizzeria Lola or Young Joni - both owned by Ann Kim, Lola is more low-key
Things to do:
The Mill City Museum - this one could be tough, it’s closed Wednesdays and only open 10-4 on Thursday and Friday, but this is a great place to learn a bit about the importance of wheat in the history of the Twin Cities. Also a great place to wander around along the Mississippi river and check out the Stone Arch Bridge.
The Walker Art Center - This is a big museum that features a large sculpture garden. The sculpture garden is free, so a great option if the weather is nice.
The Bell Museum and Planetarium - natural history museum walking distance from The Cargill Building, open 10-4 Wed-Sun $15 dollar admission
The Minneapolis Institute of Art (MIA) - Free admission with an extensive curated collection along with rotating exhibitions
Como Park Zoo and Conservatory - Open 10-4 and a short drive from the St. Paul campus. A great conservatory with free admission ($4 suggested donation)
Baseball - The Twins will be home on Friday April 11 for a 710 game in downtown Minneapolis. For a cheaper, lower key, experience, the minor league St. Paul Saints are home all three nights of the conference with start times of 630 with fireworks on Friday.