The Luce Line State Trail is an amazing bike trail. It is 63 miles long. It starts in Plymouth, at Parkers Lake and ends in the town of Cosmos. I have only ever done the eastern segment from Plymouth to Watertown. I recently completed a section from Stubbs Bay, in Orono, to Watertown. It’s approximately a 20 mile round trip. The path is wide and mainly dirt/crushed limestone. The scenery is lovely, especially this time of year (October). It’s open fields, lakes and farmland. Just as the trail enters Watertown, right on the edge, is Marketplace Foods grocery store. I like to stop there and pick up something to eat. There is a small park with picnic tables just behind the store. It’s a great ride, not to grueling and food at your destination! Always an incentive for me!
This is a sweet, there and back 12.5 mile trail between Rochester and Pine Island. It’s very scenic and shady in many spots which is awesome especially this summer. It passes through wooded areas and pristine farmland.
After our ride we headed into downtown Rochester, we bought a sandwich at City Market. They specialize in New York sandwiches. My sandwich must of weighed two pounds. It was awesome! A short walk from City Market is Peace Plaza. It’s a shady public place between buildings. There are tables to sit and enjoy your lunch and on Fridays they feature local musicians.
Lake Cornelia is a pretty lake in Edina, located in Rosland Park just off Highway 62 and 66th street. It maybe pretty but it’s water quality is very poor due to excess nutrients. It actually has a population of bullheads and goldfish that stir up the mud. That being said it is still a nice short walk around the lake. Another reason I like to walk this lake is you can stop into the Edina Art Center. There is a little path leading from the lake to the art center.
2nd Stop-Edina Art Center
Edina Art Center
The art center offers classes in a variety of mediums. It also sells jewelry, pottery, paintings and many unique pieces from local and nationally known artists. The pieces are very affordable and browsing adds a little variety to your walk. Don’t forget to bring your wallet.
3rd Stop-Patisserie Margo (4510 Valley View Road, Edina)
This is my favorite bakery in the area. They serve wonderful soup, a different one every day. Sandwiches made with bread baked on the premises. Quiche served with greens. And……….Oh my, pastries, cookies, and bars that are heavenly. And, the croissants, they melt in the mouth. Excellent coffee too. Don’t leave the area without trying it.
This place is a gem! It’s 160 acres of natural beauty which includes a lake, marshland, woods, and walking paths. Entry and parking are free however, no dogs allowed which to me is disappointing but totally understandable. For the kids there is an amazing play area. My first visit I walked through the wooded area and was surprised and delighted to find turkeys leisurely strolling and pecking their way through the undergrowth.
Observation Deck
If you’re looking to get married in an outdoor setting the water garden is an ideal place for a small wedding. It comes complete with a waterfall and observation deck. It’s stunning! From the deck you can relax and take in the water gardens pond and streams.
Water GardenWestwood Lake
The center piece is Westwood Lake. It’s totally walkable with a combination of paths and boardwalks. Walking around the lake you may come across one of the desirable properties shown below.
Lake Harriet Streetcar (2330, W 42nd Street Minneapolis)
This is a sweet thing to do if you are 3 or 103 years old. It’s just a short trip on what’s left of the streetcar tracks, so plan on visiting Lake Harriet which is just adjacent to the trolley line. They don’t operate in the rain and are closed Monday and Tuesday. The fare is $3.00, on the day we rode there was a family who were riding for the 3rd time that day! We ran into them again at Sebastian Joes Ice Cream, in Linden Hills. Excellent place to go after your exciting ride on the trolley!
The new Prince mural has been unveiled. It’s located on parking ramp A, near First Avenue and Target Center. It was unveiled to celebrate Prince’s birthday. He would have turned 64, on June 7, 2022.
The mural has been in development for 7 years. Prince was actually involved in its development. The cost was $500,000, paid for with contributions from the Minnesota Twins, US Bank, Target and Best Buy. The mural was painted by Hiero Veiga, a street painter from Florida. https://hieroveiga.com/
