RELISH NATURE'S AWAKENING

Fly into: Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport (MSP)

Check out: The region's many gorgeous lakes and green areas

The lure: Hiking, fishing, kayaking, and canoeing. You'll find a vast number of lakes, rivers, and waterfalls both inside and just outside the city

The experience: Locals are known for making the most of the Twin Cities' outdoor setting even in the worst of the winter months (think lots and lots of layers), but come June, natural delights warrant a visit by even us less hardy folks. Spirit out of town to Banning State Park (an hour and a half away) for the shooting rapids at Dragon's Tooth and Hell's Gate—again, less hardy folks can just watch. The area's Kettle River has tremendous hiking along explosively green riverbanks. If you want ultimate solitude, you can trek up to the Boundary Waters (pictured). It's a five-hour drive north, but well worth it. No need to flee town to get your fresh-air fix, though: The Grand Rounds Scenic Byway is a green space that wends through Minneapolis. Make for the Chain of Lakes, comprised of five city lakes along a 13-mile stretch, and join the in-line skaters, sunbathers, bikers, and canoeists taking advantage of the warm weather.

Oh, and: Make sure to consult the schedule of shows at the Guthrie Theater in downtown Minneapolis, famous for its innovative Shakespeare productions. At least stop by to take in the theater's whimsical new building, the first major U.S. project of Pritzker Prize–winning architect Jean Nouvel, with a 178-foot-long "endless bridge" extending into nothingness. Then check into the art-focused Chambers Hotel, another sign of the city's emergence as a hip cultural hub.

Chambers
Tel: 612 767 6900
Doubles from $305

Guthrie Theater
Tel: 612 377 2224

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