Sign Up for Excursions

In keeping with past tradition, CPTSC will host two planned excursions on Saturday, October 6. Both excursions will occur between 1:30-3:30 p.m.

Option  1:   Mill City District Walking Tour (Downtown Minneapolis) with guide Bruce Maylath. Meet in lobby of The Graduate Hotel at 1:30 p.m.  Take Light Rail Metro to Downtown Minneapolis to Guthrie / Milly City and begin walking tour. Cost: $2.50 for round trip Light Rail ticket to Downtown Minneapolis. See below for more details.

Option 2:    Minneapolis River Queen,  Afternoon Sightseeing & Lock Cruise with guide Dawn Armfield.  Meet in lobby of The Graduate Hotel at 1:30 p.m. Cruise runs 2:00-3:30 p.m. Take Light Rail Metro to Downtown Minneapolis to Guthrie / Mill City to catch River Queen. Cost:  $2.50 for round trip Light Rail ticket plus $21 for adult River Cruise ticket, $12 for children (2-10) River Cruise ticket, $19 for seniors River Cruise ticket. See below for more details.

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Saturday​ CPTSC ​Excursion Options  for October 6, 2018

Option 1: Mill City District Walking Tour (Downtown Minneapolis)

This excursion will be guided by Bruce Maylath on Saturday, October 6.

Come visit downtown Minneapolis and learn about its unique history involving flour mills and industry along the Mississippi River. The 2.6-mile walking excursion includes the Guthrie Theater, the Stone Arch Bridge, St. Anthony Falls,  Mill City Farmers Market, Mill Ruins Park, Mill City Museum, and other historical sites. The excursion requires a short light rail trip from the conference hotel, The Graduate, to the Mill City District in downtown Minneapolis. Stops on the tour include:

Stone​ ​Arch​ ​Bridge and St. Anthony Falls.​ ​​The​ ​Stone​ ​Arch​ ​Bridge​ ​is​ ​a​ ​unique​ ​stone​ ​bridge​ ​over​ ​the​ ​Mississippi River​ ​and​ ​St.​ ​Anthony​ ​Falls, the only major waterfall on the Mississippi.​ ​​​It​ ​is​ ​walking​ ​distance​ ​from​ ​University​ ​of​ ​Minnesota-Twin Cities​ ​campus.​ ​Seasonal​ ​walking​ ​tours​ ​may​ ​be​ ​available.

Mill​ ​City​ ​Museum.​ ​​​​Built​ ​into​ ​the​ ​ruins​ ​of​ ​what​ ​was​ ​once​ ​the​ ​world’s​ ​largest​ ​flour​ ​mill, Mill​ ​City​ ​Museum​ ​is​ located​ ​on​ ​the​ ​historic​ ​Mississippi​ ​Riverfront.​ ​A​ ​guided​ ​tour​ ​of​ ​Mill​ ​City​ ​Museum​ ​can​ ​be arranged.​ ​​​Admission​ ​$12​ ​adults,​ ​$10​ ​seniors​ ​65+,​ ​$6​ ​children​ ​5-17,​ ​free​ ​for​ ​children​ ​4 years​ ​and​ ​under.​ ​​​​

Mill Ruins Park. Adjacent to the museum, the unearthed traces and canal reveal how the water power of St. Anthony Falls made Minneapolis “the leading international producer of flour” for much of the 19th and 20th centuries.

Mill City Farmer’s Market. Saturdays​ ​in​ ​October,​ ​a​ ​Farmer’s​ ​Market brings​ ​artisans,​ ​restaurants,​ ​food​ ​trucks​ ​and​ ​more​ ​to​ ​the​ ​ruins​ ​for​ ​a​ ​festival-like atmosphere.This urban farmer’s market is just moments away from Mill City Museum.

Guthrie​ ​Theatre.​ ​​​​The​ ​2018-2019​ ​season​ ​has​ ​not​ ​yet​ ​been​ ​posted,​ ​but​ ​it​ ​is​ ​likely​ ​there​ ​will be​ ​a​ ​play. ​​​Additionally,​ ​the​ ​building itself​ ​is​ ​architecturally​ ​significant​ ​and​ ​open​ ​to​ ​the​ ​public​ ​for​ ​tours.

Option 2: Minneapolis​ ​Queen,​ ​Afternoon​ ​Sightseeing​ ​&​ ​Lock​ ​Cruise.​​

This excursion will be guided by Dawn Armfield on Saturday from 2-3:30.

This public narrated​ ​cruise​ ​will​ ​take​ ​you along​ ​the​ ​southern​ ​route​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Grand​ ​Rounds​ ​Scenic​ ​Byway​ ​and​ ​Heritage​ ​Trail​ ​system, along​ ​the​ ​University​ ​of​ ​Minnesota​ ​Campus​ ​riverfront,​ ​under​ ​the​ ​stunning​ ​35W​ ​Bridge, through​ ​the​ ​lower​ ​St.​ ​Anthony​ ​Falls​ ​Lock​ ​system​ ​showcasing​ ​views​ ​of​ ​the​ ​St.​ ​Anthony Falls,​ ​the​ ​historic​ ​Stone​ ​Arch​ ​Bridge,​ ​amazing​ ​river​ ​bluffs​ ​with​ ​views​ ​of​ ​the​ ​amazing downtown​ ​Minneapolis​ ​skyline​ ​as​ ​we​ ​show​ ​you​ ​the​ ​best​ ​Mississippi​ ​River​ ​has​ ​to​ ​offer! Admission​ ​$20​ ​Adults,​ ​$11​ ​Children​​. ​A​ ​full​ ​service​ ​cash​ ​bar​ ​along​ ​with​ ​hot​ ​dogs,​ ​chips,​ ​nachos,​ ​snacks, etc.​ ​are​ ​available​ ​for​ ​purchase. Available​ ​within​ ​a​ ​connecting​ ​Light​ ​Rail​ ​Ride​ ​(transferring​ ​downtown)​ ​and​ ​short​ ​walk​ ​from​ ​the conference​ ​site.

Excursions on Your Own

• Fort​ ​Snelling.​ ​​​​Explore​ ​the​ ​past​ ​through​ ​tours,​ ​demonstrations,​ ​and​ ​conversations​ ​that expand​ ​the​ ​diverse​ ​stories​ ​of​ ​men,​ ​women,​ ​and​ ​children​ ​who​ ​crossed​ ​here,​ ​from​ ​Dakota and​ ​other​ ​Native​ ​American​ ​groups​ ​who​ ​lived​ ​and​ ​worked​ ​here.​ ​​​This​ ​outing​ ​would require​ ​coordinated​ ​effort​ ​in​ ​terms​ ​of​ ​busing​ ​and​ ​transportation.​ ​We​ ​could​ ​arrange​ ​for hotel​ ​shuttles,​ ​or​ ​shared​ ​rides.​ ​Open​ ​Sept​ ​-​ ​Oct​ ​Saturdays​ ​only,​ ​10​ ​am​ ​to​ ​5​ ​pm.​ ​Admission $12​ ​adults,​ ​$10​ ​seniors​ ​65+,​ ​$6​ ​children​ ​5-17,​ ​free​ ​for​ ​children​ ​4​ ​years​ ​and​ ​under.
• Minnehaha Park. Adorned with several famous statues, including one of Hiawatha carrying Minnehaha across Minnehaha Creek, this park is built around Minnehaha Falls, made famous in Longfellow’s Song of Hiawatha. The park also features a half-size replica of Longfellow’s home in Massachusetts. Sea Salt Eatery, beside the falls, is a good place to enjoy a seafood meal on the terrace.
• Magical​ ​History​ ​Segway​ ​Tour.​ ​​​​Enjoy​ ​the​ ​history​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Minneapolis​ ​Riverfront​ ​area from​ ​10,000​ ​BC​ ​to​ ​present​ ​without​ ​breaking​ ​a​ ​sweat.​ ​​​Let​ ​the​ ​Segway​ ​do​ ​the​ ​work​ ​as​ ​you cover​ ​several​ ​miles​ ​accompanied​ ​by​ ​a​ ​professional​ ​guide.​ ​|​ ​Cost:​ ​​​Adults,​ ​$90​ ​|​ ​Daily tours​ ​at​ ​9:30​ ​a.m.​ ​and​ ​2:30​ ​p.m.​ ​| ​​
• Mall​ ​of​ ​America.​ ​​​​​Mall​ ​of​ ​America​®​​ ​is​ ​located​ ​in​ ​Bloomington,​ ​Minnesota—only​ ​15 minutes​ ​from​ ​downtown​ ​Minneapolis​ ​and​ ​St.​ ​Paul.​ ​As​ ​one​ ​of​ ​the​ ​most​ ​visited​ ​tourist destinations​ ​in​ ​the​ ​world,​ ​Mall​ ​of​ ​America​ ​features—520​ ​stores,​ ​50​ ​restaurants​ ​and attractions​ ​galore,​ ​including​ ​Nickelodeon​ ​Universe​®​,​ ​the​ ​nation’s​ ​largest​ ​indoor​ ​theme park,​ ​and​ ​the​ ​American​ ​Girl​ ​store.​ ​Plus,​ ​there’s​ ​no​ ​sales​ ​tax​ ​on​ ​clothing​ ​or​ ​shoes! Transportation​ ​to​ ​Mall​ ​of​ ​America​ ​is​ ​available​ ​via​ ​light​ ​rail​ ​from​ ​UMN​ ​Twin​ ​Cities campus.​ ​​​​