Mayo/Rochester, MN people

[DCJenn]

Help!

My BFF has been accepted by Mayo to review her wacky vascular problems (the good news. The bad news is that the Doc who is working w/ her is a 'limb retention specialist...)

So she and a friend are going to be up there for about a week, the first week of June. I'm looking for suggestions of restaurants, places to go hang out, parks, gyms, etc. (Other than the Spam museum which I still regret missing)

Jenn

[SuzySunshine]

Re: Mayo/Rochester, MN people

Jenn,

Let's see...

Restaurants: City Cafe, 300 First (new still working out some kinks, but good food), Redwood Room (FAVORITE!), Sushi Itto (new sushi place, haven't been to but I hear its good), Sontes, Hu Hot Mongolian Grill - really everything else we have is a chain and that last one is a chain too but good.

Restaurants to avoid: Victoria's (food blah!) and Chardonnay (expensive for what you get)

Gym: YMCA is decent, not great. Rochester Athletic Club is FABULOUS and I think they have a guest program, their website is: http://www.rochesterathleticclub.com/

Parks: There are TONS but Soldiers Field and Kutzky Park are closest to downtown and nice.

Things to do: Around here that is the million dollar question, there is a small art museum though I've never been. There are cute shops downtown as well as the mall. There is always the cities if they have a free day and a rental car. I'll have to think on that one a little longer.

Do they already have a hotel? If she's going to be in clinic appointments and not at the actual hospital she's going to want to stay downtown, everything is walkable.

[DCJenn]

Re: Mayo/Rochester, MN people

Thanks!

Anyone else have any thoughts?

J.

Re: Mayo/Rochester, MN people

Yeah... I was just happy that I found the house (on my own) that we bought on a trip down there. So, no, I'm not any help at all!

[Deebs]

Re: Mayo/Rochester, MN people

As for things to do, I would definitely go on both the Mayo art and architectural tour and the general tour. Mayo has a collection of art that is unbelievable. Both are offered Monday through Friday and last an hour. Tell her to at least go into the Barnes and Noble, also. It is an old theater, and is really pretty.

For restaurants (Cheri - correct me if any of these are gone - a lot can change in a year in Roch), I would add Newts, which is above City Cafe - awesome hamburgers. My BIL actually flew in for a business trip just to eat there. Also, Jasper's is Alsatian food, and really good. City Market is open for lunch and has great Deli and salad selections. If she goes there before or after the lunch rush, there should be seating outside.

I can't think of any other brilliant recommendations, but the twin cities are only a little over an hour away, and Mall of America is an hour away (just south of the cities). I hope she has a good experience while she's there!

[SuzySunshine]

Re: Mayo/Rochester, MN people

The restaurants Deb recommended are still there. Newts is only open for dinner I believe. Jaspers is moving, or so I've heard, so they may not be downtown by the time she gets here but it is a good restaurant.

Re: Mayo/Rochester, MN people

Don't forget Famous Dave's. It's a chain but we love it. We ate there all of the time.

If she has a day of nothing and a car, I'd take trip to the twin cities. There's a really cute cafe in St. Paul's called Caffe Latte. The neighborhood it's in is really cute, too!

[houseelf]

Re: Mayo/Rochester, MN people

cute cafe in St. Paul's called Caffe Latte

Oh, I could make love to one of their cakes. <sigh>

Kelly