When you think of the Twin Cities, think of the colors: the golden twinkle of holiday lights in St. Paul’s Rice Park, the bright feathers of tropical birds at our two zoos, the green grass that canvasses over 9,900 acres of metropolitan parks.

Close your eyes and think of the sounds, whether it’s a child’s laughter at Mall of America’s Nickelodeon Universe or the soulful melody of a musical put on by one of the nation’s largest theater districts.

When you think of the Twin Cities, think of the taste and the touch and the smell. Take in a savory meal from one of our acclaimed restaurants, or feel the cool lap of water on your feet from one of the area’s dozens of lakes. Lean in to smell the delicate scent of peonies and herbs from our farmers markets.

Open your eyes, and see yourself here.

The Twin Cities has all that you need, from sports to nightlife to community treasures. Whether you’re looking for big city lights or want to have a quiet evening with family along the Mississippi River, this is the place to be.

We’re the home of Prince, the St. Paul Winter Carnival, the Minnesota State Fair and a Cat Video Festival. We have the nation’s oldest sketch comedy theater with the Brave New Workshop, and we have professional sports teams in football, basketball, baseball, hockey and soccer.

Need more convincing? Check out some of our credentials:

• Minneapolis ranks No. 1 in parks with St. Paul coming in at No. 2 (ParkScore, 2016).
• Northeast Minneapolis ranked No. 1 Best Art District in America (10Best, 2015).
• The Twin Cities was No. 5 on the list of America’s Best Food Cities (TIME, 2015).
• Minneapolis was ranked the No. 7 best city for recreation (WalletHub, 2015).
• The Twin Cities was called the best place for millennials (Vox, 2014).

If you’re outside of the Twin Cities area, don’t worry; we have high standards in all parts of the state:

• Minnesota ranks first in child wellbeing, third in economic wellbeing and fourth in community and family (Kids Count Data Book, 2016).
• Minnesota was ranked the No. 1 state for Quality of Life (Forbes, 2015).
• Minnesota was ranked the No. 1 best state for business (CNBC, 2015).

Minneapolis and St. Paul are sister cities; they share a lot of traits, but they each sparkle in their own way. Come explore the Twin Cities for a day or a lifetime, and don’t hesitate if you want any travel ideas. We have years of exploration for you.