Their menu even features seven whiskey flights in addition to a full bar’s worth of libations. And you won’t want to miss Hopkins’ beloved micro-brewery, LTD Brewing Co. Crafting small batch beers in a fun atmosphere, the brewery hosts weekly trivia nights during the week and live music on the weekends.

Get your shopping fix at local shops like Hopkins Antique Mall, Kiddywampus—a fun store for the kids with toys, games and special events—and Mill City Sound, a purveyor of vintage and contemporary records. The entertainment never stops at Hopkins’ downtown retro cinema, and across the street you’ll find Stages Theatre Company, which has been producing exciting shows for younger audiences for 25 years.

And during the summer months, visit the Hopkins Farmers’ Market for truly farm-fresh produce and a wide variety of free-range meat, poultry and eggs. The market takes over a parking lot off Ninth Avenue in downtown Hopkins and is open, rain or shine, from 7:30 a.m. to noon on Saturdays mid-June through October.

The city of Hopkins covers about 4 square miles, surrounded by the southwest suburbs of Minnetonka, St. Louis Park and Edina. Getting around is easy with access to major highways and ample bus routes courtesy of the Twin Cities’ public transportation authority, Metro Transit. Additionally, Hopkins is only a short 20-minute drive from Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport. And when it comes to finding a place to live, the list of options is consistently growing.

Bloomington-based Doran Companies recently constructed a 241-unit, luxurious apartment building within walking distance of downtown Hopkins. The Moline is offering new leases starting in August 2017, and you can choose from several floor plan options. Leasing for this fall, Marketplace & Main offers luxury one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments in a beautiful building overlooking Mainstreet.

QUESTION ABOUT THIS NEIGHBORHOOD?

The Twin Cities are home to plenty of attractions that are fun for all ages, and a few things come to mind that might be perfect for visitors in their “Golden Years” stage of life.

Visiting in the spring and early summer is a wonderful time to experience the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. Located in the southwest suburb of Chanhassen, the arboretum boasts thousands of luscious plantings and blooming flowers. And it’s not just locals that are loving the arb; USA Today just ranked it No. 1 in its 2017 Readers’ Choice 10 Best Botanical Gardens!

While in Chanhassen, be sure to catch a show at Chanhassen Dinner Theatres for a truly remarkable theater-going experience. Enjoy dinner and libations during a performance of Grease (on stage now through October), Sister Act (through February), or purchase tickets for one of the many musical performances the stage hosts.

If you enjoy admiring priceless works of art, don’t miss the Minneapolis Institute of Art, lovingly referred to as “Mia” by locals. Mia is located in Minneapolis, just south of the downtown district, and is the home of more than 50,000 pieces spanning 20,000 years. The best part? The museum is free all day, everyday.

Next to the Mall of America, St. Paul’s Grand Avenue is one of our favorite shopping and dining destinations. When the weather gets warmer and the days longer, Grand Ave is the perfect spot to peruse local boutiques and enjoy outdoor dining at Salut Bar Americain, Moscow on the Hill, WA Frost (which has one of the best patios in town) and more.

For hotel accommodations, I recommend the historic Saint Paul Hotel located in the heart of the city. The hotel has seen many guests in its hundred-year history, including Charles Lindberg, John F. Kennedy and Lawrence Welk, who played at the hotel on Saturday nights in the 1930s. In addition to its exciting past, the Saint Paul Hotel offers luxurious accommodations walking distance from dining and entertainment in downtown St. Paul.

The best time to see fall colors at their peak in the Twin Cities is mid- to late-October. The farther north you travel, the earlier the leaves will change. Luckily, we are located in the southern/central portion of the state, so we still have several weeks of beautiful golds, reds and oranges to enjoy. My favorite spot to see fall foliage is at Taylors Falls, which is located about an hour’s drive north of the Cities. The town is situated right on the St. Croix River and the border between Minnesota and Wisconsin. Pass over the Highway 8 bridge into Wisconsin to hike around Interstate State Park. You’ll traverse craggy bluffs and take in beautiful vistas overlooking the river below.

If you’re looking for something a little closer to the metro, head to Bloomington, a southwest suburb of Minneapolis. There you’ll find the Minnesota River Valley National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge covers thousands of acres of wetlands, forests and prairie grasslands. Explore the miles of paved trails in this natural oasis just a hop, skip and a jump from the big city.