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City Guide - Minneapolis-St Paul - Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Sport Minnesota is the 'land of lakes' and 22 of them lie within the Minneapolis city limits. If people are not on them or in them - swimming, fishing, boating and enjoying watersports - they are walking, jogging, skating or cycling around them on an extensive system of bike and pedestrian paths. More than 2400 hectares (6000 acres) of the city are devoted to parklands, and St Paul too has an impressive number of beautiful parks. Large regional parks operated by Hennepin County lie on the western and southern edges of the metro area. Outdoor recreation does not stop in the winter, as downhill and cross-country skiing and other wintersports are highly popular. Locals enthusiastically support a number of professional sports teams based in the city, which offer year-round entertainment; visitors should contact the individual sports organisations for seasons, schedules and ticket information. The baseball teams are Minnesota Twins (tel: (612) 375 7450 or (800) 338 9467) and St Paul Saints (tel: (651) 644 6659). The American football team is Minnesota Vikings (tel: (612) 333 8828). The basketball teams (tel: (612) 337 3865) are Minnesota Timberwolves for men and Minnesota Lynx for women. Ice hockey is played by the Minnesota Wild (tel: (651) 222 9453) and soccer by Minnesota Thunder (tel: (612) 893 1442). Fishing: Fishing is allowed in many area parks. Note that those over the age of 16 years must have a fishing licence (tel: (651) 296 4506). Fitness centres: The Firm (tel: (612) 377 3003) in Minneapolis and The Sweatshop Fitness Training Center (tel: (651) 646 8418) in St Paul are two busy studios with gym facilities and daily fitness classes. Golf: Baker National Golf Course (tel: (612) 473 0800) in Medina has an 18-hole championship course and a nine-hole executive course and is a certified Audubon Co-operative Sanctuary with wildlife management. Edinburgh USA (tel: (612) 424 9444) in Brooklyn Park is a luxurious facility designed by Robert Trent Jones, with many challenging water and sand hazards. Theodore Wirth Golf Club (tel: (612) 521 9731) is located in a city park amid hills and offers beautiful views. Green fees range from US$18 for city courses to US$36 for more upmarket courses, such as Edinburgh. Parks: Hennepin Parks (tel: (612) 559 9000; web site: www.hennepinparks.org) operates 14 county parks in the metropolitan area with nature centres, campgrounds, boat launches, golf courses and trails for hiking, biking, and cross-country skiing. Como Park, Hamline and West Jessamine Avenues in St Paul, is a popular city park laid out in Victorian times, with a boating lake, concert pavilion, carousel, conservatory and small zoo. The Minneapolis Chain of Lakes comprises the parkland surrounding Lake Calhoun, Lake Harriet, Lake of the Isles and Cedar Lake, which are connected by bicycle and walking paths. Sports equipment: Rolling Soles (tel: (612) 823 5711), located near Lake Calhoun, has in-line skates for rent from US$6 per hour, US$12 per day. The Alternative Bicycle Shop (see the Bicycle Hire section) also rents skateboards and snowboards. Bay Rentals (tel: (612) 474 0366) provides snowmobile and jet ski rentals on Lake Minnetonka and elsewhere. Canoes can be hired from Ketter Canoeing (tel: (612) 560 3840) or Midwest Mountaineering (tel: (612) 339 3433). Tennis: Nicollet Tennis Center (tel: (612) 825 6844) has 11 indoor courts open to the public, from US$14 per hour. Flagship Athletic Club (tel: (612) 941 2000) in Eden Prairie has 11 outdoor and seven indoor courts. Northwest Racquet Clubs (tel: (612) 546 5474) has more than 100 indoor and 46 outdoor courts at ten locations throughout the Twin Cities. Day passes are US$17. |
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