Near Downtown Saint Paul

Just outside downtown (a $5 cab ride away) is another day’s worth of activities from the shopping of Grand Avenue, dining on Cathedral Hill, viewing Victorian mansions built in the 1880s, or golfing on a beautiful public course. If you feel like a good long walk, many of these are near enough to get to by foot. If you’re not up for a walk, hop in a cab.

James J. Hill House

Take a good walk or hop in a cab for a $5 ride to the home of Great Northern Railway Empire builder James J. Hill. Completed in 1891, the 36,000 square-foot Richardsonion Romanesque mansion features a sky lit art gallery, crystal chandeliers, pipe organ, stained glass windows and elaborate woodcarvings. Explore servant and family life in this gilded age mansion.

Wed-Sat. 10am-3:30pm. Tours start every half-hour.  $6 adults, $4 kids, $5 seniors.

www.mnhs.org/places/sites/jjhh/index.html, Tel: 651.297.2555

Summit Avenue

Elegant Summit Avenue is a 4 mile stretch of Victorian homes featuring the Saint Paul Cathedral, the James J. Hill House, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s home, the Governor’s Mansion and hundreds of Victorian mansions. Summit Avenue is the longest stretch of original Victorian home/architecture in the United States. Walk (just the first ¾ mile) or drive down the street, then hop over 1 block south to Grand Avenue. www.summithillassociation.org

Grand Avenue Shopping & Dining

This quaint avenue is great for shopping, dining or relaxing at one of the outdoor cafes. Grand Avenue boasts a very un-mall-like appeal with many antique shops, specialty stores, and unique homes. Start your tour at any of these major restaurant/retail intersections and wander along in either direction: Dale, Victoria or Lexington. For some nightlife, check out the Wild Onion or Billy’s on Grand sports bar. For the city’s best ice cream, stop at Grand Olde Creamery!

www.grandave.com, Tel: 651-699-0029

Wabasha Street Caves

From Downtown, walk across the Wabasha Street Bridge to the Wabasha Street Caves. Once the site of the famous nightclub "The Castle Royal," a popular haunt of infamous gangsters in the ’30s and where many of the big bands played. This once speakeasy, now is home of the historic Cave Tour. 45 min tour.   Thurs 5pm, Sat. 11am.  $5 per person.

Down in History Tours

From the Wabasha Street Caves, guides toting Tommy guns give Saint Paul gangster tours and take visitors to famous gangster crime sites, hide-a-ways, speakeasies and gathering spots, many of which have changed little since the 1930s. Stops include Ma Barker’s home, Dillinger’s apartment, nightclubs and locations of infamous robberies, shoot-outs and murders. 2 hour bus tour.  

Sat. 12 noon. Reservations required. $20 per person.

Big Band music & Swing Dance Lessons

Learn how to dance or listen to the band, like the original characters who came to the caves in the 1930s.  Thursdays, Lessons at 6pm, Band plays from 7-10pm.  $7 per person.

www.wabashastreetcaves.com,  Tel: 651-224-1191  

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Copyright © 2004 Dennis Breining