Car Hire St Paul - Mini guide to St Paul

St Paul, Minnesota’s capital city, is also known as the ‘twin city’ because of it’s proximity to Minneapolis, located directly across the Mississippi River. Visiting the capital is a treat, as it is a peaceful, riverfront destination with fabulous museums, beautiful Victorian architecture and serene parks.

The Cathedral of St Paul, located at the area's highest point, dominates the city’s skyline. It has the distinction of being the largest cathedral in the United States, and was built as a replica of St Peter’s in Rome. The structure features an impressive dome that reaches up over 50m.

St Paul has a number of excellent museums, including: the Science Museum of Minnesota, with hands-on exhibits focusing on natural history, science and technology, and the Minnesota History Center, a three-storey museum with an impressive selection of artefacts linked to the region’s history.

The Mississippi riverfront area has wonderful views, and is a lovely place for a leisurely summer stroll. It is situated near the attractive, tree-lined avenues of Grand and Summit, where you can admire some charming Victorian architecture.

Part of the central city area is known as Lower Downtown, or LoDo, and it is permeated with the homes and studios of young professional artists. LoDo is a vibrant neighbourhood to visit, and has a multitude of atmospheric cafés and coffee shops where eating, drinking and observing are equally enjoyable pastimes. It’s also an excellent place to do some shopping, with plenty of well-priced artwork on offer.

Close to St Paul’s centre is the suburb of Bloomington, another good place for shopping and entertainment. The largest shopping mall in the country is located here - The Mall of America. Apart from the obvious shops and eateries, the mall features an indoor aquarium and amusement park, and is connected to the airport by means of a direct shuttle service.

Directly across the Mississippi River from St Paul is Minneapolis, Minnesota’s largest city. The city is known for its hip music scene, great restaurants and the cutting edge Walker Art Centre.

Two major interstate highways, I-94 and I-35, lead directly through the Twin Cities area, making St Paul easily accessible by car. Amtrak trains serve St Paul, travelling to Chicago and beyond. Greyhound buses link St Paul, directly or indirectly, with the rest of the country. Minneapolis-St Paul International is one of the busiest airports in the world, with more than half a million arrivals and departures annually.