Not going out of town for the holiday weekend? Already been to the State Fair? Here are five choice staycation ideas around the Twin Cities over Labor Day weekend, almost all of them open on Labor Day itself (exceptions and shortened hours noted):
1) Sandcastle & Lake Nokomis
Where: Sandcastle
What: Enjoy the Minnesota summer while you can at Lake Nokomis by renting bikes, kayaks, stand up paddle boards and more. After exploring the lake, finish your day with a late lunch at Sandcastle. They're saying goodbye to summer (and debuting their fall chili) with events and music all weekend long. For a list of Sandcastle's Labor Day weekend events, click here.
2) Glam Doll Donuts & Minneapolis Institute of Arts
Where: Glam Doll Donuts
What: Spend some time in the Whittier neighborhood of Minneapolis this weekend at Glam Doll and MIA. Take in some culture at the museum and then make your way over to Glam Doll for some gourmet doughnuts and a patio party on Saturday (5 p.m.). MIA is always free and always closed on Mondays and Glam Doll will also be closed Monday for the holiday. More info on Glam Doll's patio event can be found here.
3) Natedogs & Kramarczuk's
Where: Surly Brewing Co.
What: In order to gear up for its fourth-annual Kielbasa Festival next weekend, Kramarczuk's is teaming up with Natedogs and launching their first-ever combined pre-fest "Classic Kielbasa Mini Tour." The traveling tour of meat kicks off at Surly Brewing's taproom (Thursday, 5 to 9 p.m). Natedogs will be serving his own regular dogs as well as the award-winning classic Kielbasa from Kramarczuk's. Keep up with the tour by following Natedogs on Twitter.
4) Seward Cafe & Milwaukee Avenue
Where: Seward Cafe
What: Get to know the Seward neighborhood of Minneapolis by grabbing a bite at Seward Cafe. This community cafe has been open since 1974 and is the oldest collectively run business in town (open on Labor Day until 5 p.m.). Continue exploring the area by taking a stroll along historic Milwaukee Avenue. Unique, historic homes sit along a bike- and pedestrian-friendly mall on which motor traffic is prohibited. Learn more about the historic avenue here.
5) Muddy Waters & Tatters
Where: Muddy Waters
What: Grab brunch at Muddy Waters and then get thrifty across the street at Tatters. Muddy Waters offers coffee, food, and beer, and is open on Labor Day with brunch being served until 3 p.m. Tatters will also be open all weekend (with shortened hours on Labor Day 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.). Check out new vintage arrivals on the Tatters Facebook page.
