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Every chance to spend a morning outside in this stunningly beautiful weather is an opportunity that must be taken advantage of. And now that the fair is over (so long, see you next year!), we can actually focus on other activities again. So grab your bike helmets, tune up your bikes, connect your bike trailer if you have kids, and sign up for this Sunday’s St. Paul Classic Bike Tour. It will be the perfect way to see St. Paul, get some exercise, and meet new people.
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As usual, there are lots of ways to enjoy St. Paul’s spectacular summer days this weekend and into next week. Here are a few of my recommendations to get you in the water, on the trails, or digging in the dirt.

Storytelling at the Night at the Fort event, after a day of paddling.

Saturday, July 25
• If you’re not already paddling in Saturday + Sunday’s Mississippi River Challenge, at least go and cheer on those hard-working folks and splash your toes in the water. You can also register to kayak or canoe last-minute and in person, at the Coon Rapids Dam. You’ll be paddling 22 miles each day, but keep in mind that you’ll be paddling downstream. The Saturday paddle ends at Fort Snelling with overnight camping, a great big dinner, live music, and tons of fun. Buy your ticket for Night at the Fort now!
• Kids and their families will love the Junior Ranger SeedStarter program at Cosby Farm Regional Park. You’ll learn about native plants, why they are important, and how to care for them. You’ll even get to take home a native plant so you can care for it yourself. In September, those plants will be transplanted into restorations on the banks of the Mississippi River. Sign up by calling Ranger Rebecca at 651-290-3030, x229.
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As someone who has lived in a lot of different states and cities, I’m continually impressed by the sheer number of active and outdoor options in St. Paul. Whenever I’m stuck for something to do or somewhere to go, I pull out a list of local parks or the city’s bike-hike trail map and always find a new place to go, or am reminded of an old favorite.

Today was one of those days. My 1-year-old just didn’t want to nap, so rather than fight it or do the same old thing in our backyard, I packed up my baby, my baby carrier and set off for a good, long walk.

I drove down Summit Avenue until it dead-ended at a parking lot on Mississippi River Road. From here, choose your direction. You can walk, run, bike, or rollerblade on the flat, smoothly-paved trail that runs both north and south along the bluff.

I prefer heading south toward the Ford plant. The right side of the trail is packed full of trees, and if you stop to peer through the densely-packed leaves, you’ll see the steep drop leading down to the Mississippi River. (Come back in late fall and you’ll have an expansive river view.) Benches perched along the trail make great spots to take a water break with your SIGG. High-end dream homes with perfectly manicured and landscaped lawns line the left side of the trail, on the other side of the street. Sure, there’s some traffic on the road next to the trail, but one of the things I like about urban trails and parks is the juxtaposition of gorgeous nature scenery and the “alive” feeling of people going about their business.

Today we walked 1.8 miles to the Ford Dam Scenic Overlook, which comes up shortly after passing under Ford Parkway. By the time you turn around and walk back, you’ve completed a nearly 4-mile walk! If you keep heading south/southeast, the trail meets all the way up with Hidden Falls Regional Park, and beyond that, with Crosby Farm.

After working up a sweat, I couldn’t pass up my craving for Izzy’s ice cream on the way home. What I love best about Izzy’s (aside from the ice cream obviously) is that it caters to one of my worst traits: my indecisiveness—especially when it comes to choosing just one flavor out of 20-something really amazing flavors. For the un-Izzied, here’s how it works: when you order a single or double scoop, you get an Izzy on top. An Izzy is a mini scoop just right for sampling a second flavor. My all-time favorite flavor is salted caramel, but their sorbets are tantalizing, too, so an Izzy of the coconut sorbet was just right. So much for all those calories I just walked off!

Attention canoeists and kayakers, the Mississippi River Challenge is just one month away! This one- or two-day paddling event is one of summer’s most fun ways to get active and experience nature in our city’s own backyard. Even better, money raised from event goes toward protecting, conserving, and restoring the Mississippi River.

The fun doesn’t end at night either. At the end of day one, we’ll camp at the historic Fort Snelling State Park, where the party continues during the “Night at the Fort” celebration. The registration fee covers all meals, live music, and free massages Saturday night for those sure-to-be tired muscles. Even our camping gear will be shuttled to the camp sites while we paddle downstream during the day.

The organizers say that even though the event is a big challenge (22 miles of paddling each day), all skill and experience levels can participate. Mississippi River Challenge’s web site offers a full range of training tips that actually make training sound doable. It’s not a race, so you can paddle as slow or as fast as you want, knowing that there are two rest stops, a lunch stop, and Safety Captains who can provide paddling tips as needed.  If you don’t have your own kayak or canoe, you can rent one. So really, what’s your excuse for staying on dry land?

(Oh, and if you don’t paddle, think about volunteering to support the paddlers during their long journey!)

The Mississippi River is one of St. Paul’s most obvious places to walk and bike along. I began to wonder though, what else is there to do along the river? So I stopped into the Mississippi River Visitor Center, located just inside the Science Museum of Minnesota (SMM). It turns out the rangers there have a bunch of summer activities planned, such as guided walks, bike and canoe trips—all for free. The great thing about adventuring with a ranger is getting to pick their brains for info that you’d never get on a solo walk.

I plan to try one of these ranger adventures soon. Today, though, I popped into the visitor’s center for a ranger talk about the Mississippi, which happens every Tuesday at noon. The free, casual, 20-minute talk overlooks the river from the balcony of SMM’s Elements Café. (Take the elevator or stairs from SMM’s lobby to the 6th floor and meet the ranger outside.)

Today’s talk was somewhat overtaken by overcast skies and strong winds, but Ranger Heather Peterson’s talk was nonetheless worthwhile and interesting. Little did I know that St. Paul has such a storied history of people living along the river (mostly immigrants who couldn’t afford to live on higher land). I’ve always wondered why the awning outside of Cossetta Italian Market & Pizzeria reads, “Just a piece of the levee.” Pointing to a riverbank near the SMM, Peterson explained that Italian immigrants used to live along that area after the turn of the century. They were evicted in the 1950s after a flood.

Other weekly ranger talks focus on topics like the geology of the river and our modern-day connection to the Mississippi, from what we take in (drinking water), to what goes out into the river (sewage), and how we can me more mindful of this connection.

These Tuesday lunchtime sessions make for a quick escape from the office. Grab a sandwich from Elements Café, sit outside on a sunny day, and lunch with a ranger over a river view that can’t be beat.

The sun isn’t supposed to reappear for a few more days (at least, that’s what Weather.com tells me), but you can start planning now for the better hiking and biking weather that’s sure to come.

One of the best places to start is Harriet Island, just across the Mississippi from downtown. One of the first things you will notice about Harriet Island is that it is not an island. The river channel that separated the island from the mainland was filled in the 1950’s, so now it is an island in name only. But that does not change the fact that it is one of the most charming places in the city to take a picnic and drink in some seriously dramatic views of downtown.

You can also launch a great hike or bike ride from here. Park in the south parking lot (accessible by taking a right on Plato Boulevard after crossing the Wabasha Street bridge from downtown) and head south on the paved trail adjacent to Dr. Justis Ohage Blvd. The first few hundred yards is a bit industrial, but soon you plunge into the woods alongside the river and forget that you are anywhere near the city.

For 2.8 miles the paved trail meanders next to the river and through picturesque forest. You will even get glimpses of Pickerel Lake and the occasional reminder (such as the appearance of a mile-long freight train crossing the railroad swing bridge or a huge barge passing by) that you are sharing space with two thriving transportation corridors.

The trail is flat until you reach the Pool and Yacht Club. There it becomes the Big Rivers Regional Trail* and begins a dramatic ascent up the bluff. My husband and I started our latest hike there (with the baby in tow) to take advantage of the serious cardio workout and the equally serious views.

The trail is nestled between limestone cliffs and the river – part of an old rail corridor that is still active (although the active part is thankfully 50 feet down the bluff). As you climb, the view of the river becomes more breathtaking until you reach the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers. This spot is considered sacred by many people native to Minnesota and it is easy to see why. The milky brown of the Minnesota can be seen blending into the deeper green of the Mississippi. It is worth the trip just to see two big rivers becoming one.

* It is important to note that the Big Rivers Regional Trail is closed weekdays until 5:30 p.m. through July due to construction. The trail is open after 5:30 and on weekends.

There may be no better view of St. Paul than from the deck of a cozy, four-room bed and breakfast docked off Harriet Island. I do not say this lightly. If I could live aboard the Covington Inn I probably would.

For starters, you’re floating on the Mississippi River. Downtown’s buildings are laid out in front of you, with the scenic Wabasha Street Bridge to the north. Rowers and barges drift by. Fish jump. Trains click-clack over tracks on the other side of the river. If you’re lucky enough to catch a sunset from the Covington’s deck with a glass of wine in-hand, well, I just can’t imagine a better way to take in St. Paul’s beauty.

The Covington Inn, docked off Harriet Island. (Photo by Alisa Blackwood.)

My husband and I spent a night earlier this week aboard the restored 1946 towboat, celebrating our wedding anniversary. One night was nowhere near enough.

We stayed in the Master’s Quarters, a spacious room with a fireplace, panoramic views of the Mississippi and downtown, and direct access to the boat’s main deck. Since we were only the people staying that night (lucky us!), the bed and breakfast’s owner, Liz Miller, also allowed us use of the wheel house, which is usually reserved as part of the two-story Pilot House Suite. This living-room style space, with a comfy couch and two chairs, offers stunning views from any direction. Each wall is almost entirely made up of windows. If you want to play captain like my husband did, you’ll love the original brass controls still in place.

What is mind-boggling about this B&B is how few people seem to know it exists. Or they think it is open only seasonally. (Not true—staying when the river is iced over with the fireplace going in your room gives new meaning to winter coziness.)

A stay at the Covington Inn is the quintessential way to experience the Mississippi River. If you want to add to your river staycation experience, hop aboard a Padelford Riverboat cruise (the Covington is permanently docked) or walk or bike the paved trail, heading south, along Harriet Island.

If you’re looking for an urban hike, cross the Wabasha Street Bridge into downtown for dinner at Pazzaluna, Meritage, or the St. Paul Grill. Downtown is just a 10 minute walk (or less) away.

Liz's decadent French toast breakfast aboard the Covington Inn. (Photo by Alisa Blackwood.)

The next morning we woke to a deliciously decadent breakfast of French toast covered in caramel, fresh strawberries, bananas, blueberries, cinnamon and whipped cream. (No, not healthy, but very, very worth it.) Then we returned to the deck with fresh cups of coffee. Reclining on the deck’s cushioned lounge chairs, we watched St. Paul come alive as the sun cast a warm glow over downtown’s buildings. “I feel like I’m falling in love with St. Paul all over again,” my husband said.

Whether you’re already a fan of this city or see it as that place on the other side of the river where you only go for hockey games or the Opera, a night at the Covington Inn is sure to change your view.

I live in St. Paul. I work in St. Paul. I shop in St. Paul and I play in St. Paul. For me, there is no better vacation than to stay right here in the capital city and enjoy so many wonderful things just steps or a bike ride from my front door.

Me and the kids by the beach

This past Memorial Day weekend, my family stayed close to home and enjoyed some wonderful time outside. If your family loves to bike ride, I have a great place you must go to on the next sunny day. The bike path along the Mississippi River from Harriet Island toward Mendota Heights is a wonderful getaway. It is pretty level path, which is great for the young ones. At points along the path, there is a wonderful canopy of trees that almost makes you feel like you are on the North Shore of Minnesota.

If you have some budding archaeologists in your family, I highly recommend a stop at Lilydale Park. You can wind your way along the big hill and take part in some great fossil hunting. My 8-year old son went on a field trip with his third grade class to this area and now we love going there as a family. You play the role of an explorer and you sift through rocks looking for the ones that qualify as fossils. You may have to ask a friendly third grader to help you identify those clues! If you plan on keeping the fossils, be sure to apply for a permit.

Spooky Halloween in St. Paul

I am all about family adventures and St. Paul has many more places to go with your kids. If you are looking for a nice place to have a great meal, be sure to check out The Highland Grill at Ford Parkway and Cleveland Avenue. While you wait for your food, the waitress hands your children a tub of small toys to keep them occupied. When the food arrives, you realize why you came. They have wonderful gourmet meals that the kids will also enjoy. I think my husband and I lived on the Highland Grill food when our son was a baby. They got to know us pretty well!

We also really like going to a few other kid-friendly places on Grand Avenue. D’Amico and Sons feeds kids for free on Sunday nights. They also make sure the grown-ups glass of wine is always refilled for free. That is a nice bonus when you are going out with the family.

The beauty of the visit for us is that it is a short walk home after that. We also enjoy Billy’s on Grand. My son is a sports nut so we all enjoy watching the big game on the big screen while we wait for our burgers. If you don’t eat meat, they have a very nice veggie burger with any toppings. Bonfire on Grand provides a nice loud place so your kids won’t feel to intimidated to just be themselves. They have a great deal where kids make their own pizzas and watch them go into the woodfire oven. They also make their own sundaes for dessert. You can bet your young chefs will love being able to eat what they made.

If you are looking for a good spot to grab breakfast, Bread and Chocolate has the best Florentine

At the grand-opening of Rice Park powered by Xcel Energy

croissants. Get there early because they sell out fast. My kids love the cinnamon rolls. It’s a great way to kick back on a Sunday morning.I am “the” person to talk with about St. Paul. I often wish I would’ve grown up here. It is a big city with a small town feel and you really get the best of both worlds. I am just glad my children can call themselves St. Paul natives. Why would they want to leave when we have it all here?

- Vineeta Sawkar is an anchor on the Emmy-winning 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS mornings from 5-7 and Midday at 11a. Vineeta is a St. Paul resident and a die-hard Minnesota Wild fan (holding season tickets since the very first season in 2000)

As I looked forward to summer in Saint Paul this year, I thought back to last June around Mears Park during the summer solstice weekend. It was one of the most eclectic and entertaining weekends.

It began on a Thursday evening, with Martin Devaney and Little Man playing Music in Mears Park, a free Thursday night concert series. That morphed into Ravi Coltrane in Mears Park on Friday evening as part of the Twin Cities Jazz Festival. Then, a block away from the park on Saturday was the Pride Celebration Kick-Off Block Party. And, throughout the whole weekend ending that Sunday was the Solstice Film Festival at Galtier Plaza.

It was the kind of weekend people travel to other cities for, but all was here and most for free.

Summer in Saint Paul is a great season. While I play no favorites as I like skating and skiing, the City takes on a different persona, especially over the last three years as we have reclaimed the Mississippi River as the lifeblood of the city, opened new parks, and welcomed new music festivals.

Even everyday activities can take on a different life on the banks of the Upper Mississippi. A morning run through Harriet Island and Lilydale Park turns into a nature outing, with bald eagles flying overhead and the occasional sighting of a fox or coyote in the distance – all within view of Saint Paul’s skyline.

Finishing up the run at the Farmer’s Market in Lowertown provides a well-earned reward. Grabbing a coffee and grilled – yes, grilled – bagel makes the cool down a treat as you walk among the tables of locally produced fruits, vegetables, meats and cheeses. Grab a baquette, some cheddar, tomatoes, basil, and some meat, and lunch in the shadows of the river bluffs at a newly redesigned Raspberry Island in the middle of the Mississippi.

There is so much to look forward to doing this summer in Saint Paul, it is hard to single any one thing out. From wine on the patios of one of the restaurants on West 7^th Street to welcoming the new Barrio (coming in mid-June) next to the Bulldog in Lowertown; going to the third Concrete and Grass Music Festival and enjoying one of our many neighborhood parades; seeing great theater productions; tailgating at a Saints baseball game; experiencing the Titanic exhibit at the Science Museum of Minnesota; golfing on one of the city’s championship golf courses … this may require a vacation.

We don’t often take the time to appreciate what we have. I say, though, plan a long weekend, forget the chores, leave the yard, and live like a tourist in your city. The memories will be long lasting without having to take a long trip.

- Mayor Chris Coleman

When I met Jeff, the man who would later become my husband, I was living in the South (where I’m originally from) and we did the long distance dating dance, pining over each other and trying to figure out how to live in the same city. St. Paul got the hard sell, and I was game for a new adventure.

As a born-and-raised Floridian I never would have imagined living in Minnesota. The only time I visited St. Paul prior to moving here was during a snow-filled December weekend. Love is a powerful thing.

It didn’t take long for this city to warm my heart. By the time I moved here—three years ago Memorial Day weekend—St. Paul’s outdoor festivals, downtown farmer’s market, restaurant patio seating, and summer weather perfection were in full bloom. I quickly began exploring, and adoring, this new city of mine.

My now-husband was perhaps (and still is) St. Paul’s biggest cheerleader. He has lived here for 18 years or so, knows all those back roads that confuse everyone else, and is a loyal patron of his tried and true local haunts. His affection has rubbed off on me, though it’s me, with my fresh eyes and non-native status that gets us out to try new restaurants, new hiking trails, and more.

This summer I’m taking my St. Paul exploration to a new level. I have a Google doc going of fun things to do that I regularly add to. Jeff and I plan to spend as much time outside as possible with our 1-year-old son in tow. (Note to self: get to the Roseville REI and buy one of those baby backpack carriers—ASAP!) I’ve got my Minnesota bird and tree naturalist guides in hand and my kitchen ready to make use of our fantastic local produce. Maybe we’ll have the chance to meet at the St. Paul Farmer’s Market sometime.

As the outdoors and healthy living blogger for STAYcation, I’ll be checking out biking and hiking trails, the best spots to take a dip on hot summer days, healthy cooking classes, local farms, ways to get to know our lovely stretch of the mighty Mississippi River, and much, much more. I’ve got my eye on a few yoga and pilates classes I’ve been wanting to try, too, along with some spa treatments I can’t wait to indulge in. I’m also looking forward to trying a few outdoor adventures for the first time—specifically geo-caching and disc golf.

Meanwhile, I’d love to hear about your favorite around-town spots. Where in St. Paul do you go when you need a nature fix, a healthy meal, want to catch a fish, or to take a meditation class to recharge your spirit? And if you hear of a fantastic event I should check out, please let me know!