First Stop: The Segway Magical History Tour
The tour begins!
Our first stop is the Segway Magical History Tour of the Riverfront District of Minneapolis. I found this tour to be a very fun and informative way to experience the past, present, and future of the heart of Minneapolis. Before embarking on this tour, my only familiarity with Segways came from the sitcom “Arrested Development” and news reports about a certain world leader who had some difficulty riding one (apparently even the motorized machine segment of the population doesn’t support him). Rest assured, passengers of this blog tour, riding a Segway is not nearly as difficult as he made it look. Yes, it took me a while to become completely comfortable on the vehicle, but once I did, it was actually a whole lot of fun. For more info on segways and how they work, click this link or the official Segway website.
These riders posed on the Stone Arch Bridge to show the world just how important (and stylish) people look when they are riding on a Segway.
The approximately 2.5 hour tour starts at a storefront in the St. Anthony Main building complex on the historic and beautifully preserved Main Street in St. Anthony (see map), the oldest street in the oldest part of Minneapolis and a sight to see in itself. Landmarks along the tour include The Pillsbury A-Mill (of the famous Doughboy), Stone Arch Bridge (“The Most Romantic Spot in Minneapolis – more on this in a later post), Mill City Museum (“The Most Explosive Museum in the Country” – coming soon in a later post), The Guthrie Theater, The Hennepin Avenue Bridge, Boom Island, and Nicollett Island.
My “Fab Four” (highlights of the experience):
1. Riding a Segway is a Lot of Fun – Unless you have $5,000 burning a hole in your pocket, this may be your best chance to experience being a “human on a stick” (in the only good way that phrase can be interpreted.) Plus I really enjoyed getting bemused looks from surprised onlookers.
2. The Guides – I thought they were very knowledgeable and funny (One guide remarked, “Don’t ride your Segway into the river – that’s a completely different tour and it’s much more expensive”). They also quickly assuaged my fear of pulling a “W”.
3. Nicollett Island – I’ve lived in Minneapolis for two years and was (along with many other Minneapolitans) shocked to discover this picturesque preserved victorian style neighborhood quietly tucked away right in the middle of the city. If the guides don’t mention it, ask about the donkey when you get to the island.
4. Free Pictures and Coupons - Feel free to bring a camera (don’t take photos while riding though). Guides also take digital photos on all tours which can be downloaded for free. Coupons for free admission to the Mill City Museum, and discounted meals at several unique nearby restaurants are available. See the “Doesn’t this sound lovely?” section below for more info.
Tour Riders in front of the new Guthrie Theater building and Sir Tyrone Guthrie himself. If you ever put a giant photo of a guy on the side of a building, you should probably try to find one that looks a little less like a certain former German leader.
The “W’s” (Aspects of the tour that fell flat):
1. The Price – $69.95 per person makes it one of the most expensive attractions I’ve found in the Twin Cities (though still $4930.05 cheaper than actually owning a Segway).
2. Tours are Seasonal – Unsurprisingly Segways don’t work well on snow and ice.
3. Not for Everyone – Riders must be aged 13-80 and weigh less than 280 pounds.
4. Slow Going – Most of the tour was spent whizzing along at fully twice the speed of walking (though the vehicles were capable of double that speed. On one tour we got some time to try going as fast as we could).
5. Time is of the Essence – Time commitment is 3.5 hours. I felt like I spent a lot of time waiting for things to happen or guides to give information or directions.
The Top Five Reasons Why You Need to Go on the Magical History Tour:
5. There is no better (or more fun) way to experience the heart and history of Minneapolis!
4. When are you going to have another chance to ride a Segway – unless you take a tour in Washington DC, San Francisco, L.A., or one of these cities.
3. It is a great family or group bonding experience!
2. The guides are very knowledgeable and funny, and keep the riders feeling safe and comfortable!
1. It is extremely fun!
Doesn’t this sound lovely?:
Have a blast cruising the Riverfront District on a 3pm Segway tour, then take advantage of the coupons offered at the end of the tour and enjoy dinner on a patio overlooking the Main Street, the river, and downtown Minneapolis at one of these restaurants: Vics, Pracna on Main, or Tugg’s Tavern.
Important Info:
Hours: Tours run 7 days a week at 10am and 3pm
Cost: $69.95 per person (kind of steep, but well worth it!)
Location: St. Anthony Main - 125 Main St. SE Minneapolis, MN 55414 (See the interactive map)
For more information, check out their website. Also check out this video.
The photos on this page both came from the Segway Magical History Tour Photo Gallery.
And now ladies and gentlemen, it’s on to the next stop of our blog tour, Stone Arch Bridge and Mill Ruins Park. See you there…
Tags: educational, Outdoors
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January 14, 2012 at 5:46 am
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