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The still-slender Mississippi River; scenic city lakes; waterfalls; beautiful homes in elegant, forested neighborhoods; impressive buildings both old and new; two energized downtowns; great cathedrals; and many more surprises along the way. It all makes a sightseeing tour of the Twin Cities a must. At Twin Cities Tours we offer customized, private, chauffeur guided tours in sedans, limousines or vans. If you have a bus of visitors, we can also provide you with the step-on guide.

Guides are lifetime residents and professional chauffeurs with a thorough knowledge of the area, its history, architecture and lore. Each tour begins with a conversation to determine your interests and then is designed accordingly. The following is a list of sightseeing themes to select from.

Sightseeing Themes

Two City Tour

This is our basic tour which includes the majority of major attractions. It includes both downtown areas, the Mississippi River, Minneapolis Lakes Area, University of Minnesota, Minnehaha Falls, St. Paul Cathedral, Summit Avenue Victorian-era mansions, and much more. (Suggested length: 3-4 hours. Three hours is moving right along; four allows more time for entering the Cathedral, walking across the Stone Arch Bridge, photography, etc., at a much more relaxed pace.)

Corporate guests

We are often engaged by local companies to show their guests all that there is to love about this area, as well as to tour through potential neighborhoods where they might chose to live, in the case of relocation. Importantly, we are not realtors, meaning zero pressure while exploring real estate options. (2-plus hours, depending on the geographical breadth of guest needs and scope of interests.

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Hidden Treasures

The tour guide's favorite, as well as of local residents who have usually seen the Two-City Tour attractions. It is also enjoyed by more ventursome visitors who are weary of the "30 strangers and a microphone" bus tours and want something different. Please don't ask "What will we see?" for this one, as everything is a Lewis and Clark Expedition-like surprise around each bend in the river and down each road less travelled. (4 hours; Works best on a weekday.)

Architecture

James J. Hill Mansion Ranges from a five mile parade of Victorian-era mansions along Saint Paul's Summit Avenue to modern museums, skyscrapers, churches and public sculpture. Many great architects, styles and eras are represented here including works of internationally-acclaimed architects Phillip Johnson, Frank Lloyd Wright, William Gray Purcell, Emmanuel Masqueray, Cesar Pelli, Frank Gehry, Jean Nuveau, Jacques Herzon, Pierre de Meuron and more. Plus local architects like Cass Gilbert (the State Capitol, the Woolworth building in NYC), Clarence Johnston (several Summit Avenue mansions), and Harry "Wild" Jones, a featured architect on the Hidden Treasures tour.

Regarding residential architecture, a common reaction is amazement at the many, unduplicated, yet aesthetically beautiful variations of styles and unparalleled Camelot neighborhoods. One lady exclaimed on a tour, "If when I die heaven does not look like this, I will be sadly disappointed!" You will even see the Twin Cities' smallest house, and the strangest! (4 hours)

Childrens Tours

Got youngsters? Even our tours can get a bit tedious if you're a kid! So to include them in the fun,we blend the Two City Tour with a serving of cool attractions for children: like the home of Mr. Little Guy; and the world's greatest children's book store, where they have chickens running around, white rats in the mystery section, cats without tails, and a little door inside the adult door just to get in and out of the place -- oh, and books! We'll visit our friend Sabastian Joe for some ice cream. We'll run off some steam by skipping across the Mississippi River on the Stone Arch Bridge. (Pssst! There is also much for Mom and Dad to enjoy along the way, but we try not make too big of a fuss about it.) (3-4)

Lake Minnetonka

Located 20 minutes west of Minneapolis, this lake is considered by many the most beautiful in Minnesota (and we have 12,292 of them!). It has one hundred miles of shoreline (we don't see it all) surrounded by beautiful mansions hidden in a vast forest and strung along georgeous bays and peninsulas. You'll see sailboats galore and quaint villages well worth a bit of shopping, cappucinno, or a meal as time permits. (3-4 hours. 4 allows time to lunch at Antiquity Rose's)

Stillwater

Located 30 minutes east of St. Paul, it is the oldest town in Minnesota, an old lumbering town nestled in the very scenic St. Croix River Valley. Among the riverside cliff dwellings are several photogenic, painted lady, Victorian-era houses. The town itself offers the classic mainstreet, with many interesting shops, many of them with antiques and used books. You will want to include time for some shopping, a cappuccino in a brick-walled coffee shop, or a walleye and wild rice meal (typical Minnesota food) in a restaurant overlooking the luscious scenery and Wisconsin on the other side. A good autumn drive especially.(3-4 hours)

Lake Superior

It is a three-hour drive out of the Twin Cities to reach the port of Duluth. It is a stunning site which we landlubbers never quite get over, as it presents a world port and ocean-like view into the otherwise landlocked epicenter of the North American continent. Duluth is a gateway to a different world...to the whole world! In Canal Park you can feed Jonathan Livingston Seagull (or perhaps a cousin) while watching the oceanliners heading in and out of the harbor beneath the Lift Bridge. But the main attraction is Lake Superior, the largest freshwater lake in the world. Time permitting, we take you up along the beautiful, pristine shoreline as far as Split Rock Lighthouse. (8-10 hours. 10 hours gets you up the coast as far as Split Rock Lighthouse...It's worth it.)

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Mississippi River Bluff area

This is a trip southeasterly out of the Twin Cities, following the Mighty Missippi River through perhaps its most beautiful scenery along its long sojourn to the Gulf of Mexico. It is referred to as the Bluff Country. It was carved out of the sandstone eons ago by glacial melt, leaving forested hills (bluffs) surrounding postcard valleys with winding roads, streams and red barns. The main feature is the river itself, but we also drive in and around the bluff area, usually finding a small town, mainstreet cafe for our meals. Especially stunning in autumn.(9 hours)

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