Minnesota

a short drive from the cities. It's worth it, even if you don't buy anything, but you will.
Arguably the best fish and chips anywhere can be found at the Anchor.
Kramarczuk's for some interesting bites. It gets crowded at lunch time.
If you like baseball, the St. Paul Saints have a beautiful field in downtown St. Paul. Good baseball, and they don't bend you over on the prices like the MLB does.
Visit the Weisman Art Museum. It's a Gehry design, so worth the visit just to see the architecture.
A ride along the Minnesota River Valley road is fun.
Take a glider demonstration ride with the Minnesota Soaring Club in Stanton.