Brent Yezek Welcome to Minneapolis! 38TH ANNUAL NACADA CONFERENCE MINNEAPOLIS, MN OCTOBER 8-11, 2014 On behalf of the Minneapolis conference planning committee and the city of Minneapolis, we can t wait to welcome you to the Twin Cities! Whether your favorite adventure is in the great outdoors or in a shopping mall, the Twin Cities has it all! Please read through this guide for handy transportation tips to/from the airport and around the area, hints for helpful places and services you may wish to access between conference sessions, and suggestions for fabulous evening adventures. The hospitality booth will be conveniently located near the conference registration booth. Representatives from Meet Minneapolis will also be available on Thursday and Friday with a comprehensive restaurant list, local events happening during the conference, and much more. We hope our suggestions will allow you to experience the cities like a local. Welcome to Minneapolis! Susan Anderson & Jen Endres, Hospitality Co-Chairs Adventures in Advising: Explore, Discover, Collaborate, Transform
Weather Minneapolis weather is typically in the mid-60 s for a high and mid-40 s for a low. Ideal for brisk walks and bike rides to view the gorgeous fall colors! Bring a light jacket (and an umbrella, of course) for morning or evening activities. Gorgeous Fall Colors Fall colors in the Twin Cities tend to peak between early- and mid-october. You will be visiting at the perfect time! For viewing our natural beauty, we recommend: A bike ride using the Nice Ride bikes (www.niceridemn.org) to Minnehaha Falls and Fort Snelling State Park, or sign up for our Nice Ride group dinner outing! Sign up for the Riverwalk Food Tour (see page 6 for more details)! Drive along the St. Croix River in Stillwater, MN (and check out the antique shops along Main Street) or take the Chain of Lakes Scenic Drive right in the city From the Airport Walk along the Stone Arch Bridge to St. Anthony Main for a unique view of the city Transportation You can take a taxi. The minimum fair from the airport to downtown Minneapolis is about $40 and could be higher depending on traffic and time of day. A cheap and easy alternative to a taxi is the Light Rail. The Light Rail (also called METRO Blue Line, Hiawatha Line, LRT) has stops at both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. To get from your gate to the Light Rail stations, follow the ground transportation signs. At both stations, tickets for the Light Rail are sold at machines (cash/credit). During rush hour tickets are $2.25 and during non-rush hour they are $1.75. The ride from the airport to downtown Minneapolis is a little less than half an hour. Most conference hotels will be accessible by taking the Nicollet Mall stop. When you get off the train you can walk a few blocks to your designated hotel or take the Free Nicollet Mall Bus to your destination. You can check the Metro Transit website (www.metrotransit.org) for more information. **From Terminal 1, follow signs for ground transportation. Take a tram to the Transit Station and follow signs for the Light Rail. From Terminal 2, follow signs for ground transportation. At airport ticketing you will go up one level and take the Orange Ramp skyway and follow signs for the Light Rail. When you reach the station, go down a level to the platform. Getting Around Town Skyways: The skyways (indoor sidewalks above the street) connect 50 square blocks of downtown, including many hotels to the Convention Center. Bike: There are bike rental areas in many parts of downtown. Bikes cost just $6 per day. Public Transportation: Metro Transit operates one of the largest public transportation systems in the country. Busses and Light Rail trains are convenient and inexpensive. On the Light Rail you will be able to easily travel from downtown Minneapolis to downtown St. Paul on the Green Line or from downtown Minneapolis to the Mall of America on the Blue Line. Visit www.metrotransit.org. Free Bus on Nicollet Mall: There is a free bus service that runs down Nicollet Mall from Washington Avenue to the Convention Center. Bus signs read Free Bus and service is every 5-10 minutes or so. Taxi: Many taxi companies offer service in downtown Minneapolis. Airport Taxi (612-888-8000), Blue & White Taxi (612-333-3333), Diamond Cab (651-642-1188), Minneapolis Taxi (612-998-1555), Red & White Taxi (612-871-1600) and Yellow Taxi (800-829-4222).
About the Convention Center Visitor Information Center Staffed 8am-4:30pm and located in the main lobby, the VIC concierges can provide directions, information about building facilities and city information (including where to eat around the Convention Center). Printing & Shipping The UPS Business Center is on the main floor and provides services for shipping, copying, binding, printing and signage. Open M-F 8am-5pm and Saturday 10am-3pm. Dunn Bros. Cafe Located in the main lobby on the first floor, the café is open daily from 7am-5pm. Grab a quick bite between sessions or that extra jolt in the morning. All coffee is roasted on-premise! WiFi Is available throughout our meeting space for both participants and presenters. SSid; NACADA Annual Conference. Password: Minn2014! Please be respectful of others and do not videostream. Videostreaming ties up bandwidth for everyone and slows down the connection. Parking Enter the underground plaza parking ramp from either 2nd Avenue South or 12th Street South. The Plaza Ramp has handicap parking. Elevators and a climate-controlled skyway connect the Ramp to the Convention Center, allowing easy access. Getting Here From the West (I-94): Take the 4th Street exit to 2nd Avenue. Turn right (south) on 2nd Avenue. Go 8 blocks to the Convention Center. From the West (I-394): Take the 12th Street (downtown) exit. Follow 12th to 2nd Avenue and turn right. From the East: (I-94): Take the 11th Street exit and follow 11th to 2nd Avenue. Turn left (south). Go 1 block to the Convention Center. From the South (I-35W): Follow downtown exit signs to the 11th Street exit. Follow 11th Street to 2nd Avenue. Turn left (south). Go 1 block to the Convention Center. From the North (I-35W): Take I-35W to I-94 west. Follow I-94 west to the 11th Street (NOT 11th Avenue!) exit. Take 11th Street to 2nd Avenue. Turn left (south) on 2nd Avenue and go 1 block to the Convention Center.
Finding the Necessities Looking for something near the Convention Center? If you don t see what you need below, ask us at the Hospitality Booth! Coffee Shops Along with the Dunn Bros right in the Convention Center, there are several options for coffee nearby. There is a Starbucks less than 1/2 mile away (take 2nd Avenue north to 11th Street, turn left (west) and walk less than 3 blocks). Or, drink coffee like a Minnesotan and walk to Caribou Coffee (take 2nd Avenue north almost to 9th Street, about 4 blocks). Grocery/Convenience Stores The 15th Street Market is the closest to the Convention Center (follow 2nd Avenue South to Nicollet Avenue, turn left and the market is approximately 2 blocks down). There is also a Target store on Nicollet Mall (approximately 1/2 mile from the Convention Center) Liquor Stores The nearest liquor store is the Franklin-Nicollet Liquor Store, just over 1/2 mile from the Convention Center. Follow 2nd Avenue South to 1st Avenue South and turn left (south). Turn right on East Fanklin Avenue and then in 1 block turn left on Nicollet. They are open 8am-9pm. There is also a Lunds Wine/Spirits on Hennepin Avenue (walk north on 2nd Avenue to 12th Street and turn left on 12th Street. Follow approximately 1/2 mile to Hennepin Avenue). Dry Cleaners Waldorf Nevens Cleaners is 1/3 mile from the Convention Center right on 2nd Avenue South (2nd turns into Grant Street). They also have several tailors on staff for minor alterations/repairs. Waldorf Nevens is open 7am-7pm M-F and 8am-4pm Saturday. Gas Stations The nearest gas station to the Convention Center is Super America (follow 2nd Avenue South to Lasalle Avenue, approximately 3 blocks). There is also a Bobby & Steve s on Washington Avenue at the entrance to I-35W. Gas prices are currently around $3.30/gallon.
Group Dinner Signup We are excited to offer what we are calling Enhanced Dinner Options at this year s conference! Spend an evening with your colleagues at a local restaurant and then experience a taste of life in Minneapolis! Sign up for group dinners at the Hospitality Booth by Thursday at 10am! Shout! House (free) + Butcher & the Boar ($$) The Shout! House is rock n roll dueling pianos. Butcher & the Boar was a 2013 James Beard semi finalist and serves American cuisine. The restaurant is an 11 minute walk from the Convention Center and it is an 8 minute walk from there to the Shout! House. A fun time guaranteed! Minneapolis Sculpture Garden (free) + Loring Kitchen ($$) You can t visit Minneapolis and not see the iconic spoon/cherry sculpture. The sculpture garden is free. They also have an amazing mini golf course with every (surprisingly challenging) hole created by local artists. Across the street is the Walker Art Center (free on Thursdays). The Loring Kitchen serves American cuisine and is right across from Loring Park, which is beautiful. It is a 7 minute walk to the restaurant (through the park) and the sculpture garden is just a few minutes away. Nice Ride Tour ($6) + Tourguide Choice Restaurant (up to $$) Did you know Minneapolis is the #1 city in the country for biking? Live like a local and take a trip on the Nice Ride the fall colors will be gorgeous! Brave New Workshop ($14) + Solera ($$$) Brave New Workshop is the oldest comedy theater in the United States and it s founder, Dudley Riggs, is considered to be the founding father of improv comedy. They do improv/sketch shows specializing in political/social satire and they re always hilarious and pushing the envelope. Solera is Spanish/Tapas cuisine meant for sharing! It s a 13 minute walk from the Convention Center to the restaurant and a 1 minute walk from there to the theater.
Group Tours Purchase Tickets by October 3rd Minneapolis Riverwalk Food Tour Sign Up by October 3rd! 3-hour walking tour of Minneapolis Mill District and Northeast Minneapolis neighborhoods Hungry for an off-the-beaten path Minneapolis food experience? Join us as we explore one of the city s trendy and historical neighborhoods, Mill District and St. Anthony on Main in Northeast Minneapolis. You ll enjoy the afternoon sampling food at the first Thai restaurant in Minnesota, drinking local Minnesota brewed beer at the oldest restaurant in Minneapolis, and enjoy a local favorite cheese curds! Along with sampling food, we will also visit the Mill City Museum, stroll by the Guthrie, and enjoy gorgeous views of the St. Anthony Falls as we walk along the Stone Arch Bridge. Sign up by October 3rd to join us! Twin Cities Brewery Tours Sign Up by October 3rd! Hope on our bus for a guided beer adventure as we tour two local breweries! On this tour you will receive a VIP brewery tour, beer tastings, learn how beer is made and get an insider s look at the Twin Cities beer culture. You ll have plenty of time to purchase your favorite beer in a growler at each brewery for your enjoyment on our bus or save it for later. You ll receive a pretzel necklace to nosh on during the tour and receive a souvenir to remember this fantastic afternoon of beer tasting. Sign up by October 3rd to join us! Minnesota Wild Game SOLD OUT! Hockey is Minnesota s official sport! The U.S. Pond Hockey national championship tournament is on Minneapolis s Lake Nokomis every January and 13 Minnesotans (both men and women) were on the 2014 Olympic hockey teams. We are offering an opportunity for conference participants to attend a Minnesota Wild game on October 9th. It doesn t get more Minnesota than this! Getting to the 8pm game: Free rides on Metro Transit (www.metrotransit.org) are available two hours before face off until two hours after the game ends. Simply show your ticket for the game to the driver as you board the bus! The 353 Express bus will you take you from 2nd Avenue/6th Street (6 blocks from the Convention Center) directly to 5th Street/7th Street West in St. Paul (1/10 mile from Xcel Energy Center). If you choose to drive, the Xcel Energy Center is serviced by two ramps, RiverCentre and Kellogg, which are both directly connected to the complex. These ramps do fill up early!
Experience Minneapolis Like a Local Guthrie Theater Minneapolis is the third largest theater market in the nation! Even if you re not seeing a show, the building (and the view!) is worth the trip, dubbed a 21st century dream factory by Time magazine. Midtown Global Market The destination for a more unique shopping experience and cultural events. Vendors sell food and trinkets ranging from local produce to Somalian Pastries, Middle Eastern olives and Asian spices. Target Field Unlike any other Major League Ballpark, it is the most modern ballpark built in decades. Breathtaking views of the city. Public tours are available. Minnehaha Park & Falls Experience the 53-foot Minnehaha Falls made famous by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow s poem, The Song of Hiawatha. While you re there, grab a bite at Sea Salt Eatery! Chain of Lakes Each of the 5 bodies of water that make up the Chain of Lakes has something different to offer. Bird sanctuary, rose gardens, boat rentals and more. Minneapolis Institute of Arts Over 80,000 works of art spanning more than 5,000 years. Although the collection is huge, it is still small enough to see in a day. Uptown Spend a day exploring the funky shops and restaurants of Uptown. Boutiques, independent movie theaters, galleries, cafes, bars and live music venues. Mall of America Shopping and more! Over 500 stores, an indoor amusement park with over 25 rides and attractions and Underwater Adventures Aquarium. Orchestra Hall First Ave & the 7th Street Entry The launching pad for local bands like Soul Asylum, Semisonic and more, and a stepping stone for musicians including U2, The Ramones, Lucinda Williams, Metallica and, of course, Prince. One of Minnesota s cultural and architectural touchstones and particularly renowned for its acoustics.
For the Foodies Minneapolis restaurants offer experiences you won t find anywhere else. Last year alone four local chefs were nominated for the James Beard Award the Oscar of culinary including Tim McKee of La Belle Vie and Solera, and Alex Roberts of Restaurant Alma and Brasa Rotisserie. Experience the flavors of Sweden, Germany and Poland or Somalia, Vietnam and Mexico.You ll find a culture of locally-grown, globally-inspired foods that nourish body and soul. (www.minneapolis.org) 112 Eatery ($$$) - Mediterranean, 612-343-7696 612-343-7696, www.112eatery.com Aster Café ($$) - American 612-379-3138, www.aster-café.com Bachelor Farmer ($$$) - Modern American, European 612-206-3920, www.thebachelorfarmer.com Bar La Grassa ($$) - Italian 612-333-3837, www.barlagrassa.com Brasa Rotisserie ($$) - Southern/Soul, Barbecue, Pub 612-379-3030, www.brasa.us Eat Street Social ($$$) - Gastropub 612-767-6850, www.eatstreetsocial.com Heartland ($$$) - American, Vegetarian, 651-699-3536 651-699-3536, www.heartlandrestaurant.com Hola Arepa ($$) - Latin American 612-345-5583, www.holaarepa.com Psycho Suzi s Motor Lounge ($$) - Pizza, Pub Food 612-788-9069, www.psychosuzis.com Smack Shack ($$) - Burgers, Seafood 612-259-7288, www.smack-shack.com Sonora Grill ($$) - Latin American 612-722-2500, www.sonora-grill.com The Strip Club ($$$) - Steakhouse, 651-793-6247 651-793-6247, www.domeats.com Tilia ($$) - American 612-354-2806, www.tiliampls.com Victory 44 ($) - Modern American 612-588-2228, www.victory-44.com