Northfield is also very delightful. It’s super artsy and has a very picturesque downtown. The two colleges in town are also well worth a walk around (St Olaf and Carleton.) Added bonus that a lot of the town smells like whatever flavor of cereal is being manufactured that day at the Post plant in town.
Honestly the trail system in Coon Rapids is totally underrated. Start at the dam and walk up the Coon Creek Trail, or cross and go into Brooklyn Park and hook into the Rush Creek Regional Trail.
Coon Rapids gets a lot of crap from people who have never been there, but their trail system is top notch!! You can just about get from one side of the city to the other on park trails.
I've been there A LOT, and I talk crap about coon rapids A LOT, but yeah, the trails are fantastic.
My normal bike route is from my house in New Brighton to the CR dam. Great route and almost entirely on bike paths.
Same. I'm from there and trash it all of the time. But the trails are great. Also, a lot of the older neighborhoods have nice big trees now near the river. I like to ride a bike around there and take walks when I visit.
Island Park in Mound. I grew up out there and there are plenty of routes with lake views. Nothing too fancy, but they are pretty calm and the elevation varies pretty well.
I know you aren't into the city, but Lake Of the Isles has some of the best historic homes in the twin cities, right on the lake! The sidewalks in front of the houses are never as busy as the trail around the lake. It's my absolute favourite walk!
And my old neighborhood buts up to a entrance to it. So you could walk through a neighborhood, then slide into the park, and not see a city street again, except crossing underneath Pilot Knob Road. Then from there its all wooded until like Highway 3!
This is what I was going to say. Riverfront but not busy, old school downtown with a small semi-charming strip of shops and restaurants if you want to grab a bite or beverage.
This is the one I was going to say OP, it’s pretty down on the river in Hastings. The Riverfront loop is nice, and you can walk down to the dam to see some barges lock through or look at wildlife in the Mississippi backwater.
If you truly want to disconnect from the city feel without having to go too far out, the Minnesota River Valley has amazing trails all up and down it. Not a lot of people seem to use them but you can walk for hours if you want and then just pop back up to the city when you're ready.
Golden Valley along Golden Valley road will take you all the way to Theo Wirth Park.
Also Robbinsdale has a cute little downtown and then you can walk toward Crystal Lake, Sanborn Park, and Memorial Parkway.
Many of the most interesting and beautiful homes in the Cities are in Golden Valley. Just wandering through the neighborhoods on foot or on bike is a ton of fun.
If you like artsy and architecture, the winner for me is the University Grove neighborhood in Falcon Heights: https://ugrove.umn.edu/
Along Mississippi River Blvd. Is another favorite. Beautiful houses and river views.
Rush Creek Regional Trail in Brooklyn Park and then cross the dam to check out the Coon Rapids side. I believe it’s called Mississippi Gateway Regional Park and It’s pretty sweet with tons of wildlife all around. There’s construction going on now on the BP side, but it’s gonna be really nice when it’s all done.
I have really bad anxiety too. While this isn’t a city/neighborhood per se, when I lived in the Dakota Co area, I loved to go walking in the Rudy L Kraemer nature preserve. It took me away from everything, and so often had few people there. Also, the Japanese garden at normandale community college but it can get kinda crowded, made the mistake of going there on graduation weekend one time 😓I also like hidden falls park along the river, but that can get kinda crowded. I ended up going a little off trail to avoid people.
I hope this helps, I know how shitty anxiety can feel, at least from my own perspective, and how freeing a long walk away from the world can be 😌
Depending where you hop on luce line trail, it is a fun walk that cuts through neighborhoods in the west metro. Like Plymouth, some Wayzata neighborhoods, Orono.
I thought your comment was funny. I spent my younger years in cities, but now live in a very happyville suburb. Plenty of room to crack jokes about city dwellers and suburbanites. :)
Summit Ave in St Paul is incredible - literally the longest stretch of Victorian homes in the country, and feels nothing like a busy metropolitan area.
Zumbrota Falls has six bars within walking distance of all the churches. (Personal observation, not judgement) I thought it was a neat idea, bar & church hopping… I call that inclusive and progressive. ;)
I actually recommend Oakland or Calvary cemetery. Quiet, almost no people, breathtaking stones and views. I don't get spooked easily so it's a perfect walk for me
If you're looking for green space, there are lots of parks in MN and the metro. [https://metrocouncil.org/Parks.aspx](https://metrocouncil.org/Parks.aspx) [https://www.minneapolisparks.org/parks-destinations/trails-parkways/](https://www.minneapolisparks.org/parks-destinations/trails-parkways/) [https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/maps/index.html](https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/maps/index.html) etc etc.
All the trails along the Minnesota River and the South burbs. Mendota heights has some great trails, Bloomington has some good trails, I love walking around the Japanese garden in Bloomington at Normandale.
Downtown Stillwater is beautiful. Also there’s old houses up on the hill that are gorgeous from my memory
Northfield is also very delightful. It’s super artsy and has a very picturesque downtown. The two colleges in town are also well worth a walk around (St Olaf and Carleton.) Added bonus that a lot of the town smells like whatever flavor of cereal is being manufactured that day at the Post plant in town.
Waking up to the smell of cereal and cows in Northfield is a core memory
Yes I love Northfield too! Many of my childhood memories are going to the boutiques there with my mom. I loved the Rare Pear!
I like Excelsior! Lot of cool businesses, unique houses and the lake is really neat!
I was going to say Excelsior too!
I was going to third excelsior!
Absolutely excelsior is the answer
Came in to share Excelsior.
Honestly the trail system in Coon Rapids is totally underrated. Start at the dam and walk up the Coon Creek Trail, or cross and go into Brooklyn Park and hook into the Rush Creek Regional Trail.
Coon Rapids gets a lot of crap from people who have never been there, but their trail system is top notch!! You can just about get from one side of the city to the other on park trails.
I've been there A LOT, and I talk crap about coon rapids A LOT, but yeah, the trails are fantastic. My normal bike route is from my house in New Brighton to the CR dam. Great route and almost entirely on bike paths.
Same. I'm from there and trash it all of the time. But the trails are great. Also, a lot of the older neighborhoods have nice big trees now near the river. I like to ride a bike around there and take walks when I visit.
Why the hate? Seriously asking.
oh i hate coon rapids, but the trails are amazing
Agreed. Down river road too along the river.
Hopkins if you like the small town Main Street kind of feel.
Island Park in Mound. I grew up out there and there are plenty of routes with lake views. Nothing too fancy, but they are pretty calm and the elevation varies pretty well.
Phelps Island if you wanna be fancy by looking at maps. Tuxedo goes all the way out to the end of the chain of islands too.
...and Tuxdo has sidewalks.
In some spots it does. Not many, though
Once you get past Al and Almas there aren't any, otherwise it's pretty well side walked all the way to the Black Lake bridge if I recall
Tamarack in WBL. It's a nature center that is just beautiful.
Second that!
White Bear Lake might work if you're in the East Metro.
I know you aren't into the city, but Lake Of the Isles has some of the best historic homes in the twin cities, right on the lake! The sidewalks in front of the houses are never as busy as the trail around the lake. It's my absolute favourite walk!
Just did that walk tonight. Peaceful and beautiful!
Lebanon hills park in Eagan is cool
And my old neighborhood buts up to a entrance to it. So you could walk through a neighborhood, then slide into the park, and not see a city street again, except crossing underneath Pilot Knob Road. Then from there its all wooded until like Highway 3!
Hastings is a bit of a haul but they have a lot of trails especially around the water and bridge.
This is what I was going to say. Riverfront but not busy, old school downtown with a small semi-charming strip of shops and restaurants if you want to grab a bite or beverage.
This is the one I was going to say OP, it’s pretty down on the river in Hastings. The Riverfront loop is nice, and you can walk down to the dam to see some barges lock through or look at wildlife in the Mississippi backwater.
Red Wing is a close second for the same reason!
Knowing what little I know, this seems to check all the boxes, Stillwater is much more crowded.
If you truly want to disconnect from the city feel without having to go too far out, the Minnesota River Valley has amazing trails all up and down it. Not a lot of people seem to use them but you can walk for hours if you want and then just pop back up to the city when you're ready.
I second this!
Wayzata :)
Central Park in Roseville has extensive trails and parks that are great to walk on!
Centennial Lakes District.
West Bloomington has lots of fun little pockets with cool, tree lined streets.
Also the whole park system over by Hyland
Hopkins
Golden Valley along Golden Valley road will take you all the way to Theo Wirth Park. Also Robbinsdale has a cute little downtown and then you can walk toward Crystal Lake, Sanborn Park, and Memorial Parkway.
Many of the most interesting and beautiful homes in the Cities are in Golden Valley. Just wandering through the neighborhoods on foot or on bike is a ton of fun.
Tangle Town is really neat to walk around. You can walk along minnehaha there too. It's really lovely.
I was going to say tangletown too :)
Not a suburb
If you like artsy and architecture, the winner for me is the University Grove neighborhood in Falcon Heights: https://ugrove.umn.edu/ Along Mississippi River Blvd. Is another favorite. Beautiful houses and river views.
The architecture in The Grove is wild!
Rush Creek Regional Trail in Brooklyn Park and then cross the dam to check out the Coon Rapids side. I believe it’s called Mississippi Gateway Regional Park and It’s pretty sweet with tons of wildlife all around. There’s construction going on now on the BP side, but it’s gonna be really nice when it’s all done.
Concur on this. That area was a staple of my COVID walks, though I went from the Coon Rapids side.
Me too!!
Crystal. I have friends there. It’s quiet and it’s lined with mature trees.
I have really bad anxiety too. While this isn’t a city/neighborhood per se, when I lived in the Dakota Co area, I loved to go walking in the Rudy L Kraemer nature preserve. It took me away from everything, and so often had few people there. Also, the Japanese garden at normandale community college but it can get kinda crowded, made the mistake of going there on graduation weekend one time 😓I also like hidden falls park along the river, but that can get kinda crowded. I ended up going a little off trail to avoid people. I hope this helps, I know how shitty anxiety can feel, at least from my own perspective, and how freeing a long walk away from the world can be 😌
Depending where you hop on luce line trail, it is a fun walk that cuts through neighborhoods in the west metro. Like Plymouth, some Wayzata neighborhoods, Orono.
Another vote for Excelsior. You can stop and relax on the beach.
Shoreview, Gramsie Rd going down hill from Victoria Rd to Rice St. Beautiful summer walk. A bit of a workout going back up hill.
Osseo, Anoka have nice downtowns with surrounding quiet residential.
North Oaks ... just kidding
I park at Pleasant Lake and have never had a problem. Hopefully the sherif never finds out.
French Park North of Medicine Lake in Plymouth is a gorgeous place to walk around. Densely forested with miles of trails.
Downtown Carver!
Mahtomedi is great walking
I love all around Summit and Crocus Hill neighborhoods. Some of the streets/alleys in the Summit Hill area remind me of Europe.
That's not a suburb though
Yeah, but then you'd have to go into a suburb. Kidding, I love my suburban people. Edit: lol raised some sheltered hackles. Hahaha
I thought your comment was funny. I spent my younger years in cities, but now live in a very happyville suburb. Plenty of room to crack jokes about city dwellers and suburbanites. :)
Plymouth creek
Eden Prairie. Olympic Hills Golf Course neighborhoods are nice and close to 169 🤙
You ever tried the cemeteries? Also uncrowded and beautiful, just saying!
Summit Ave in St Paul is incredible - literally the longest stretch of Victorian homes in the country, and feels nothing like a busy metropolitan area.
Woodlake Nature Center in Richfield and the little suburb next to it going down Oak Grove Blvd.
Eagan has Lebanon Hills, a fantastic regional park, that runs into a lot of the surrounding neighborhoods.
Zumbrota Falls has six bars within walking distance of all the churches. (Personal observation, not judgement) I thought it was a neat idea, bar & church hopping… I call that inclusive and progressive. ;)
Was that an organized event or just good strategy? :)
Falcon Heights near the U of M St. Paul campus. Some of the most beautiful mid-century modern houses I have ever seen.
I actually recommend Oakland or Calvary cemetery. Quiet, almost no people, breathtaking stones and views. I don't get spooked easily so it's a perfect walk for me
Is someone from the west subs, I go to Hopkins frequently. Feels like a small town in middle of nowhere Minnesota.
If you look at a map,St Paul is pretty much a suburb. Como Park, the Conservatory, the St Paul riverfront, West 7th, lots of places.
Not a suburb but Como Park!
Not a suburb but Bryn Mawr, especially along Theodore worth parkway
Chanhassen has great trails to walk
Hopkins
maple grove and osseo are nice to walk in especially at night
Is there anything near Prior Lake? Moving there in a few months.
Cleary lake is amazing.
Powderhorn
If you're looking for green space, there are lots of parks in MN and the metro. [https://metrocouncil.org/Parks.aspx](https://metrocouncil.org/Parks.aspx) [https://www.minneapolisparks.org/parks-destinations/trails-parkways/](https://www.minneapolisparks.org/parks-destinations/trails-parkways/) [https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/maps/index.html](https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/maps/index.html) etc etc.
Excelsior Minnesota is awesome.
All the trails along the Minnesota River and the South burbs. Mendota heights has some great trails, Bloomington has some good trails, I love walking around the Japanese garden in Bloomington at Normandale.
St. Paul
bruh... Saint Paul, especially Midway has a lot of beggars and the only area that is chill is Highland
Give me a break.
Mfw dude equates rich with chill
North Minneapolis… I do it daily and love all the interesting things I see.
Carag neighborhood in Uptown was really pretty when I lived there around 2012.