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A jolly holiday in Minneapolis

Sometimes, the best tourist destination is in your own back yard.

During the holidays, there's no place like home. In fact, it's the perfect getaway.

Every year, I go to downtown Minneapolis to see the Holidazzle parade. I get tickets for Handel's "Messiah" at Orchestra Hall. I hunt for stocking stuffers on Nicollet Mall.

I don't stay overnight. I live here, after all.

But looking around on Travelocity, I found a cut-rate room at Graves 601, the sleek luxury hotel across from Target Center. I got a two-for-one deal for a holiday ballet. I heard about a great happy hour right on the Holidazzle route.

That's how I realized I could be a tourist in my own hometown.

The journey downtown

Minneapolis might not be Chicago, but you can park here for less than the price of a fancy dinner. Cruising into the LaSalle ramp near Macy's, I parked, hoisted my tiny bag and walked to Block E, the blocky building on Hennepin Avenue that often is maligned for its suburban look and atmosphere.

I found Graves 601 around back, as far from the suburbs as Samoa. Named for its owners and its street number, it was as hip as Minneapolis got until the Chambers opened  two blocks away. It has chilly expanses of marble, glass and empty space at the street entrance and fourth-floor reception desk, framed by a sculpture aptly described as a thousand wriggling leeches by a guest in a Travelocity review.

But beyond the backlit martini lounge and up another set of elevators are the rooms, cozy nests of understated urbanity. A switch lit an etched-glass pane behind the billowy king bed as well as two panels of a red-sheathed female torso that looked like Vogue ads; on the wall, a flat-screen plasma TV stretched from minibar to hall, and there was a baby plasma TV in the bathroom.

I figured it for guy heaven, especially when supermodel Rachel Hunter appeared on the TV to give a digital tour. But I was staying there with my friend Grace, who awaited me on Nicollet Mall. As I headed there on Sixth Street, I was struck by the abrupt change in atmosphere on that single block — from the boozy insouciance of the Warehouse District to the 1950s aura of Murray's steakhouse and the family hubbub on Nicollet, where bundled-up spectators already were staking out spots to watch the parade.

At McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurant, we snagged a table from a pair of friendly Icelandic women who were leaving. For $1.95, plus the price of a drink, Grace got a half-pound cheeseburger and fries, and I got a plump pair of salmon cakes, garnished with green apple bits and crunchy strands of fried leeks.

We could have seen the parade through the bar's picture windows, but there's no fun in that. Instead, we crowded in behind some little kids to watch for my favorite characters, swathed in light: the sneering Captain Hook, light bulbs bobbing on padded legs, and a Wicked Witch of the West, who was riding a tricycle that year instead of swerving along on a bike.

"Geez, you've memorized the parade," Grace said. "That's so cute."

It wasn't just me. The whole crowd was poised for its favorite moments, cheering when the giant snowman spun around and the tin soldier jumped back and forward.

Then, we walked over to Hennepin, where three restored vaudeville houses provide beautiful venues for local and traveling productions. In the State Theatre, the James Sewell Ballet was performing a dance version of Gian Carlo Menotti's opera "Amahl and the Night Visitors," so we settled in under the beaded chandeliers and frolicking cherubs to watch the story of a boy and his mother who are visited by the Three Kings on their way to Bethlehem.

It was very sweet and very short. Afterward, we walked down the hall from the theater's lobby, past Rock Bottom Brewery and Palomino, and emerged half a block from Macy's, where we shopped for half an hour before returning to Block E.

A grown-up world

It was time to leave the world of pigtailed little girls in red-velvet dresses. Up in our room, where elves had lowered the blinds and turned down the covers, we let Rachel Hunter give us a tour of the property, which includes Cosmos, a bar and restaurant.

In Cosmos, a young crowd was starting to trickle in from the Dave Matthews Band concert across the street. At the bar, where bottles glimmered in a wall of lighted cubes, we sat next to a young attorney who stays for weeks at a time at Graves 601 and confirmed our suspicion that this was, indeed, a guy hotel.

"It's the most comfortable place in town," he said, touting Hunter and the two plasma TVs. "I like to watch sports while I'm taking a shower, and when I was taking a shower in Florida this morning, I thought, 'Hmm — something's missing.' "

He said we should check out the scene at Bellanotte, so we hopped on the elevators and scurried around the corner, where a doorman let us jump the line because we didn't have coats. It was a big scene, all right. Everything was big — big people, big hair, big cleavage.

As small women in turtlenecks, we should have felt out of place, but we didn't. We had a great time dancing and people-watching, wondering about the more flamboyant types: the Barbie in turned-up trousers and satin-ribbon stilettos, the Lothario in a beige fedora, the guy with a tiny cell phone sitting atop his ear, flashing blue.

Because we were on a roll, we walked over to Infiniti Room at the Graves, where Grace got us around the line and onto the brothel-red banquettes of the VIP room. The atmosphere was a little more self-conscious than Bellanotte, but we settled in next to some frat types drinking Heineken and pink champagne and took in the scene. Apparently, we fit in there, too, which says a lot about Minneapolis nightlife.

Easy Sunday

It was fun, but in the morning, we realized we had skimped on time spent in the cloud-like bed, with its custom-designed pillowtop mattress and 350 thread-count sheets. It seemed appropriate that the Graveses had sunk serious money into their beds, because Minneapolis was named "best city for sleep"  that year in a national study.

"I want to buy this bed," Grace said. "It's too nice to just get up and leave it."

The Sunday paper was outside our door, and we read it over cappuccino from the Starbucks downstairs. Then, we had to hustle to make our reservation at Hell's Kitchen, where a hopeful crowd was waiting for tables. In the sunny back room, a waitress in flannel jammies brought us fantastic huevos rancheros, plus fresh fruit and freshly squeezed orange juice.

But then, we had to be regular people again. We shopped for a while before going home, but the mood was broken.

Anyone can live in Minneapolis — but only the lucky ones get to be tourists there.

Trip Tips: Downtown Minneapolis for the holidays

Getting there: From the airport or Mall of America, the light-rail trains go straight downtown.

Parking: In ramps marked "Do the Town," park for free with a $20 purchase on weekends and after 4 p.m. weekdays, but the voucher must be used the day of purchase. Overnight hotel valet parking is expensive, but some hotels offer weekend packages that include free parking.

If not, try the LaSalle Ramp, on LaSalle Avenue between 10th and Ninth streets south, $3.50 from 4 p.m. Saturday to 8 a.m. Sunday, then another $3.50 for Sunday. And parking is free on downtown streets after 6 p.m. Saturday and all day Sunday.

Holidazzle: The parade is at 6:30 p.m. Thursdays-Sundays from Nov. 28 through Dec. 21. The stretch of Nicollet Mall around Macy's is most congested; stand closer to the ends, near Orchestra Hall or Gaviidae Common, for better views. And bring food items or cash to give to Emergency Foodshelf Network volunteers who precede the floats. Seats in the heated Hot Seats tent are $5-$7, including cocoa and cider; get details at 612-338-3807, www.holidazzle.com.

Shopping: Macy's is open until 9 p.m. daily during the holidays and opens as early as 7 a.m. Saturdays, 9 a.m. Sundays. Most other stores open at 10 a.m. and stay open until 7 or 8 p.m. For details, call 612-338-3807, www.downtownmpls.com.

And remember, the light rail delivers weekend shoppers from downtown to the door of the Mall of America.

Macy's eighth-floor animated holiday display, "A Day in the Life of an Elf'' in 2008, is  open during store hours. It's busiest right before and after the Holidazzle parade.

Holiday stage shows: To avoid a hefty per-ticket fee, buy tickets at the box offices on Hennepin Avenue. Otherwise, order by phone or online, www.hennepintheatredistrict.org.

For holiday shows at Orchestra Hall, call 612-371-5656 or 800-292-4141, www.minnesotaorchestra.org.

Ice-skating: The rink at Peavey Plaza, next to Orchestra Hall, is open daily.

Accommodations: Many hotels advertise Holidazzle rates, such as the DoubleTree Guest Suites at the start of the route, 612-492-2224, www.minneapolisdoubletree.com. The Hilton is two blocks from the start and  connected to Orchestra Hall by skyway, 612-376-1000. Check to see if they're better than those offered at Orbitz, Travelocity and other booking sites.

Graves 601 is very stylish, comfortable and even friendly. Rates start at $155 on weekends, 612-677-1600, 800-223-5652, www.graves601hotel.com.

The Chambers Hotel is across from the Orpheum and next to the State Theatre on Hennepin. It calls itself the nation's first luxury art hotel for more than 200 pieces of contemporary and often edgy art, has 60 modernistic rooms and suites. Pets get their own beds, food, toys and treats for an extra $15. Rooms start at $195 weekends, 612-767-6900 or 877-767-6990.

There are four other stylish new hotels to try out in downtown Minneapolis. The Hotel Minneapolis is in the middle of downtown, a short walk to shops and theaters, 612-340-2000. And there are three Starwood Hotels — Hotel Ivy, next to Orchestra Hall, 612-746-4600; the art-deco W Minneapolis in the Foshay Tower, a block from Macy's and Nicollet Mall, 612-215-3700; and Aloft, on the edge of downtown but closest to the Mill District and Guthrie Theater, 612-455-8400.

Dining: Hell's Kitchen, half a block from Nicollet on South 10th Street, is a fun place to have fantastic huevos rancheros and freshly squeezed orange juice. It's always busy, so call for reservations at 612-332-4700.

The southern end of Nicollet Mall is crammed with good restaurants — Brit's Pub, Vincent, the Dakota, the Local, McCormick & Schmick, Zelo.

In Graves 601, the hip Cosmos serves steaks, chops and seafood with global accents, 612-312-1168.

Chambers Kitchen, in the Chambers Hotel, is headed by chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten and has an Asian-inspired menu, 612-767-6999.

Nightlife: The music comes from a DJ, but the people-watching is great at Bellanotte; for reviews of it and other nightclubs, check www.twincitiesnightclubs.com.

Block E also has 15 movie screens. On Nicollet, the suave Dakota is a very pleasant place to listen to live jazz, 612-332-1010, www.dakotacooks.com. On First Avenue, the Fine Line Music Cafe programs a variety of music, 612-338-8100, www.finelinemusic.com.

Information: The free Downtown Minneapolis map shows hotels, restaurants, theaters and parking; order one from 612-767-8000 or 800-445-7412, www.minneapolis.org.

Planning a Minneapolis weekend on the cheap

With a little planning, it's possible for two people to have a classy weekend in downtown Minneapolis for $125 apiece and a perfectly fine weekend for $75 apiece.

Hotels: The best deals are for weekends. Check Travelocity, Orbitz and Expedia for rates, remembering prices often bear no relation to quality and some hotels aren't really downtown. It's best to reserve a few weeks in advance, but there are still some good rates closer to the holidays, and the best deals will be the week right before Christmas.  Usually, rooms at the Marquette, well located for shoppers, and the Millennium and Hilton, near Orchestra Hall, can be found for $80-$100. Taxes and fees add 15 to 20 percent.

If you're not picky about location, try Hotwire or Priceline, but you won't know the hotel before paying. And always check the hotel's own rates before reserving through an Internet site.

Dining: Happy hours are great for people who want a little something to eat before a show. McCormick & Schmick's at Eighth and Nicollet has a fabulous $1.95 bar menu 4-6 p.m. daily, 9-11 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 10 a.m.-midnight Friday and Saturday.

If you want to eat well but cheaply and don't care about atmosphere, try D'Amico & Sons in Gaviidae Common at Sixth and Nicollet (closes at 6 p.m. Saturdays), Panera on Nicollet between Ninth and 10th and 700 Express in the lower level of Macy's.

Tickets: TC Tix, which once offered half-price or two-for-one tickets, now is operated by Ticketmaster, and savings often are barely worth the trouble.

Members of Minnesota Public Radio and arts organizations often are able to get discounts, though. At Orchestra Hall, rush tickets are available for selected concerts one hour before the performance. Student rush tickets are $10 with valid student I.D., and public rush tickets are $35, $25 and $15. Call 612-371-5656 on the day of the performance to inquire about available rush concerts.

Parking: It's free on downtown streets after 6 p.m. Saturday and all day Sunday.

Information: 612-767-8000 or 800-445-7412, www.minneapolis.org

Last updated on November 13, 2008