5 Things You Must Do in

West St. Paul

West St. Paul Car Rentals

West St. Paul, Minnesota (population 20,000), is two miles south of St. Paul.

1. Dodge Nature Center- ocated in West St. Paul and Mendota Heights, this facility encompasses prairie, marshland, ponds, orchards, oak savanna, and woodlands. Over five miles of hiking trails include bridges over small streams and a 550-foot boardwalk across a large pond. There is a nature center, farm, preschool, and raptor program.  For more information on the Center click on the link.

2. Pigs Eye Lake Park- ast of town, this 1,159-acre natural area surrounded by river industry offers spectacular bird watching. It contains one of the largest heron and egret rookeries in a metropolitan area in the upper Midwest. Recently, bald eagles have established nests here, too.

3. Cinco de Mayo Fiesta- In District del Sol on St. Paul's West Side, this annual event features several entertainment stages, a Lowrider Car Show, a Children's Area, the Fiesta Parade, the People's Choice Salsa-Tasting Contest, a photo contest, vendors, and plenty of authentic Mexican food and beer.  For more information on the Fiesta click on the link.

4. Wabasha Street Caves- Located along the Mississippi River in downtown St. Paul, this historic underground venue has a theatrical stage, large dance floor, dining and meeting spaces, and a 60-foot Victorian bar. Walking tours led by costumed guides include stories of how the caves have been used in the last 150 years, the Saint Paul Gangster Tour, and the Ghosts and Graves Tour around Halloween.   For more information on the Caves click on the link.

5. Mall of America- The largest shopping mall in the U.S. is in St. Paul. It has an infinite number of stores, more than 520 sit-down restaurants, 20 fast-food restaurants, 30 specialty food stores, 36 movie screens, The Park at MOA, Underwater Adventures Aquarium, LEGO Imagination Center, Dinosaur Walk Museum, A.C.E.S. Flight Simulation, and a NASCAR Silicon Motor Speedway. Anchor stores are Bloomingdale's, Macy's, Nordstrom, and Sears.  For more information on the Mall click on the link.