Tucked Between Minneapolis And St. Paul Is A Midwestern City With Lake Fun And Lo Cal Eats

If you're interested in visiting Minnesota's Twin Cities, but prefer to lodge outside of Minneapolis and St. Paul, there's a quieter city nearby worth considering. Located in Ramsey County, the city of Roseville is less than 10 minutes from the state's capital, St. Paul, and its largest city, Minneapolis. However, the 14-square-mile city also pegs itself as "the center of it all" due to its position as the halfway mark between the North Pole and the equator.  Serving nearly 36,000 residents, the City of Roseville website boasts its "dazzling parks and recreation, thriving businesses, and friendly people."

 Part of the upper Midwest, Minnesota is known as the Land of 10,000 Lakes, and the Twin Cities have a vibrant food scene. With plenty of lake fun and local eats, Roseville offers tourists the opportunity to conveniently experience highlights of Minnesota while conveniently located near both Minneapolis and St. Paul.

As you explore Roseville, consider visiting one of its lakeside parks and recreational areas: Central Park, Lake Josephine County Park, and Lake McCarrons County Park. According to the City of Roseville Parks and Recreation, Central Park is the largest at 225 acres. It is also home to Lake Bennett. The body of water offers ample fishing opportunities with access from Lexington Avenue and Victoria St. North. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources reports that bluegill, black crappie, largemouth bass, channel catfish, northern pike, walleye, common carp, and bullhead inhabit the lake. Alternatively, Lake Josephine County Park also welcomes fishermen, offering a boat launch and fishing pier as part of its amenities. Like the charming little Parkers Lake Park just outside of Minneapolis, this space features a swimmable beach with a nearby playground for busy children. "Very basic park, but has a nice beach. The lake is very clean with very few weeds or sharp rocks or critters in the swimming area. Water was pretty warm when we went...in early August," one visitor wrote in a Google Review. "There are no lifeguards, so you can use tubes or put your paddle boards or kayaks in right at the beach...It was moderately busy the Sunday afternoon we went here. This is probably my new favorite quieter swimming beach in the area." 

Another option for lake fun is Lake McCarrons County Park, which offers similar recreational opportunities and a larger sand area for play along its beach. The city invites visitors to stand on its fishing pier or their boat and cast for northern pike, largemouth bass, yellow perch, and more in Lake McCarrons. Open from early May through November, the park has plenty of parking, including eight spaces for boat trailers.

From breakfast to dinner, Roseville delivers on Minnesota's reputation for a rich dining experience. One of the most popular local options is Keys Cafe and Bakery, a family-owned establishment serving "food you grew up with." The bakery promises high-quality cakes, rolls, pies, all made in-house daily. The Café also offers a variety of breakfast options, including the Loon Omelet. This dish taps into the state's indigenous roots, featuring Minnesota wild rice, tomatoes, onions, and a mushroom cream sauce. Mi-Sant Kitchen and Bakery is also a highly-rated, Vietnamese-owned alternative offering fresh pastries, baguettes, croissants, sandwiches, and bowls. 

For those craving surf n' turf, Baldamar is "where every steak is aged 40 days and 40 nights for a taste of biblical proportion, and where crazy-fresh seafood means it was caught during your morning commute." If you want to try the state fish, Chianti Grill has an Italian-style walleye dish full of flavor. The Walleye Impanato features flaky fish baked with Parmesan, garlic, and pine nut breadcrumbs. It's topped with a lemon-basil cream sauce and served with asparagus spears. 

When you visit Minnesota, don't miss the best attractions in Minneapolis and the many charming towns within a short drive from the Twin Cities. Why not consider planning a visit in late August to attend America's Best State Fair, just minutes from Saint Paul?