10 hours or less from Minneapolis - exciting cities for teenagers to visit?

[suz_orf]

Hi everyone--

Could you all give advice as to what are good cities to visit with four teenagers, ages, 17, 16, 14, and 14. We are meeting another family around July 4th holiday and we live in minneapolis and they live in St. Louis. We want to meet somewhere with about the same driving distance for both of us. The kids don't have alot in common with each other so we need activities that everyone would like and would get them talking and involved in. Help!

Thanks!

[Midwest Michael]

Welcome to the RTA Forum!

It seems to me Chicago meets your requirements about perfectly. Its about as halfway between MSP and StL as you can get, plus its got a million things to do. Between the Field Museum, Museum of Science and Industry, Navy Pier, Wrigley Field, and the Handcock and Sears skyscrappers I think you could find at least a few things that everyone could agree on.

[suz_orf]

Thanks for the welcome. Yes, we've done Chicago with this other family already. It was fun. Any other cities?

[Quebec Gen]

Hi Suz_orf,

Here are 3 other options you might want to consider :

1) St. Louis, MO (621 mi /~10 hours)
-Gateway Arch;
-Paddlewheel riverboat tour on the Mississippi;
-Dine with music at Blueberry Hill Restaurant;
-Walk of Fame (Chuck Berry, Ike & Tina Turner, Miles Davis, etc.);
-Boeing Space Station - St. Louis Science Center;
-Six Flags (try the XCalibur and the Boss);
-Take a chance to meet rap superstar Nelly at the Pin-Up Bowl (before 9 p.m. less than 21 yrs old) or at Imo's
-St. Louis Zoo;
-Route 66 State Park;
-Museum of Transportation;
-Stop by a Ted Drewes Stand for a Terramizzou, a pumpkin pie concrete or another funky shake or float;
-Here's a link to SLO Louie's Teen Magazine Calendar of events

2) Kansas City, MO (437 mi /~7 hours)
-American Jazz Museum;
-check out the various plays and revues at the Quality Hill Playhouse;
-for good BBQ, try Arthur Bryant's or any of these restaurants;
-Negro Leagues Baseball Museum;
-Free shows at Southmoreland Park;
-Steamboat Arabia Museum;
-Cave Springs Nature Center;
-Worlds of Fun;
-Science City (Union Station);
-Kansas City Zoo;
-Hallmark Greeting Cards Visitors Center
-Foutains;

3) Rapid City, SD (609 mi /~9 hours)
-Corn Palace, Mitchell;
-Badlands NP;
-Wall Drug, Wall;
-Black Hills and Mt Rushmore;
-Crazy Horse Memorial;
-Ranch Amusement Park (Go-Kart, wall-climbing, game arcade)
-Sitting Bull Crystal Cave;
-Wind Cave NP;
-Rushmore Waterslides;
-Steam Train Ride;
-Cosmos Mystery Area;
-check out this interesting field report on SD

Have a fun trip!
Gen