Aquila - Saint Louis Park, MN

St. Louis Park takes its name from the Minneapolis-St. Louis rail line, which ran through the city during the 1800s and early 1900s, transporting wheat from farms around the state to the Minneapolis flour mills. Today, that route has a new life as a bike trail. After World War II, the city's population exploded, transforming it from a sleepy village into a hotbed of young baby boomers. The wife of the developer who platted the Aquila neighborhood named it after a Civil War battle described in the book "Action at Aquila" by 1930s author Hervey Allen.

The city celebrates the beginning of summer with the annual Parktacular celebration, which features a parade, expo and food garden. The city also sponsors a summer music series at Wolfe Park.

The Aquila neighborhood contains two main business and entertainment districts. The Knollwood Mall area, which encompasses a small indoor mall flanked by several strip malls and a big box retailer, has a full array of fast food and chain restaurants. A few blocks north, the 1950s-era Texa-Tonka strip mall houses unique businesses and restaurants.

Texa-Tonka Lanes has been serving food and setting pins for decades in this old-school bowling alley. The full service bar and grill focuses on classics like burgers, fries, sandwiches and pizza. Nothing's fancy here, but the friendly vibe and terrific prices make it a neighborhood favorite. The happy hour specials - $2 drinks and $3 appetizers - aren't even much cheaper than the regular prices.

A couple doors down, Best of India cooks up authentic Indian food. While many Twin Cities Indian restaurants go heavy on the sugar and ghee and easy on the spice to appease supposedly bland Midwestern tastes, this place cooks for those who appreciate full, nuanced flavor. Freshly ground spices and carefully prepared traditional dishes delight the area's significant population of South Asians and adventuresome diners who appreciate properly executed ethnic cuisine.

Across the street, Thanh Do serves a Pan-Asian menu that draws from Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese and Thai cooking traditions. Local celebrity chef Thom Pham takes things to the next level by bringing in Minnesota-centric ingredients, such as cranberries, which show up in one of his curries, a noodle dish, and his famous wontons - and pair perfectly with traditional Asian flavors. The menu also highlights seafood creations, including local walleye alongside imported sea bass, squid and lobster.

St. Louis Park's ideal location just west of Minneapolis means commuters on Interstate 394 can reach downtown Minneapolis in just 10 minutes. Highway 7 and Cedar Lake Road run parallel through the Aquila neighborhood, providing arterial routes to the western suburbs and Uptown Minneapolis.

Numerous Metro Transit bus routes provide regular service to the city and suburbs. Biking is another great way to get around the city. The Cedar Lake Trail runs just north of the Aquila neighborhood, and the Southwest Regional Trail lies just south of it — both running east to the city and west to the suburbs. These popular trails attest to the popularity of biking in the area, but biking on the main streets can be risky, as traffic tends to be heavy and in a hurry.

Nearly all of St. Louis Park is connected by sidewalks, and pedestrians can access shopping areas, schools and parks on foot. Taxis and Uber readily service the area, although cabs cannot be hailed here.

Three neighborhood parks give Aquila residents room to roam close to home. Elie, Aquila and Sunset parks provide neighborhood amenities like walking paths, playgrounds and ball fields. Residents seeking a bit of wild space visit the Minnehaha Creek watershed on the western edge of the neighborhood, and even paddle in a canoe if the water's high enough. Dakota Dog Park welcomes pets for fenced-in fun and socializing.

A few blocks north of Aquila, St. Louis Park's Westwood Nature Centure provides a glimpse of the wild, with winding hiking trails that run through a hardwood forest, across boardwalks, around a small lake and into the hills of a restored prairie. This nature center runs year-round programming aimed at getting residents outside and seeing the wildlife that lives in the community.

Housing costs in Aquila tends to be a little lower than in other parts of St. Louis Park, due largely to the smaller-sized homes in the neighborhood. The average rental rate for a one-bedroom apartment hovers around $786.

A bus trip to the city or suburbs costs $1.75, or $2.25 during rush hour. Gas prices are very competitive here, at 10 percent below the national average, likely because two national warehouse stores sell gas in St. Louis Park. Domestic draft beers at the Tex-Tonka Lanes cost $3, but other places sell imports and microbrews for $5 to $7.

The Shoppes at Knollwood and its adjacent strip malls provide local access to national fashion brands. This small, 1960s mall provides a good selection, and Ridgedale in nearby Minnetonka provides just about everything that isn't at Knollwood. Groceries can be found here at Cub Foods. On the east end of St. Louis Park, a very popular Trader Joe's and Lunds & Byerly's provide additional grocery options.

Unique retail in the Aquila neighborhood is limited, but the east end of St. Louis Park provides numerous local shops. Hoigaards started out as a family-run ski shop, and today stocks gear for skiing, hiking, biking, and other outdoorsy pursuits. A high-end fashion department, including one of the best selections of Nordic sweaters, makes this a gift shop as well as an outfitter.

Judith McGrann and Friends features fashions, accessories, and home goods from artisan boutique lines. It's a bit like Etsy in real life — think art wear and funky decor.

Iverson's Imports on Minnetonka Boulevard showcases Scandinavian style with an elegant collection of jewelry, fashions, glassware, and home decor. The shop's traditional holiday goods make it a mainstay for locals of Nordic descent.