Highland - Saint Paul, MN

In the 1850s, the government sold the land that now makes up Highland Park for $1.25 per acre. Farmers bought most of the area's 5,000 acres, but when the Ford Motor Company opened a plant there in 1925, developers subdivided the land for auto workers.

Although the plant closed approximately 85 years later, commuters to both downtown areas still call this place home. Present day Highland Park features well-maintained older homes, an engaged population and the majority of the synagogues in the metro area. Annually, residents of the area attend Highland Fest. Featuring music, carnival rides, art and fireworks, this festival takes place in beautiful Highland Park.

Within driving distance of the neighborhood, The Minnesota Children's Museum and the Science Museum of Minnesota offer residents interactive educational exhibits. Highland art lovers appreciate the many theaters and art museums in the metro area, including the Guthrie Theatre and Walker Art Center.

Hungry Highland residents journey north to the intersection of Randolph and Hamlin, where a number of restaurants serve up the kind of hearty fare you need to get through the cold Minnesota winters.

For over half a century, the Randolph Griddle has been serving up unbeatable breakfasts. Keep it simple by ordering a classic, or ponder the age-old question about whether the chicken or egg came first with "The Chicken and the Egg." This philosophical favorite features boneless buffalo chicken with crispy tater tots, cheese cilantro ranch topped with eggs.

For dinner, Maverick's Pizza has giant pizza pies. Enjoy a simple veggie pizza, try a gluten-free crust, or dive into a taco pie heaped with taco meat, cheese, salsa and corn tortilla chips. When the weather feels too bitter cold to leave home, Maverick's delivers.

Most of the other restaurants near Highland Park are grouped together on West Seventh Avenue. Perhaps the most famous restaurant, Mickey's Diner has been featured on multiple shows on the Food Network, as well as in magazines ranging from National Geographic to Sports Illustrated. Open 24-hours a day, 365-days per week, this unique dining car restaurant attracts locals as well as tourists for its "ornery" waitresses, juicy burgers and thick malts. Further north on West Seventh, a group of restaurants including top-rated Tavial Grill and Bennett's Chop and Railhouse dish up steaks and gourmet sides.

In the evening, check out the local craft beers and homemade fare at Seventh Street Social. Open 'til late, this bar has something for everyone, from families who need a table full of burgers to music lovers who want to hear a live band and wine lovers who just want to sip in a sophisticated atmosphere. If you prefer dive bars, check out Casper and Runyon's Nook. This tiny little Irish bar features a hole-in-the-wall bowling alley, live music and burgers with different varieties of warm, oozing cheese stuffed into their centers.

Metro City Transit buses serve the area, taking Highland Park residents to downtown and uptown Minneapolis as well as downtown St. Paul, West 7th Street and several other parts of the metro area. If you prefer to take a cab, don't expect to be able to hail one in the street, but you can call one to the area. In addition to the many cab companies operating in the area, Uber also serves Highland Park.

For drivers, Interstate-35 serves the area, providing easy access to downtown St. Paul or the suburbs. Residents who need to commute to downtown Minneapolis appreciate that I-35 joins with I-94 just a couple of miles from the Highland Park entrance. Plentiful and free on-street parking exists on the residential streets of Highland Park, and most businesses have their own parking lots.

If you prefer to get around by your own steam, walking through Highland's quiet streets is safe, and numerous bike paths and trails run through the area as well.

Highland Park features attractions for adults and kids of all ages. The park hosts a cross country ski area, a pavilion for special events, a disc golf course, a kid's playground and two public golf courses. Although you don't need to be a member of a club to play at either the nine- or 18-hole courses, you have to pay a small green free. During annual festivals such as Highland Fest, the park's historic water tower opens, providing those brave enough to make the climb with stunning views of the surrounding area.

Also located in Highland Park, Crosby Farm Regional Park sits on the banks of the Mississippi River, around the shores of tiny Upper Lake. Enjoy a picnic around the area's free-access fire pit, bike on the trails surrounding the Mississippi, fish for a bit of dinner or look for wildlife among the marshes.

Living in Highland Park costs slightly more on average than living in St. Paul. On average, rent for a one-bedroom apartment in St. Paul costs $861 per month, but average rents for one-bedroom apartments in the Highland Park area hover around the $1,100 to $1,200 mark. However, cheaper options can be found with small two-bedrooms sometimes advertised for as low as $850 to $995.

A pint of beer in this neighborhood costs between $4 and $6, with specials and happy-hour prices bringing that figure as low as $2.50.

When you feel like shopping, the stores on Randolph Avenue offer a quirky array of goods. Start your patio garden with some seeds or sprouts from the Highland Nursery, grab some new sneakers at Run N Fun, or search for religious gifts and medals at St. Patrick's Guild.

Twin Cities residents love their consignment shops, and the Highland area has two favorites. At Elite Repeat, you can find J Crew, Anthropologie, Burberry and other high-end labels at a discount. At Moveables, a consignment furniture and home goods store, the owner's artful eye ensures a diverse and stylish inventory of consigned goods.

Highland Park residents have a range of grocery stores within a convenient distance from their homes. Trader Joe's offers organic groceries, high-end snacks and staples as well as beer and wine. Cooper's Supervalu, a relic from the 1970s, maintains shelves stocked with everything a family needs. When residents want a local co-op experience, they head to the Mississippi Market on West Seventh. Open on summer weekends, the Downtown St. Paul farmer's market features fresh local produce and crafts from farmers and artisans.