Lowry Hill - Minneapolis, MN

Back in the 1850s, Lowry Hill presented itself as a bleak, swampy forest. Subsistence farmers struggled to make a living. Thomas Lowry arrived in 1867, platting the first 220 acres. In the 1890s, the extension of the electric streetcar along Hennepin Avenue led to a real estate boom in Lowry Hill.

This neighborhood's seams are bursting with architectural treasures, including many homes on the National Register of Historic Places. Broad lawns and shade trees characterize the Lowry Hill streetscape. Spacious two- and one-half story homes with ornate architectural details developed as the standard. The look of the neighborhood changed little over 100 years. By 1906, the neighborhood provided some of the costliest houses in Minneapolis. Originally home to many of the wealthiest Minneapolis' citizens, its reputation as a preferred residential area continues.

The Lowry Hill District includes more than 30 bars and restaurants, many of them along Hennepin Avenue.

The best breakfast in Lowry Hills hides inside a natural food store. Score a seat at the counter at Tao Foods on Hennepin. Choose from a wide variety of organic foods including bakery and coffee shop items. Locals call the breakfast burrito a stand out, and the Irish steel-cut oats warm your tummy on a cold winter morning. While waiting for your food preparation, browse the selection of vitamins and essential oils in this bohemian atmosphere.

Minneapolis Spyhouse Coffee Roasting Company wins for best coffee shop. In a restored 1907 brownstone, the Hennepin location works well for a business meeting or a friendly conversation. They serve swoon-worthy Orion espresso, the best espresso in the city. Spyhouse buys green coffee beans to maintain control over the roasting process.

Several movie houses and theaters line Hennepin. An elaborately restored, historic theater, The State Theatre seats over 2,000. When opened in 1921, The State ranked as the most technologically advanced theatre in the United States and claimed the first air conditioning system in Minneapolis. Over the years, installations included a Wurlitzer pipe organ and a neon marquee. The State Theater hosts live Broadway touring productions and musical events.

Residents can accomplish most errands on foot in Lowry Hills, making it a very walkable neighborhood. The sidewalks in this neighborhood provide a pleasant and safe place to walk. In fact, Lowry Hill ranks as safer than 86.9 percent of the neighborhoods in Minneapolis. People in Lowry Hill can walk to an average of four restaurants within 5 minutes.

The neighborhood has a solid public transportation system. Metro Transit serves Lowry hill via bus, connecting you to all parts of the Metro area, while on-street facilities, such as bike lanes and shared lanes, as well as multi-use trails, make it bicycle-friendly and safe.

Access to Interstates 394 and 94 as well as State Route 55 make highway driving convenient. Taxis are easily available through cab companies that serve all of Minneapolis. Uber and Car2Go are also available for more inexpensive rides.

Residents enjoy the plentiful on-street parking available throughout the neighborhood. Many of the spaces have meters, with varying time restrictions and rates as posted. Cost ranges from 25 cents to $1.50 per hour.

Retreat to Thomas Lowry Park for a peaceful oasis in the middle of the city. This small park nestles between Douglas and Mount Curve avenues. This park provides benches and a walking trail, making it a popular neighborhood destination. Residents enjoy the brick paths, a grape arbor and seven cascading water pools with decorative tree and shrub plantings.

Kenwood Park, with its gently sloping hills and gorgeous views of Lake of the Isles and Calhoun, promises a quiet spot for reflection. For more active pursuits, 32.7 acres of land provide space for many sports and recreational activities. As part of the park, Kenwood Community Center fills each season with exciting indoor activities.

Loring Park users love the series of bike and walking paths. It provides a fantastic spot for bird watching in the central city. A favorite stop in the park, Garden of the Seasons provides color and interest much of the year.

Parade Ice Garden provides indoor ice skating all year round. It spreads out over three ice rinks open to all skill and interest levels. Popular events include figure skating and hockey. Indoor soccer and lacrosse take place in spring and summer, when turf is laid on one rink.

The 11-acre Minneapolis Sculpture Garden is the largest urban sculpture garden in the country. With more then 40 works on permanent view, it offers visitors an opportunity to enjoy works of art by leading artists in a setting with walkways and plantings. Famous art here includes the iconic Spoonbridge and Cherry Fountain. Walk across the Irene Hixon Whitney Footbridge to visit Loring Park Garden. An Indoor garden can be found there at the Cowles Conservatory.

The cost of living in Lowry Hill runs residents a 36.3 percent greater expense than the Minneapolis average and a 46 percent greater expense than the national average. Most of this represents housing costs. Although Lowry Hill has a reputation for high-end real estate, apartment rental costs remain among the cheapest of all Minneapolis neighborhoods. Median monthly rental for an apartment stands at $1,087. Other than housing costs, residents find that the cost of living in Lowry Hill compares favorably to other areas of Minneapolis.

A bus ride to the city center or elsewhere in the metropolitan area costs between 75 cents to $3, depending on the type of ticket and time of day. A midday, one-way ticket costs $1.75.

Gas prices in Lowry Hill hold their own at 95 percent of the national average.

A beer in a in a bar can set you back $7 or $4 during happy hour, and lunch can be found for $10.

More than 190 unique shops contribute to Lowry Hill's vibrant community. Most can be found along Henepin Avenue. Even as independent bookstores become an increasingly rare find nation-wide, Birchbark Books still thrives. Good books, handmade art and Native culture reign in this intimate bookstore. Pick up a quick gift or simply spend time browsing. They have a carefully curated selection of books, a wooden canoe hanging from the ceiling and a tiny loft for children to play in while the grown-ups shop. An added plus: Louise Erdrich can sign or personalize any of her books ordered through the bookstore. Patina combines a myriad of gifts with a super friendly staff who understand that sometimes you just want to be left alone to browse. Find unique and quirky gifts for almost any occasion. Whether you're a slow and thoughtful gift selector or an on-the-way-to-the-party gift purchaser, this place covers it. Choose from their praiseworthy selection of cards while one of the staff gift wraps your items for free. Although accessible by walking or biking from Lowry Hill, parking at the Minneapolis Farmers Market can be difficult. This huge market's carnival atmosphere and fresh local produce make it a fun stop for the whole family on a Saturday morning. It opens every day from May through November. They also hold weekend markets during the winter months. Look for annual flower plants in the spring and Christmas trees in December. Kowalski's Uptown Market and Wine Shop provides a full service grocery store on Hennepin Avenue. The bakery pulls you in with the scent of butter and spices. Try the very moist, salted caramel chocolate cake that's worth every calorie. Lunds and Whole Foods also sit nearby.