Minnehaha - Minneapolis, MN

Minnehaha was home to Native American tribes until the early 1900s. Many of the houses in this historic southern suburb were built between 1920 and 1960, when streetcar routes ran south of downtown. Single-family homes dominate this neighborhood, with occasional local businesses on the outskirts of the neighborhood.

The John H. Stevens House Museum preserves photographs, personal effects and furniture from the Stevens family that date back to the founding of Minneapolis in the 1850s. Every Memorial Day, the house celebrates Founders Fest with storytelling, vintage games and other activities for kids.

Minnehaha has no arts scene itself, but downtown venues such as the Guthrie Theater, Walker Art Center and Minnesota Opera have year-round cultural exhibits and performances.

Restaurants and businesses sit mainly along 34th Avenue and 54th Streets. Try dishes at several ethnic cuisine eateries, fast-food joints and both fine and casual dining establishments. A few nearby pubs and a bowling alley represent the closest nightlife to Minnehaha.

Riverview Wine Bar marks the nearest music venue to Minnehaha, two miles north of the neighborhood. Enjoy local bands, jazz and blues every Friday and Saturday night, along with a full menu of food and drinks.

Sea Salt Eatery serves extraordinarily fresh seafood every day from April until October near Minnehaha Falls. The fried crawfish po'boy sandwich comes with deep-fried crawfish, lettuce, tomato and mayo on French bread. If you want even more fish, order the one-pound catfish basket filled with deep-fried goodness. Tacos come with mahi mahi, fried fish, fried calamari, steamed shrimp or fried bay scallops. Fresh oysters come in the half-shell, while peel-and-eat shrimp arrive at your table as an appetizer. Daily specials change daily based on what kind of seafood is available locally. Sit on the patio for a gorgeous view of the falls.

Berry Sweet Kitchen serves handmade foods for breakfast and lunch. The Juicy Lucy hamburger contains a half-pound of Angus beef stuffed with American cheese and topped with pickles, lettuce, tomato and onions on a homemade bun. The Berry Sweet salad has mixed greens, mixed berries, cashews, Italian cheeses and raspberry dressing. Add chicken or smoked salmon to the salad for more protein. The walleye sandwich has breaded fish served with a unique cranberry coleslaw. For breakfast, the egg sandwich has three eggs with chorizo and cheddar cheese on homemade French bread. A more traditional breakfast includes a biscuit with gravy, fries and two eggs any style.

Al Vento features fine Italian cuisine with something for everyone at dinner. Delectable soups include roast beef bone marrow served with parsley gremolata and potato hash alongside charred focaccia. Pizza can be an appetizer or a meal thanks to house-made fennel sausage on top of tomatoes, mozzarella and goat cheese. A special treat can come to your table in the form of braised lamb shank gets topped by parsnip caponata pepper relish, saffron and pan jus. Enjoy four courses for less on Tuesday night, with date-night specials from owner and chef Jonathan Hunt. On Sunday, the restaurant opens for a brunch buffet with even more goodies not found on the regular menu.

Chatterbox Pub stays open until 1 a.m. seven days a week. Order from the full evening menu from 5 p.m. to midnight, and request one of Chatterbox's five in-house craft brews. In addition to trivia nights, you can check out classic Atari, Nintendo and Sega Genesis games to play, or borrow a board game to amuse yourself while you wait for food.

In addition to several bicycle paths through the park, several streets have bike-friendly thoroughfares. Take 43rd Avenue and 36th Avenue north and south, while 50th Street and 52nd Street also have bike-friendly routes. Houses have driveways with garages, so cyclists do not have to maneuver through cars. Most streets in the neighborhood have sidewalks to take a stroll on with your family or friends during daylight hours.

Drive along Hiawatha Avenue/Highway 55 along the Mississippi River until you reach Interstate 35 East or Interstate 494. In a pinch, you can call one of several taxi cab companies servicing Minnehaha, and Uber rides are also an option. Businesses and public places have plenty of free parking.

Buses from Metro Transit route 22 stop at the Veterans Administration Medical Center every 15 to 20 minutes throughout the day and head northbound toward downtown. Route 515 buses go east and west, with stops at the Medical Center roughly every 30 minutes. Light rail trains on the Blue Line stop at 50th and Hiawatha near Minnehaha Falls and at the Medical Center. Just south of this neighborhood, you'll find the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport.

Aptly named Minnehaha Park, just to the east along the Mississippi River, dominates the landscape of this neighborhood. Take in the river with scenic overlooks or walk to the 53-foot waterfall in this 193-acre park. On the south end of the park, bring your dog to the off-leash dog area for canine fun. The Longfellow House Visitor Center opens on weekends from Memorial Day to Labor Day. The kids have plenty to do, with playgrounds throughout the space.

Music in the Parks happens every Wednesday through Friday at 7 p.m., from late May until early September. See local acts for free from all kinds of genres, including rock, bluegrass, jazz, classical, and Latin.

Living costs slightly less in Minnehaha than in downtown Minneapolis, mostly because of lower housing expenses. A one-bedroom space here runs you approximately $837 per month. A pint of beer is roughly $3 at local pubs. Gasoline typically runs three percent higher than the national average. A day pass on Metro buses and trains costs $6 to go anywhere in the system.

Minnehaha offers high-value retailers and stores, usually along 54th Street and 34th Avenue. The Mall of America, one of the largest shopping centers in North America, lies seven miles to the south and contains many high-end stores. Oxendale's Market, just west of Minnehaha, represents the closest grocery store, and the Kingfield Farmers Market, a few miles west of the neighborhood, marks the nearest place to buy locally-grown produce every Sunday from May to October.

Nokomis Shoe Shop focuses on men's boots such as steel-toed work boots, hiking boots and multipurpose waterproof varieties. Since 1931, this store has provided footwear for hiking, hunting, fishing, athletic competitions, and casual occasions. Nokomis Shoe Shop also sells overcoats and outerwear, in addition to socks, headwear, knives, and axes. If you love the outdoors, your outfit starts here.