If you live in the Twin Cities you need to make sure you make it to Grand Avenue in St. Paul! Grand Avenue itself is about 5 miles long, but there is a 1 mile stretch between Lexington and Dale that has the most “action”. Grand Avenue is probably the best place to shop in St. Paul, they have many great restaurants and cafes, they have nightlife and also many community events.
You won’t find any big name stores on Grand Avenue which is really part of the charm. The Avenue has numerous smaller shops and boutiques with something for everyone and it is a great place to go if you need a unique gift! Grand Avenue pride itself in creating a unique shopping experience for visitors, which is largely credited to the specialty businesses, and the outstanding products and services they offer. Many of these Grand Avenue shops and restaurants are family owned and run, and several have been part of the avenue for decades. There are gift shops, jewelry stores, clothing stores, stores for pets, places for kid’s stuff, cooking stores and so much more. When the weather is nice it is fun to just stroll along and check all the shops out!
Hungry or thirsty? Grand Avenue has you covered. There are numerous coffee shops, cafes, restaurants and bars, some are fancier than others. The Lexington is an older upscale restaurant, there is the Grand Ole Creamery where the ice cream is to die for or Café Latte where you can satisfy all your coffee needs. If you are looking for wonderful baked goods, Woullet’s Bakery is located on Grand and is a traditional European style bakery.
The biggest event is Grand Ole Days which is held in June, they also have a Halloween Event, an event for pets and several others. Take a look at the Grand Avenue website for more information on everything there is to see and do on Grand Avenue.
