The largest city in Wisconsin and the state’s primary commercial center, Milwaukee is true to its Native American name meaning “gathering place by the water.” With the Milwaukee River flowing through the center of the city, residents spend much time along its banks. Summer, cooled by the adjacent water of Lake Michigan, is a time for festivals, more than 100 each year. Winters are chillier, but still moderate, and activities move indoors to one of the theater districts or playing for stakes at the Potawatomi Bingo Casino. Most of all a Mid-western hospitality permeates the city so that a friendlier destination is hard to imagine. For more information go to: www.milwaukee.org.

Progressive is the word most commonly used to describe Minneapolis and its twin city, St. Paul. Besides an impressive skyline with almost 200 highrises, cultural opportunity abounds. This is the birthplace of the American Regional professional theater movement and home to the world renowned 11-acre Walker Art Center. Outdoors lovers will discover that the Twin Cities has more than 1,000 lakes, beaches and even ski resorts nearby, along with parks and open spaces used by all on a year-round basis. Far from resting on its laurels, Minneapolis, the more modern of the two cities, continues to lead the country with cutting edge spas, shopping complexes that reach for the future, and a very sophisticated arts scene.

For more information go to: www.minneapolis.worldweb.com