Minneapolis, MN

Stuck in Minneapolis for spring break? Try this on for fun

Published

2 years ago

March 14, 2024

Stuck in Minneapolis for spring break? Try this on for fun

Mall of America

What: If my 9-year-old were in charge of our family’s spring break trips, we’d never stray far from home. Ask her “Florida or Mall of America?” and a staycation at the goldang MOA wins her vote every time.

Offerings: The surprisingly difficult Amazing Mirror Maze (Level 3, North Garden, $9.95 a ticket) had all four of us clutching hands to make it through. Other faves: the revolving sushi at Kura Sushi (Level 3, North Garden) and cheese fries at Shake Shack (Level 3, North Garden $4.89).

Fun for: Tots, tweens and teens.

Flipflop factor: While there’s no beachy vibe, you can pick up a pair of cushy sandals at the Crocs store (Level 1, North Garden), get pedicures (L.A. Nails, Level 3, West Market) and go to Margaritaville (Level 3, East Broadway).

New additions: The trippy infinity rooms at the new Wink World, the brainchild of Blue Man Group co-founder Chris Wink (Level 3, North Garden, $20 for 13+, $15 for kids. On Tuesdays, kids are free with a paying adult) and Fly with Appa at Nickelodeon Universe.

An add-on: If you want to add an indoor pool to the mix, you can go all out and stay at the connected Radisson Blu (spring break packages that include MOA attraction tickets start around $370 for a family of four).

Photo op: Get Slimed at Nickelodeon Universe ($45 for one, $55 for two, ages 8 and up, tix.mallofamerica.com/get-slimed).

Signature drink: Uni Uni bubble tea (Level 1, East Broadway).

ERICA PEARSON

Can Can Wonderland

What: Alumni of the Soap Factory’s Haunted Basement and the Walker’s artist-designed mini-golf transformed an old can factory into an indie, indoor amusement park.

Offerings: A massive collection of arcade games from various eras, some more than 100 years old. (Unlimited play for $11-$14 admission.) There’s also an artist-designed mini-golf course (an extra $13-$15) and live entertainment, from music performances to burlesque to a robot-themed fashion show. There’s been “Tappy-Hour” dance instruction and, on the first Thursday of the month, participatory “drumeoke” (like what it sounds). Overstimulation is your only real risk.

Fun for: Anyone old enough to work a joystick.

Flipflop factor: The closest you’ll get to channeling a beach in Mexico is the unexpectedly delicious Elote Brussels Sprouts, which are fried and served street-corn style with an addictive dressing.

Best bit: Relieve your childhood at the arcade, scoring home runs on a baseball-themed 1960s pinball machine or destroying cities in the classic 1980s video game “Rampage.” I had fun introducing my kids to the joy of electronic competitions, especially the one that involves shooting hoops, whacking crocodiles and driving motorcycles. My fave was the Japanese racehorse simulator, which had us standing up in our saddles! My 6-year-old maxed out on Can Can after a couple of hours, but the 8-year-old could have stayed there for days.

An add-on: Mini-golf tee times are reserved on arrival, so come early if you want to avoid a long wait.

Photo op: You trying to defeat the animatronic arm wrestler. (Good luck! We couldn’t budge it.)

Signature drink: The Fruity Unicorn is a blend of vanilla ice cream and Fruity Pebbles that’s topped with edible glitter and a tuft of pink cotton candy that looks like a Troll doll’s hair.

755 N. Prior Av., Suite #4, St. Paul, cancanwonderland.com

RACHEL HUTTON

Watershed

What: A communal bathhouse and spa in Minneapolis with a hot soaking pool, steam room, sauna and cold plunge pools and tanks.

Offerings: The basic $54 experience gets you up to three hours, where you can cycle through the hot bath, sauna and cold plunge as many times as you like, or just chill out in a lounge chair.

Fun for: Adults of all ages. You have to be at least 18. Not recommended for people who are pregnant or have cardiovascular issues.

Flipflop factor: You have to wear a swimsuit. They provide towels and flipflops. But you may have to leave your beach novel behind. It’s a little too wet for that and the lighting is set at candlelight level.

Best bit: The opposite of a loud, boozy hotel hot tub, Watershed prohibits public displays of affection while soaking and asks that customers leave their phones in the lockers and keep their voices low. (Staff members will hit a gong if the noise level creeps up.) Plan on a phone-free couple of hours to contemplate the tonal soundtrack and the serene images projected on the walls while you’re soaking and sweating.

An add-on: There’s a menu of spa experiences you can add to your bathing, including salt scrubs, facials, massages and cupping.

Photo op: Because you have to leave your phone in the locker, it’s a no-selfie space.

Signature drink: Water. You probably will want to rehydrate after all that schvitzing. There’s also some dried fruit you can nibble on in the lounge area.

514 SE. 2nd St., Mpls, watershedspa.com.

RICHARD CHIN

Smash Park

What: A suburban restaurant/bar, sports and entertainment hub. If Punch Bowl Social or the Burrow added pickleball, you’d end up with a Smash Park.

Offerings: Reserve a pickleball court for $25 to $40 an hour, depending on day and time. (Courts fill up fast, but you can book them up to two weeks in advance.) You can also sign up for ax-throwing (14+), karaoke in a private “sing suite” (21+ except Sundays), darts (21+) and duckpin bowling.

Fun for: Pickleballers, of course, but dinking is far from necessary. I saw birthday gatherings, families with kids, large groups, and young and middle-aged people alike who were seeking activities with their Saturday night libations. An abundance of TVs makes it a fine place to watch sports, as well.

Flipflop factor: It’s not hard to find an island vibe if you want one. Skip the urge to order the “pickleballs” (fried cream cheese balls loaded with pickles and bacon bits) and try the tasty bang bang shrimp appetizer ($15) or the Caribbean shrimp bowl ($16), which comes with coconut-infused quinoa.

Best bit: If you’re here mostly for pickleball and a bite to eat with friends, consider dining in the pickleball hall while you wait for your court. There’s good energy, but it’s not as noisy. If you’re on a budget, free activities include cornhole, giant Connect 4 and foosball, as well as all-ages bingo on Sundays from 10 a.m.-noon. (Sundays are best for families, since some of the age restrictions do not apply.) Sign up for the rewards program and you’ll get a $15 game card for the arcade.

An add-on: New to pickleball? No problem. Paddles and balls are available to rent.

Photo op: If the Instagram-able rooftop patio is open by the time your spring break commences, you’re in luck. Just know it’s 21 and over on most days.

Signature drink: The Sociabowls are tropical-themed cocktails that arrive in fishbowl-like, 46-ounce mugs. Ask for a few straws and share with friends.

1721 W. County Road C, Roseville. https://smashpark.com/location/roseville/

LAURA YUEN

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Minneapolis, MN

ICE at US airports: No sign of agents at MSP

Published

4 hours ago

March 23, 2026

Press Room

ICE at US airports: No sign of agents at MSP

ICE at airports on Monday: No sign of agents at MSP

There are no signs of ICE agents at MSP Airport on Monday morning. ICE is being sent to some airports to help TSA during the partial government shutdown, which has led to long lines to get through airport security.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – ICE agents are set to assist TSA officers at airports nationwide due to staffing shortages caused by the ongoing partial government shutdown.

However, it remains unclear whether Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport will be among the locations receiving additional personnel.

ICE agents to assist TSA at airports

What we know:

The decision to deploy ICE agents comes as TSA officers have been working without pay for more than a month, leading to widespread staffing challenges. Hundreds of TSA employees have reportedly resigned, while others have called in sick, contributing to long security lines during the busy spring break travel season.

Federal officials say ICE agents will not replace TSA officers but would likely assist with certain tasks, such as monitoring exit lanes or checking passenger identification. The goal is to free up trained TSA officers to focus on more specialized duties like X-ray screening.

The Department of Homeland Security has not released a list of airports that will receive ICE support. In a statement Monday, the agency said in part, “President Trump is using every tool available to help American travelers who are facing hours-long lines at airports across the country.”

Security at MSP Airport

Local perspective:

At the MSP airport, operations appeared to be running smoothly. However, some passengers are skeptical about the effectiveness of using ICE agents. “Yeah, not a fan of that, I don’t think it will make the situation any better,” said a couple.

MSP officials would not confirm or deny if ICE agents would be deployed locally, but emphasized that wait times at MSP have remained relatively low.

“During the partial government shutdown, wait times have consistently remained under 30 minutes at MSP Airport, despite heavy spring break travel. The relatively low wait times are a testament to the commitment of the local TSA team,” a statement read. “We’re grateful for the TSA’s continued service to maintain smooth and secure travel for MSP passengers.”

What we don’t know:

It’s still unclear how many ICE agents will be deployed or which locations will be impacted.

The Source: This story uses statements from DHS and MSP Airport officials.

Minneapolis-St. Paul International AirportTravelTravel News

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Minneapolis, MN

Heartbreak in Minneapolis: Ole Miss Falls to Minnesota 65-63 in Final Seconds – The Rebel Walk

Published

17 hours ago

March 22, 2026

Press Room

Heartbreak in Minneapolis: Ole Miss Falls to Minnesota 65-63 in Final Seconds – The Rebel Walk

MINNEAPOLIS — Ole Miss women’s basketball had the type of game expected against Minnesota in a NCAA Tournament Round of 32 game — on the opponent’s home court. As anticipated, Sunday’s contest was a low-scoring game with big momentum swings, decisive moments and a large, loud crowd. Sure enough, it came down to last second — the final .8 to be exact — and within mere inches of being an epic moment in Ole Miss’ history. Alas, it’ll go into Minnesota’s history books as a 65-63 victory.

First Half

With both teams being so strong on defense, the expectation that this game would be a defensive battle was indeed correct.

Both sides had a combined 14 turnovers in the first 20 minutes and each forced the other’s offense into several awkward possessions. Ole Miss had two fewer turnovers but spent most of the half trailing the Gophers.

Having star player Cotie McMahon on the sideline for most of the first quarter with two fouls didn’t help the Rebels’ offensive struggles. In the first half, she played just ten minutes of the 20. Half. That’s it.

After the game, Coach Yo talked about what it meant to have her out for what ended up being almost 20 minutes of the 40-minute game.

“I was in the locker room, just thinking about other star players on teams. I haven’t seen them foul out in a March Madness game. Paige, Caitlin…I just haven’t seen the best players get fouled out. From my point of view, the last call was incorrect We watched it 1500 times. One of the things I do understand is officials are human….I don’t think that is why we lost the game. I just know that Cotie is the leading scorer, the Newcomer of the Year, all the things — and she plays 20 minutes (of the game). It’s disappointing because these fans deserved more than that, the game deserves more than that. I just feel officiating as a whole needs to be looked at. I’m not just talking about this game..”

Coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin

Minnesota ended the first quarter on a 15-6 run while McMahon was on the bench.

The Gophers shot 50% from the field in the first two quarters, including 4-for-6 on three-pointers. One of those threes was a halfcourt, buzzer-beater that gave them a five-point lead.

The second quarter was better for the Rebels, but even McMahon’s return to action couldn’t help fully close the gap. Several trips to the charity stripe (10-of-12) helped make the deficit just three points at halftime.

Second Half

McMahon’s foul trouble ended up being very costly.

Ole Miss had its chances in the final four minutes after McMahon fouled out of the game with the Rebels leading 59-54. She was a big reason, when in the game, Ole Miss played more like its usual “dictate and disrupt” style, going fast, forcing turnovers and getting to the foul line.The Gophers were the ones who looked out-of-sync. But once McMahon left, so did a key part of the Rebels’ offense.

Minnesota ended the game on an 11-4 run — yet only regained the lead back with 14.2 seconds remaining in the game.

Ole Miss had its chance and they nearly won the game that would have sent them to the Sweet 16.

Latasha Lattimore’s baseline drive for a layup was well drawn up and executed even better. However, it left 3.2 seconds on the clock which was more than enough time for the Gophers to inbound, dribble a few steps and drain the game-winning bucket.

Even then, Ole Miss wasn’t beaten. With 0.8 seconds on the clock, the Rebels drew up another play that gave Tianna Thompson a good look for a three. The shot, though, bounced off the front of the rim and the season comes to an end with the 65-63 loss.

Give Coach Yo’s Rebels credit. They never quit. When the regular season ended with a four-game losing streak and everyone had written them off, they dominated at the SEC Tournament, easily handling Gonzaga in the first round and come up just inches short of another Sweet 16 trip.

Team 51 didn’t achieve all of its goals, but it should be proud of the season it had and look towards a bright future for this program.

Ole Miss Leaders vs. Minnesota

Points: Sira Thienou, 18
Rebounds: Christeen Iwuala, 6
Assists: Cotie McMahon, 4

Next Up

The NCAA transfer portal opens April 6 for 15 days. With seven seniors on the current roster, look for Coach Yo to be very active — and very successful — yet again. Of course the Rebels do have some very talented players — like sophomores Sira Thienou and Tianna Thompson — who will be anchors for Team 52.

Evelyn Van Pelt

Evelyn has covered sports for over two decades, beginning her journalism career as a sports writer for a newspaper in Austin, Texas. She attended Texas A&M and majored in English. Evelyn’s love for Ole Miss began when her daughter Katie attended the university on a volleyball scholarship. Evelyn created the Rebel Walk in 2013 and has served as publisher and managing editor since its inception. Email Evie at: Evie@TheRebelWalk.com

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