I moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota from Ewing, New Jersey in 2019 to attend the University of Minnesota. I planned to get my degree, get a job on the East Coast, and return to the comfort of my hometown — but that never happened.
So many things about the Midwestern city won me over, so I decided to continue living here for graduate school. Here are a few reasons I fell in love with Minneapolis.
I can get anywhere I need without a car
I never owned a car in Minneapolis. Street parking is generally not free, I would need a garage in the winter and I just don't want to pay for gas.
In my hometown, there is only one major train station nearby and limited bus stops that are not within walking distance. Fortunately, public transportation stops in Minneapolis are within walking distance, cheap, and easy to navigate. A streetcar day pass gets me all over the Twin Cities — Minneapolis and St. Paul — for $5, and the express bus is only $2.50.
I also walk a lot in Minneapolis. I love having the convenient proximity to a variety of stores without the East Coast traffic.
Winter here is really beautiful
I expected Minnesota winters to be brutal, as the state is known for below-freezing weather and blizzards that often result in feet of snow. Surprisingly, I actually like the snow, even if it's a lot more than what I'm used to in New Jersey.
After learning how to dress in layers and properly walk on ice, winters in Minneapolis quickly became nothing to worry about.
I love having snow in the city because it dresses the buildings and trees in a beautiful way, creating enjoyable scenery on my walks.
Minneapolis feels like a slower, more accessible version of other cities I like
I've always wanted to live in New York or Philadelphia, but they're too busy. of New York population is over 8 million, and of Philadelphia is about 2 million – Minneapolis consists of only about 430,000 people.
It is usually crowded here only on weekends and peaceful during the week because there are not so many tourists roaming around the city.
Minneapolis is more expensive than its surrounding suburbs, but the cost of living never approaches the rent prices I looked at on the East Coast — which is one of the biggest reasons I've stayed. My apartment in Minnesota is $700 a month, while rent in New York is more than double the price for anything of the same quality or less.
My absolute favorite part about Minneapolis is its art scene
I expected there to be a bigger art scene in Minneapolis when I compared the city to my New Jersey suburb of 36,000 people, but it's even better than I imagined.
The city has backyard shows with local bands almost every weekend, frequent art and vintage festivals, and even its own MN Fashion Week — with events similar to larger cities.
International cuisine seems more authentic than home
There are more family-run restaurants in Minneapolis than I'm used to, so many restaurant dishes here taste like a home-cooked meal.
My father is from Egypt, so I always crave for a meal inspired by Arabic cuisine. Luckily, there are plenty of authentic-tasting restaurants in Minneapolis, like Afro Deli and Wally's Falafel and Hummus.
There are no ocean beaches, but there are beautiful lakes
One of the most surprising things I had to get used to when I moved to the Midwest was the fact that people refer to lakes (even ones with mostly grass, trees, and rocks) as “beaches.”
But I've come to love these freshwater lakes much more than the “real” ocean beaches. The privacy and peaceful surroundings make the experience much more enjoyable than what I'm used to on the Jersey Shore, which is less clean and more hectic.
Outdoor activities are more accessible — when it's warm enough
Although I think it's too cold to enjoy most outdoor activities for about half the year in Minnesota, experiencing spring and summer here has broadened my love of nature.
In and just outside of Minneapolis – 15 minutes away at most – there are tons of open land and nearby national parks to explore. Outdoor activities include camping, hammocking and visiting farmers markets.
These activities were also available on the East Coast, but my suburban hometown is too densely populated to offer them as easily. I would have to drive at least two hours to the nearest farmers market and even longer for a campsite.
