Minneapolis GLBT Pride/Twin Cities Celebration
Straddling the Mississippi River and steeped in friendly allure, Minneapolis boasts 22 lakes, tax-free shopping, cutting-edge architecture, Tony Award-winning theater, overflowing museums, Mary Tyler Moore, Josh Hartnett, the-artist-once-again-known-as Prince . . . and, yes, the 2008 Republican National Convention! But fear not the trumpeting of elephants: Liberalism still reigns supreme in this regional bastion of tolerance. With a community-wide investment in the arts, a thriving creative class, progressive social policies, not to mention exciting nightlife, haute restaurants and a bounty of outdoor activities for all four seasons, Minneapolis is hands-down one of the most gay-friendly, if not people-friendly, cities in which to live in the Midwest. Its Pride celebrations -- the third largest in the country -- are the pink icing on the cake.

Pride in the Land o' Lakes
Attendance at the country's third largest Pride celebration, Minneapolis GLBT Pride/Twin Cities Celebration (June 23-24, 2007; 952/852-6100; www.tcpride.org), has nearly doubled -- to nearly 500,000 for each of the last few years.

Those enthusiastic Minnesotans really know how to celebrate. Pride highlights emanate from serenades on four stages (including one from Taylor Dayne), fireworks over the lake, and plenty o' beer gardens, to a mass commitment ceremony and a history pavilion - and that's just at Loring Park's Pride Festival (23-24 June).

Over in St. Paul, the Pride Picnic (June 17, East Picnic Pavilions, Como Park) generously offers old-fashioned games, table games, softball, and free food cooked on a grill the size of a Volkswagen.

North Star Gay Rodeo (June 28-July 1, various venues) kicks off with a welcome party and beer bust, and struts on through events such as a free western dance, North Star Cookout, Big Tent Dance and, of course, a slew of horse-related hijinks.

Insider tip
Don't miss Minneapolis' stunning Walker Art Center (1750 Hennepin Ave; 612/375-7600; www.walkerart.org) with its rippling aluminum-mesh skin and spacious, crystalline-angled interior spaces hand-finished with shiny Venetian plaster.

Stay
Design aficionados will love the Frette linens, commanding views and stark lushness of the Graves|601 Hotel (601 First Ave. N; 612/677-1600; www.graves601hotel.com; from $169), whose seamless wood paneling comes from only two trees. Previously a dilapidated porn shop, the Chambers Hotel (901 Hennepin Ave; 612/767-6900; www.chambersminneapolis.com; from $265) has lit the town abuzz with its hotel-meets-gallery approach to boutique sleeps. Contemporary and edgy art from Sam Taylor-Wood, Tracy Emin and Damien Hirst dot the blinding-white walls of the hallways and oversize standard rooms while graffiti stuns in the stairwells, drawing chic locals and visitors alike to the massive outdoor patio and hip rooftop lounge.

Eat
An appetite is essential in the Twin Cities as eclecticism and Midwest-size portions rule its world-class dining scene. Jean-Georges Vongerichten's delectable, seafood-heavy menu at his just-opened Chambers Kitchen (in the Chambers Hotel; 901 Hennepin Ave.; 612/767-6999; $18-$36) jostles for celebrity-chef cachet with the California and Asian-inspired dishes of Wolfgang Puck's 20.21 (in the Walker Arts Center; 1750 Hennepin Ave.; 612/253-3410). Needless to say, both are a haute vacation for your taste buds. Funky lesbian-owned CafA(c) Barbette (1600 W. Lake St.; 612/827-5710; www.barbette.com; $12-$32) -- named after a cross-dressing tightrope walker from the 1930s -- in the bohemian Uptown area exudes a relaxed neighborhood charm that belies the seriousness of its high-energy bistro cuisine and massive wine list.

Play
A mixed upscale crowd is primed for the minimalist vibe and funky beats at the loft-style, gay-owned JetSet (115 N. 1st St.; 612/339-3933; www.jetsetbar.com). Nearby, the bygone standard Gay 90s (408 Hennepin Ave.; 612/333-7755; www.gay90s.com) still holds sway with the trashy glamour of its seven bars and three dance floors in a massive two-story building. Don't miss the porn and pawing of the secret backroom (hint: it's through the men's bathroom). Open seven days, video bar Bolt (513 Washington Ave. S.; 612/338-4214; www.boltbar.com) opens its dance bar Bolt Underground (501 Washington Ave S.; www.boltbar.com/underground) on Fridays and Saturdays. For a change of pace, head to the gay-owned and city-popular Bryant-Lake Bowl (810 W. Lake St; 612/825-3737; www.bryantlakebowl.com) and have a full evening of quality cabaret, wine-bar noshing and old-school bowling all under one roof.

For a bounty of additional information, visit www.glbtminneapolis.org or www.minneapolis.org.