OUT & ABOUT >>

• BEST BATTING CAGE
  The name of the place is a misnomer these days, since the City of St. Paul, which owns the facility, sold the Dome right out from over the folks at Arlington and Rice. But the batting cages keep right on pumping out baseballs and softballs to folks of wildly different skill levels. The old... More >>
• BEST BEACH
  First of all, it bears noting that last year's winner, Hidden Beach, is no longer so hidden. Much of its seclusion and charm have been stripped away under the pretext of buckthorn eradication. Sadly, a defilement of another sort threatens Bare Ass Beach, which is why you should get your fanny... More >>
• BEST BIKE TRAIL
  With all due respect to the marvelous expansion of the Midtown Greenway and other improvements for bikers west of the river, we retain a special spot in our hearts for the easy access to rural splendor (not to mention the relatively flat terrain) offered by the 18-mile Gateway Trail. Beginning... More >>
• BEST BOWLING ALLEY
  "Bring your own liquor, never bowl slicker." That's the motto at this modest subterranean bowling emporium. There's no hard liquor for sale on the premises, but patrons are actively encouraged to show up toting their own bottles of whiskey or tequila (beer can be purchased back by the pool... More >>
• BEST COACH
  Glen Mason has the hardest job in the Big Ten. Not only is he charged with leading a team that's often given short shrift by sports fans, but he has the arduous task of recruiting young talent to play in the Metrodome, quite possibly the worst college football atmosphere in the country. (Come... More >>
• BEST COLLEGE ATHLETE
  When Janel McCarville first showed up at the University of Minnesota, the thought running through many sports fans' minds was this: How is she ever going to run up and down a basketball court? The concern dissipated almost immediately, though, as McCarville dropped 60 pounds seemingly... More >>
• BEST DAY TRIP
  Heaven knows we hate to agree with ourselves, let alone with each other, but why mess with a good thing? There are a million different reasons for leaving the Twin Cities, but when you just feel like going someplace else and you don't have all the time in the world, there's still no better... More >>
• BEST FISHING HOLE
  Of our state's great rivers, the Minnesota is the most grievously abused; because, as any river rat knows, agriculture does horrible things to rivers. It pumps them full of sediments, fertilizers, and, um, animal shit. If it wouldn't lead to mass starvation, rioting and anarchy, we'd all be... More >>
• BEST GOLF COURSE
  If the Twin Cities have anything approaching Long Island's fabled Bethpage golf complex, it's Baker National. Here is an affordable public facility that is scenic, well-maintained, and tough as nails. If you haven't yet located your "A" game, don't despair: Novices can enjoy the nine-hole... More >>
• BEST HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETE
  Being the best high school basketball player in Minnesota is somewhat akin to being the world's tallest midget. In the northland, the best athletes tend to grace the hockey rink, not the basketball court. But no one was more dominant in a single sport this year than Kris Humphries, a six-eight... More >>
• BEST LYNX PLAYER
  Man, you have to feel for Katie Smith. Here she is, one of the elite players in WNBA history, a versatile scorer who easily notches 18 points per game, and she's playing for a team that, at the end of its fourth season, was still languishing in the league's basement. Of course, the Lynx' woes... More >>
• BEST PICNIC SPOT
  It isn't easy to find a good spot for a picnic in a big city, but we've found a little-used space that's just right for a family outing or a romantic brunch for two along the Mississippi in south Minneapolis. It's just off the bike- and footpath winding its way along River Parkway; right near... More >>
• BEST PLACE TO BIRD-WATCH
  Much as we like bird peeping, it is, frankly, a little frustrating at times. Take. Unless you've got top-grade binoculars and a degree in ornithology, it is like looking at the constellations--in general, you are just dumbly pretending to identify that which you really cannot. This is not a... More >>
• BEST PLACE TO CAMP
  After spring fever, most Minnesota campers follow a single overpowering migratory instinct: Head North! And yet more than a flock of stray birds find popular refuge in the southeastern tip of the state along a relatively unknown river. Nestled into deep ravines and between spectacular limestone... More >>
• BEST PLACE TO CANOE
  For a pinch-yourself experience of outdoor splendor, launch your canoe into the St. Croix up by Taylor's Falls in early October and paddle downstream 30 miles to the William O'Brien State Park near Scandia. Stands of sugar maple should be peaking crimson, orange, and yellow. Bald eagles and... More >>
• BEST PLACE TO CROSS-COUNTRY SKI
  Talk about a tough category: No state in the nation offers a more diverse array of cross-country ski options than Minnesota. If you want to make a vacation out of it, the trails around Pincushion Mountain up on the Gunflint Trail offer stunning views of Lake Superior, and we won't soon forget... More >>
• BEST PLACE TO HIKE
  Rare indeed is the urban park that offers such a varied mix of terrain and natural features. Minnehaha Park is a great place to walk the dog, have a picnic, or simply lose yourself amid the quiet backwaters of the Mississippi River. Perhaps you're familiar with the fabled Minnehaha... More >>
• BEST PLACE TO ICE SKATE
  Skating outdoors has a rugged appeal, and keeping pace with the open skating crew at local hockey rinks will keep your reflexes sharp. But sometimes you need to be pampered, and this renovated downtown train depot fits the bill. The Depot's specifically designed for figure skating. This means... More >>
• BEST PLACE TO JOG
  Runner's World, the monthly bible for those fleet of feet, ranks Minneapolis/St. Paul second on its Top Ten list of running cities, and the title is well earned. How many places, really, can you run miles lakeside while keeping a glittering skyline in your peripheral vision and dodging the... More >>
• BEST PLACE TO LEARN TO DANCE
  What is it with Minnesotans and their lack of enthusiasm for public ass-shaking? Memories of a heckling prom date? A John Lithgow-like oppressor? Whatever the reason, it's easily overcome with help from Dance Dance Revolution, a video-game craze that swept Japan a few years ago. Now there's no... More >>
• BEST PLACE TO ROLLERBLADE
  Any park can supply endless paths of smooth pavement during the summer, but how many can guarantee 70 degrees in mid-January? From November through April, skaters of all ages and speeds swarm the Metrodome for some hard-to-come-by warm winter exercise. Patrons can choose between two floors; the... More >>
• BEST PLACE TO WATCH A MOVIE OUTDOORS
  The long-reigning heavyweight champ of Twin Cities movies-and-music-in-the-park programs is prepared to duke it out in order to retain the title this year. Indeed, boxing is the subject of the films in this year's series (co-presented by Walker Art Center and the Minneapolis Park and Recreation... More >>
• BEST PUBLIC PARK
  One day this summer, when the sun is manageable and there's a light breeze about, drive on down to Como Park and just try to maneuver effectively through the rollerbladers, powerwalkers, and family fieldtrip spectacle. It's one big picnic of people, and a great place to spend a lazy Saturday... More >>
• BEST SIGN OF SPRING
  The first time you encounter it, it is shocking. You're driving down University Avenue the second weekend in April, windows reflexively sealed shut and the heat cranking. Just as you pass the U of M, it appears out of nowhere. You think at first that it might be an apparition. Your head jerks... More >>
• BEST SLEDDING
  As home of the beloved May Day Parade, Powderhorn Park forms a bedrock of community activism and creative spirit in the Twin Cities. When you're in awe of the May Day Parade's dazzling puppet beasts or giddy with spring fever, however, it's toilsome work attempting to envision the park's... More >>
• BEST TENNIS COURTS
  As with so many of the Twin Cities' poorly maintained public tennis spots, a number of serpentine half-inch-wide cracks tarnish these two courts, making for some unpredictable hops. So establish a "no do-overs" policy before every match, and enjoy the pulchritudinous setting. Tucked away along... More >>
• BEST TIMBERWOLVES PLAYER
  File this one under "Duh." Really, the relevant question is not whether KG is the best player on the Woles, but whether he's the best player in the NBA. And the answer is yes. The league has a lot of great scorers, of course. But no other player combines inside-outside scoring, rebounding,... More >>
• BEST TWINS PLAYER
  Torii Hunter has the fat contract, the Gold Glove, and the platinum, pre-scandal Kirby personality. But if you want to know why the Twins are regarded as one of the more admirable, fan-friendly franchises in all of sports, you've got to begin with Guardado. During the dreadful years when the... More >>
• BEST VIKINGS PLAYER
  Ostensibly, this season's backlash against Moss was about the Freak's erratic off-the-field behavior, most notably his arrest in September for a minor and entirely absurd encounter with a traffic control agent in downtown Minneapolis. Of course, this is hogwash. For all the talk about the... More >>
• BEST WILD PLAYER
  This pick is a no-brainer. Gaborik is the poster boy for the Minnesota Wild's shrewd past (he was the franchise's first-ever entry-level draft pick), glowing present (they made the playoffs in just their third year of existence), and even brighter future. The 2002-03 season saw the... More >>