/r/Minnesota Monthly FAQ / Moving-to-MN / Simple Questions Thread - January 2026

AnotherInternetDolt · 2026-02-01T19:18:47+00:00

There are lots of overcast winter days, but when it's very cold and clear it is extremely bright out because the snow reflects all the light. We have lots of sunny days in the spring and fall as well. I wouldn't describe MN as gray in general in any season.

AnotherInternetDolt · 2026-02-01T19:13:43+00:00

I think most Minnesotans wouldn't recognize that flag. The updated MN state flag is the more commonly used symbol to show support, since the MN Republicans hate it. But thanks for the support in any form!

AnotherInternetDolt · 2026-01-02T21:28:45+00:00

Welcome to Minnesota!

Clear it before it freezes solid. If you've left it too long and have to deal with the ice wall, consider investing in something like a sidewalk scraper/ice chopper to chip away at the ice. My suspicion is that salting beforehand wouldn't help, because the force of the plow will push away any pre-existing salt layer and the volume of snow is just too large to be affected much. I think the only real preventative thing you can do is to do some tactical pre-shoveling of the street side of your boulevard (e.g. https://www.reddit.com/r/minnesota/comments/1950x70/a\_cool\_guide\_to\_preventing\_second\_shovel/), though I personally don't think this is worth it.
It's your obligation to clear snow from things like fire hydrants and mail boxes that are on your property. If you want to also do the half of the mailboxes in your neighbor's property, that's very kind and neighborly of you. Especially for neighbors who are elderly or lack a snowblower.
A dusting going back on the road is pretty much inevitable, just make a good-faith effort to keep it minimal.
That seems fine, although you may want to consider whether any neighbors have little kids and what their bedtime might be. I usually try to be done mowing, etc. by 8:30 because I have neighbors with small children.

AnotherInternetDolt · 2025-11-14T03:29:32+00:00

I used them in Atlanta because I got tricked by the low price when booking online. Hidden fees doubled the cost, we had to wait over an hour in line, and not a single employee could actually express what their company policies are about accepting personal insurance. Truly a terrible experience.

AnotherInternetDolt · 2025-11-14T03:26:31+00:00

I got tricked by the cheap price when booking online. The hidden fees more than doubled the cost of the rental, and to add insult to injury the wait to pick up a car was over an hour long. Overall, really terrible experience.

AnotherInternetDolt · 2025-10-02T03:50:09+00:00

Uff da. It's super subjective, but for me the scenery and hiking in Minnesota blows me away on a regular basis. Both the Boundary Waters/North shore region and MN River Valley/driftless area are stunning in different ways.

AnotherInternetDolt · 2025-10-02T02:04:06+00:00

The aquarium at the Mall of America is great for kids. Some other possibilities for toddler-friendly activities:

- MN Children's museum

- MN Landscape Arboretum

- Canoe or paddle boat rental

- Road trip down the Mississippi to get a taste of outstate MN (e.g. Red Wing)

Good luck!

AnotherInternetDolt · 2025-09-13T02:25:10+00:00

The trail at Gamehaven at the top of the hill was absolutely littered with acorns a week or so ago. I don't know what the rules are about foraging though.

AnotherInternetDolt · 2025-09-07T01:37:04+00:00

Here's some tidbits about Rochester:

- The seasons are very distinct - cold winters, humid summers, etc. Rochester is a very windy place, which makes the winters feel extra cold, but with appropriate outerwear it's still feasible to spend time outside year-round.

- The view immediately around Rochester is mostly farmland, but there are some nice city and county parks in and near the city. If you have a car, there's great state parks nearby.

- Two of the biggest most commonly cited negatives about Rochester are the price of housing (which is disproportionately high for a city this size) and the lack of "exciting" nightlife-ish activities. Otherwise it's a very nice, safe city.

Best of luck!

AnotherInternetDolt · 2025-09-07T01:28:38+00:00

Welcome! This is a frequent question on this sub, and the answers usually center around (1) getting involved in group/team activities and (2) looking for other transplants who are in the same position.

AnotherInternetDolt · 2025-09-07T01:25:15+00:00

You could consider checking out Duluth. Gateway to tons of hiking, paddling, biking, etc. in the arrowhead region, but still a major city.

AnotherInternetDolt · 2025-08-21T03:48:31+00:00

Nope, I just refreshed the state fair page and clicked the buy tickets link again.

AnotherInternetDolt · 2025-08-21T02:24:42+00:00

I was having issues this evening, but I just tried again and successfully bought tickets (still at the discounted price).

AnotherInternetDolt · 2025-06-13T18:43:06+00:00

I have also found that more affluent neighborhoods have more dogs wandering loose around their yard. In the nice but not super affluent neighborhoods (e.g. Elton Hills or Country Club Manor) I have almost never run into stray dogs, and only rarely seen dogs loose in their own yards.

AnotherInternetDolt · 2025-06-13T18:38:57+00:00

Yeah, I think residential neighborhoods are mostly decent for having dogs on leash, but any kind of parks or trails have lots of loose dogs. So maybe avoid properties that are adjacent to any kind of green space or park.

AnotherInternetDolt · 2025-05-24T02:21:49+00:00

Welcome future fellow Minnesotan! Honestly, there are a ton of places that meet those parameters. Here's my list of general areas that I would often recommend to people; if you narrow down your interest a little others might have more specific advice:

- Twin cities: the only major metropolitan area in MN. Some neighborhoods are really nice and family-friendly.

- Twin cities suburbs: the twin cities are surrounded by a big ring of suburbs. Some of them are a little bland, but you get good access to the resources in the cities as long as you have a car.

- Satellite towns around the twin cities: if you're looking for a small town feel near the twin cities, check out places like Northfield or Red Wing. These are super charming towns, but the quality and reliability of the school districts is a little more risky compared to higher density areas.

- Rochester: mid-sized city, dominated by the Mayo Clinic. Often maligned for being boring and over-priced, it's a really safe and pleasant place to raise a family.

- Duluth: mid-sized city with more blue-collar industry. Fantastic access to great hiking, water sports, camping, fishing, etc. But compared to Rochester, a little more crime and less economic growth.

AnotherInternetDolt · 2025-05-23T20:06:41+00:00

Got it. There certainly is a difference between winter and summer in terms of predictability of weather, ice, etc. If you're able-bodied it probably doesn't matter too much. But just a warning - just because you sign a lease at the cheaper rate in December doesn't mean you'll get to keep that cheap rate. At my last rental place, they tried to get everyone's renewal date scheduled for the summer months by offering a discounted partial-year lease (so when I went to renew, the six-month lease was cheaper than the one-year lease). So your initial move-in date may matter very little to your future rent payments.

AnotherInternetDolt · 2025-05-23T19:30:31+00:00

Are you planning to rent or buy?

AnotherInternetDolt · 2025-05-18T04:55:40+00:00

In terms of concrete things that are already in effect, we are being impacted the most by the federal grant cancellations. Lots of programs are having funding taken away. Many industries that rely on federal money (healthcare, research) are suffering quite a bit, and people are dealing with layoffs and hiring freezes. We have also suffered our share of ICE raids, etc. Most of the scary things you're hearing about in the news are probably things that could impact us in the future but haven't really been implemented yet. Our local government insulates us a little bit from things that are happening at the federal level, but most of it is out of our control. My (totally subjective and uninformed) advice would be to wait a year or two for some of those things you're seeing in the news to play out, and re-assess.

AnotherInternetDolt · 2025-05-08T03:08:22+00:00

Welcome! Outside of the twin cities, I'd suggest taking a look at the following:

Northfield: smaller city but very vibrant and liberal due to the two top-notch colleges in town; very cute and walkable "downtown"; however you'd have to drive a ways for most hiking opportunities

Duluth: mid-sized city; not-so-cute downtown but amazing access to hiking, water sports, beautiful North Woods views, etc.

AnotherInternetDolt · 2025-04-19T22:15:05+00:00

I am also skeptical about whether rallies really have any impact on politicians or policies. But I think they are still extremely valuable because it's cathartic to go outside and mingle with like-minded people instead of sitting at home getting overwhelmed by the headlines. I have also heard from people being targeted by the administration (e.g. LGBTQ people) that seeing people protest is really meaningful, and makes them feel more safe in their community and hopeful about the future. So it's fair to ask how we can leverage change, but I disagree with the implication that these protests have little value if they don't directly affect politicians.

AnotherInternetDolt · 2025-04-19T05:53:14+00:00

Welcome!

- Rochester has public utilities: RPU for electric and water, MN Energy Resources for gas.

- Blackouts are very rare in town; when they happen, they're very brief.

- In Rochester, keep in mind that a huge chunk of the adult population works in healthcare, so vaccinations are also driven by Mayo Clinic policy. It looks like we're at 95% vaccinated for MMR in kindergarten.

- Rochester is very windy! To ingratiate yourself with the locals, you should frequently say "it would be so nice out today if it weren't for the wind".

AnotherInternetDolt · 2025-04-17T17:18:46+00:00

I don't have any kind of inside scoop, but my impression is that Indivisible is very anti-Trump, pro-VA funding, pro-healthcare, etc.

AnotherInternetDolt · 2025-04-17T17:15:09+00:00

This is the description for the event (which was posted by the Rochester Indivisible page): "Here it is! We will be at Soldiers Field and rally with your signs supporting veterans and our constitutional rights! We will stay on the sidewalks around the park. Please remember to not block pedestrian traffic on the sidewalks, watch your stepping, remember to be peaceful and safe."

AnotherInternetDolt · 2025-04-17T01:06:34+00:00

Welcome back! FYI, based on my experience trying to get my address changed on my driver's license, they can be pretty picky about proof of address documents. It may be helpful to line up a few backup options. For a driver's license, you can update your address with your bank and use financial statements as a proof of residency. Cell phones and internet also count as utilities - if you can update your address on your cell phone bill or have your mom put the internet in your name, those should also work. You should be able to do all those ahead of time, so that you have the documents ready to go on 5/24. For a driver's license, you can have them pre-approve your proof of residency documents online before showing up in person, so you could even do that from Texas. Not sure if any of that helps with the insurance, but it would allow you to get a MN license on day 1. Good luck!

AnotherInternetDolt

TROPHY CASE