Best Place for a Late-Night Stroll - Water Power Park - 2013 Best of MN

This used to be no man's land, an off-limits stretch of riverfront guarded by fences and electric power lines. Now this newish park is a popular late-night gathering spot, especially on idyllic summer evenings when downtown Minneapolis casts its golden glow over the Big Muddy. Enter Water Power Park from old St. Anthony Main, another magnet for late-night wanderers. Then follow the park's walkway to get as close to St. Anthony Falls as you've ever come. Watch for the various historic markers, which narrate the area's engineering history and the falls' evolution. Watch, too, for ambling lovebirds and children nursing tiny cups of gelato (from nearby Wilde Roast). Last year we even saw a man praying in the twilight at this inspiring spot.