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Local Tours Available Before General Assembly

All tours are on Tuesday, June 22, 2010

TOUR #1 Guided tour of three local Unitarian Universalist congregations and Sculpture Garden

See three of the Twin Cities’ oldest (founded in the 1800s) and largest (500+ members) UU congregations.  Trip includes guided tours of Unity Church-Unitarian in St. Paul, The First Unitarian Society in Minneapolis and First Universalist Church in Minneapolis.  Learn about the long and storied history of Unitarian Universalism in this area; for example, the oldest church in Minneapolis was built by First Universalist, the Humanist Manifesto I was signed by First Unitarian’s minister, and William Channing Gannett served at Unity.

Includes:

  • 5 minute walk/electric scooter/wheelchair as a group to the famous Walker Art Center Sculpture Garden for a self-guided tour.
  • 15 minute walk/electric scooter/wheelchair as a group to two local restaurants for lunch on your own.
  • 15 minute walk/electric scooter/wheelchair as a group back to the hotels through beautiful Loring Park and along Minneapolis’s pedestrian shopping mall.

Tour times on Tuesday, June 22, 2010:

  • Bus loads 8:15 a.m.
  • Bus departs 8:30 a.m.
  • Return 1:30 p.m. (We will be returning as a group without the bus)

Tour Cost: $15.00 per person. Payment instructions, deadline and refund policy are detailed on the registration form (PDF).

Electric scooter/wheelchair accessibility:

  • All churches/societies, restaurants, the Sculpture Garden, and the entire Sculpture Garden/restaurants/park/downtown route are accessible.
  • A lift bus will be available for every tour. You must indicate this need on the tour registration form.
  • Anyone needing a ride back from the restaurants to their hotel will be provided a ride by a local volunteer. You must indicate this need on the tour registration form.

Tour Departure Location: All tours will depart on the 11th Street side of the Minneapolis Hilton Hotel (612-376-1000), between 2nd Avenue and Marquette Avenue.  The name of the bus company is Trobec's Charter Bus Service.

Questions: contact Michael Pileggi from Performance Tours at michaelp @ perftours.com or 763-576-6909.

TOUR #2 Narrated boat ride down the Mississippi River

The historically narrated public sightseeing excursion departs from Harriet Island in St. Paul and runs 1 1/2 hours. Sights along the way include: the St. Paul High Bridge, Pig's Eye's Cave, Minnesota River mouth, Pike Island, Fort Snelling and the timeless splendor of the mighty Mississippi River. All sightseeing cruises offer a full bar and snacks, such as hot dogs and popcorn, at your own expense (please no outside food or beverage).

Tour times on Tuesday, June 22, 2010 (all return times are approximate and subject to change based on traffic):

Bus loads 10:45 a.m.
Bus departs 11:00 a.m.
Return 2:00 p.m.

Tour Cost: $30.00 per person. Payment instructions, deadline and refund policy are detailed on the registration form (PDF).

Electric scooter/wheelchair accessibility:

  • The boat’s main deck and restrooms are accessible.
  • A lift bus will be available for every tour. You must indicate this need on the tour registration form.

Tour Departure Location: All tours will depart on the 11th Street side of the Minneapolis Hilton Hotel (612-376-1000), between 2nd Avenue and Marquette Avenue. The name of the bus company is Trobec's Charter Bus Service.

Questions: contact Michael Pileggi from Performance Tours at michaelp @ perftours.com or 763-576-6909.

TOUR #3 Ethnic cook's tour of Minneapolis and St. Paul

If you like to cook and like to eat, this is the tour for you.  We will stop at as many of the following local ethnic groceries as possible for everyone to experience and buy whatever they want from each of the stops we make: Bill's Imported Foods, Coastal Seafoods, Cossetta's Italian Market and Pizzeria, El Burrito Market, Inc.; Holy Land Bakery and Grocery Deli; Ingebretsen's Scandinavian Center; Penzeys Spices, Ltd.*; Tea Source*; United Noodle Oriental Food, Inc. (Japanese, Chinese, Korean, etc.); and Whole Foods Market.
* Featured on Lynne Rossetto Kasper’s “Splendid Table” on National Public Radio

Tour times on Tuesday, June 22, 2010 (all return times are approximate and subject to change based on traffic):

  • Bus loads 2:15 p.m.
  • Bus departs 2:30 p.m.
  • Return 6:30 p.m.

Tour cost: $35.00 per person. Payment instructions, deadline and refund policy are detailed on the registration form (PDF).

Electric scooter/wheelchair accessibility:

  • All sites are accessible. 
  • A lift bus will be available for every tour. You must indicate this need on the tour registration form.

Tour Departure Location: All tours will depart on the 11th Street side of the Minneapolis Hilton Hotel (612-376-1000), between 2nd Avenue and Marquette Avenue. The name of the bus company is Trobec's Charter Bus Service.

Questions: contact Michael Pileggi from Performance Tours at michaelp @ perftours.com or 763-576-6909.

TOUR #4 Shopping and Dinner on own at the Mall of America

Travel by foot/electric scooter/wheelchair six blocks as a group with a local volunteer to the Minneapolis Light Rail to the Mall of America in Bloomington.  You will spend the afternoon and evening on your own, exploring the mall, shopping, and eating as you desire.

  • Over 400 stores
  • Two food courts & more than a dozen restaurants
  • Underwater Adventures – the world’s largest underground aquarium
  • Nickelodeon Universe - the nation’s largest indoor family theme park
  • Moose Mountain – 18-hole mini golf
  • Lego Land
  • Bodies Exhibition
  • Movie Theater…and more!

We will set a specific location at the mall to meet and then return to downtown Minneapolis as a group on the Light Rail.

Tour times on Tuesday, June 22, 2010 (all return times are approximate and subject to change based on traffic):

  • Meet time 3:45 p.m.
  • Depart 4:00 p.m.
  • Depart the mall 8:15 p.m.
  • Return 9:00 p.m.

Tour cost:

  • $2.25 per person cash needed for the ride to the mall.
  • $1.75 per person cash needed for the ride back to downtown Minneapolis.

Payment instructions, deadline and refund policy are detailed on the registration form (PDF).

Electric scooter/wheelchair accessibility:

  • The light rail system is accessible. 
  • The mall is accessible from the Light Rail stop located beneath the mall. Please indicate on the tour registration form if you need accessible facilities.

Tour Departure Location: All tours will depart on the 11th Street side of the Minneapolis Hilton Hotel (612-376-1000), between 2nd Avenue and Marquette Avenue.

Note: The mall is open until 9:30 p.m. and Light Rail service is available at that time.  If you wish you may stay beyond 8:15 p.m. and make your own way back on the Light Rail.

Questions: contact Michael Pileggi from Performance Tours at michaelp @ perftours.com or 763-576-6909.

Last updated on Tuesday, January 19, 2010.

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