Downtown Minneapolis

Be thankful that Minneapolis leaders had the foresight to erect second-story skyways in 1962. Those climate-controlled glass tunnels connecting soaring skyscrapers will guide you to downtown shopping in the middle of a Minnesota blizzard, a spring thunderstorm, or scorching summer heat. Plus there are no stoplights along your journey.

Shop: Downtown has become a destination for shoppers looking for discounted designer and brand-name women’s and men’s clothing and home goods. Newcomer Nordstrom Rack (80 S. 8th St., IDS Center, 763-999-3415) has Kate Spade purses, Coach boots and True Religion jeans. Saks Off Fifth (600 Nicollet Mall, 612-594-5962) brings a lower-priced version of the famed Manhattan department store to Minneapolis. Marshalls (40 S. 7th St., City Center, 612-673-9174) is a mini-department store with packed clothing racks and shelves of home accessories. There’s still one vestige of the days when downtown shops reigned supreme: Hubert White (747 Nicollet Mall, IDS Center, 612-339-9200). The 100-year-old men’s store is famed for its upscale suits, shirts, slacks and ties.

Eat and drink: The Minneapolis skyways offer a smorgasbord of places to grab a quick bite. In the IDS Crystal Court (worth a stop on its own), try Roti Modern Mediterranean (80 S. 8th St., 612-392-2426) for flavorful salads, rice plates, flatbreads and spicy lamb meatballs. In the mood for pizza? At Broadway Fast & Fresh (U.S. Bank Plaza, 200 S. 6th St., 612-332-9150), you can select the crust and ingredients for your personal pie, which will be ready to eat in 3 minutes.