Nicknamed the "City of Lakes," Minneapolis holds an immense reservoir of fresh water, a shimmering legacy of its glacial past. During the last Ice Age, massive sheets of ice carved deep depressions and sculpted basins as they retreated, forming thousands of lakes scattered across Minnesota. Through the heart of the city flows the Mississippi River, a sacred riverfront that has sustained the Dakota people for over 12,000 years. Consistently ranked among the nation’s best, Minneapolis is home to a comprehensive park system that weaves lakes, wetlands, and woodlands into a living tapestry of biking paths and walking trails—a remarkable blue-green infrastructure that keeps its residents deeply connected with nature. As the seasons pass, the city transforms: from vibrant, colorful falls; to freezing, polar winters; blossoming, fragrant springs and warm, lively summers. Few places change so drastically and yet remain brimming with life—calling you back with every turn of the year.