12 Results
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Mississippi River Private Cruise on the Magnolia Blossom w/ Historian Dave Bredemus (Southwest)Trips, Tours & Special EventsCruise the Mighty Mississippi River from St. Paul toward Minneapolis and back past downtown St. Paul to Inver Grove Heights aboard the 80-foot Magnolia Blossom paddleboat. Both inside and outside seating is available. Spend the evening relaxing and listening to stories about the local Mississippi River’s history, geology and natural wonders. Travel up the Mississippi past Fort Snelling, Mendota,Hidden Falls and Minnehaha Park. Travel down river to see and hear tails of Pike Island, Crosby Nature Center and historic bridges. Travel past downtown Saint Paul to Dakota County and Inver Grove Heights. The trip will be narrated by boat captain Dan and historian Dave Bredemus and will feature river history, shoreline points of interest, natural history and wildlife identification. Beverages will be available to purchase on board the boat. You may bring your own food onto the boat. 5:30 PM-Boarding 6:00 PM-Departure from Watergate Marina 8:30 PM-Approximate Return Time Meet at the Watergate Marina, 2500 Crosby Farm Road, Saint Paul Minnesota, 55116. Crosby Farm Road is at the intersection of Shepherd Road and Gannon Road. Plenty of parking is available. Ages 21+. If the tour is full, please add your name to the waitist. We will contact you if a spot becomes available.Adult Enrichment Summer 2026 -
West 7th Walking Tour: Little Bohemia & Uppertown with Historian Dave Bredemus (Southwest)Trips, Tours & Special EventsSaint Paul is a city of neighborhoods(17). Two special walking tours have been organized of these special historic districts in the West 7th/Fort Road Neighborhood. Each tour will give you an intimate look at the oldest neighborhood in Saint Paul. West 7th is an urban success story which has reinvented itself but has been able to keep its historic look and cultural identity. Learn about the organizing efforts led by community people and businesses to save and improve this historic neighborhood. Our tour guide for both tours will be historian Dave Bredemus, who has lived or worked in the neighborhood his whole life and has been involved with many of the projects to improve the neighborhood over the last 50 years. Little Bohemia and Uppertown Walking Tour Tour this area of West 7th Street which was founded in the late 1830’s and largely settled in the 1850’s and 1860’s. See some of the oldest and most historic homes, businesses, and parks in Minnesota, walking through this neighborhood in the West Seventh area of Saint Paul. Visit a unique historic district of old stone houses that pre-date the Civil War. This area of Saint Paul is the oldest living neighborhood in the Twin Cities. Visit ethnic churches like St Stanislaus and the ethnic hall CSPS Hall. Hear stories of early immigrants of Czech background who settled in this area. See homes of early Minnesota governors and mayors of St. Paul. Click here for link to: Brewery Neighborhood Walking Tour On these walking tours, we will visit and see places very few people know about. The walking tours will be approximately 2 1/2 hours and cover roughly 2 miles at a very leisurely pace. Both tours will start at the West Seventh Community Center located at 265 Oneida St., St. Paul. Parking is available. If the tour is full, please add your name to the waitist. We will contact you if a spot becomes available.Adult Enrichment Summer 2026 -
Bus Tour: Germans of St. Paul w/ Historian Dave Bredemus - June 30 (Southwest)Trips, Tours & Special EventsTwenty percent of people in the United States are of German descent, and in St. Paul, Germans are the largest ethnic group. But because of a variety of factors, including prejudice, world wars, and the nature of the German people, the German history of St. Paul has been lost or diminished. Just as we’re all Irish on Saint Patrick's Day on this tour we’ll all be German. Learn where the Germans had their quarries, breweries, cigar factories, beer gardens, neighborhoods, churches and social clubs. See the influence of German architecture, especially in the use of brick for building. We’ll tour the neighborhoods of the Germans - Upper town, West 7th, Dayton's Bluff, West Side, Frogtown, Rice Street - and see the homes of working class and upper class Germans and German-speaking people. Learn about famous German residents of St. Paul. Germans of St Paul were somewhat hidden, mainly working as craftsmen, carpenters, and home builders, but had tremendous importance to our city, especially in the union movement. At first they were outsiders because they didn't speak English, but soon many became famous residents of St. Paul. Not all came from Germany. Some came from Austria, Luxembourg, and the Alsace-Lorraine area of France. By 1917, German Americans had become enemies in their own adopted country of the US. The German language was outlawed, and many Germans changed their names. In 1919, the Volstead act, which introduced Prohibition, outlawed one of the prime businesses of Germans: brewing beer. Today, many churches and neighborhoods celebrate their German history, especially during the Saint Paul Oktoberfest. We’ll visit Assumption Church, modeled after St Mary's Church in Munich, and St. Bernard's German Catholic Church, one of the only Art Nouveau architectural buildings in the Twin Cities. See the oldest German Lutheran Church in St. Paul. We’ll see the site of the first brewery, the first German hall, the oldest social club, and the oldest barber shop - all in St. Paul and all German. Did you know that there was at one time a horse slaughterhouse in St. Paul to provide the Germans with horse meat? See where that was, and much more. Includes: Motorcoach Bus, Guided Narration, Bakery Stop, and All Admissions. 1ST PICK UP: 9:15 am Board Bus - Southwest High School – 3414 W. 47th Street, Mpls, MN 55410 9:30 am Bus Departs 2ND PICK UP: 10 am at West 7th Community Center - 265 Oneida St, St Paul, MN 55102 Bus Returns to 4:00 pm to West 7th Community Center and 4:30 pm Southwest High School. NOTE: Only transfer of registration available after May 30th. 75% refund if we are able to fill you spot from the waitlist. If tour is sold out, please add your names to the waitlist. We will let you know if tickets become available.Adult Enrichment Summer 2026 -
Bus Tour: St. Paul Neighborhood Tour w/ Dave Bredemus - Oct 20Trips, Tours & Special EventsSt. Paul is a city of 17 unique neighborhoods. This tour will visit many of them including Daytons Bluff, Swede Hollow, Lowertown, Fort Road/West 7th, Rondo, West Side and Summit Avenue, plus additional neighborhoods. During the past decades, St. Paul's neighborhoods have been working hard to re-capture their identity. On this tour we will see historical landmarks and modern structures that have shaped St. Paul's identity as we ride along with historian Dave Bredemus on a motorcoach bus. We will also learn about the urban challenges St. Paul faces as the city moves through the 21st Century. Learn about immigrants past and present. Please join us! Tour guides: Dave Bredemus and local guides. Includes: Motorcoach Bus, Guided Narration, Bakery Stop, and All Admissions. Not included: Lunch (we will find an interesting location in St. Paul where you can pick from many restaurants). 1ST PICK UP: 9:30 AM Board Bus - Lake Harriet United Methodist Church - 4901 Chowen Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55410 2ND PICK UP: 10 AM at West 7th Community Center - 265 Oneida St, St Paul, MN 55102 Bus Returns to 4:30 PM to West 7th Community Center and 5 PM to Lake Harriet United Methodist Church. NOTE: Only transfer of registration available after September 20th. 75% refund if we are able to fill you spot from the waitlist. If tour is sold out, please add your names to the waitlist. We will let you know if tickets become available.Adult Enrichment Fall 2026 -
Bus Tour: Historic Ethnic Holiday Treasures: Decorah, Mayowood & Spillville w/ Historian Dave Bredemus - December 9-10Trips, Tours & Special EventsJoin us as we explore holiday ethnic treasures with Dave Bredemus! We will tour the Mayowood Mansion in Rochester, Minnesota, with its English Style architecture and themed Christmas Tour. Historical stories from the Mayo holiday family traditions will be experienced. Stories and decorations from the 1900s through the mid century years at Mayowood will be presented by local guides. Decorah, Iowa, located in the Driftless Region and settled by Norwegian immigrants will be our homebase for this tour. The city will be decked out for the Christmas season for us to enjoy. We will stay at the Historic Hotel Winneshiek situated in the heart of Decorah, Iowa, and is located in a thriving downtown full of local shops, galleries and unique holiday attractions, which we will have time to visit. We will also have a private tour of the Vesterheim Norwegian Immigration Museum which will have some special holiday displays for us to enjoy along with the museum itself. An evening tour to Spillville, Iowa, is planned. This historic Czech town with his historic church called Saint Wenceslas will be a unique visit at night. We will learn about world famous composer Anton Dvořák’s visit to Spillville and the time he spent in 1893 at the church of Saint Wenceslas. We will tour Saint Wenceslas and hear local musicians play Christmas carols on the 1873 church organ, on which Dvořák played during his visit. We will end our evening in Spillville with kolache’s made from local Czech bakers. On day two, we will tour the city of Decorah, seeing historic neighborhoods, homes and parks. The bus tour of Decorah will also take us to the winter waterfall and ice cave in Decorah and see Decorah’s bald eagles, plus other historic sites in town. On the trip home, we will tour Preston, Minnesota, and have lunch at one of the favorite restaurants in Southern Minnesota, the Branding Iron. Time permitting, our last stop on our two-day tour will be in Chatfield, Minnesota, to tour the Prairie/Carnegie Library. All adults 21+ are welcome to join the tour! Price includes: Coach Bus Transportation, 1 Night Lodging at Historic Winneshiek Hotel, Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner, Vesterheim & Mayowood Tours, Organ Concert. Koloches and other scheduled admissions. NOTE: Meals on your own - 1 lunch First Pick-Up Location: Lake Harriet United Methodist Church - 4901 Chowen Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55410 - 7:15 am Board Coach Bus - 7:30 am Bus Departs Second Pick-Up Location: West 7th Community Center - 265 Oneida St, St Paul, MN 55102 - 8:00 am @ Return: 5:00 West 7th Community Center and 5:30 pm Lake Harriet United Methodist Church Deposit of $100 due with registration. NOTE: Final payment due Oct 9th. Final Payment Due: 60 Days Prior to Departure Overnight Tour Cancelation Policy: - 60 Days Prior to Departure: 100% Refund of Trip Fee less $5 Processing Fee - 59-45 Days Prior to Departure: 90% Refund of Trip Fee OR $50 admin fee if we can fill your spot (or if you find someone to fill your spot) - 44-16 Days Prior to Departure: 50% of Trip Fee OR $100 admin fee if we can fill your spot (or if you find someone to fill your spot) - 14 Days or Less: We will work to get you a return for some recoverable costs. This will vary by tour and date of cancelation. No guarantees. If tour is sold out, please enroll for the waitlist. We will contact you if a space becomes available.Adult Enrichment Fall 2026 -
Bus Tour: Northern Minnesota Lake Country & Lake Itasca w/ Historian Dave Bredemus - July 7-10 (Southwest)Trips, Tours & Special EventsNOTE: Single Occupancy: $1,295 per person Double Occupancy: $1,089 per person ( 2/room) Land of Natives, Explorers, Fur Traders, Lumbermen and lake lovers -- Our trip to Itasca Country will include 5 of Minnesota's largest and more legendary lakes: Leech, Cass, Itasca, Winnebegoshish & Mille Lacs Lakes. Plus Minnesota's largest expanse of virgin pine in Lake Itasca State Park. We will visit two of Minnesota's most popular resort towns: Walker and Bemidji. We will explore, like past explorers, to Itasca Country to find the source of the Mississippi River. Tour Highlights: Museum Tour of Mille Lacs Lake Indian Museum & Trading Post Boat Cruise on Mille Lacs Lake Lunch at Twin Pines Resort National Loon Center Yellow House Ice Cream Shop Tour of Menahga - the most Finnish town in Minnesota Traditional Finnish Dinner 16-Mile Scenic Ride through Lake Itasca State Park Walk with Naturalist to the Headwaters of the Mississippi River Mary Gibbs Museum & Jacob Brower Dinner at Clancy's of the Island See Largest Statue of Paul Bunyan Visit Historic Chase on the Lake on Leech Lake City Tour of Bemidji Tour Lost 40 Acres with Walking Path Judy Garland Childhood Home Forest History Center City Tour of Grand Rapids All adults 21+ are welcome to join the tour! Price includes: Coach Bus Transportation, Guide, Three Nights Lodging (2 Nights AmericInn & 1 Night Best Western), 3 Breakfasts, 3 Dinners, 2 Lunches, All Admissions & Bakery Stop. NOTE: Meals on your own - 2 lunches First Pick-Up Location: West 7th Community Center - 265 Oneida St, St Paul, MN 55102 - 7:30 am Board Coach Bus - 7:45 am Bus Departs Second Pick-Up Location: Southwest High School - 3414 W. 47th Street, Mpls, MN. Meet bus at the Chowen Ave. (west side) parking lot between 46th & 47th streets - 8:15 am Deposit of $400 due with registration. NOTE: Final payment due May 7th. Final Payment Due: 60 Days Prior to Departure Overnight Tour Cancelation Policy: - 60 Days Prior to Departure: 100% Refund of Trip Fee less $5 Processing Fee - 59-45 Days Prior to Departure: 90% Refund of Trip Fee OR $50 admin fee if we can fill your spot (or if you find someone to fill your spot) - 44-16 Days Prior to Departure: 50% of Trip Fee OR $100 admin fee if we can fill your spot (or if you find someone to fill your spot) - 14 Days or Less: We will work to get you a return for some recoverable costs. This will vary by tour and date of cancelation. No guarantees. If tour is sold out, please enroll for the waitlist. We will contact you if a space becomes available.Adult Enrichment Summer 2026 -
Bus Tour: St. Paul's All Asian Progressive Dinner w/ Dave Bredemus - Nov 12Trips, Tours & Special EventsJoin us for a delightful day of dining and learning about Asian culture and food. We scouted around and put together a multi-Asian progressive dinner: delectable finger foods, appetizers, salads, main courses, and desserts at the most delicious and distinctive Asian restaurants. The tour will take you to the crossroads of the world presenting unique spices, international flavors, and specialty foods shaped by each country's geography, plants, agricultural customs and eating preferences. Thai, Vietnamese, Cambodian, Kurdish, and Hmong, we will sample them all. Includes: Motorcoach Bus, Guided Narration, Bakery Stop, and All Admissions. Beverages available to purchase at each restaurant. 1ST PICK UP: 2:00 PM Board Bus - Lake Harriet United Methodist Church - 4901 Chowen Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55410 2ND PICK UP: 2:30 PM at West 7th Community Center - 265 Oneida St, St Paul, MN 55102 Bus Returns to 6:30 PM to West 7th Community Center and 7 PM to Lake Harriet United Methodist Church. NOTE: Only transfer of registration available after October 12th. 75% refund if we are able to fill you spot from the waitlist. If tour is full, please add your name to the wait list. We will notify you if space becomes available.Adult Enrichment Fall 2026 -
Bus Tour: Lavender Farm & the Chippewa Valley w/ Historian Dave Bredemus - July 2 (Southwest)Trips, Tours & Special EventsExplore Chippewa County and all it has to offer! Our day starts at Pondview Lavender Farm -- 4 acres of organically grown lavender --with a mission to create a memorable and welcoming experience that sparks joy, relaxation, and a deeper connection with nature. We'll tour the family-run farm operation, stroll through their lavender fields where we can pick our own fresh lavender bouquet to take home. Enjoy the beautiful scenery, try a lavender brownie and check out their lovely gift shop. Along the way, we'll see historic sites including breweries, museums and pristine Lake Wissota, Irvine Park and the Chippewa River. We'll tour historic Downtown Chippewa Falls and its historic homes. A special visit will be dinner at one of Wisconsin's premiere supper clubs -- Wissota High Shores Supper Club -- a true Wisconsin supper club experience since 1936. Includes: Motorcoach Bus, Guide on Bus, Lavender Farm Tour, Lavender Brownie, U-Pick Lavender Bouquet, Dinner and all admissions. 1st Pick Up: 11:45 am Board Bus at Southwest High School - 3414 W. 47th Street (Chowen Ave. West Parking Lot between 46th & 47th Streets) 12:00 pm Bus Departs 2nd Pick Up: 12:30 pm at West 7th Community Center - 265 Oneida St, St Paul, MN 551022 @ Return: 9:00 pm to West 7th Community Center 9:30 pm to Southwest High School NOTE: After June 2nd only transfer of registration to another person No refunds. 75% refund if we can fill your spot from the waitlist. If tour is sold out, please enroll for the waitlist. We will notify you is a spot becomes available.Adult Enrichment Summer 2026 -
WaitlistDeGidio's Traditional Italian Lunch & History w/ Jason Tschida & Dave Bredemus (Southwest)Trips, Tours & Special EventsThis lunch will re-create the traditional Italian Sunday lunch. Sunday lunch was more than just food, it is a social institution. Instead of grandparents, passing down family recipes to a younger generation DeGidio’s Restaurant will be passing down their family recipes for us to enjoy. As we step through the doors of this Saint Paul landmark, we will be transported back in time immersed in a rich history that has shaped DeGidio’ Restaurant. We will learn about DeGidio’s history from the current family members. Dave Bredemus local historian will also make a short presentation on Italians in Saint Paul. Our special family style Italian meal will be crafted from cherish family recipes of the DeGidio’s family. Menu: Family Style DeGidio’s Italian Chopped Salad Stromboli Italian Bread with herbed butter Italian Olives Broccoli and Sausage Pasta Burrata Caprese Rigatoni Alla Vodka Pesto Pasta Tiramisu Coffee or Soda Tax and gratuity included. Free Parking Meet at DeGidio's Restaurant & Bar located at 425 7th St W, St Paul, MN 55102. . Please enroll on the waitlist if the tour is full. We will contact you if a space becomes available.Adult Enrichment Summer 2026 -
WaitlistBus Tour: Exploring Northeast Minneapolis w/ Historian Dave Bredemus - June 18 (Southwest)Trips, Tours & Special EventsExplore Northeast Minneapolis, known for its industrial and immigrant heritage. Today it is a beautiful, viable, diverse community. Start where Minneapolis started -- at the Falls of St. Anthony. Enjoy the falls in the late spring when the water is close to its highest level as we walk across the Stone Arch Bridge. Polish, Ukrainian, Lebanese, and German immigrant communities sprang up in this industrial area. They were working class families. Languages from 'the old country' were spoken. These traditions from the old country remain strong. It was a neighborhood of simple strong houses, warehouses and factories. Event the street names served a purpose. Named after presidents, they helped immigrants prepare for their citizenship exams. But is has changed. Learn about what had happened in the earlies days of the neighborhood and how the new look and feel of Northeast Minneapolis evolved. Learn how the Grain Belt Brewhouse was saved from the wrecking ball, sold and renovated, earning- it the National Preservation Honor Award which recognized outstanding efforts that gave new meaning to communities through preservation. Walk into the past. Travel down the oldest street. Learn about the corner grocery stores and prominent homes. Find out who the most influential familes were and how one Charlotte Van Cleve became one of Minnesota's first suffragettes. Locate the exact place where Republicans gathered for their first National Convention here is 1892. See churches. Visit the oldest Catholic Church, Our Lady of Lourdes. See the First Congregational Church, St. Mary's Orthodox Cathedral, St. Anthony of Padua, St. Constantine Ukrainian Catholic Church, Church of St. Cyril Methodius (Slovak) and Marian Lebanese-Rite Church. Travel along Central Avenue, Northeast's commercial mainstay, past historic buildings, community parks, artists' studios and intimate cafes. There are wonderful storefronts in quaint two-story brick buildings and present-day art galleries perched alongside residential homes. This is the new Northeast, fashioned by young entrepreneurs, professionals, artists and historic preservationists! NOTE: Includes Motorcoach Bus, Guided Narration, All Admissions and Bakery stop. Lunch will be on your own. First Pick-Up Location: West 7th Community Center - 265 Oneida St, St Paul, MN 55102 - 8:45 am Board Coach Bus - 9:00 am Bus Departs Second Pick-Up Location: Southwest High School - 3414 W. 47th Street, Mpls, MN. Meet bus at the Chowen Ave. (west side) parking lot between 46th & 47th streets - 9:30 am NOTE: If canceling more than 30 days before tour, $5 processing fee. 30 Days or less before tour, only transfer of registration available. If tour is sold out, please add your names to the waitlist. We will let you know if space becomes available.Adult Enrichment Summer 2026 -
Bus Tour: Hometown Favorites - Discovering Western Wisconsin w/ Historian Dave Bredemus - June 24 (Southwest)Trips, Tours & Special EventsYou don't have to travel far to spark a favorite memory or discover a new treat. Take a lovely summer tour of western Wisconsin, discovering the local flavors that draw crowds and business to our favorite Wisconsin hometowns. Taste samples of recipes passed down through generations, as we visit local cheese factories, bakeries, farm stands and specialty markets. Experience scenic landscapes which are the product of geological history. Drive down a rustic road, walk along a trout stream, and enjoy breathtaking scenery as we visit state parks and natural areas. Includes Motorcoach Bus, Guide on Bus, Bakery Stop, Farm Samples and all admissions. Lunch is on your own. 1st Pick Up: 8:45 am Board Bus at Southwest High School - 3414 W. 47th Street (Chowen Ave. West Parking Lot between 46th & 47th Streets) 9:00 am Bus Departs 2nd Pick Up: 9:30 am at West 7th Community Center - 265 Oneida St, St Paul, MN 551022 @ Return: 5:45 pm to West 7th Community Center 6:15 pm to Southwest High School NOTE: After May 24th only transfer of registration to another person No refunds. 75% refund if we can fill your spot from the waitlist. If tour is sold out, please enroll for the waitlist. We will notify you is a spot becomes available.Adult Enrichment Summer 2026 -
Bus Tour Interest Form: Civil Rights Tour w/ Historian Dave Bredemus & Civil Rights Attorney & Author Dr. Artika TynerTrips, Tours & Special EventsCivil Rights Tour postponed to April, 2027. If interested, please enroll and we will contact you when we have more information on this tour! Thank you.Adult Enrichment Fall 2026