For those who have never visited, Minnesota is often considered little more than a frozen tundra where the folks talk funny and sports teams never win. Home to Prince, Bob Dylan, Mall of America and the Mayo Clinic, the Land of 10,000 Lakes is thought to be a better flyover state than a vacation destination.
The stereotypes aren’t all wrong – “Minnesota Nice” is a real attitude. The winters are long and cold. Sports fans do suffer a great deal of heartbreak each year. But the truth is that Minnesota is actually a great place to live, and many of the common tropes are just...misperceptions!
As a Minnesota-based company with 46 years of local business to our name, Love From USA has seen a thing or two. Here are some of the silliest misconceptions we’ve heard and why they’re utterly ridiculous.
Minnesota is Nothing But Cold and Snow
Minnesota may be a northern state, but it’s not so far north that its only season is year-round winter. The astronomical winter lasts from December 21 to March 21, though admittedly Minnesota sees winter-like conditions including snow and cold temperatures from November through March or April. Yes, we reminisce often on the Halloween blizzard of 1991 and the Polar Vortex of 2019. However, the remaining seven or eight months of the year are actually quite enjoyable. In fact, a Minnesota summer is nearly unbeatable! Temperatures fluctuate across the state from upper ‘70s to lower ‘90s, occasionally even reaching into the 100s – ideal for a day at one of Minnesota's 10,000 lakes. Spring and Fall are equally enjoyable, offering a wide range of outdoor activities no matter the temperature and weather conditions. In short, winter in Minnesota can be brutal, yes; but the rest of the seasons make it all worthwhile.
Minnesotans All Have a Funny Accent
Another common misconception is that everybody in Minnesota talks funny, with long, pronounced O’s and local slang like “don’tcha know.” Movies and TV shows like Fargo have certainly contributed to that stereotype. While it’s true that people may have spoken that way in decades past, and some in more rural or northern parts of the state still do, the idea that everybody talks that way is...well...just silly! If any accent at all, the Minnesota accent is probably just a variation of the broader Midwest accent.
Minnesotans are all Scandinavian
Like the accent, the idea that everybody in Minnesota is Scandinavian was likely more true in the past than it is now. Yes, early European settlers were largely Norwegian, Swedish and German, and those cultures are still prominent today. As of 2023, however, only 43% of Minnesotans who reported multiple ancestry identified as Scandinavian. Today, Minnesota is actually a melting pot of different ethnicities, including thriving groups of Hispanic or Latino, Hmong and Somali.
Everybody in Minnesota Eats Lutefisk
No, everybody in Minnesota does not eat lutefisk. What is lutefisk, anyway? Lutefisk is a Scandinavian dish of dried whitefish that has been cured in lye and rehydrated. Lye, for its part, is a strong alkaline chemical compound used in some foods as well as to make soap and cleaning products. Sounds...yummy, right? Born in Scandinavia as a way of preserving fish that otherwise would go bad quickly, lutefisk today is more of a novelty than a frequent part of the Minnesotan diet. That said, church lutefisk dinners are popular events, and it’s not uncommon to find hungry folks lined up around the block waiting to get in.
Minnesotans Love the Cold
Another common misperception of Minnesota is that everybody loves the cold. While there are certainly those who live for it, it may be fairer to say that most Minnesotans have simply learned to embrace it. As they say, “If you can’t beat ‘em, join 'em.” We’ve already established that winter in Minnesota lasts a good four or five months and can see record-breaking snowfall and bitterly cold temperatures. But Minnesotans are hearty folks at their core and have found a wide variety of ways to be active and outdoors despite the conditions. Popular cold-weather activities include ice fishing, ice skating, ice hockey, broomball, skiing, snowboarding, sledding, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, curling and fat tire biking. Yes, some Minnesotans actually bike outside in the snow. Of course, there are plenty who don’t enjoy outdoor winter activities at all and would much rather cozy up next to the fireplace with a hot drink and a book.
There’s Nothing to Do in Minnesota
Many consider Minnesota a flyover state merely because they believe that there’s nothing to do here. That couldn’t be further from the truth! Thanks to the healthy lifestyle and great range of outdoor activities available, Minnesota consistently ranks as one of the healthiest states in the country. Food and drink enthusiasts will find a number of award-winning chefs and restaurants to enjoy. There are an abundance of museums including the Science Museum of Minnesota, Weismann Art Museum, Minneapolis Institute of Art, and Minnesota Children’s Museum. There are historical sites to explore including Glensheen Mansion, Split Rock Lighthouse, Cathedral of Saint Paul and Fort Snelling. There are music venues to attend including First Avenue, Target Center, Xcel Energy Center, Palace Theater and Turf Club and music festivals such as Basilica Block Party, Twin Cities Summer Jam, WE Fest and Minnesota Yacht Club. For the thrill-seekers, Valley Fair and Nickelodeon Universe at Mall of America are Minnesota’s primary amusement parks. In short, tell us what your hobbies or interests are, and we can find you a match!
If you’ve never visited Minnesota, consider this your personal invitation. It’s a pretty great place, if we say so ourselves. In fact, it’s such a great place that Love From USA currently operates six stores fully dedicated to celebrating what a great place Minnesota is! Look for any of our six stores in the Twin Cities, Rochester and Mall of America for Minnesota-themed and –made goods and gifts!
