Voted the most livable state in the United States, Minnesota offers a wealth of indoor and outdoor activities year-round, whether your interest lies outdoors or in the culture of the city.

Get ready to pack up and portage a canoe as you explore Minnesota's breathtaking Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in northern Minnesota. Camp on the banks of the Mississippi or indulge in a nature hike in one of the dozens of nearby state, county, and city parks. Walk, canoe, sail, ski, skate, or snowmobile at one or more of the not 10,000, but 15,000 famed Minnesota lakes – many located in the greater Twin Cities area.

Northwestern's location places you in the heart of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, a rapidly growing metropolitan area of nearly three million people. Minnesota enjoys a broad ethnic diversity in its population, which includes a large number of Native Americans, Hispanic Americans, African Americans and Asian Americans. Historically, Minnesota has had one of the strongest economies nationally; as well as an excellent public school system with one of the highest high school graduation rates in the United States. In the Twin Cities, you'll find a friendly community atmosphere amid big city opportunities. Your options are limitless.

Take in a game of your favorite professional sport: baseball, football, basketball, hockey, soccer and more. Enjoy excellent music, theater and dance throughout the year. The Twin Cities is home to the internationally recognized Guthrie Theater, Children's Theater, Ordway Theater, and the Theatre de la Jeune Lune (a theater company that divides its time between the Twin Cities and Paris), as well as numerous smaller theaters, and a variety of dance companies. Nightlife in the Twin Cities will catch your interest, offering entertainment from coffeehouses to nightclubs, with dancing from salsa to swing.

Minnesota's theater of seasons caters to the individual adventurer in all of us. With the snow and cold weather, winter also brings great opportunity to get outside. Skating, skiing, sledding, ice fishing, hunting, and snowmobiling are just a few activities available right in the cities. Saint Paul's annual Winter Carnival celebrates the season with parades, ice sculptures, and fun cold-weather activities. Minneapolis' annual celebration of the state's water heritage, the mid-summer Aquatennial, is a party of parades, concerts, and made-to-order water events.

Minnesota has for many years been one of the leading states in the country for both traditional and innovative natural health care. It is the home of the Mayo Clinic, the University of Minnesota Hospitals, and the Sister Kenny Institute; and was the birthplace of Group Health, one of the nation's earliest HMOs. The Twin Cities area also ranks high in quality-of-life ratings, with a cost of living that is modest in comparison with that of many large cities. The cities are served by a network of buses and a light rail line for public transportation, and freeways provide easy access to different parts of the Twin Cities, with downtown Minneapolis and downtown Saint Paul only 20 minutes apart.

The Minnesota outdoors is hard to avoid. One has a choice of two zoos, picnic grounds, amusement parks, art fairs, music festivals, and a Renaissance Festival. Indoor events beckon, too. A number of museums, including a hands-on Science Museum; art centers; and any one of the 22 colleges and universities in the metropolitan area all offer a wealth of choices. Take your pick from hundreds of incredible restaurants serving up dishes from Scandinavia, Thailand, and Greece (just to name a few). And don't forget the internationally recognized Mall of America, the largest shopping mall in the United States, located only minutes from campus.

Whatever season you choose, or whatever activity captures your imagination, you'll find it close at hand in Minnesota.