10 Reasons Why Minnesota Is The Friendliest State In The Nation
By Betsy Rathburn|Published September 03, 2019
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Betsy Rathburn
Author
Betsy is a Minneapolis-based writer who's lived in Minnesota for 20 years. If you know of any amazing Minnesota restaurants, nature areas, or other attractions, feel free to let her know about them at brathburn@onlyinyourstate.com or on Twitter @betsyrathburn.
Anyone who’s been to the Land of 10,000 Lakes knows that we Minnesotans pride ourselves on being friendly. That’s why it should come as no surprise that a travel website recently listed Minnesota as the friendliest state in the nation. The reasons why Minnesota is the friendliest state should be abundantly clear to anyone who’s set foot in Minnesota. But in case you’re struggling, we made this list of X reasons to remind you why Minnesota Nice is still going strong. Take a look:
These days, it's hard enough to gather a family for a day of togetherness. But Minnesota manages to gather nearly the whole state together at the end of every summer. The Great Minnesota Get-Together welcomes people from every region of the state - and even from other states - for more than a week of food, fun, and people-watching.
Anyone who's been to a Minnesota potluck knows that the food is not to be missed. Tater tot hotdish is one of the favorites, but there are many other great casseroles and salads. Not only do these tasty foods keep us happy, but they help us welcome people into the fold.
No one would say we're good at sports. But we're sure good sports when it comes to following our state teams. They may not win much, but it's fun to cheer them on when they do. We don't get too upset when the opposing team wins, and we welcome fans of the other team into the stadium.
One of the best ways to keep a smile on your face? Taking time to get away from it all. The many quiet places in Minnesota lead to some quality unwinding, making it easy to be friendly to others.
If you've spent any amount of time in Minnesota, you've probably needed your car jumped or pushed out of the snow. We never know when you might need aid, so we try to pay it forward when we can.
Keeping in touch with nature is a great way to keep your spirits up. With all the state and local parks Minnesota has - not to mention the other trails, lakes, and forests - there's plenty of opportunity spend time in the great outdoors. That's part of why we're so friendly!
During the winter, Minnesota freezes for months at a time. In many states, this would be an excuse to stay inside. But Minnesotans make a point to venture outdoors. Not only that, but people go to extremes to make the most of the weather. Many events throughout the winter encourage people to plunge into frozen lakes for charity. This act certainly makes Minnesotans a friendly bunch.
Minnesotans can always find something to do. It keeps us busy, sure, but it also gives us things to talk about with newcomers. Not only that, but it makes it easy to find something to do with new friends!
The Minnesota Goodbye is notoriously long. At times, when you're trying to get going, it can be difficult. But it sure is nice when it comes to getting to know new people. This quirk of Minnesotans can feel like a friendly feature when you're new to the state.
For several months a year, we're basically stuck here. Because of that, it's just in our best interest to be friendly. Luckily, we all benefit from it!
