In the summer, Minneapolis enjoys warm temperatures and occasional severe thunderstorms. Mosquitoes can be a nuisance. The hottest month is July, with temperatures around 29°C. Winter is long and bitterly cold with an average temperature of ?4°C which can fall to 15°C and snow (about 1m every year) falling anytime between November and April. Both twin cities have an extensive system of enclosed skyways that connect Downtown buildings and enable pedestrians to move easily in cold weather.

American Israel Chamber of Commerce

6311 Wayzata Boulevard Suite 240; Tel.: +1 (763) 593 8666

French-American Chamber of Commerce

821 Marquette Avenue ; Tel.: +1 (612) 338 7750

German-American Chamber of Commerce of the Midwest

1000 Lasalle Avenue; Tel.: +1 (612) 342 4188

Minneapolis Chamber of Commerce-Greater

81 South 9th Street Suite 200; Tel.: +1 (612) 370 9132

Bloomington Council Chamber of Commerce

9633 Lyndale Avenue South; Tel.: +1 (952) 888 8818

United States Chamber of Commerce

5300 Hyland Greens Drive; Tel.: +1 (952) 832 9151

Australian Consulate

10700 Highway 55 Suite 160 ; Tel.: +1 (763) 543 0109

Canadian Consulate

701 4th Avenue South Suite 900; Tel.: +1 (612) 333 4645

Finnish Consulate

2429 Girard Avenue South ; Tel.: +1 (612) 374 2718

German Consulate

1125 Harmon Place ; Tel.: +1 (651) 962 4081

Netherlands Consulate

4200 IDS Center, 80 South 8th Street; Tel.: +1 (612) 371-5790

Norwegian Consulate

821 Marquette Avenue Suite 800; Tel.: +1 (612) 332 3338

Swedish Consulate

706 2nd Avenue South Suite 720; Tel.: +1 (612) 332 6897

Business centers generally provide a range of services that include secretarial, translation/interpretation, and office services, including computer rentals, audio/visual equipment rentals, cellular phone rentals, copy and printing services, and temporary office space and staff. Most large hotels (some of which may be listed here) also have business centers that offer many of the same services that independent centers provide.

Alliance Business Centers

701 4th Avenue South Suite 500; Tel.: +1 (612) 337 9503

Columbia Heights Business Center

3989 Central Avenue Northeast; Tel.: +1 (763) 781 6352

City of Brooklyn Center - City Business, City Hall

6301 Shingle Creek Parkway; Tel.: +1 (763) 569 3300

Regus Business Centers

7760 France Avenue South Suite 1100; Tel.: +1 (952) 886 7500

HQ Global Workplaces - Bloomington

8400 Normandale Lake Boulevard; Tel.: +1 (952) 921 2300

HQ Global Workplaces - Edina

7701 France Avenue South Suite 200; Tel.: +1 (952) 841 6300 / 1144

HQ Global Workplaces - Minnetonka

601 Carlson Parkway Minnetonka; Tel : +1 952 449 5100

HQ Global Workplaces - Richfield

2 Meridian Xing Suite 200; Tel.: +1 (612) 243 2400

Vista Business Center

5200 West 73rd Street; Tel : +1 952-897-6643

Minneapolis-St Paul Int'l Airport - Lindbergh Terminal, Conference Center

4300 Glumack Drive; Tel.: +1 (612) 794 4500

Northland Inn & Conference Center

7025 Northland Drive North; Tel.: +1 (763) 536 8300 / (800) 441 6422 (toll-free)

Ramada Inn & Conference Center Northwest

94 and cty road 81; Tel.: +1 (763) 566 8855

Riverwood Inn & Conference Center

10990 95th Street NE Monticello; Tel : +1 (763) 441 6833

Silver Lake Camp and Conference Center

2950 County Road E West; Tel.: +1 (612) 788 9048

Berlitz

6800 France Ave. South, Ste. 190; Tel.: +1 952) 920 4100

Alpha Translation Services

Tel.: +1 (877) 283 4694

All hands interpreting services

Tel.: +1 (612) 242 5122

Coats translation service

Tel.: +1 (612) 379 7398

Around the Clock Courier Service

FedEx

Metro Express Courier, Inc.

On Time Delivery Service

Professional Courier

Skywalkers Courier Service

Whizzabout Courier Services

1300 Nicolett Mall, Ste 2090; Tel.: +1 (612) 333 6033

Passports valid for at least six months after arrival are required for all. In general, travelers visiting the U.S. are required visas. However, under the Visa Waiver Program, citizens of Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom are allowed to stay for 90 days without a visa. Citizens of Canada and Mexico do not need a visa but must carry proof of citizenship and identity. Beginning October 26, 2004, all travelers, including children of any age, who want to travel visa-free to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program must have a Machine-readable passport. Duty-free allowances are 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 2 kilograms of tobacco, 1 liter of alcohol, and gifts worth up to $100. Meat products, seeds, plants, fruits, and hazardous goods are prohibited.

The area codes for Minneapolis are 612, 651, 763 and 952. It is necessary to dial the area code and the number in making local calls in Minneapolis. There is no toll charge for any of the three local area codes from within the Minneapolis calling area.

Emergency police, fire, and ambulance

911

For local calls, dial the seven-digit telephone number. For long-distance calls within the U.S., dial 1, then the three-digit area code then the seven-digit number. For long-distance calls outside the U.S., first dial 011 and the country code. Four special prefixes, "800", "888", "877", and "900", are not area codes but indicators of special services. "800", "888", and "877" are toll-free calls. The "900" numbers charge you for the call and are often expensive. For collect calls or operator-assisted calls, dial "0" instead of "1". For local directory assistance, dial 411. For long-distance information, dial 1, and then the appropriate area code followed by 555-1212. The most common public phone is the coin-operated type. Telephone-card phones are becoming increasingly common.

There are several cellular service providers in the U.S., including: Verizon Wireless, Cingular, T-Mobile, AT&T Wireless, Nextel, VoiceStream, and Sprint PCS. Mobile phone numbers follow the regular telephone number convention, with the seven-digit telephone number followed by the area code. If you choose to bring your cellular phone into the U.S., check with your home cellular service provider to establish compatibility of your phone with systems abroad. Rent a locally compatible cellular phone before you arrive to obtain reasonable rates and reliable service.

Foreign currency must be exchanged to U.S. dollars. Money can be exchanged at banks and various foreign-exchange services. Most restaurants, shops, and hotels will take travelers' checks and major credit cards. Travelers can also withdraw cash from ATMs. The basic unit of U.S. currency is the dollar, which equals 100 cents. Coins are the copper penny (1 cent) and four silver coins: the nickel (5 cents), the dime (10 cents), the quarter (25 cents), and the half-dollar (50 cents). Silver $1 coins and "golden" dollar coins also exist. Paper bills come in denominations of $1, $5, $10, $20, $50, and $100.

• Restaurants 15 to 20 percent of bill, none at fast-food restaurants.
• Bars About US$1 per drink or 10% to 15% of drink prices.
• Airport Skycap/Porter US$1 per piece of luggage.
• Taxis 10 percent of fare.
• Hotel Bell Desk US$1 per piece of luggage or per taxi summoned.
• Hotel Housekeeping US$1 per person per day.
• Hotel Room Service 15 percent of bill.
• Parking Attendant/Valet 15 percent of parking rate.
• Haircare/Personal Services 20 percent of bill.

Minneapolis is in the Middle time zone (Greenwich Mean Time minus 6 hours). From early April through late October, Georgia switches to daylight-saving time.

Sales tax in Minneapolis is 7%. There is no VAT.

110V AC, 60Hz. Plugs are of the flat, two-pin type.

Whether you work downtown or are visiting, Metro Transit's Downtown Zone is inexpensive travel without the footwork. It's a bus ride for a fraction of the normal fare. You can reach most downtown stores, restaurants and businesses on the Downtown Zone fare, which is 50 cents at all times. See the maps below for zone boundaries. Simply tell the driver before you pay your fare that you will be riding only within the Downtown Zone to avoid paying the normal fare. If you ride outside the zone, the driver will ask you to pay the added fare. Transfers are not available with Downtown Zone fares. There's no need to remember route numbers. Board any bus traveling in the direction you want to go refer to maps below for details on where buses run. When in doubt, ask a bus driver. If you have questions about Metro Transit service to other locations, visit a Metro Transit store. Call Metropolitan Transit Information at +1 (612) 373 3333. Taxis are everywhere carrying your message throughout this thriving port city. For more information call Abc Taxi at (612) 788 1111, Airport Taxi at (952) 928 0000 or Yellow Taxi Service Corp at (612) 824 4000.

No specific immunizations are needed to enter the United States. For more information, contact the Center for Disease Control at 800-342-2437.

Fuji Ya (Uptown) is a locals' favourite for its quality sushi bar and traditional tatami seating. It disputes its position with Origami in the Warehouse District. Goodfellows is certainly one of the city's finest restaurants. Set in a sumptuous art deco remodelled theatre, it serves refined contemporary cuisine. La Belle Vie, an elegant restaurant in Stillwater's historic Main Street, seduces with its delicate French Mediterranean dishes. For good steaks, St Paul Grill (Saint-Paul) in the historic St Paul hotel or Manny's Steakhouse in the Hyatt regency are classic spots. For a romantic setting and perfect seafood, head for the tiny river town of Bayport to the Bayport cookery. With an extensive wine list, creative dishes and a distinctive atmosphere D'Amico Cucina is an exquisite Italian restaurant. For pure Minneapolis food in a pretty atmosphere, Lucia's restaurant and wine bar is the place to go to. Café Un Deux Trois housed in the landmark Foshay tower is a enjoyable bistro for lunch and the staff is professional.

Hip galleries and antiques stores abound in the restored Warehouse District. The Nicollet mall is the hub for other downtown shopping. The Mall of America ? located near the airport - is the nation's largest shopping centres with more than 500 stores. Not far in Bloomington, the Alaskan Fur Company sells a full collection of fabulous furs.

For a view over the city, go up the Foshay tower. The Walker Art Centre (closed until Spring 2005) is renowned for its permanent collection of 20th century art and sculpture ? which can be seen in The Minneapolis Sculpture Garden still open. The Minneapolis Institute of the Arts is a fantastic museum with over 100,000 works spanning 5,000 years of world history. Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum is worth seeing for its aluminium-wrapped architecture designed by Frank Gehry and its collection of early 20th-century American art. The Basilica of St. Mary's is the oldest basilica in the U.S. and a fine example of beaux-arts architecture. Golf practitioners should go to the Wilds golf Club in Prior Lake designed by Tom Weiskopf and rated 74.2. For winter visitors, St Paul's carnival celebrates snow and ice with numerous events.