Stuck at the airport
Spending the day at the Minneapolis-St Paul International Airport can actually be an enjoyable experience, as this writer finds out.
I SET the ball on the tee and straightened into my stance, ready to attack the next hole. “I like your setup,” my PGA instructor, Ryan Rindels, broke in. “But if you can get that left arm straighter, wider, you’re going to have more power.”
I adjusted and swung, eyeing the flag on the distant lush green. A few hundred yards away, a rock cliff waterfall crashed beneath sunny skies. I could almost feel the mist settling into the tropical atmosphere.
Before golfing, I had stopped by the spa and dined on a gourmet sushi lunch. Vacation mode was definitely sinking in.
Then, I stepped away from the waterfall – well, the computerised depiction of one, part of a simulated golfing range – exited the PGA lounge, and was whisked back into a familiar and frantic reality. A child sat on the floor, crying. A line grew at Starbucks. I was nearly knocked over by a running man in a suit, jerking his roller bag behind him like an unconstrained chariot.
That’s right: I was still at the airport. By now you might be rolling your eyes. “So you found yourself relaxed?” you question. “In an airport?” Well, yeah.
Minneapolis-St Paul International Airport – aka MSP – is already a 1,376ha flight fortress stocked with artisan dining options, quality stores and masseuses digging their elbows into tired travellers. Now, an ongoing and unprecedented renovation is bringing exciting new offerings such as a luxury hotel with a spa, local food truck-inspired restaurants and sprawling beer gardens. The landslide of new eateries and shops that has begun piling up is turning MSP, more than ever, into a worthy destination before the trip.
Travellers have noticed. The 2016 TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Favorites awards named MSP second for dining and third in both the large airports and shopping categories domestically. It was one of only two airports honoured in all three categories. It took a top spot in Conde Nast Traveler’s 2016 Reader Choice Awards, where it scored high for shopping and dining options.
So if you happen to get stuck at the airport over the hectic holiday season, it’s tough to complain: You’ll be stranded in a haven for locally focused gourmet meals, plus relaxation, arts and entertainment.
To prove the point, I recently spent a day there. Amid all the choices, you might spend time differently, but here’s what I did: