Dining/Bars

St. Paul is overflowing with every sort of restaurant or bar you can imagine, leaving no shortage of great places for students to grab some grub or a well-deserved drink, or two. University of St. Thomas students like to roll in packs and going out for some food or drinks is one of their most favored things to do. Next time you’re out with the crew, check out one of these great spots!

Best Restaurants:

Stewart’s

The Naughty Greek

The Blue Door

Highland Grill

The Nook

Best Bars:

Tiffany’s Sport Lounge

Plum’s Bar and Grill

O’Gara’s Garage

Wild Onion

The Happy Gnome

Outdoor/Recreation

All University of St. Thomas students can become members at the Anderson Athletic and Recreation Complex on campus. This massive 180,000 square foot complex offers a fitness center, aquatic center, fieldhouse with multiple sports courts and a track, and so much more for students to sweat out the stresses of class!

The Como Park Zoo and Conservatory is a great is a great place to spend a leisurely day seeing all the animals and the array of botanical gardens. If you’re looking for something a little more adventurous, check out the Minnesota Adventure Company. You have the options of guided tours or renting equipment to do awesome activities like kayak, paddle board, or canoeing down the Mississippi River. The tours meet at Fort Snelling State Park which is a great place to hike before, after, or even to come back to on another day!

College Life in St. Paul, MN

Things to do

Although St. Thomas is located in St. Paul, students get the luxury of being smack dab in the middle of St. Paul and Minneapolis (the Twin Cities) giving them endless activities to get involved in right at their fingertips. On campus, if students aren’t hanging out at The Bin you can catch them taking advantage of the many events put on weekly by clubs such as STAR. These free (and who doesn’t like free) events include concerts, movies, games, and more! Tommie’s (nickname for a St. Thomas student) also love to attend sporting events like the Tommie Johnnie Football game or getting involved in intramural sports like flag football, soccer, or basketball.

The St. Thomas campus is minutes away from the breathtaking Mississippi River. Students often head there to take a break from classes or even go boating on their off days, going to other local lakes like Lake Minnetonka is also a popular pastime, during the warmer months. Students can take some time and soak up all that both St. Paul and Minneapolis have to offer. Some popular educational and historical stops include the Cathedral of St. Paul and the Science Museum of Minnesota. If you’re looking for something a little more social try a brewery tour at Surly Brewing Company or Summit Brewing, shopping at Mall of America, tailgating a Vikings Game, or spending a day at the Como Park Zoo.

Highlights include:

Attending the Tommie Johnnie Football Game
Boating at Lake Minnetonka
Visting the St. Paul Cathedral
Taking a brewery tour at Surly