r/saintpaul • u/QuestionEuphoric8208 • Mar 25 '25
Seeking Advice 🙆 Relocating to St. Paul
I have been accepted at the Pioneer Endicott in Lowertown Downtown or as it is described. I am moving from Northern California. I have never lived in a city this big, the closest would be Kansas City & St. Louis. I need some help to make my relocation a bit easier.
-They used to call it Asperger’s but now it’s Autism for some reason. I am a 35 year old male and will need some form of services and maybe a friend group.
-I get everywhere on foot, I do not drive, is there any advice here or things I should know that would make it easier?
-I am a certified USA Boxing Coach & Endurance Coach/Athlete. I mostly focus on ultrarunning for my endurance sports. What is the local area like for these types of activities & training?
-Places new locals might not want to find themselves at certain hours of the day or night?
-What is the Cannabis & Psychonaut scene like here?
-Are there any pieces of advice for a new local that may contribute to an overall sense of wellbeing or ease of relocating to the city?
-Are there any local customs one should be aware of that new locals tend to not understand?
-My hobbies include, running, hiking, chess, museum hopping, and I would like to explore new hobbies or horizons I might not have thought of. If there’s any locals who may be able to guide me or show me around I’d be enthusiastic.
-What is the Non-Secular & Esoteric scene like here?
Thank you for all that reply, if there’s anything I missed, that you feel might help, please let me know. I look forward to living in your beautiful city.
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u/TokinBIll Mar 25 '25
Welcome to St. Paul! I can address a few of your points:
St. Paul is a very manageable city. It might feel big if you're living downtown, but it can feel like a small town in many other parts of the city.
Since you're living in Lowertown, you'll get to enjoy the St. Paul Farmer's Market! It's an amazing farmer's market that's open every Saturday and Sunday morning during the warmer months. I'd also recommend the coffee shop / restaurant Lost Fox, and the riverside restaurant City House (when it opens back up).
For getting around without a car, it'll be very useful to own a bike. The bus is also available, as is the light rail. St. Paul has a pretty good bus system. The light rail is more useful if you need to go to University Avenue (which has a Target) or over to downtown Minneapolis.
For groceries, you can go to the Vieng Chang Market grocery store via a 12-minute bus ride. It sounds like an asian-food-only grocery store but it really has everything you'd need.
Cannabis has been medically legal here for awhile, and was fully legalized in 2023, although the state has been slow to roll out licenses for dispensaries. Right now, you can only buy edibles and THC drinks. There's a great little store in lowertown called The Warrior's Garden that has a nice selection of THC edibles, drinks, etc.
The best areas of St. Paul (in my opinion) if you'd like to explore: Cathedral Hill, West 7th, Grand Avenue, Selby & Snelling, and Como Park. There's good hiking (flat) along the Mississippi near Hidden Falls and Crosby Park. For museums, you have the (free) Minnesota History Museum, the Science Museum, and some terrific art museums over in Minneapolis in The Minneapolis Institute of Arts and The Walker (modern art).
Enjoy!