Do you suppose anyone has ever counted all 10,000 lakes in Minnesota?  If so, they would have found that Minnesota actually has over 11,800 lakes, and that’s not including Lake Superior on the state’s northeast border. Michigan is also home to almost 70,000 miles of streams and rivers which wind their way through Michigan’s pristine wildlands. The rugged and watery terrain results from glacial advance and retreat millennia ago. In the winters, though, it can seem like those glaciers haven’t retreated at all. In the winter, Minnesota turns into a winter wonderland where average snowfall can range from 35 to 70 inches, and average temperatures rarely get out of the teens!

Minnesota is known for more than just myriad lakes and frigid temperatures. It’s also known for friendly people with funny accents. The funny accents stem from the Scandinavian heritage of many of Minnesota’s residents, but the friendliness probably stems from living in one of the most livable places in America. Minnesota is consistently ranked among the healthiest, highest educated and most literate states-its residents have the second-longest average life expectancy in the nation and are most likely to engage in outdoor exercise, and its public primary schools are consistently ranked top in the nation. Minneapolis-St. Paul (the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area) is the state’s population center and often cited as one of the best places to live in America.

Minnesotans like to keep busy with exercise and recreation year-round, even in the dead of the frigid winter. In the summer they hike, fish, camp and hunt, and in the winter they do much the same (ice fishing is a popular activity). Minnesotans partake in the usual winter activities like hockey, ice skating, skiing (cross country) and snowmobiling, but they also enjoy some rather unique winter games like curling and broomball. When residents finally decide to come in out of the cold, there is plenty of indoor recreation, too. Minnesota fields several professional men’s and women’s athletics teams: the Minnesota Vikings (NFL); the Minnesota Timberwolves (NBA); the Minnesota Twins (MLB); and the Minnesota Wild (NHL). The Minnesota Lynx, Vixen and Whitecaps are women’s professional basketball, football and hockey teams, respectively.

If you’re looking to move to a place where the nights may be cold, but the people are warm and friendly, then Minnesota is for you. Minnesotans are waiting to greet you with a big hello and a serving of hotdish. In fact, Minnesota’s brand of courtesy and hospitality is so special it has it’s own name: Minnesota nice.