Discussion of the Twin Cities — Minneapolis and St. Paul — inevitably tends to revolve around the former, while the latter, despite being the state capital, is usually relegated to a footnote. It’s easy to see how this happens: Minneapolis’s population is larger by roughly one-third. The 10 tallest buildings in the Twin Cities all call Minneapolis home. Like a middle child, St. Paul is given short shrift, especially where travel coverage is concerned.

It’s time to reverse that dynamic. St. Paul is a dream for those watching their budgets, with quality restaurants, good shopping and interesting activities — all at a discount. It’s also particularly notable for its ethnic diversity — while it may be known as the now former home of “A Prairie Home Companion,” St. Paul has substantial Somali, Vietnamese and Ethiopian communities, as well as one of the largest Hmong populations in the country. I was particularly interested in speaking with members of the Hmong community, and getting to know some of their civic and cultural institutions.