Bloomington West - Bloomington, MN

The suburb of Bloomington began as a small town whose goals were low cost, low density housing. Spurred by the post-World War II housing boom, the town's population increased dramatically between 1940 and 1960. This led to the official establishment as a city in November 1960.

From then on, Bloomington housed the stadium for all of Minnesota's major sports teams. When the Minnesota Twins and Vikings moved to Minneapolis in the 1980s, the Bloomington Port Authority purchased the Met Stadium site and approved the first plans for building the Mall of America. This eventually enhanced the separation of East and West Bloomington, allocating large scale business, industry and destination retail to the east and allowing the west to develop a primarily residential character.

Many arts and cultural events are hosted at West Bloomington's parks, including outdoor movies and a summer concert series at the popular Lake Normandale Bandshell.

Neighborhood restaurants are scattered along the outer edges of West Bloomington and somewhat focused along the northern border, where you also find the highest concentration of high-rise office buildings. Inside one such building on the first floor, find Parma 8200: a hidden gem of Italian cuisine with a welcoming, distinct atmosphere. Try it over the noon hour to take advantage of the affordable daily lunch specials, or opt for the date night deal on Sunday evenings. Enjoy the house-made pasta meals and be sure to order the rice ball appetizers.

West Side Perk in the southwestern corner of the neighborhood is your go-to for good coffee and a comfortable, inviting atmosphere. With comfortable couches and chairs, board games, and a crackling fireplace, this local coffee shop functions as a second home to many as well as a great place to get some work done. Try the chicken wild rice soup and bring your little ones to a family movie night on any Friday night.

When you want to stay close to home, grab a cold beer and a burger at Poor Richard's Commonhouse on Normandale Boulevard. Kick back with the Sunday football game, or enjoy the outdoor patio seating in the summer. For more music, bars and entertainment options than you could ever get through, make the short trip to downtown Minneapolis. Avail yourself of the nationally acclaimed music venue First Avenue & 7th Street Entry, get your laughs at Acme Comedy Club or catch a play at the Jungle Theatre.

In addition to its network of biking trails in parks and nature reserves, West Bloomington has a number of on-road bike routes for those comfortable biking alongside cars. For example, the 86th Street Bikeway begins at the Hyland Lake Park Reserve and ends near East Old Shakopee Road. To increase the bikers' safety the routes generally feature 5-foot-wide biking shoulders.

Especially in this nature-filled neighborhood, the public transportation system is not nearly as thorough as Minneapolis. You can call for a cab or use the Uber app for fast service.

The light rails provide direct and quiet commute to both downtown Saint Paul and downtown Minneapolis, where the extensive public transportation system will take care of your every need. Of course, you can also drive yourself there in about 20 minutes. After all, I494 and 35W border the neighborhood and are never more than a couple of minutes away.

Businesses are required by the city to provide adequate parking options for their patrons and employees, so parking is always available and often free in West Bloomington.

Beautiful West Bloomington enjoys a proportionate majority of Bloomington's 8,000 acres of parks, starting with the Hyland Lake Park Reserve.

Hyland offers 1,000 acres of extensive prairie landscapes, hills, wetlands, and multiple lakes and ponds. Summer opportunities for swimming, biking, boating, fishing, hiking, frolfing and geocaching are only rivaled by snowboarding, sledding and skiing at the famous lodge during the colder months of the year.

The somewhat smaller Tarnhill Park (35 acres) in the central east portion of West Bloomington has a lot to offer too, including tennis, volleyball and basketball courts, softball diamonds, soccer fields, lighted hockey and skating rinks, a playground and a network of trails. Your dog is welcome too, but remember to keep him leashed.

Bloomington's Parks and Recreation staff also work very hard to host free events year-round for the city residents. Celebrate spring with an annual family egg hunt at the Normandale Lake Bandshell. In the colder months of the year, warm up with Winter Fete activities like Minnesota Hockey Day, the International Ski Jumping Competition and Pond-Dakota Winter History Festival at Westwood and Running Parks.

The cost of living in West Bloomington is 25 precent higher than the average cost of living in its mother city, Minneapolis, and 13 percent higher than Bloomington's average. The median rent for a one bedroom apartment in West Bloomington is about $100 more than Bloomington's median rent of $800. That compares to Minneapolis' median rent of $900 for a one bedroom unit and a metro average of $1,100.

Take a bus to the light rail station to connect directly to downtown Minneapolis and Saint Paul. Hop on the Blue Line for $1.75 and settle in for an approximately hour ride to the city center from West Bloomington. Neighborhood gas prices average 4 percent lower than national prices, hovering just slightly above the metro average. A beer at a neighborhood bar costs you about $4.

As a residential neighborhood devoted to natural beauty, West Bloomington does not prioritize commercial shopping or niche retail stores. Of course, a 15-minute drive gets you to the Mall of America, even from the furthest south-western corner of West Bloomington. Don't be intimidated by the largest shopping center in the country. Instead, find your way to Tatyana Boutique for a pleasing selection of vintage clothing in 1940s and '50s styles, or stop by Vom Fass for a bottle of gourmet olive oil.

Neighborhood grocery stores include Lund's & Byerly's in the center of the neighborhood and Trader Joe's in the north. Experience the Bloomington Farmers Market, located just 10 minutes south at the Bloomington Civic Plaza. Local farmers and producers sell their wares directly to the public every Saturday from June through October. The Plaza also hosts two indoor market events during the winter months.