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Walk or drive St. Paul's five-mile Summit Avenue

James J. Hill House: www.mnhs.org

To best enjoy one of the longest stretches of residential Victorian architecture in the U.S., start on the east end with a tour of the James J. Hill House, a 36,000-square-foot, five-story stone mansion (now a National Historic Landmark) completed in 1891. Then put on your walking shoes for a 1.5-mile stroll with Summit Avenue Walking Tours to check out more Gilded Age homes and learn about their architecture, social history, and preservation. Traveling west by car, take note of 599 Summit, where F. Scott Fitzgerald lived while writing This Side of Paradise, and No. 1006, the governor's mansion. Summit Avenue ends at River Road, where you can park and enjoy views of the Mississippi River Valley. Note: reservations are recommended; call 651-297-2555.