Uffdah. Uffdah?

Jerry Haines last wrote for Travel about a budget trip to Hong Kong and Beijing.

DETAILS: Minneapolis

GETTING THERE: Northwest Airlines flies to Minneapolis nonstop from Reagan National and is quoting a round-trip fare of $270. Flight time is about 2 1/2 hours. Other major airlines serve Minneapolis-St. Paul, but most require a connection.

GETTING AROUND: Although the Cities (Minneapolis and St. Paul) share an extensive bus system, the lakes and riverside spots are best reached by car. But the Mississippi River and the interstate highways (both obviously designed by non-Minnesotans) sometimes cut through in undisciplined ways, interrupting streets and frustrating travel. Be careful at highway interchanges: The area has a number of poorly designed ones that place exiting traffic squarely in the path of cars trying to enter. Planners were more thoughtful of pedestrians, as most of the buildings in downtown Minneapolis are linked by skywalks, enclosed second-floor walkways. You can walk for a mile "above it all" without setting foot outside.

WHERE TO STAY: The Minneapolis area has dozens of major chain hotels, particularly downtown and near the Mall of America in Bloomington. At the Hotel Sofitel (5601 W. 78th St., Bloomington, 612-835-1900; rates are $175 to $190), French charm meets Midwestern practicality--bon jour, you betcha. We liked the Nicollet Island Inn (95 Merriam St., Minneapolis, 612-331-1800; $130 to $165).

WHERE TO EAT: Aquavit (IDS Center, 80 S. Eighth St.) has nouvelle American cuisine with Scandinavian influence. Try the $65 chef's tasting menu ($52 for vegetarian) or the $20 fixed-price lunch menu. D'Amico Cucina (Butler Square, 100 N. Sixth St.) serves contemporary Italian. Goodfellow's (40 S. Seventh St., City Center, Nicollet Mall) has regional, seasonal American food and an extensive wine cellar. The Nicollet Island Inn (see above) has more food from the heartland. Entrees for these Minneapolis restaurants run from $22 to $35. Al's Breakfast (413 14th Ave. SE) serves breakfast to 14 lucky customers at a time; typical morning fare is about $8.

WHAT TO DO: Minneapolis has 22 lakes within its boundaries. The most accessible ones--Calhoun, Cedar, Harriet, Lake of the Isles--are in the southwest corner of the city near the increasingly hip "uptown" district (which actually is south of its "downtown" district). Lake Minnetonka is about a 15-minute drive west. The Mississippi is hard to miss, but it's most easily viewed along St. Anthony's old Main Street and downstream from the University of Minnesota along boulevards on either bank.

INFORMATION: The Greater Minneapolis Convention and Visitors Association, 612-661-4700, www.minneapolis.org. Whoopee John's recordings are available through www.cdnow.com. No, really.

--Jerry Haines