NEW - Minnesota Twin Cities group to meet Wed 7/18 at 7:00 pm

How far is this Panera from the airport?

Not far at all. From the airport, go west on 494, get off at Lyndale exit ( if you get to 35W, you have gone too far.) Turn right on Lyndale, then left at the first stoplight. Go about the equivalent of a block and turn left into the shopping center area. You will see the Panera directly in front of you.

Thanks for posting, Renee! I plan to be there.

The address is 980 W. 78th Street in Richfield. In a shopping cluster across the freeway from REI, if that helps.

I'm a Rick Steve's Tour "newbie", getting ready to take my first RS Tour this September. I would love to meet other travelers from the Minneapolis area, as I'm traveling alone this fall, and even going to Rome two days early by myself. I can foresee other tours I would go solo on, as well. I'll try to make this even tomorrow night in Richfield. I live in the northern suburbs, and haven't been down that way for years. Is this the shopping strip mall where Don Pablos used to be/or possibly still is?

It would be great to have you!

As stated above, the address is 980 W. 78th Street. I think you may be right that there was a Don Pablo's there. I know that there currently is a Boston Market, a Lands End, and a David's Bridal in the cluster - called "Shops at Lyndale."

Here are the directions if you were coming from the airport. From the airport, go west on 494, get off at Lyndale exit ( if you get to 35W, you have gone too far.) Turn right on Lyndale, then left at the first stoplight. Go about the equivalent of a block and turn left into the shopping center area. You will see the Panera directly in front of you.

I'm guessing, however, that you will be coming down 35W - so you would get off the exit right before 494 (West 76th). Turn left on 76th and follow it around to the entrance to the shopping center area and turn right. The Panera will be in front of you.

Looking forward to meeting you.

Dang! I forgot about this, and now it's too late to make the necessary plans.
Have a fun evening! Would love to have been able to come.

How many people do we think we have? Just so we know table size.

See you soon!
Juli

Maybe 6? Hard to say without asking for rsvp’s!