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Lilydale

Lilydale is a tiny town on the Mississippi River right outside St. Paul. Under a square mile in size, the town is one of the smallest in Minnesota: With a total population of just over 500 people, the town is a charmingly small community made distinct by its Mississippi location.

But what makes buying a home in Lilydale distinct from buying a home in Minneapolis or a house in St. Paul? Lilydale, as a town right on the border with St. Paul, shares much in common with its urban neighbor – indeed, by a look at a map, Lilydale seems just a small addition on the outer rim of St. Paul. But Lilydale as a town is very distinct from its urbanized neighbor. With a distinct identity and small town charm entirely different from St. Paul and Minneapolis, buying one of the 300 or more houses or homes available in Lilydale is much more than simply buying a Twin Cities home in a small suburb.

Perhaps Lilydale’s most distinctive feature is its location. Located right on the Mississippi River, all of Lilydale’s houses and homes are nestled right in the Mississippi River valley and enjoy the beautiful riverside parkland and scenery right in their backyards.

But purchasing a Lilydale house or home involves so much more than a beautiful backyard. Lilydale homeowners enjoy all the urban conveniences of a St. Paul home while at the same time enjoying their riverside backyard. All the excitement and all the conveniences of buying and living in a St. Paul home come with purchasing a Lilydale home. Lilydale homeowners thus enjoy all St. Paul has to offer – from the Minnesota Orchestra and the Opera to rock concerts at the Ordway, from live theater at the Guthrie to live entertainment at clubs and bars, from all the variety of restaurants around town and including all the various shopping outlets littered throughout the cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis.

Those looking to buy a house in Lilydale for the purpose of raising a family will be happy to know of Lilydale’s access to Minnesota’s great school system. Nearby public schools are easy to find, both in nearby St. Paul and the surrounding suburbs, all just a short distance from any Lilydale home. Nearby private schools are available for all interested families, and all schools exhibit academic excellence.

Lilydale homeowners enjoy the pleasantness of a riverside parkland backyard while enjoying the conveniences and excitement of the city. As something between an urban neighborhood, a cozy suburb and a riverside park, Lilydale residents enjoy the best of all Minnesota and the Twin cities has to offer: beautiful scenery, suburban convenience and urban excitement.

Lilydale Schools

One of the many reasons for buying a home in Lilydale is that Lilydale homeowners and their families have access to a number of fantastic Minnesota schools. Lilydale homeowners and their families are served by the West St. Paul-Mendota Heights-Eagen district, which include the following schools:

• Mendota Elementary School
• Somerset Elementary School
• Heritage Middle School
• Friendly Hills Middle School
• Henry Sibley High School

For more information on Lilydale’s school district and on individual schools, visit http://www.rschooltoday.com/se3bin/clientschool.cgi?schoolname=school157.

Lilydale Hotspots

Restaurants

1. Buon Giorno: Buon Giorno features authentic Italian food and wine – the wine selection is fantastic. Fresh food at the pasta bar and deli and affordable prices make this a great spot for lunch (or any other meal).
2. Beirut Lebanese Restaurant & Deli: Beirut Lebanese Restaurant & Deli is a Lilydale and West St. Paul favorite – top notch Middle Eastern food, friendly service, live music, and belly dancers make the restaurant definitely an experience to check out.
3. I Nonni: I Nonni is a more upscale Italian restaurant with delicious food and friendly service in a relaxed romantic atmosphere. Authentic food and a great wine list, as well as a comfortable and romantic setting, makes I Nonni a great spot for dinner for Lilydale residents.
4. Cherokee Tavern: Wonderful American cuisine, friendly service and agreeable prices make Cherokee Tavern a great place for steak, fish, burgers and more.
5. The Fireside Lounge Bar & Restaurant: Great food, low prices, strong drinks, quick service and a fun bar atmosphere makes the Fireside a great place for going out with friends or family.

Entertainment

1. Ordway Center of the Performing Arts: The Ordway is the Twin Cities’ center for the arts. Everything from operas and musicals to concerts can be had with a short drive.
2. Joke Joint Comedy Club: Joke Joint is a fun comedy club located right in Lilydale and features cheap beer and American food as well as hilarious stand up and more.
3. Dodge Nature Center: Featuring pond dipping, apple orchards, bee hives, prairies, hills and more, Dodge Nature Centers fantastic activities for families and people of all ages.
4. Twin City Jazz & Swing: Quality swing bands, jazz trios, dance bands, pianists, Latin music and more makes for a great night of live music.
5. AMC Showplace 16: The local movie theatre features a number of screens in a great location. Cleanliness and a friendly staff are added bonuses.

Leisure

1. Science Museum of Minnesota: The Science Museum features endless days of fun and learning for any age. Interactive exhibits and educational playtime. Dinosaurs and mummies come to life and electricity and more are made interesting and spectacular for any visitor.
2. Central Square Community Center: Located right in nearby South St. Paul, the center offers a swimming pool with open swim as well as fitness classes like Pilates, yoga and kickboxing. There is also a variety of exercise equipment available for use.
3. Thompson Oaks Golf Course: Thompson Oaks offers a very well-manicured course of moderate difficulty right in nearby West St. Paul. The clubhouse staff are friendly and informative and the course conveniently close to home.
4. Southview Country Club: The Club offers a beautiful golf course as well as meeting spaces and restaurants, all on a well-maintained area on a lake.
5. West St. Paul Ice Arena: The ice arena is open year round and offers ice hockey as well as recreational free skating.

Churches

1. Augustana Lutheran Church ELCA
2. Bethel Baptist Church
3. St. Anne’s Episcopal Church
4. St. Joseph’s Catholic Church
5. St. George Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church

Lilydale Community Events

Despite being a very small community, Lilydale hosts a few events throughout the year, in addition to the number of events in nearby St. Paul. Highlights throughout the year include the following:

• The Mississippi River Challenge, a 2-day, 44-mile paddling event down the Mississippi River that helps raise money to clean the river
• Defenders of Democracy Day, a celebration at the Minnesota History Center

For more information on these events, visit http://lilydale.govoffice.com/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={F14714AF-AD49-4C5C-BB17-F7074591CD3A}.

And of course, nearby St. Paul is home to a number of events and festivals throughout the year, including the following highlights:

• The Winter Carnival: every year, from late January to February, St. Paul hosts parades, skating, events and so, so much more.
• The Grand Old Day Festival: The largest one-day festival in the entire Midwest hosts every June 6th a parade, sporting events, live music, art, inflatable’s, games, outdoor food and merchandise vendors and more!
• Every August, Harriet Island hosts the Irish Fair with Irish music, food and drink, workshops, dancing, marketplaces and more to celebrate Irish culture.

This is just a small sampling of major community events in St. Paul. For more information, visit http://www.stpaul.gov/index.aspx?nid=2451.

Lilydale Parks and Lakes

As a riverside community, Lilydale is close to a number of beautiful parks and lakes. Parks nearby Lilydale include the following:

• Harriet Island Regional Park
• Ivy Hills Park
• Wentworth Park
• Highland Park

And as a riverside city with 20% of its total area being water, Lilydale is also close to a number of lakes:

• Pickerel Lake
• Crosby Lake

In addition to these two lakes, there are a number of smaller lakes, and, of course, the Mississippi River.