Be a tour guide

Walk with me while I snap photos and tell what you love about your neighborhood. Take me on your favorite walk or to your favorite places. Show me the hidden gems. Point out features that are often missed. Introduce me to long-time and new neighbors. After you fill out the form, I’ll e-mail you to set up a date/time/place to meet for our tour!

I Want to be a Minneapolis 81 Tour Guide

Thank you for your interesting in showing me your favorite people and places within your neighborhood. To get a sense of what has worked for past tour guides, take a look at the tour guide tips, stop ideas and questionnaire. I will email you to discuss next steps.
  • Your personal or professional website or blog.
  • Let's follow each other - I'm @mpls81.
  • If you don't know the boundaries of your neighborhood, visit the Minneapolis Neighborhood Map (PDF)
  • This is space for you to give me any information you feel I should have as well as a place for you to enter questions you may have for me.

Tour guide tips

Plan our walk ahead of time.

 

Prepare. Prior to our walk, please think about what you want to show me on the tour.

Information is powerful. Tell me a little background on each of the places/things on our tour.

Engage your neighbors. I’m interested in meeting people you know in the neighborhood so feel free to give people the heads up when we’ll be on the tour. Some people have posted on Facebook and Twitter that they are giving a tour and have gathered input.

Frequent stops. I take a lot of photos of all the things you point out so we stop quite a bit.

Take your own photos. Join me if you have a camera or camera phone. I love including photos my tour guides took in the blog post.

Currate your list of points of interest. Do not feel pressure to show me the entire neighborhood. As you can see from past posts, I often return for second tours to gain a different person’s perspective.

Tour stop ideas

These are just suggestions and do not expect you to show me everything on this list.

  • People who make your neighborhood more beautiful, interesting, safe, etc.
  • Neighborhood signs
  • Store fronts and signs
  • Schools and libraries
  • Homes, gardens & landscapes and architectural details
  • Historic markers and buildings
  • Parks, playgrounds, community gardens and trails
  • Murals and street art
  • Restaurants and coffee shops
  • Entertainment venues, museums and galleries
  • Places of worship

Tour guide bio & questionnaire

Part of the blog post will include information about you (including a photo). Before we take our tour, I’ll ask you to answer the following questions.

BACKGROUND BIO:

  • Your name (how you want it to appear on blog) and the names of anyone else in your home you want to introduce.
  • How long have you lived in this neighborhood?
  •  Describe how you spend your time for pay or play.
  • Provide me with links you want to share (for example: your personal or business website or blog)

QUESTIONS:

  1. How would you describe the culture of your neighborhood and how does it differ from other neighborhoods?
  2.  What is your favorite spot in your neighborhood?
  3.  What do you wish your neighborhood had that it doesn’t currently have?
  4.  Where would you suggest someone visiting your neighborhood go/do?
  5.  Who are the notable residents in your neighborhood? Who else would you recommend I talk to?