Top places to stake your claim for the Fourth

Hryck./Flickr

Fireworks your thang? The Minneapolis Examiner's got some good suggestions for where to chill, eat, and drink before the big to-do this Saturday in Minneapolis. If we were to narrow it down, we'd recommend Tuggs (classic), moto-i (hip), or Joe's (fun). Also, anywhere in the Warehouse District (Cuzzy's and Black Sheep come to mind) and some parts of Northeast (think Bulldog NE and thereabouts) are within reasonable walking distance of the riverfront and 900,000 other people. In St. Paul, Taste of Minnesota's the place to be: food + fireworks every night + 900,000 other people. (Vendors to look forward to: Holy Land, 5-8 Grill, and the Walleye Wagon. There's also a fireworks display planned at Powderhorn Park. Here's an exhaustive list of area events.