Walking F. Scott Fitzgerald's St. Paul Life & Homes Private Tour (2 hrs)
Description
For 2 hours, you'll enjoy a private, guided walk in a historic, charming neighborhood of St. Paul, Minnesota, as you stroll past the birthplace, homes and haunts of F. Scott Fitzgerald, the famous author of "The Great Gatsby" and other notable American novels. While we walk, you'll learn about Fitzgerald's lively life and the Roaring '20s, and also hear anecdotes about his hometown shenanigans. In addition, while we amble, residential architecture buffs will be able to spot many types of popular Gilded Age home styles in this historically preserved area. "Informative & fun! He is a walking Wikipedia and a great photographer for group shots." David S., Florida USA "5 out of 5 stars! Personable...knowledgeable..." Thalia S., Georgia USA "Amazing experience! Douglas' passion means return soon!" Ana M., Brazil
Tour Options
Itinerary
We'll meet in the parking lot of The Gnome Craft Pub and become oriented with the basics of Fitzgerald's kinetic life. From there, we'll make our way along the sidewalks of a collection of residential streets while seeing Fitzgerald's homes and hangouts. We'll pause in parks where Fitzgerald played, see his former school building as well as the private social club that he was never allowed to join. As you walk, you'll hear details about the author's boyhood in St. Paul plus his later adult life. Our private, 2-hour walking loop will return us back to the tour starting point.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Wheelchair accessible
Reviews(15)
This tour provides a leisurely stroll through St. Paul's Summit Hill neighborhood where F. Scott Fizgerald was born and raised. The tour highlights those places relevant to his life and fiction. Fitzgerald lovers strapped for time in St. Paul will find this an interesting and informative look at the author while viewing gorgeous, historical architecture.
Thank you. We had a beautiful morning for our neighborhood stroll, and I appreciated your literary insight as well as your curiosity. I now have the book you recommended…thanks for the tip!
My family surprised me for my birthday with this wonderful experience. It was a beautiful day, our tour guide was so knowledgeable about F Scott Fitzgerald, and so much more: his extended family, his wife, the neighborhood, all the different houses that the family occupied in the area, the architecture, the trees, and what was happening in the world at that time. Many of the current neighbors stopped to talk with us, they are proud of their neighborhood and are making an effort to preserve its history. It was a great experience, a memorable birthday, thank you very much.
Thank you. I was honored to join your family and become a part of your surprise birthday weekend. We had wonderful weather for our stroll, and it was great to connect with your sons and their kids, too. In some ways, we were enjoying the neighborhood just as young Scott Fitzgerald and his buddies did nearly 120 years ago. Amazing!
This is a truly unique, fun and educational experience. We had a larger group and everyone loved it. Our guide was knowledgeable, friendly and interested in our group and their questions - awesome!
Thank you. Your eclectic and interesting group was a joy to guide and the many great questions kept me on my toes. We all had fun discovering F. Scott Fitzgerald!
We learned so much about F Scott Fitzgerald’s life and the historic neighborhoods in St Paul. Doug did a great job! Highly recommend this tour to learn about life in St Paul and all the influences on F Scott Fitzgerald’s life. I came home and immediately started rereading The Great Gatsby.
Thank you! Your engaged and curious group inspired me and our discussion about Fitzgerald and St. Paul was enlightening. I’d be delighted to guide your group again to a new destination, or perhaps a different group of family and friends for the Fitzgerald tour again. Best wishes!
We had a wonderful private tour with Douglas! He is very knowledgable and enthusiastic. He knows his stuff! We knew some things, but to hear the stories from Douglas, trace the events of Fitzgerald's young life in the places where they happened, it was great. Douglas helped us imagine ourselves in F. Scott's St. Paul world. We highly recommend!
Thank you! With your group’s Fitzgerald knowledge and insight, our walking tour was even more fun. We’ve also shared additional follow-up info after our tour. Love that!
Doug was very friendly and knowledgeable about the life of F. Scott Fitzgerald and the Cathedral Hill neighborhood. He has a true passion for telling stories. We will definitely use him again the next time we are booking a tour in the area!
Thank you! As a local resident, it would be great to see you again as we together experience another guided tour adventure. Enjoy your summer!
Douglas is fantastic! Knowledgeable, nice, and professional. Terrific fun time! I'd do another Minnesota tour with him.
Thank you! Your interest and knowledge of F. Scott Fitzgerald and his life, people and places was inspiring. I learned new things while guiding your tour. Fun for me, too! Thanks again for the reading recommendations.
The F. Scott Fitzgerald walking tour in Saint Paul with Douglas Kline was one of the highlights of our visit to the twin cities. Douglas not only provided my wife and I with a detailed and lyrical portrait of F. Scott Fitzgerald as a boy and young man growing up in Saint Paul, but also thru various residences identified the social and familial influences that informed Fitzgerald’s coming of age as a writer. What we did not expect was Douglas Kline’s love of architecture and how he seamlessly wove into the narrative of our tour a unique and detailed insight into the architectural evolution of not only the homes F. Scott Fitzgerald lived in, but how the melding of architectural styles from home to home on Summit Avenue characterized the generational changes of Saint Paul writ large. Douglas Kline’s walking tour is an absolute must not only for F. Scott Fitzgerald enthusiasts, but for anyone who enjoys the company of a congenial and gracious guide whose thoughtful and eloquent acumen is not only revelatory but decidedly above all else inspired.
Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed the blending of Fitzgerald history with the beautifully restored homes in his historic, boyhood neighborhood. Fitzgerald's fame and success can be tied to many of the locales we visited. Our exploration helped place his later life in context. Happy you liked the tour!
My fiancé and I had a really lovely trek around F Scott Fitzgerald’s hometown of St. Paul MN. Doug was very knowledgeable of the intimate details of Scott’s family life, his upbringing in St. Paul, and the architecture of the homes in the surrounding neighborhoods.
It was fun to discover your interest in F. Scott Fitzgerald. We all learned something during our fun walking tour. Thank you.
Our guide Doug had an intimate knowledge of the houses and haunts—as well as the mannerisms and mores—which encompassed the life of F. Scott Fitzgerald. An excellent tour guide!
I really enjoyed meeting you and your family for our walking tour of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s life and homes. Your kids and grandkids were curious, engaged…and fun! You interest in exposing them to Minnesota’s literary greats is inspiring. Thanks again!
