Repeat after us: Midwest is best. Sure, it’s the time of year when the weather makes us question our sanity. But there are so many reasons to stick around — even for vacation. Spend winter break exploring the scene in some of our region’s best cities.

DETROIT

The best restaurants and nightlife

San Morello

THE HOT SPOTS
Downtown is on the rise and San Morello (sanmorello.com) is its restaurant star. Chef Andrew Carmellini’s urban Italian spot steers dinner conversation to its heaping bowls of handmade pasta, and the wood-fired pizzas are also on point. Up the street in Midtown, Grey Ghost (greyghostdetroit.com) is a butcher-focused eatery from two Chicago chefs (Joe Giacomino and John Vermiglio) with a flair for the unexpected. Their creativity extends to dishes like duck breast with peppercorn crust, celery root pancakes, and berry jam. Next door at New Order Coffee Roasters (newordercoffee.com), there’s a stark Bauhaus vibe but also sense of humor (yep, those are oversize marshmallows and Froot Loops floating in your drink). If you can make it southwest to Mexicantown, check out Flowers of Vietnam (flowersofvietnam.com), a former pop-up that’s now planted permanent roots. It’s run by George Azar, who worked in the kitchen at Alinea and now finesses traditional Vietnamese. After dark, Baker’s Keyboard Lounge (theofficialbakerskeyboardlounge.com) on the northern fringe of town is the place to go for live jazz and strong martinis.

THE STAY
Newly opened at the beginning of the year, the 129-room Shinola Hotel (shinolahotel.com) marries two lovingly restored buildings, the onetime T.B. Rayl & Co. department store and a former Singer sewing-machine store. While you’ll want to kick back in the guest rooms featuring design details inspired by Shinola watches, you should also hang in the library, bar, and annexes — all social scenes unto themselves. Rates start at $255.

MILWAUKEE

The most inspiring arts and culture

Milwaukee Art Museum

THE HOT SPOTS
Our neighbor to the north paints a colorful picture when it comes to culture. This winter, the Milwaukee Art Museum (mam.org) hosts “A Modern Vision: European Masterworks from the Phillips Collection,” which includes works by Manet and Monet. Take a wellness break with yoga classes held in the museum’s Santiago Calatrava–designed wing. Also a must: Oriental Theatre (mkefilm.org), which reels foreign and art-house films in an eclectic, East Indian-inspired setting once visited by Greta Garbo. Before the show, slink around the back of the theater to discover Black Cat Alley (blackcatmke.com), a string of murals created by local and national artists (just call it Instagram central). Go gallery hopping in the Third Ward, stopping at Tory Folliard Gallery (toryfolliard.com) for contemporary and emerging works and the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design (miad.edu) galleries for student projects as well as national exhibitions. Don’t miss a trip to the Wisconsin Black Historical Society (wbhsm.org), home to a replica of the NAACP Civil Rights Tribute Bus.

THE STAY
The patron Saint of Artists herself gets a nod at downtown’s new Saint Kate — The Arts Hotel (saintkatearts.com). It’s more than a hotel, featuring numerous gallery spaces ranging from a 1,700-square-foot stunner focusing on Wisconsin artists to a small immersive installation called “The Closet.” There’s also a black-box theater, featuring everything from dance to improv, and pop-up performances in the lounge. Before you hit your room, swing by the Dark Room, an intimate speakeasy where hushed conversation is all part of the mystique. Rates start at $209.

MINNEAPOLIS

The wildest family fun

Sea Life Minnesota Aquarium

THE HOT SPOTS
Say what you will about shopping malls. But you haven’t really seen them until you’ve been to Mall of America (mallofamerica.com). This epic destination is more than its 520-plus retail stores; it’s a full-blown entertainment district where you can scream as you drop on a roller coaster and smile as you pet a stingray. At the center of the mall is Nickelodeon Universe, which has rides for toddlers through adults (our fave: the Pepsi Orange Streak, which zips through the whole atrium). Zipline over the theme-park action at Dutchman’s Deck and soar across a simulated Grand Canyon and other landmarks at Fly Across America. In the lower level of the mall is Sea Life Minnesota Aquarium, which has a 300-foot-long tunnel in which hammerhead sharks cruise overhead. Also cool: Crayola Experience, an interactive museum where your colored creations come to life; and Rock of Ages Blacklight Minigolf, a family-friendly course illuminated by neon. Outside of the mall, it’s worth a day trip to St. Paul to see one of only four triceratops skeletons in the world at Science Museum of Minnesota (smm.org) and zigzag through a laser maze at Minnesota Children’s Museum (mcm.org).

THE STAY
Hibernate at Radisson Blu Mall of America, attached directly to the mall. This winter it offers a Shop in Your Slippers package, including two pairs of slippers, two cocktails at the onsite FireLake Grill House & Cocktail Bar (be sure to eat here, too, and choose a dish made with the honey gathered on the rooftop), a complimentary mall deals book, and free shopping bag pickup from anywhere in the mall. The kids may prefer the Fort Blu Kids Camping package, which transforms your room into the ultimate campsite complete with a projector to illuminate the walls with stars; kids tent and log-shaped pillow to keep; games, storybooks, ice cream treats, and more. Rates start at $179.

Photos: Detroit: Nicole Franzen; Minneapolis (Radisson): Courtesy Radisson Hotel Group