Area Businesses Offer Warm Havens In Record Cold

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- It's nothing but white and subzero temperatures outside, but in the Como Park Conservatory, it's a nice 70 degrees.

"If you want to feel what a hundred degree weather swing feels like, go into our tropical exhibit and you'll feel it," Como Park Zoo and Conservatory's Matt Reinartz said.

You don't have to travel far to feel the heat. The hottest exhibit at the park reaches 80 degrees, and in the sunken garden room, you can smell fresh flowers and plants during the January cold spell.

"We will be open. A great place to warm up get that chill off," Reinartz said.

On the west side of the river, you can warm your belly at Domo Ramen, where the hot broths and hot toddies were thawing out a crowd of customers.

"It's cold outside and I needed something warm, and this is my favorite ramen in the cities," Katie Sisneros of Minneapolis said.

Another hot spot? Yoga studios.

"One is that I think people just want to get into the warmth, but I also think people are very busy right now, and mentally, I think it's just as rewarding for people," Ashok Dhariwal of YogaFit said.

The thermometer reading in the studio at YogaFit brought in a full class, including a couple teachers who have an unplanned day off.

"We got the cold day today, we got a snow day yesterday, and now today and tomorrow off. so coming in to yoga to brave the cold," Apple Valley teacher Sarah Schur said.

The Great Wolf Lodge in Bloomington will give your kids a chance to swim -- and there's always malls to get in some good old fashioned walking, out of the cold, for free.

The Como Park Zoo and Conservatory is open every day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It's free for your family to come in, but donations are encouraged.