As someone from the middle of Kansas, it's funny reading someone describe Minneapolis like a sleepy backwater town. If you truly grew up in the heartland, major cities like Minneapolis and Chicago feel incredibly alive and full of energy.

Minneapolis is a cosmopolitan city. It has the second most theater seats of any US city (after NYC). It has lots of great food and international diversity, being home to large diasporas from Africa and SE Asia. If you're a Bay Area native, the most shocking thing about Minneapolis will be the weather, not the culture or people.

In my opinion, the worst part about the weather in the Midwest is the variability. Good luck trying to plan a few days ahead - fronts whip through and drop or raise the temps dramatically. Rain/sleet/snow can happen almost anytime, and the intraday changes in weather are going to be foreign to anyone accustomed to coastal living. I've personally seen it go from 90F to 28F within 24 hours. If you can handle that, then Minneapolis is a great place to live.