Minneapolis

Introduction

Minneapolis sits in Hennepin County in central Minnesota, near the state's eastern border, and spreads across both banks of the Upper Mississippi River. It adjoins Saint Paul, the state capital, and together the two cities and their surrounding area are known as the Twin Cities. The city is built on an artesian aquifer over relatively flat terrain, and its climate runs to cold, snowy winters and hot, humid summers.

Water shapes much of the city's identity. Nicknamed the "City of Lakes," Minneapolis holds thirteen lakes along with wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks, and waterfalls, and its public park system is linked by the Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway.

Before you go

Minneapolis sits at the Falls of St. Anthony, the largest source of water power on the Mississippi River, and its name blends the Dakota word for water with the Greek word for city — a nod to its 22 natural lakes. The city's neighbourhoods each have a distinct feel: Downtown is the visual anchor, with high-rise suites, professional sports and a nightclub scene; Northeast is the oldest part of the city, with working-class and immigrant roots reflected in its ethnic food, neighbourhood bars and social clubs, plus an arts and riverfront redevelopment movement; Uptown has historically been a youth centre with funky food, drink and theatre, and now leans toward young families as property near the lakes grows more prized. Uptown and the Lakes area gives way to quiet Linden Hills to the south and Lyn-Lake, with its indie stages and music-oriented cafes, to the east, while the University of Minnesota's main campus straddles the Mississippi in the southeast.

Because there are no mountains or large bodies of water nearby to moderate the climate, expect extremes. Winters can be brutally cold, with temperatures often dropping below zero, and snow and blizzards are common. Spring and autumn are pleasant when they behave, but can start late or be cut short. Summers are warm to hot and frequently humid, with heat indices that can climb high during the day and stay elevated at night. Daylight ranges from roughly 5:30AM to 9PM in summer and 7:45AM to 4:45PM in winter. As in any major American city, keep your wits about you, especially at night; crime is relatively low in most areas you're likely to visit but is not unknown. Don't leave valuables in plain view in cars or unattended in public areas, and if you must secure items in a vehicle, store them before you arrive at your destination.

Getting there

Most visitors arrive by air at Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport, about 10 miles southeast of downtown. The airport has two terminals, Terminal 1-Lindbergh and Terminal 2-Humphrey, and most flights arrive at Terminal 1. There is no airside connection between them, so transferring requires the metro, which is free between the two stations; know which terminal you are arriving at or departing from, as transferring can be time consuming. The METRO Blue Line light rail runs between the airport and downtown, the Mall of America, and parts of South Minneapolis, with connections to buses serving other parts of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Trains are convenient, fast, and clean, and a single fare covers a transfer to any local bus or train for 2.5 hours after purchase. The light rail has stations at both terminals.

By car, Interstate Highways 35W and 94 are the main arteries into town, both leading to the edges of downtown; I-35W runs mostly north-south and I-94 east-west, and both connect to the I-494/694 beltway around the metro area. I-394 runs west from downtown to I-494, where it becomes US Hwy 12. Watch your lane, as freeway interchanges come up fast and traffic backs up at any time, day or night, with predictably congested morning and evening rush hours. Daily long-distance inter-city train service is available at Union Depot in downtown Saint Paul. Greyhound, Jefferson Lines, and FlixBus buses arrive at the lower level of the transit center at N 3rd Ave and N 5th St, a few minutes' taxi ride from most downtown hotels and a couple of blocks from major bus routes and the light rail; some routes make additional stops. Megabus serves Madison, Milwaukee, and Chicago, stopping downtown at 318 3rd Avenue North under the Ramp C parking garage, with an indoor waiting area and the Target Field light rail station three blocks away.

Getting around

Minneapolis is laid out on a grid, and learning the street naming system pays off quickly. The city is divided into quadrants — North, South, Northeast and Southeast — with Hennepin Avenue forming the divider between streets labeled N and S near downtown. East of the Mississippi, the same division continues, splitting the city into Northeast (NE) and Southeast (SE); further west of downtown, the dividing line runs along Linden Avenue, just north of the I-394 freeway. Street signs use a color code that is genuinely useful on foot and behind the wheel: blue signs mark major roads that are "Snow Emergency Routes," the first to be plowed during heavy snowstorms; rust-colored signs indicate roads that run primarily east-west; light green signs indicate roads that run primarily north-south; and dark green signs indicate scenic parkways that ring the city and the lakes. Most downtown hotels sit within a few minutes' walk of the light rail and the bus stops along Hennepin Avenue, which makes the core easy to cover on foot. Beyond downtown, the city spreads out and walking becomes less practical for crossing town.

Public transport across the region is operated by Metro Transit, and the Metro Light Rail is its backbone for visitors. Two lines, the Blue and Green, both run on 5th Street through downtown. The Green Line continues on Washington Avenue through the University of Minnesota campus, then along University Avenue through Saint Paul to Union Depot; the Blue Line heads to South Minneapolis along Hiawatha Avenue, then passes through MSP Airport before terminating at the Mall of America in Bloomington. The northern head of the light rail is at 5th Street and 3rd Avenue North, next to Target Field, where you can also pick up Route 6 buses connecting Uptown, Downtown, and Dinkytown/the University of Minnesota — a good starting point for first-time visitors. Riding south from downtown, stops of interest include U.S. Bank Stadium and Cedar/Riverside, near the vibrant but sometimes dangerous Cedar-Riverside (West Bank) neighborhood, where the practical advice is to stay in well-lit areas and take a cab home if you stay out late. The bus network is extensive but the routes are anything but linear, so carry a schedule and map for any route you ride; these are available on buses, generally right behind the driver, as well as at many city government buildings and libraries. The Metro Transit website's Trip Planner takes your beginning and ending points and times and suggests the best route, customizable for walking distances and number of transfers. Bus stops are nearly everywhere, but some are served infrequently and some are not labeled as to which routes serve them at which times; white Metro Transit notices sometimes posted at stops flag route changes due to construction, local events, or parades. Express buses largely terminate one block over from the light rail at Hennepin and South 4th Street, and if you are staying at the airport you can reach downtown via the light rail instead. Taxis and ride-hailing services are a practical option for trips that do not line up with transit, and for getting home late from nightlife districts such as Cedar-Riverside.

Where to stay

Food & drink

For a broad introduction to the city's eating, head to Nicollet Avenue's Eat Street, which is heavy on Southeast Asian options — Quang and Jasmine Deli serve Vietnamese food, while the Black Forest Inn covers German cuisine. Near the University of Minnesota, Dinkytown and Stadium Village cater mostly to a collegiate crowd with Americanized Chinese and cheap burgers-and-fries. Midtown holds the Midtown Global Market, on the first floor of a former Sears store, with cafes and restaurants from around the world, including Holy Land Deli and Bakery and Andy's Garage; Mercado Central is another indoor market with several Mexican eateries, and the Lake Street strip is dotted with Mexican and other Latin restaurants. In Northeast, Old Saint Anthony has decades-old Eastern European mainstays like Kramarczuk's Deli, while around Central and Lowry you'll find Middle Eastern spots such as Holy Land and Crescent Moon alongside Mexican kitchens like Taco Riendo and Adelita's. In summer, food trucks cluster at neighbourhood farmer's markets including Midtown, Kingsfield, Linden Hills, and Northeast.

One uniquely Minneapolitan item worth seeking out is the Juicy Lucy, a cheeseburger with the cheese cooked inside two molded-together patties rather than on top, so the centre is gooey and piping hot; Matt's Bar and the 5-8 Club in South Minneapolis are popular places to order one, as is the Nook across the river in Saint Paul. For drinks, the Warehouse District suits clubbers, Dinkytown draws college party-goers, Uptown leans toward those with a bit more money, and Northeast is good for dive bars; bars close at 2AM. Pubs are plentiful, with Irish, German, and British options such as The Local, Black Forest Inn, Brit's Pub, Gastoff's, O'Donovan's, and Kieran's, and happy hour specials are widely competitive. Coffee is ubiquitous, thanks to Scandinavian and north African influence: Caribou and Dunn Brothers are both locally based chains, and independent shops reach critical mass near Uptown, Lyn-Lake, and the University neighbourhoods, with a growing specialty coffee scene if you're willing to pay more.

What to see and do

When to go

Minneapolis has a continental climate, which means the seasons here are not subtle. Winters are brutal, with temperatures often dropping below zero and snowfall common, including at least a few blizzards. Daylight is short, running roughly from 7:45AM to 4:45PM, and the cold can be genuinely punishing if you are not used to it. Summer sits at the opposite extreme: often warm to hot and frequently humid, with temperatures sometimes reaching into the nineties or above. Daylight stretches from about 5:30AM to 9PM, giving you long evenings to work with.

Spring and autumn are the shoulder seasons, and both can be pleasant, with temperatures ranging between the forties and seventies. Be aware that in rough years either season may start late or be cut short, and both bring thunderstorms with heavy rainfall. If you are choosing when to visit, plan around the extremes rather than hoping for a mild middle.

Three days in Minneapolis

Day one: Start downtown, where Hennepin County's seat packs a compact core of theaters, offices and riverfront. Walk the Mississippi River frontage and follow the Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway, a loop that strings together the city's parks and waterways. Cross into Northeast for a slower pace of studios and old industrial blocks, then finish along the water as the light drops.

Day two: Give the day to the lakes. Uptown and Linden Hills sit close to the chain of water that gave Minneapolis its nickname, City of Lakes, and the shore paths make an easy circuit on foot or by bike. Stop for a Greek or Dakota meal in the neighborhoods, then take in the University of Minnesota area across the river, where the Mississippi bends past the campus.

Day three: Head to the Falls of St. Anthony, the stretch of the Upper Mississippi that first drew settlement here. Pair it with a wander through Northeast's galleries and breweries, or cross to Saint Paul to see how the Twin Cities differ. Winters are bitterly cold and summers warm and humid, with long daylight in spring and summer, so build the day around the season. Saint Paul International Airport, with its Lindbergh Terminal, is the usual way in and out.