Stand on Summit Avenue outside the James J. Hill House and you can read a whole era of Saint Paul in one sweep of red sandstone and turrets. A few blocks east, the Cathedral of Saint Paul sits at the top of the hill.
Saint Paul suits travellers who like their cities walkable and unhurried: museum-goers, families, and anyone drawn to nineteenth-century architecture and river history. Winter visitors should expect the city's festival calendar to be built around the cold.
This guide covers the sights and experiences in the city, with practical notes on timing and what to pair with what.
Top things to do in Saint Paul
1. Summit Avenue
Summit Avenue is noted for its historic mansions, and the neighbourhood is remarkable for its connection to the writer F. Scott Fitzgerald, who was born in Saint Paul. Walking the street is the simplest way to see the city's grand residential architecture.
Pair it with the James J. Hill House and the Cathedral of Saint Paul, both on or beside the avenue, and allow time to continue one block south to Grand Avenue.
2. James J. Hill House
This is the 1891 mansion of the railroad tycoon James J. Hill, at 240 Summit Ave between Nina and Selby, near the Cathedral of Saint Paul. The house is open Wednesday to Saturday 10AM-3:30PM and Sunday 1PM-3:30PM.
Tours cost $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and students, $6 for children 5-17, and are free for children under 5. If you only want the art gallery, admission is $2, and the gallery keeps longer hours: Monday to Saturday 10AM-4PM and Sunday 1PM-4PM.
3. Cathedral of Saint Paul
The Cathedral of Saint Paul at 239 Selby Ave, at Summit and John Ireland, serves as co-cathedral for the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis along with the Basilica of Saint Mary. It sits at the top of the Summit Avenue hill.
It is open Sunday to Friday 7AM-7PM and Saturday 7AM-9PM. Combine a visit with the James J. Hill House nearby, or approach on foot along Summit Avenue.
4. Minnesota State Capitol
The headquarters of the Minnesota state government, completed in 1905, at 75 Dr Martin Luther King Jr Blvd near University between Park and Cedar. It features the second-largest unsupported marble dome in the world, bested only by the dome of St. Peter's Basilica, which it was partially modelled on.
General tours are free. Guided tours run Monday to Saturday 10AM-2PM and Sunday 1PM-3PM; groups of ten or more need to reserve tours two weeks in advance. Building hours are Monday to Friday 8:30AM-5PM, Saturday 10AM-3PM and Sunday 1PM-4PM.
5. Science Museum of Minnesota
The Science Museum at 120 W Kellogg Blvd overlooks the Mississippi River and has a permanent exhibit devoted to the river, a dinosaur fossils gallery, and an experiment gallery with hands-on activities. The collections gallery includes several quack medical devices from the now-defunct Museum of Questionable Medical Devices.
It is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday 9:30AM-5PM and Thursday to Saturday 9:30AM-9PM. Student discounts are available with ID on Fridays after 5PM.
6. Minnesota History Center
The state of Minnesota's main history museum, operated by the Minnesota Historical Society, at 345 W Kellogg Blvd at John Ireland. It holds permanent and rotating exhibits.
Hours are Tuesday 10AM-8PM, Wednesday to Saturday 10AM-5PM and Sunday noon-5PM, and it also opens Monday holidays 10AM-5PM. Admission is free for everyone on Tuesdays 3PM-8PM. The library keeps separate hours: Tuesday 9AM-8PM, Wednesday to Saturday 9AM-4PM.
7. Landmark Center
Built as a post office and a federal courthouse, this historical building at 75 W 5th St now houses galleries and exhibits. It sits between Market and Washington, across from Rice Park.
It is open Monday to Wednesday 8AM-5PM, Thursday 8AM-8PM, Friday 8AM-5PM, Saturday 10AM-5PM and Sunday noon-5PM. Its central location makes it an easy stop between downtown sights.
8. Como Zoo and Marjorie McNeely Conservatory
At 1225 Estabrook Dr between Midway and Lexington Pkwys, the zoo and conservatory are free, though the zoo asks visitors to consider a voluntary donation of $2 for an adult and $1 for a child.
Hours are 10AM-4PM daily from October to March and 10AM-6PM daily from April to September, and the zoo may occasionally close earlier. It is a straightforward choice for families with children.
9. Wabasha Street Caves
These sandstone caves at 215 S Wabasha St, south of Plato Blvd, were home to gangsters and speakeasies in the 1920s. Basic cave tours take 45 minutes and start Thursday at 5PM and Saturday and Sunday at 11AM; special tours start at other times.
The basic cave tour costs $6 for adults and is free for children 5 and under, with special tours costing extra. The caves also host a swing night every Thursday from 7PM-10PM with a big band and a crowded dance floor; lessons begin at 6:15PM and entry is $7 at the door, cash only.
10. Minnesota Museum of American Art
The address at 332 N Robert St, at 4th St in the Pioneer Building, is the MMAA Project Space, a small gallery in Lowertown with rotating exhibits. The museum also hosts temporary exhibitions at other venues around the Twin Cities and greater Minnesota, and a more permanent location is in the works.
The MMAA is committed to representing the cultural, racial, socioeconomic and regional diversity of American art and artists, past, present and emerging. Admission is free, and the Project Space is open Thursday and Friday 11AM-6PM and Saturday and Sunday 10AM-4PM.
11. Minnesota Children's Museum
At 10 W 7th St between Wabasha and St Peter, the museum's seven galleries are each designed as a hands-on environment for children six months to 10 years old. Roving "funstigators" engage kids with bubbles, balls and finger puppets.
Hours are Monday 9AM-4PM from Memorial Day to Labor Day, Tuesday to Thursday 9AM-4PM, Friday and Saturday 9AM-8PM and Sunday 9AM-5PM. Admission is free for everyone on the third Sunday of the month, and children under 1 are free.
12. Jackson Street Roundhouse (Minnesota Transportation Museum)
At 193 Pennsylvania Ave E between Jackson and Interstate 35E, this old railroad roundhouse is where historic locomotives and rolling stock come for restoration and maintenance. It also offers train rides.
It is open Wednesday 10AM-4PM and Saturday 10AM-4PM, so plan around those two days.
13. Bell Museum
At 2088 Larpenteur Ave W at Cleveland, this natural history museum holds a collection of animal and plant specimens from around the world and hosts Minnesota's only planetarium.
It is open Tuesday to Sunday 10AM-5PM. Combined museum and planetarium tickets are the better value if you intend to see both, and children under 3 are admitted free to the entire museum.
14. Grand Avenue
Grand Avenue runs parallel to Summit one block to the south and is noted for its multitudes of shops, although chain stores are increasing their presence. It is a natural companion to a Summit Avenue walk.
The Grand Old Day festival takes place along Grand Avenue on the first Sunday in June, with free parking at the University of St. Thomas north and south lots on Summit and Cretin or Grand and Cretin, and free shuttle buses for event visitors.
15. The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra
The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra performs at 408 Saint Peter St. A concert is an easy way to end an evening downtown.
Check the schedule before you travel and build the rest of your day around the performance time.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start on Summit Avenue and tour the James J. Hill House when it opens, then walk to the Cathedral of Saint Paul at the top of the hill. Continue one block south to Grand Avenue for the shops.
Afternoon: Head downtown to the Minnesota State Capitol for a guided tour, then choose between the Science Museum of Minnesota and the Minnesota History Center on W Kellogg Blvd, both of which overlook or sit near the river. If you are travelling with children, the Minnesota Children's Museum on W 7th St is the alternative.
Evening: Take a basic cave tour at the Wabasha Street Caves if your visit falls on a Thursday, Saturday or Sunday, or stay for the Thursday swing night. Otherwise, finish with a performance by The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra at 408 Saint Peter St, or a walk past the Landmark Center, which stays open until 8PM on Thursdays.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit Saint Paul?
It depends on what you want. The Saint Paul Winter Carnival takes place in January, with events in Downtown and Como Park and an annual Ice Palace. Grand Old Day falls on the first Sunday in June along Grand Avenue, the Irish Fair of Minnesota takes place in August at Harriet Island just south of Downtown, and the Minnesota State Fair runs from mid-August through Labor Day.
Which sights are free?
Como Zoo and Marjorie McNeely Conservatory are free, with a voluntary donation suggested. The Minnesota Museum of American Art is free. General tours of the Minnesota State Capitol are free. The Minnesota History Center is free for everyone on Tuesdays 3PM-8PM, and the Minnesota Children's Museum is free for everyone on the third Sunday of the month.
How do I get around without a car?
Metro Transit serves many of the sights. The light rail stops at 10th St or Central for the Minnesota Children's Museum, at Central for the Minnesota Museum of American Art, and at Capitol/Rice St for the Minnesota State Capitol. Buses serve Summit Avenue, the James J. Hill House, the Cathedral of Saint Paul, Como Zoo, the Wabasha Street Caves, the Minnesota History Center, the Jackson Street Roundhouse and the Bell Museum.
What should I do with children?
The Minnesota Children's Museum is designed for children six months to 10 years old, with seven hands-on galleries and roving "funstigators". Como Zoo and Marjorie McNeely Conservatory is another family option, and the Science Museum of Minnesota has a dinosaur fossils gallery and an experiment gallery with hands-on activities.
Pick the days that match the sights you want to see, check the hours that apply to your dates, and start laying out your route through Saint Paul.