The Minneapolis Guide

IF YOU WANT TO EXPERIENCE MINNEAPOLIS

The Minneapolis Guide

Minneapolis is an art- and nature-filled city flying too far under the radar.

It is a city of festivals with some of the best food in the country. Between the James Beard-awarded chefs, notable Indigenous restaurants, and some of the country’s best Cambodian, Hmong, and Ethiopian food, there are many culinary powerhouses here.

National Geographic identified it as one of the top food cities in the world, and Michelin is finally coming. Get here quickly before others find out.

Let’s Book Minneapolis

Sculpture: Hahn/Cock by German artist Katharina Fritsch

Blue Rooster sculpture, aka Hahn/Cock at Walker Sculpture Garden

The Basics

For first-time visitors to Minneapolis or first-time in a while

Planes

MSP—Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport is the only airport serving the Twin Cities. It was recently named one of the top U.S. airports by two major travel outlets, Travel + Leisure and Afar.

If you are a Delta Frequent flyer or Amex Platinum cardholder, the lounges here are amazing. Did you know that Delta has vacation packages? Let’s make the most of those miles.

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Trains

You can travel to the neighboring twin city, St. Paul, by Amtrak on the Empire Builder or the new Borealis route between St. Paul and Chicago.

Is there a train to/from the airport? Yes

The light rail runs from MSP terminals 1 & 2 towards the Mall of America or Downtown Minneapolis.

Public Transit & Ride Share

Minneapolis is well connected by public transit with both light rail and bus options. The transit service, Metro Transit, offers 7- to 30-day passes that you can purchase via the app below. If you book travel to Minneapolis with me, I would tell you the closest place to buy a physical pass.

Go-To App

Uber and Lyft are both available in Minneapolis.

USD–United States Dollar.

Credit Cards and phone wallet payments are widely accepted.

In the United States, several states are slow to adopt the payment machines you see elsewhere in the world. You may be surprised when a server leaves the table to run your credit card payment.

Tipping is mandatory in the US for table service in the US. It is often not included in the cost, and 18-20% is normal.

English is the national language of the United States.

Although English is the official language of the United States, Minnesota has the largest Somali and Hmong populations in the United States. Spanish is widely spoken in the Twin Cities. The area’s museums post English, Spanish, Dakota, and Anishinaabe wall labels.

Planning Tips

This is the advice I give to all clients who aren’t sure when to travel to their dream destination.

The Best Time To Visit

Minneapolis is a great year-round city for those who love nature and the outdoors.

Late Summer/Fall is the best time to visit Minneapolis. Spring can be rainy, but it’s great for local menus — ramps, morels, etc.

The Minnesota State Fair is worth experiencing as a true end-of-summer/food-trend paradise.

The Worst time to visit

If you hate the cold, avoid January through March. Note that flying through Minneapolis during these months could also mean weather delays.

Minneapolis is built for bad weather. It has a well-connected skyway system linking buildings in the downtown core. You may walk more to get where you are going, but it is warm inside. Plus, coffee shops are located throughout the skyway system.

Summer can be humid.

At a minimum, I would spend three exploration days in Minneapolis. There is a lot to see, do, eat, and hear. If you stay for three days you are only getting a taste and it would mean that you would miss out on visiting Minneapolis’ twin, St. Paul.

For a mid-range hotel, I would plan on $250 per night + taxes.

Compared to other parts of the United States, you will pay less at grocery stores, bars, and restaurants.

Budget Calculator

There are so many festivals! Fringe Festival, May Day, Yacht Club, Twin Cities Pride.
Bars are open until 2:00 a.m.
This is a perfect city for bike riders, with its greenways connecting the city.
In the Twin Cities, people dress for the occasion. If you are visiting for a work meeting, Business Professional (not formal) or Smart Casual is the norm. People tend to dress up for dinners out. Casual for wandering around.

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CLIENT PERSONALIZATION

If You Were To Spend My Perfect Day

I love this city full of public art, a music scene that defined a generation, and a food scene finally being recognized. I would put you in a hotel in the center of downtown–walkable to my favorite restaurants and music venue.

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