Minneapolis travel
 

Hi everyone

I am going to visit Minneapolis this weekend (May. 20~ 25) and I am wondering what to do in there for fun, also in a not expensive way..
I am not going to rent a car, and i am going to stay somewhere near
the downtown.

Any ideas? Thank you so much :)

Welcome to FlyerTalk, iloveola!! This forum should give you some better answers :)

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/midwest-455/

The weather this weekend is suppose to be sunny and warm - our downtown is vibrant and beautiful - we have a lot of sidewalk cafe's and restaurants and our theaters are abundant - the Guthrie is on the Mississippi River a short walk from most downtown hotels - the Walker Art Museum is always worth checking out and we have the new outdoor Twins stadium, although I heard every game is sold out but scalping is legal so maybe you can score a ticket.
You can hop the light rail and head to the Mall of America for about $2.25 or less, although personally I'm not a fan of mega-shopping malls but they have numerous restaurants and movie theaters. Lastly, we have dozens of lakes surrounding our downtown area so you might consider a taxi to drive around them.
Have fun -

iloveola, welcome to FlyerTalk. Please follow the discussion as the thread is moved to our Travel->Midwest Forum. Ocn Vw 1K, Moderator, TravelBuzz.

Renting a bike from somewhere like Freewheel Bike's Midtown store near downtown could be a nice option. There are miles and miles of trails easily accessible from there, and you get a great view of the city along the river and around the lakes. It's one of my favorite things to do.

Saint Anthony Main and the Stone Arch Bridge area provide nice walking and river exploration, along with great people-watching.

I'll be here for a weekend in July for a conference. The Twins are at home, and I think this year, I might have some free time in the evenings. Is it worth going to a game, or should I spend the time sightseeing instead? If I do venture to a Twins game, any particular location where I should try to sit at the park?

I'm not a baseball fan, but people love the new Twins stadium and I've heard so many wonderful comments about the experience there. You probably wouldn't go wrong.

Many of the Minneapolis parks have live music in the evenings during the summer, and that can be lovely. Schedules will be available next week: http://www.mplsmusicandmovies.com/

The Aquatennial festival also happens in July: http://www.aquatennial.com/

I'm thinking that it might be nice to say I've been in their park. I've only been in Three Rivers (when it was still around), PNC Park, and Camden Yards.

I miss the Aquatennial festival by a week.

I'll be in MSP on Tuesday...any must-do restaurant/bar recommendations?

The new stadium is a must see if you are any sort of baseball fan. Even if you aren't you should go. The seats in the right field area, just below the flagpole, are my personal favorites. But what I would suggest is getting a standing room only ticket. I've done this more than a few times, and it's great. There are numerous bars and areas to just stand and watch. The new stadium was designed with this in mind. Nearly every spot in the stadium has a full view of the playing field.

Lots of great options in the Warehouse District (near the ball park) great places to eat and party.

I'm headed to Minnesota with some friends for a Gophers football game on 10/27. Flying into MSP on 10/26 and out on 10/28. Can someone give a hotel recommendation? I see that they have a light rail system so is a car necessary? I wonder if there are shuttles from downtown hotels to the stadium? I'd appreciate any tips. Thanks.

From the Airport to downtown Minneapolis the light rail from the airport will take you right there. Walking from downtown to the stadium would be about 3 miles (if a nice day a beautiful walk across the walking only stone arch bridge). I am not aware of any shuttles to the Gopher games from downtown. There is good bus service between downtown and the campus. I would not recommend driving from downtown as parking for the game is a BEAR!

Near campus (which you can get to via light rail in 2014 (I know I know)) the following hotels are available: My girlfriend stayed at the Days Inn recently and was impressed. The Commons hotel was a Radisson until recently and was always nice.

Days Inn University of Minnesota
(East Bank)
2407 University Avenue SE
Minneapolis, MN 55414
612-623-3999 or 1-800-375-3990

Historic Faculty House
(former sorority house, between East and West Bank)
316 10th Avenue SE
Minneapolis, MN 55414
612-378-6060

Holiday Inn Minneapolis Metrodome
(West Bank)
1500 Washington Avenue S.
Minneapolis, MN 55454
612-333-4646 or 1-800-HOLIDAY

The Commons Hotel
(East Bank—on campus)
615 Washington Avenue SE
Minneapolis, MN 55414
612-379-8888 or 1-800-822-6757

University Inn
(Between East and West Bank, private studio apartments in an extended stay hotel)
925 Fourth Street SE
Minneapolis, MN 55414
612-746-1300

Let me know if you have any other questions. I am a Gopher Alum and know the area very well.

Tom

Thanks for the info. What would you recommend doing? Sounds like I should get a car and drive to one of those hotels and then walk to the game? I've got plenty of IHG points so the Holiday Inn would interest me.

Also, where do the alums go for a beer after the game?

The Holiday Inn is a good choice, it has a great location on the West Bank of the U of MN campus. When you check in, ask about a game shuttle. It would not surprise me there is one within a block. There are many great bars in what is called 7 corners where the HI is located.

Before the game, two of the best places to go on the East Bank are "Stub and Herbs" and Sally's. Both about 2 blocks from the stadium.

Enjoy. If you end up with a spare ticket, drop me a line. I try to take in a few games per year.