Location: Minneapolis
Top Things to do in Minneapolis
Top 10 Free Things to do in Minneapolis, Minnesota (MN)
With its gleaming skyscrapers set amid glittering lakes, Minneapolis makes for an attractive and fun getaway. A truly year-round destination, the city offers activities for every season. In winter, one can explore the downtown area through more than seven miles of glass-enclosed skyways. In addition to keeping you warm, they create a lively thoroughfare filled with specialty shops, restaurants and services. Whether you want to escape the winter cold or the summer warmth, the Mall of America offers shopping, dining and entertainment options for any time of the year and every member of the family. Art lovers have plenty to see at the Minneapolis Art Institute, Walker Art Center and the Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum, which all house world-renowned collections. The theater scene is thriving. With more than thirty theaters, Minneapolis has more seats per capita than any U.S. city except New York. See a Broadway show and enjoy dinner and live jazz at a fabulous restaurant. With kids in tow, check out the Science Museum of Minnesota, where visitors can produce their own video, or come face to face with a shark at the UnderWater Adventures Aquarium. In summer, the action moves outside. Known as "The City of Lakes," Minneapolis has 22 lakes located within city limits and many more in the surrounding area. In town, hordes of locals and tourists in-line skate or stroll around Lake Calhoun, stopping for ice cream along the way. Just outside of town, Fort Snelling State Park offers outdoor recreational activities from hiking to biking and golf to boating. No matter when you visit, Minneapolis offers lots for everyone to enjoy.
Restaurants in Minneapolis
1. Minneapolis Institute of Art
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 2,356 reviews
Travel through 4,000 years of world history as you view more than 80,000 works of sculpture, photography, paintings, drawings and prints.
Reviewed By RedYoga - Benicia, United States
I was visiting Minneapolis for a conference, and saw an ad for the special exhibit of Native American women's art at MIA. Kudos to MIA for putting together such an amazing exhibit--it is fantastic! I walked through the special exhibit twice to better take it all in. I would encourage everyone to go see it! Not to be missed.
2. Chain of Lakes
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 402 reviews
Three separate lakes (Lake of the Isles, Lake Calhoun and Lake Harriet) all surrounded by pedestrian paths.
Reviewed By jesseMN - Savannah, United States
Walk, jog, swim, hear a concert, rent bikes, roller skates, canoes...the chain of lakes is one of the many attractions of the excellent Park system - connected by trail and water to other parks - that attacts year 'round visitors. A cherished resource that is actually three interconnected lakes in the City. Accessable by public transit.
3. Grand Rounds Scenic Byway
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 150 reviews
40+ Miles Of Bike Trails Throughout The City
Reviewed By Blairian - Tucson, United States
Loved our trip around the Grand rounds. Rode with our bike group one Sunday in September. Reasonably well marked, but be sure to check the map at each of the gazebo like structures or run a map app on your phone. Beautiful ride.
4. Lake of the Isles
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 326 reviews
Reviewed By bethsA9826WF
Lake of the Isles is one of the chain of lakes in the heart of Minneapolis. It's winding shoreline has a well-card for walking path and showcases the lake's isles and varied shore environments. It's a 2.6 mile walk, and if you get tired of looking at the sun on the water, skyline in the short distance, lily pads, birds, and the many dogs with companions you'll meet, check out the gorgeous array of houses (some mansions) that surround the lake.
5. Norseman Distillery
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 96 reviews
Daily Tours, Bottling parties, Daily venue rental. Norseman Distillery, the first micro-distillery in Minneapolis, was founded with principles of using the very best local ingredients to produce small batches of exceptionally fine spirits. From our micro-distillery in northeast Minneapolis, we hand craft each batch with the hopes of inspiring legendary cheer in those who drink it.
6. Minneapolis Sculpture Garden
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,754 reviews
The Minneapolis Sculpture Garden is closed for renovation, and will reopen in June 2017. One of the crown jewels of the city’s park system, the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden unites two of Minnesota’s most cherished resources—its greenspace and its cultural life. A partnership with the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board, the Garden is a top destination for tourists to enjoy art like the iconic Spoonbridge and Cherry in an outdoor park setting.
Reviewed By victoriavZ5721AB - Rochester, United States
Had to check out the Minneapolis sculpture garden to see the famous spoon and cherry. We parked in the $4 parking lot and enjoyed strolling through the walkways to see some interesting sculptures. The native landscape and wildflowers only added to the beauty of the art and the location in the city. Got some cool pics as well which I'm sure we'll cherish for a long time!
7. Uptown
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 140 reviews
Funky South Minneapolis area offering interesting stores and restaurants.
Reviewed By 522mardees - Cincinnati, United States
One of my favorite places to go shopping, or have a drink, or just walk around and window shop. Uptown has a very eclectic and vibrant vibe to it that is very appealing.
8. University of Minnesota
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 318 reviews
A comprehensive university offering undergraduate and graduate programs in more than 70 majors and fields.
Reviewed By W298IWdianer - Appleton, United States
My daughter attends here as a sophomore now and it is a wonderful school with so many choices of career paths available. There are two museums on three separate sections of the campus and wonderful athletic as well as musical opportunites.
9. Bde Maka Ska
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 607 reviews
Reviewed By CaptTrouble - Hudson, United States
This is a large and beautiful lake to walk around in Minneapolis. I would recommend walking on weekdays as it and the other lakes in the chain can be absolutely crazy busy on the weekends. My husband and I took a brisk walk around it in October to admire the sunshine and the fall leaves. Bde Maka Ska is now the official name of this lake; there is still a Lake Calhoun in Kandiyohi County. Bde Maka Ska is the largest lake in the City of Minneapolis with a size of 401 acres and a maximum depth of 87 feet. The name is a Dakota one, pronounced Be-DAY Me-KAH-Ska, which in English means Lake White Earth. The lake was given the name Calhoun in the early 1800's by the U.S. Army in honor of the United States Secretary of War while the Army was surveying the area for Ft. Snelling. Calhoun's history as a slaveowner and pro-slavery politician led to modern day questions about whether the lake was best named after him. In 2017 the Minneapolis Park Board voted to change the name back to the Dakota name Bde Maka Ska, with the Hennepin County Commissioners agreeing. In 2018 the MN DNR made it the official name in Minnesota. The State submitted materials to the federal government to change the name on the federal level, which was approved in June 2018. Signs were changed around the lake. On April 29, 2019, the Minnesota Court of Appeals ruled that the name could only be changed by legislation. The federal government has declined to change the name back and the Park Board has declined to change the signs back.
10. Weisman Art Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 255 reviews
Located on the campus of the University of Minnesota, this museum features fine arts from the contemporary period.
Reviewed By jerb2014 - Bristol, United States
This museum is a very interesting on. Architecturally, it is very contemporary in design, which intrigued us. Inside the collection is a substantial one so be prepared to spend a good part of a morning here. There is on the street parking and also a parking garage and the admission is free. The entrance is a bit convoluted as when you enter from the street where the parking garage entrance is, you must go up a couple of floors to the entrance of the museum. Inside there are over twelve galleries filled with contemporary art of the first half of the twentieth century pottery, paintings and sculpture. Don't miss Georgia O'keeffe's Poppies. There is a very nice display of traditional Korean furniture. They do offer classes, talks, workshops, etc. There are tours on the weekend. Be sure to go to the floor with the public restrooms. There is a terrace on that floor that provides a very interesting view of the city of Minneapolis from the opposite side of the Mississippi. Now is more classical art is your thing and time to spend in art museums is limited. You might want to visit the MIA, which houses a much larger collection of art from many different eras. We truly enjoyed this museum.
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