Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Travel

Our Favorite Things to Do in the Metropolis of Minneapolis

Shandana A. Durrani
By

micro guide minneapolis
The United States is much more than just the East and West Coast. Numerous cities and towns in the middle of the country, what have become to be known as “secondary cities,” offer as much culture and diversion as those behemoths on the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

One such metropolis that has come into its own thanks to a vibrant art and food scene is Minneapolis. This midwestern jewel has it all: great eateries, funky hotels, a lovely waterfront, and museums to while away the ours. Here are our picks of what to do in town.

Related Videos

PLAY

Minneapolis Sculpture Garden

Minneapolis is home to a variety of art museums that boast plenty of awe-inspiring works. The Walker Art Center features contemporary art, from pop art to metal sculptures. Liz Deschenes’ mirrored photograms shouldn’t be missed and you’ll want to spend a day relaxing at the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden behind the museum. The Minneapolis Institute of Arts highlights Asian art as well as European paintings and textiles and the Weisman Art Museum at the University of Minnesota is a work of art on its own.

Minnesota is the land of a 10,000 lakes and Minneapolis offers several, connected by a chain of walkways so you can hop, skip and jump from one to the other. Lake Calhoun is the most popular due to its skyline views and numerous activities such as paddle boarding and archery. Lake Harriet is a favorite for its golden sand and summer concerts and Lake of the Isles is a mecca for hockey players and ice skaters in the winter.

If sports is your religion, Minneapolis will keep you faithful thanks to its multitude of sporting venues. Summertime means heading to Target Field for a baseball game. Although the Minnesota Twins may not be at the top of the Central Division, the stadium is one of the better newer ballparks. The open-air venue is perfect on a balmy summer night, allowing for easy socializing and many a spot to take in the game. If you’re hungry, might we suggest a Mill City Grill cheesesteak washed down with a pint of Goose Island IPA? You’re welcome.

EAT & DRINK

Spoon and Stable

Minneapolis offers a wealth of great dining options, from The Bachelor Farmer to Nighthawks, but none so much as James Beard Winner Spoon and Stable. Under the watchful eye and hands of Chef Gavin Kaysen, this restaurant, housed in a former horse stable, crafts simple yet delicious cuisine. There’s no pretension here, no highfaluting mumbo jumbo. Just great food in a welcoming setting. The menu is separated into five sections, from garden to land and sea. Start with the bison tartare, flavored with just the right amount of cilantro, and end with grilled Colorado lamb accompanied by a crispy fava bean fritter on the side. Wash it all down with a delicious Clover Club cocktail (rosewater, gin, berry syrup, and egg whites).

STAY

The Grand Hotel Minneapolis

Urban and eminently chic, Minneapolis hotels have come a long way in recent years. The downtown and North Loop skylines are filled with funky and fun places to stay. Head to The Grand Hotel Minneapolis, with its 140 rooms and suites offering clean lines and designer furnishings that put your mind at ease the minute you walk through the door. Savor a glass of wine at the nightly wine reception or rent a bike at reception to explore the city. End the day getting pampered at the LifeSpa.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Sarasota Travel Guide: Where to Stay, What to Eat, and More
sarasota travel guide best luxury stay ritz carlton

Located on Florida’s southwest Gulf Coast, Sarasota is a beautiful town of enchanting beaches and nearby island getaways -- snow white, pure quartz sands, and turquoise waters make a fine backdrop to a day’s adventures, including aquatic activities like boating, kayaking, and parasailing. Sarasota, however, is more than just the sum total of its pretty beaches and palm-fringed Keys. Sprawling botanical gardens, encyclopedic art museums, and one of the world’s top aquariums are enough reasons to venture away from the shoreline.

Despite its small size (population about 58,000), Sarasota has an impressive dining and drinking scene and a spectacular variety of cultural attractions (such as an indie cinema, various theater companies, and even an opera house). No wonder it was recently rated one of America’s Top 10 beach towns by Travel + Leisure magazine.

Read more
Inside Justin Timberlake’s Swanky New Restaurant in Nashville
Dining tables and plush seats face The Twelve Thirty Supper Club's central stage.

Bar tables and plush seats face The Twelve Thirty Supper Club's central stage. Seth Parker

The final component of Nashville’s Twelve Thirty Club, Justin Timberlake and restaurateur Sam Fox’s massive project, will debut on Tuesday, Sept. 28 when its 400-seat Supper Club opens its doors. 

Read more
Fine Art and Fresh Air: SoHo’s Modernhaus SoHo Hotel Opens in New York
modernhaus hotel opening 1

No surprise, the New York City hotel world has taken a hell of a beating over the last year. But from the industry ashes, Modernhaus SoHo, occupying the former James Hotel, is rising, and on May 1, its doors were thrown open to a re-energized city. While we're still reacquainting ourselves with the idea of returning to the Big Apple, one if its newest properties seems like the perfect way to dive back in.

From the mind of Jack J. Sitt, of the Thor Equities Group, the 114-room property features a Michelin-starred chef's restaurant, over 11,000 square feet of outdoor space, and, most noteworthy, a museum-worthy art collection of modernist paintings and sculpture. Selected from Sitt's personal acquisitions, guests can meander through works by Alexander Calder, George Condo, Nicolas Party, Kaws, and others. Really, by art collection alone, the only way you can be around more high quality modernist works is by squatting inside the MoMA.

Read more