Month guide · Minneapolis · United States
Minneapolis in May
What May is really like in Minneapolis: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: McGhiever, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
May is a shoulder-season month. Expect average highs of 20°C (68°F), lows of 8°C (46°F), about 12 rainy days and roughly 14.8 hours of daylight. Trees leaf out and patios reopen; a pleasant month for walking and cycling, with some rain.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 20°C (68°F) / 8°C (46°F)
- Rainy days
- About 12
- Daylight
- About 14.8 hours
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in May
May is the 5th-warmest month in Minneapolis: days average 20°C (68°F) against a yearly average high of 12°C (54°F), and nights fall to about 8°C (46°F). Rain falls on roughly 12 of its 31 days. Compared with April (13°C (55°F)), May is warmer; by June highs climb to around 26°C (79°F).
- Sunrise (15 May)
- About 05:44
- Sunset (15 May)
- About 20:35
- Daylight
- About 14.8 hours
Spring (March–May). A slow, muddy thaw in March gives way to green, mild May days; weather is changeable and late snow is possible in April.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, May rates 3 for crowds (the peak is July at 5) and 3 for hotel prices (highest in June). Prices sit in the middle of the year's range.
Events in May
- Art-A-Whirl — open studios across Northeast (usually mid-May)
Dates move from year to year. Check the organiser’s site before booking travel around an event.
What to do in May
With frequent rain, plan around indoor sights and keep outdoor time flexible.
Experience · Bloomington
Mall of America
Take the Blue Line light rail from downtown or the airport; it stops right at the mall's transit station.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Shopping
- Rainy day
- Iconic
Museum · Phillips
American Swedish Institute
A 33-room chateau-style mansion built in 1908 for newspaper publisher Swan Turnblad houses this museum of Swedish and Nordic culture, with carved woodwork, tiled stoves and changing exhibitions.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Architecture
- Food
- Rainy day
Architecture · Downtown
Minneapolis Skyway System
Use the skyway maps posted at junctions; on cold days it is the quickest way to cross downtown on foot.
- Time needed
- As needed
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Rainy day
- Architecture
Gallery · University of Minnesota
Weisman Art Museum
Frank Gehry's crumpled stainless-steel museum on the University of Minnesota campus looks out over the Mississippi from the east bank.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Art
- Architecture
- Rainy day
What to pack
For highs near 20°C, lows near 8°C and 12 wet days: light layers for the day and a light jacket for the evening; a compact umbrella and waterproof shoes — rain is frequent; comfortable walking shoes.
Is May a good time to visit Minneapolis?
A shoulder-season month, with a notable event on the calendar. If your dates are flexible, June–September are better overall. Compare every month.
Minneapolis in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is May a good time to visit Minneapolis?
It is a shoulder-season month. Trees leaf out and patios reopen; a pleasant month for walking and cycling, with some rain.
+How warm is Minneapolis in May?
Average highs are around 20°C (68°F) and lows around 8°C (46°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Minneapolis in May?
Expect rain on about 12 days of the month, so pack for wet weather.