Solo travel · Minneapolis · United States
Solo travel in Minneapolis
How to enjoy Minneapolis at your own pace.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: McGhiever, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Minneapolis is easy for solo travellers: free museums, safe-feeling bike paths around the lakes, taprooms where locals chat at the bar and light rail that removes the need for a car. Many solo travellers base themselves in Downtown.
Key facts
- Base
- Downtown
- Getting around
- Tram
- Emergency number
- 911 (police, fire, ambulance)
- Language
- English
Solo travel tips
- Stay downtown or in the North Loop for walkable dining and direct light rail to the airport.
- Rent a bike for the Chain of Lakes and the riverfront; it is the best way to see the city alone.
- Sit at the bar in North Loop restaurants or taprooms for easy conversation.
- Theatres often sell single seats cheaply close to showtime.
- Late at night, use rideshares rather than waiting alone at quiet stations.
Where to stay
$$$ · Best for first-timers, nightlife and solo travellers
Downtown
Downtown Minneapolis has the main concentration of hotels, linked by the skyway's second-storey footbridges so you can reach restaurants, shops and the Target Center without going outside in winter. Hennepin Avenue's theatre district includes the Orpheum, State and Pantages theatres, and First Avenue is a few blocks away.
- Good
- Light rail to the airport and Mall of America; Skyway access in winter; Wide choice of hotels
- Watch out
- Quiet streets after office hours on weekdays; Parking is expensive
- Nearby
- Hennepin Theatre District, First Avenue, Nicollet Mall, Target Field
Great on your own
Park · Loring Park
Minneapolis Sculpture Garden
Walk across the Irene Hixon Whitney Bridge from Loring Park for the best approach, and come at golden hour for photos of the spoon.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Art
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Photo spot
Museum · Whittier
Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia)
Pick up a map and head for the Asian galleries and period rooms, which most first-time visitors miss.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Art
- History
- Rainy day
- Iconic
Landmark · Mill District
Stone Arch Bridge and St. Anthony Falls
Walk the loop from Mill Ruins Park across the bridge to St. Anthony Main and back over the Hennepin Avenue Bridge at sunset.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Iconic
- Views
- History
- Photo spot
Experience · Downtown
First Avenue
Look for Prince's gold star on the outside wall, and check the calendar for gigs at both the main room and 7th St Entry.
- Time needed
- An evening
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- After dark
- Iconic
- History
Historic site · Chanhassen
Paisley Park
Allow about 40 minutes by car from downtown; there is no direct public transport, and phones must be secured during tours.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- History
- Iconic
- Rainy day
Gallery · Loring Park
Walker Art Center
Check the Walker's calendar for free-entry days and evenings, and combine a visit with the Sculpture Garden across the road.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Rainy day
- Architecture
Meeting people
- Eat Street — Nicollet Avenue between downtown and Lake Street, known as Eat Street, is lined with Vietnamese, Mexican, Thai, Greek and other immigrant-run restaurants within a few blocks.
- Taproom crawl in Northeast — Northeast's breweries are a short bike ride or rideshare apart, and most welcome families in the afternoon and host food trucks.
- Downtown and Hennepin Avenue — First Avenue, 7th St Entry and the big theatres of the Hennepin Theatre District, plus late bars.
- North Loop — Cocktail bars and restaurants with bar seating in converted warehouses, busy on game nights.
Sensible precautions
Most visitor areas are safe with normal precautions; downtown can feel empty late at night, so use rideshares after dark. Car break-ins happen, so keep valuables out of sight. In winter, frostbite and icy pavements are real risks: dress in layers and wear boots with grip.
- Emergency number
- 911 (police, fire, ambulance)
- Staying connected
- US SIM cards and eSIMs are easy to buy; free Wi-Fi is common in cafés, libraries and at MSP airport.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Minneapolis good for solo travellers?
Minneapolis is easy for solo travellers: free museums, safe-feeling bike paths around the lakes, taprooms where locals chat at the bar and light rail that removes the need for a car.
+Where should solo travellers stay in Minneapolis?
Downtown: Office towers, theatres on Hennepin Avenue and the enclosed skyway network.