Where to stay · Minneapolis · United States
Where to stay in Minneapolis
8 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: McGhiever, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in Downtown. Office towers, theatres on Hennepin Avenue and the enclosed skyway network. Best alternatives — families: Mill District; budget: Northeast.
Key facts
- First visit
- Downtown
- Families
- Mill District
- Budget
- Northeast
- Nightlife
- Downtown
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | Downtown | Office towers, theatres on Hennepin Avenue and the enclosed skyway network |
| Families | Mill District | Riverfront mill ruins, the Guthrie and the Stone Arch Bridge |
| Couples | North Loop | Converted brick warehouses with restaurants, boutiques and Target Field next door |
| Budget | Northeast | Taprooms, artists' studios and old Eastern European parishes across the river |
| Nightlife | Downtown | Office towers, theatres on Hennepin Avenue and the enclosed skyway network |
| Food lovers | North Loop | Converted brick warehouses with restaurants, boutiques and Target Field next door |
| Solo travellers | Downtown | Office towers, theatres on Hennepin Avenue and the enclosed skyway network |
| Shopping | North Loop | Converted brick warehouses with restaurants, boutiques and Target Field next door |
| Quiet stays | St. Anthony Main and Marcy-Holmes | Cobblestone Main Street, river views and the University of Minnesota nearby |
Minneapolis neighbourhoods in detail
$$$ · Best for first-timers, nightlife and solo travellers
Downtown
Downtown Minneapolis has the main concentration of hotels, linked by the skyway's second-storey footbridges so you can reach restaurants, shops and the Target Center without going outside in winter. Hennepin Avenue's theatre district includes the Orpheum, State and Pantages theatres, and First Avenue is a few blocks away.
- Good
- Light rail to the airport and Mall of America; Skyway access in winter; Wide choice of hotels
- Watch out
- Quiet streets after office hours on weekdays; Parking is expensive
- Nearby
- Hennepin Theatre District, First Avenue, Nicollet Mall, Target Field
$$$ · Best for food lovers, couples, shopping and nightlife
North Loop
Former rail warehouses northwest of downtown now hold many of the city's most talked-about restaurants, cocktail bars, design shops and boutique hotels along Washington Avenue and North 1st Street. Target Field and the riverfront are a short walk away, and the Green and Blue Line terminus at Target Field station connects to the rest of the city.
- Good
- Dense cluster of good restaurants; Attractive warehouse architecture; Walk to downtown and the river
- Watch out
- Hotel prices rise on Twins and event nights; Few budget options
- Nearby
- Target Field, Mississippi riverfront, Downtown
$$$ · Best for first-timers, culture, couples and families
Mill District
On the downtown bank of the Mississippi around St. Anthony Falls, the Mill District combines the Mill City Museum, the Guthrie Theater and Gold Medal Park with modern apartment blocks built among old flour mills. U.S. Bank Stadium sits on its edge in Downtown East, and the Stone Arch Bridge leads across to St. Anthony Main.
- Good
- Walkable to the main riverfront sights; Riverside paths for running and cycling; Seasonal farmers' market
- Watch out
- Busy on Vikings game days; Limited late-night options
- Nearby
- Stone Arch Bridge, Mill City Museum, Guthrie Theater, Gold Medal Park
$$ · Best for nightlife, food lovers, budget and culture
Northeast
Known locally as Nordeast, the area across the Mississippi from downtown was built by Polish, Ukrainian and Slovak immigrants and still has their churches and corner bars. Today its former factories hold hundreds of artists' studios, including the Northrup King Building, and many craft-beer taprooms. It is the heart of the Northeast Minneapolis Arts District.
- Good
- Lots of taprooms and live music; Local atmosphere; Better-value rentals
- Watch out
- Few hotels; mostly rentals; Spread out, so you may need a bike or rideshare
- Nearby
- Northrup King Building, Central Avenue, St. Anthony Main
$$ · Best for budget, nightlife and solo travellers
Uptown and Lake Street
Around Hennepin Avenue and Lake Street, Uptown is the closest neighbourhood to Bde Maka Ska and Lake of the Isles, with a younger crowd, bars and independent shops. Nearby Lyn-Lake has restaurants and the Jungle Theater, and Lake Street eastwards is lined with Mexican, Somali and East African businesses.
- Good
- Walk or bike to the lakes; Good-value food and drinks; Midtown Greenway bike path
- Watch out
- Few hotels; A bus or bike ride from downtown and the riverfront
- Nearby
- Bde Maka Ska, Lake of the Isles, Lyn-Lake, Midtown Greenway
$$ · Best for culture, couples and first-timers
Loring Park
Loring Park centres on a pond-side park with a long-standing LGBTQ+ community around it and older apartment buildings and hotels on its edges. The Minneapolis Sculpture Garden and Walker Art Center are across a footbridge, the Basilica of Saint Mary is a short walk away and downtown's theatres are a few blocks east.
- Good
- Between downtown and the Walker; Green and walkable; Hosts Twin Cities Pride events
- Watch out
- Limited dining in the park area itself; Interstate noise on its western edge
- Nearby
- Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, Walker Art Center, Basilica of Saint Mary
$$ · Best for couples, budget and quiet stays
St. Anthony Main and Marcy-Holmes
On the east bank of the river, St. Anthony Main's cobbled street has restaurants with patios facing the downtown skyline and the Stone Arch Bridge. Marcy-Holmes and Dinkytown behind it are student areas near the University of Minnesota, with cheap eats and the Weisman Art Museum on campus.
- Good
- Best skyline views in the city; Walk across the Stone Arch Bridge to downtown; Cheaper food near campus
- Watch out
- Few hotels; Student areas are noisy on weekends in term time
- Nearby
- Stone Arch Bridge, Father Hennepin Bluff Park, Weisman Art Museum, Dinkytown
$$ · Best for families, shopping and budget
Bloomington
The suburb south of the airport is dominated by the Mall of America and a large cluster of chain hotels, many with free airport shuttles and water parks. The Blue Line light rail runs from the mall to downtown in about 40 minutes, and the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge is on its southern edge.
- Good
- Good-value family hotels; Next to the mall and airport; Direct light rail to downtown
- Watch out
- Suburban, with little character; Far from the lakes and riverfront
- Nearby
- Mall of America, Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport, Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown | $$$ | Hennepin Theatre District, First Avenue, Nicollet Mall, Target Field |
| North Loop | $$$ | Target Field, Mississippi riverfront, Downtown |
| Mill District | $$$ | Stone Arch Bridge, Mill City Museum, Guthrie Theater, Gold Medal Park |
| Northeast | $$ | Northrup King Building, Central Avenue, St. Anthony Main |
| Uptown and Lake Street | $$ | Bde Maka Ska, Lake of the Isles, Lyn-Lake, Midtown Greenway |
| Loring Park | $$ | Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, Walker Art Center, Basilica of Saint Mary |
| St. Anthony Main and Marcy-Holmes | $$ | Stone Arch Bridge, Father Hennepin Bluff Park, Weisman Art Museum, Dinkytown |
| Bloomington | $$ | Mall of America, Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport, Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge |
Getting to your hotel
Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) is about 16 km south of downtown. The Blue Line light rail runs from both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 to downtown in about 25 minutes. Taxis and rideshares take about 20–25 minutes outside rush hour.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Minneapolis for first-time visitors?
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.
+Where should families stay in Minneapolis?
Mill District: Walkable to the main riverfront sights.
+Which area of Minneapolis is best for a budget stay?
Northeast ($$): Taprooms, artists' studios and old Eastern European parishes across the river.