With kids · Minneapolis · United States
Minneapolis with kids
Family-tested sights, a calm base and the practical details that make travelling with children easier.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: McGhiever, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Minneapolis is a relaxed family city, with free museums, lake beaches, bike paths and the Mall of America's indoor theme park as a fallback in any weather. Light rail makes car-free days with children easy. Top picks: Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, Chain of Lakes and Minnehaha Falls. Families usually base themselves in Mill District.
Key facts
- Family picks
- 5
- Best area for families
- Mill District
- Rainy-day options
- 2
- Busiest months
- July–August
Best things to do with kids
Park · Loring Park
1.Minneapolis Sculpture Garden
Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen's Spoonbridge and Cherry, a 15-metre spoon holding a cherry over a pond, is the city's best-known image and the centrepiece of this free 4.5-hectare garden of around 60 works. It sits opposite the Walker Art Center, and Katharina Fritsch's giant blue rooster Hahn/Cock is nearby.
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
Park · Southwest Minneapolis
2.Chain of Lakes
Bde Maka Ska, Lake Harriet, Lake of the Isles and Cedar Lake are ringed by separate paved paths for walkers and cyclists, part of the Grand Rounds parkway system. In summer there are swimming beaches, boat and paddleboard rentals and free concerts at the Lake Harriet Bandshell; in winter locals skate and ski on the ice.
Rent a bike and ride the 5-km loop around Bde Maka Ska, then continue to the rose garden and bandshell at Lake Harriet.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Kids
- Active
- Nature
Nature · Minnehaha Park
3.Minnehaha Falls
Minnehaha Creek drops about 16 metres over a limestone ledge in one of the city's oldest parks, made famous by Longfellow's poem The Song of Hiawatha. Stairs lead down to the base of the falls and a trail follows the creek through a wooded glen to the Mississippi.
Visit after spring rain for the strongest flow, or in deep winter, when the falls freeze into a wall of ice.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- Kids
- Photo spot
- Outdoors
Museum · Mill District
4.Mill City Museum
Built into the burned-out ruins of the Washburn A Mill, once the largest flour mill in the world, this museum tells how Minneapolis became the milling capital of the world. The Flour Tower ride lifts you through eight storeys of mill history in a freight elevator, ending at a rooftop deck over St. Anthony Falls.
Go up to the ninth-floor observation deck at the end for the best view of the falls and the Stone Arch Bridge.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Kids
- Views
- Rainy day
Experience · Bloomington
5.Mall of America
The largest shopping mall in the United States has around 500 shops plus Nickelodeon Universe, an indoor theme park with roller coasters under a skylit roof, the SEA LIFE Minnesota aquarium and mini golf. Minnesota has no sales tax on clothing and shoes, which adds to its appeal for shoppers.
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
Rainy-day ideas
- Mill City Museum — Go up to the ninth-floor observation deck at the end for the best view of the falls and the Stone Arch Bridge.
- Mall of America — Take the Blue Line light rail from downtown or the airport; it stops right at the mall's transit station.
Where families should stay
$$$ · 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
Family travel tips
- Children aged 5 and under ride free with a paying adult on Metro Transit.
- Lake beaches at Bde Maka Ska and Lake Harriet have lifeguards in summer; check posted water-quality notices.
- The Science Museum of Minnesota and the Minnesota Children's Museum in Saint Paul are worth a half-day trip.
- In winter, plan indoor days at the Mall of America and the museums, and pack proper snow gear for outdoor play.
- Sea Salt Eatery beside Minnehaha Falls serves seafood lunches in summer; queues are long at weekends.
Day trips for families
- Saint Paul (About 45 minutes by light rail, 15–20 minutes by car) — Minnesota's capital has the domed State Capitol, the Cathedral of Saint Paul at the top of Summit Avenue's Victorian mansions, the Minnesota History Center and the Science Museum of Minnesota on the river bluff.
- Lake Minnetonka and Excelsior (About 35 minutes) — The big, many-bayed lake west of the city is lined with lakeside towns; Excelsior has a walkable main street, ice-cream shops and summer cruises, including rides on the restored steamboat Minnehaha.
- Taylors Falls and Interstate State Park (About 1 hour) — The St.
- Duluth (About 2.5 hours) — On the western tip of Lake Superior, Duluth has the Aerial Lift Bridge, giant ore boats entering the harbour, the Canal Park waterfront and the start of the North Shore scenic drive.
When to go with children
The best months overall are June–September. July–August are the busiest, so book the big sights early. Weather by month.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Minneapolis good for kids?
Minneapolis is a relaxed family city, with free museums, lake beaches, bike paths and the Mall of America's indoor theme park as a fallback in any weather. Light rail makes car-free days with children easy.
+What can kids do in Minneapolis?
Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, Chain of Lakes, Minnehaha Falls, Mill City Museum and Mall of America.
+Where should families stay in Minneapolis?
Mill District: Riverfront mill ruins, the Guthrie and the Stone Arch Bridge.