Where to stay in Minneapolis

Minneapolis is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 429,954 as of the 2020 census, it is the state's most populous city.

Minneapolis was destined to be a center of commerce due to its location at the Falls of St. Anthony, which was named by the French explorer Fr. Louis Hennepin in 1680. St. Anthony Falls is by far the largest source of water power on the Mississippi River. The falls were harnessed to power lumber mills in the 1840s and later for flour milling. By 1870, Minneapolis on the west bank and St. Anthony on the east bank formed the largest flour producing center in the world. In 1872, Minneapolis absorbed its older neighbor. Most of the old St Anthony township is now known as Northeast Minneapolis.

Saint Anthony Falls Historic District – This historic area of Minneapolis centers on the impressive Saint Anthony Falls: at various times a focus of indigenous peoples' spirituality, commerce & industry, and now an area of restored buildings, charming streets, and natural sights.

See the Districts articles for more listings. There is a good variety of hotels. Downtown hosts many independent and international hotel chains from the mid-range to the high-end. The University of Minnesota campus, not too far from downtown, has many mid-range options. South Minneapolis has limited options but they are also close to downtown. Travelers getting by without a car will want to avoid staying in a hotel outside the city.

Getting in

Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) is located 10 miles southeast of downtown Minneapolis. The airport contains two terminals: Terminal 1-Lindbergh and Terminal 2-Humphrey, with most flights arriving at Terminal 1. There is no airside connection between the terminals, transferring between the two requires use of the metro, which is free between the two stations. Ensure you know which terminal you are arriving at/departing from, as transferring between the two can be time consuming.

Getting around

The city streets have a grid system that's helpful if you learn it. Minneapolis is divided into quadrants: North, South, Northeast and Southeast. Hennepin Avenue forms the divider between streets labeled N and S near downtown. This division continues through the smaller portion of Minneapolis east of the Mississippi, dividing it into Northeast (NE) and Southeast (SE). Further west of downtown, this division lies along Linden Avenue, just north of the I-394 freeway. In North, Northeast and Southeast Minneapolis, all roads carry N, NE, or SE prefixes on street signs.

Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.