Minnesota · United States
Minneapolis–Saint Paul travel guide
Minneapolis–Saint Paul is a city in Minnesota, United States, home to about 3,690,000 people.
- Best months
- September
- Nearest airport
- MSP8 km · Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field
- Currency
- USDUnited States dollar
- Time zone
- America/Chicago
- Language
- Carolinian, Chamorro, Hawaiian
About
About Minneapolis–Saint Paul
Minneapolis–Saint Paul is a major metropolitan area built around the confluence of the Mississippi, Minnesota, and St. Croix rivers in east central Minnesota. The area is commonly known as the Twin Cities after its two largest cities, Minneapolis, the state's most populous city, and its neighbor to the east, Saint Paul, the capital.
The Twin Cities grew in the 1800s from its location at the intersection of two major rivers, the Minnesota and the Mississippi, and rail lines. For a period the point furthest downstream that the Mississippi could be bridged was located in the area, if only due to the fortuitous island placement. Contributing to its growth was St. Anthony Falls, a natural waterfall which provided energy to working grain mills located on the Mississippi River. Due to rapid erosion of its limestone underlayment, St Anthony Falls moved upstream until it was set in concrete by the Army Corps of Engineers.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Minneapolis–Saint Paul
See
Minneapolis is home to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Walker Art Center, Mill City Museum, Weisman Art Museum, The Museum of Russian Art and more. Saint Paul is home to the Science Museum of Minnesota, Minnesota History Center, Minnesota Children's Museums, and others.
- Minneapolis Sculpture Garden
- Fort Snelling
Do
Being in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, the Twin Cities offers many aquatic activities. Many lakes offer swimming beaches with on-duty lifeguards. Fishing and ice fishing are popular activities, but be sure to purchase a fishing license first. Licenses are $8.50 for 24 hours and $28.50 for 7 days if you live outside the state. They can be purchased at most sporting goods stores, bait shops, and even some gas stations.
- Como Park
- Minnesota Zoo
- ValleyFair amusement park
- Guthrie Theater
- Orpheum Theatre
- William O'Brien State Park
- Grand Rounds Scenic Byway
- Gateway Trail
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
When to go
The best time to visit Minneapolis–Saint Paul
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Minneapolis–Saint Paul are September. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 28 °C; June is the wettest, with about 124 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Minneapolis–Saint Paul: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field (MSP), about 8.0 km from the city centre in a straight line; Saint Cloud Regional Airport (STC, 95 km) and Rochester International Airport (RST, 129 km) are also within reach.
Getting in
Two Interstate Highways, I-94 and I-35, travel through the Twin Cities travelling east/west and north/south respectively. I-35 splits as it passes through the Twin Cities, with I-35W coming through Minneapolis, and I-35E making an eastward bow through Saint Paul. Several other national and state highways also travel through the area. Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) is the main airport in the region. Most travelers will arrive in Terminal 1-Lindbergh. Terminal 2-Humphrey serves primarily charter and low-cost carriers.
Getting around
Minneapolis, Saint Paul, and some of the inner suburbs are all served by Metro Transit. There are also other transit authorities serving select suburbs, most connect with Metro Transit in either of the downtowns. Regular fare for light rail, local buses, and BRT routes is $2. These fares come with free transfers for 2½ hours. On local buses, a paper transfer will be dispensed from the validator, on light rail and BRT routes your ticket serves as your transfer. Unlimited ride passes are available in 1-day, 7-day, and 31-day formats. Stored value passes (pay-per-ride) are also available.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
MSP · Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field
STC · Saint Cloud Regional Airport
RST · Rochester International Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Minneapolis–Saint Paul
Eat
Also see Minneapolis and Saint Paul. The Twin Cities is extremely vegetarian-friendly, with a large concentration of vegetarian and vegan-friendly restaurants. There are also a number of natural food coops. For example in Minneapolis alone, one can choose to shop at Linden Hills, Eastside, Wedge, or Seward Coops. There are also worker-owned collective cafes, including the Hard Times Cafe and Seward Cafe, that serve mostly organic, vegan food.
Stay safe
The Twin Cities are like most major American cities when it comes to crime issues, and all standard common-sense precautions should be taken.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Minneapolis–Saint Paul: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Minneapolis–Saint Paul?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Minneapolis–Saint Paul are September. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 28 °C; June is the wettest, with about 124 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Minneapolis–Saint Paul?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field (MSP), about 8.0 km from the city centre in a straight line; Saint Cloud Regional Airport (STC, 95 km) and Rochester International Airport (RST, 129 km) are also within reach.
What currency is used in Minneapolis–Saint Paul?
United States dollar (USD).
Nearby
Destinations near Minneapolis–Saint Paul
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.