Airport Details
Airport Full Name
Minneapolis-St Paul International
IATA Code
MSP
Location:
The airport is situated 10 miles (16km) south of
Minneapolis and 12 miles (19km) south of St Paul.
Airport Facilities
Northstar Crossing in the Lindbergh Terminal is a collection of numerous shops, restaurants and food courts. Other facilities include ATMs and bureaux de change, duty-free, postal services and a children's play area. Business centres situated throughout the airport offer Internet, fax and photocopying services. Wireless Internet access is also provided. The nearby Hilton hotel offers its rooms and gym facilities at day rates. Disabled facilities are good; those with special needs should contact their airline in advance.
Transfers
A Ground Transportation information booth provides passengers with information and directions. City buses leave from the Lindbergh Terminal to both Minneapolis and St Paul. A light rail operates between the airport, downtown Minneapolis and Mall of America. SuperShuttle provides a shared van door-to-door service to the local cities and towns. Taxis are also available.
Contact
Tel: +1 612 726 5800.
Climate Details (C)
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | |
| Min | -15 | -12 | -6 | 2 | 9 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 11 | 5 | -4 | -11 |
| Max | -6 | -2 | 2 | 12 | 20 | 25 | 28 | 27 | 21 | 16 | 4 | -3 |
Travel Guides: Minneapolis-St Paul
General Information
Minneapolis and St Paul are the two halves of a singular metropolis bisected by the Mississippi River in eastern Minnesota. The older city, St Paul, is the state capital, smaller, quieter and more reserved than its modern sibling across the river; it has a compact downtown area sporting a variety of restored Victorian architecture among its glass skyscrapers. It is the home to several major universities, and many museums and theatres. Minneapolis, founded on money made by the hundreds of saw and flourmills along the Mississippi has many contemporary buildings in a slick new downtown area with a lively, arty character and a vibrant nightlife.
The very existence of the Twin Cities is due to the only waterfall on the Mississippi, St Anthony Falls, whose hydroelectric power fuelled numerous flour and timber mills along the river, and today the Riverfront district in Minneapolis is a scenic stretch lined with old warehouses, mills and historical walking trails.
While Minneapolis and St Paul are the original 'Twin Cities' of Minnesota, the name now refers to the sprawling metro area, encompassing dozens of smaller towns, that extends for 30 miles in all directions. These towns have their own unique charm and identities, from the quaint 150-year-old main street of Anoka in the north to the antique stores and scenic St. Croix River valley of Stillwater to the south.
With hundreds of lakes lying within the Twin Cities area, there are endless opportunities for outdoor recreation, with miles of trails surrounding the lakes. Residents of the Twin Cities pride themselves on a high quality of life that includes sport and outdoor activities as well as top priorities such as a good education, a clean environment, excellent health care and a low crime rate. They boast a rich arts and cultural entertainment scene with more concert venues per person than any other city in the country, except New York. And the southern suburb of Bloomington is home to the largest shopping centre in the US that includes an aquarium and amusement park under the same roof as hundreds of shops, restaurants, bars and theatres.
Getting Around
Getting around on foot in the downtown areas of the massive metropolitan area of Minneapolis and St Paul is a fascinating experience on the famous skyways, a network of enclosed walkways which connect buildings in the city centres at second-storey level, ensuring no pedestrian needs to be exposed to bad weather. About 60 blocks of downtown Minneapolis are connected by skyways totalling about five miles (8km). When your feet are tired, hop on the bus. MetroTransit operates one of the largest public transport systems in the United States, running about 73-million bus trips every year. Trip planners and route information are readily available in the city and from hotel concierges. The relatively new Hiawatha Light Rail Transit route links downtown to the airport and the Mall of America, and the Northstar Corridor route takes passengers as far north as Big Lake. The twin cities also have numerous taxi services, available on call or outside hotels and other public venues.
Activities
Target Field, Minneapolis-St Paul
Home to the Minnesota Twins Major League Baseball team, Target Field was built in 2010 and is considered one of the most state-of-the-art baseball stadiums in the world. Minnesotans tend to be rather affectionate toward their team, and a day at the ballpark is a fun family activity for Minnesota tourists of all ages, and fans get a picturesque view of the downtown Minneapolis skyline. Tickets can be had for less than $10, depending on the section and the game. The stadium itself is beautifully and intricately constructed, and daily tours will show you hidden secrets like the players' locker rooms, clubhouse, and the elaborate underground systems that both heat and irrigate the field.
Getting There:
The Hiawatha Light Rail and Northstar Rail line both
have stops at Target Field.
Admission:
Tickets range $14-85, depending on section, and are
available from the website.
Valleyfair, Minneapolis-St Paul
Valleyfair is the largest amusement park in Minnesota, with 125 acres of rides and attractions ranging from high-speed roller coasters to midway games and an IMAX theater. Valleyfair also has the Soak City Waterpark with a range of waterslides and pools, and Challenge Park, which features the RipCord SkyCoaster. The amusement park's most famous ride is the Wild Thing roller coaster, which travels at 74 mph (120kph) with a drop of 196 feet (60 metres). There is also a Berenstein Bears children's play area and a variety of restaurants and food court areas. Open from spring to autumn, Valleyfair hosts ValleySCARE Halloween-themed attractions every October.
Opening Times:
Daily June-August, selected days in May, September
and October with varying hours
Admission:
$39.99 adults; $18.99 kids less than 48 inches tall;
other concessions available
Mall of America, Minneapolis-St Paul
Located in the southern suburb of Bloomington, the futuristic superstructure of the Mall of America is recognised as the largest enclosed shopping and entertainment complex in the country. It welcomes over 42 million visitors each year and is the fifth most visited attraction in the USA with world-class shopping, family entertainment, nightlife and numerous dining options. There are over 500 stores and specialty shops including the Lego Imagination Center, international department stores such as Bloomingdales, more than 70 restaurants and fast food outlets, cinemas, theatres and nightclubs, a wedding chapel and a mini-golf course. Underwater Adventures is a massive aquarium with touch pools featuring sharks and stingrays. Mall of America's famous centrepiece is Nickelodeon Universe, an indoor theme park with thirty rides and adventures.
Getting There:
Express bus 80 from downtown Minneapolis, or bus 54 from
downtown St Paul. The Light Rail Transit links Downtown
Minneapolis, the international airport and Mall of
America
Opening Times:
Mall open Monday to Saturday 10am to 9.30pm, Sunday
11am to 7pm. Hours for restaurants, nightclubs and other
attractions may vary, as well as summer and holiday hours. The Park
at MOA: Monday to Thursday 10am to 9.30pm, Friday and Saturday 10am
to 10pm, Sunday 10.30am to 7.30pm. Aquarium: Monday to Thursday
10am to 8pm, Friday and Saturday 9.30am to 8.30pm, Sunday 10am to
7pm
Admission:
Admission to Nickelodeon Universe is free, but tickets
must be purchased for each ride. An Unlimited Ride Wristband is
$29.95, valid for one day. Aquarium: $18.95 (adults), $12.49
(children 3-12)
Walker Art Center, Minneapolis-St Paul
Internationally renowned for its permanent collection of 20th century paintings, drawings, prints, photography and sculptures, the Walker Art Center is one of the country's leading contemporary art centres and is one of the most visited museums in the USA. It features works by top artists in a range of styles, utilising various multi-media installations and educational programs. Contemporary art can also be experienced here through theatre, dance, video, music and film. Next door is the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden with creative contemporary work spread across a huge area of parkland. It is the largest urban sculpture park in the country and includes the colossal Spoonbridge and Cherry Fountainby Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen, and Frank Gehry's Standing Glass Fish.
Getting There:
Bus 4, 6, 12, 25 from downtown
Opening Times:
Sculpture Garden: daily from 6am to midnight.
Galleries: Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday 11am to 5pm,
Thursday and Friday until 9pm
Admission:
$10 (adults), concessions available; admission is free
on the first Saturday of each month (10am–5pm) and Thursday
evenings (5pm-9pm): the Sculpture Garden is free
Minnesota Zoo, Minneapolis-St Paul
A huge state-of-the-art zoo with over 40 acres of habitats housing more than 2,000 creatures of all kinds, the Minnesota Zoo is a fantastic attraction for those travelling with kids in Minneapolis. It features animals from every continent, and an enormous aquarium. Kids can interact with animals in the touch pool and petting zoo, and when the weather is uncooperative the IMAX Theatre is a place to escape. A monorail offers aerial views of many of the habitats, and is a good alternative to the walking trails for those who tire easily. The zoo has a food court and gift shop, and hosts concerts in the summer.
Opening Times:
Hours vary according to season. See the website for
current times.
Admission:
$16 adults, $10 children under 12. IMAX combo tickets
available.
Events
Minnesota State Fair
Dubbed the 'Great Minnesota Get-Together', the Minnesota State Fair is eagerly anticipated by locals every year, taking advantage of the beautiful late-summer weather to attract millions of people for food, music, rides and more fun. The Midway offers dozens of rides and games for all ages, while the livestock competitions offer farmers the chance to show off their prized animals. The Fair started out as an event for farmers, so there are still machinery shows, but that has become secondary for most people with the concerts, exhibits, and shows. The real attraction is the food though, with Sweet Martha's Cookies, all-you-can-drink chocolate milk, Bloomin' Onions, and an amazing variety of food fried on a stick.
Date:
25 August - 5 September 2011
Venue:
State Fairgrounds, Falcon Heights
Minnesota Renaissance Festival
The Minnesota Rennaissance Festival is a month-long fair recreating life in 16th-century Europe. Held on a 22-acre (89,000 sq metre) field in Jonathan, Minnesota every autumn, the festival offers food, shopping, and entertainment all designed to be as authentic as possible to the era. You can sample foods like turkey legs and apple tarts or the favourite Barbarian Burger while you take in a round of jousting or catch medieval comedy with performers like Zilch the Torysteller. You can visit the royal court, or you might even catch a real medieval wedding! Fair-goers are encouraged to come in costume, but if you don't have your own you can find whatever you need in the fairs shops.
Date:
20 August - 2 October 2011
Venue:
Jonathan, Minnesota
May Day Festival
After the long cold winter the people of the Twin Cities are very eager to turn out to celebrate the arrival of spring at the Minneapolis May Day Parade and Festival. Costumes, floats and street performers make up a wonderful creative parade through downtown, ending at Powderhorn Park where all manner of entertainment, including several puppet shows, goes on. The food and activities on offer are ample to keep everyone happy for the day.
Date:
1 May 2011
Venue:
Parade starts at Bloomington Avenue and 26th Street,
proceeding to Powderhorn Park
St Paul Winter Carnival
Back in 1886 a New York journalist described St Paul as being 'unfit for human habitation in the winter'. Locals were not going to take this insult lying down and decided to turn the snowiest spot in the States into a winter wonderland. Since then the tradition of building an ice palace - nowadays a spectacular walk-through castle of ice - has become entrenched, along with the huge party that goes along with it. Each year the crowning of King Boreas and the Queen of Snows heralds the start of three weeks of frozen fun with events like ice sculpture contests and a torchlight parade.
Date:
26 January to 5 February 2012
Venue:
Cleveland Circle, opposite the Xcel Energy Center
Venue:
10am to midnight
Anoka Halloween Parade
The Anoka Halloween Parade is a big event in a little town. It was the first city to host a Halloween Parade in 1920, and has officially been designated the 'Halloween Capital of the World' by the US Congress. The city's festivities include a bonfire, beauty pageant, 5k race (in costume, of course), ball, 'Pumpkin Bowl' football game, haunted houses, wine tastings, home decorating contests, and no less than three parades. The main event is the Grand Day Parade, held on the Saturday before Halloween. The parade features marching bands and drum corps, dance groups, local police and fire departments, and many other groups handing out candy to spectators as they march down Anoka's historic Main Street.
Date:
29 October 2011
Venue:
Main Street, Anoka
Restaurants
Chino Latino
This popular Minneapolis restaurant in the heart of Uptown blends Latin and Asian cuisine for a mixture that seems to please everyone. The food is served family-style, and includes diverse options like Jamaican Jerk Chicken and Philippine Paella. Reservations are recommended, and there are several dishes that must be ordered in advance, including Fidel's Capitalist Pig Roast (Havana-style suckling pig), and the Cuy Disponible (guinea pig).
Address:
2916 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis
Manny's Steakhouse
Manny's Steakhouse in downtown Minneapolis is focused on the best: the best cut of meat, the best liquor, and the best service possible. This comes at a price, of course, as Manny's is one of the most expensive restaurants in the Twin Cities. Loyal patrons insist you get what you pay for though, as the food is excellent and the portions huge. The tables are close together and the atmosphere is usually bustling, so it isn't the place for a quiet, intimate meal.
Address:
825 Marquette Ave, Minneapolis
Loring Pasta Bar
The decor in this Dinkytown restaurant shouldn't be missed. It's both chic and whimsical and totally unlike any other eatery in the Twin Cities. The three-storey dining room is light and airey during the day, but packed at night when the Loring hosts live music, which is almost nightly. The menu is aimed at the university crowd as it's right on the edge of the University of Minnesota campus, but with a sophisticated flair. It heats up on weekends with Salsa nights.
Address:
327 14th Ave SE, Minneapolis
Mickey's Diner
While it may not be haute cuisine, Mickey's Diner is a landmark on the St Paul map. The quintessential greasy spoon is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and isn't shy about much of anything. They'll boast about their thick milkshakes, juicy burgers and cranky waitresses with equal fervour. The iconic dining car is done up in a distinctive art deco style, and has been featured in several movies, including The Mighty Ducks and A Prairie Home Companion.
Address:
36 W. 7th Street, St. Paul
