Minnesota (Minneapolis)
Trip Summary
Minneapolis, Minnesota is one of my favorite cities, and I have been lucky enough to visit twice. Both times were a lovely escape from the hot temps back home. The air was cool, and I loved exploring the city. Everything from the awe-inspiring Skyway to the easy public transportation to the walkable streets make this a wonderful location to visit!
I’ll start with accommodations first. One of my biggest gripes about some cities is how expensive it is to stay there, but Minneapolis is actually quite reasonable, and there are lots of options right in the downtown area if you want to stay at a place close to the main sights! I really wavered between a few places on my first visit, but ultimately picked the Radisson RED Minneapolis Downton Hotel because of its cute decor, good reviews, and easy access to most of downtown.
From the beginning, the staff was delightful. Each person who worked at the front desk seemed so happy to be there, and they were all so helpful when I asked to check in early and leave my bag after I checked out as my departing flight wasn’t until later that day. They are also very dog-friendly, and while I did not have a pet with me, I found it adorable that they welcomed pets with bandanas, a treat, food/water bowls, and even a little bed for the room!
I booked a Studio King Bed, and the room was fresh, clean, and beautifully designed! The decorations are very modern, and the room comes complete with a large bed, and a long table with chairs and a bench where you can do work/eat/etc. The bathroom also has a lovely rain shower head that is relaxing. When I went, the hotel had switched to an installed shampoo/conditioner/body wash station in the shower, but they also had soap and lotion (that smelled good!) that you could take home.
The hotel also has direct access to the Skywalk (very useful in bad weather when you don’t want to trek around outside) and is close to a variety of restaurants and attractions. They even have a restaurant within the hotel, though I found their prices to be silly for what you purchased (so if you go, definitely go during Happy Hour when the prices are a little more reasonable).
For the cleanliness, proximity to downtown, the cute decorations, and the lovely staff, this hotel gets a high score! The only thing keeping it from an A+ is the restaurant and its prices–but don’t let that deter you from booking here. It is a great place to stay!
Radisson RED Minneapolis Downtown Hotel: A
On my most recent trip, a vacation trip in which my husband could come with me and see this gorgeous city, we decided to stay at Hewing Hotel. We had a free night via Hotels.com to use, so we decided to try a new place that was close to the good restaurants and on the north side of the city so we could easily get back on the road on our way up north (we were heading to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan).
This place looked unique because of the rustic decorations, had good reviews, and the location seemed perfect. So we booked a King Room and it met all of our expectations! The staff was especially lovely as they went above and beyond to help you check in, find appropriate parking, and discover good restaurants around town.
We drove into Minneapolis this time (I flew in previously), and discovered that parking is a major headache in town. We were limited to street parking because we had a sky tent on our truck and street parking everywhere did not operate by meters but rather through an app that was having difficulties that day. Luckily, parking spaces were not being ticketed that day, so the front desk manager told us that we could park on the street outside the hotel as long as we were gone in the morning when the city officials would start ticketing. So that’s what we did, and we appreciated the help, because we noticed a lot of people having difficulty with the meters around town.
The room itself was nice and clean, had fancy decorations in the lobby, hallways, and the room, and coffee and refreshments were available in the lobby in the mornings. The hotel also has a beautiful pool area, but it was closed when we were there, so if you go during the summer, be sure to check it out as it looked lovely!
So for its location, helpful staff, and nice room, this place gets my recommendation. Between this place and the Raddison RED, I think I liked the Radisson a tad better, but you can’t go wrong with this place, especially if you like a more rustic feel to the decor, so it still gets high marks!
Hewing Hotel: A-
Now, I mentioned attractions, right? There are a lot of them! Perhaps the most famous one is the Mall of America. It is actually right next to the airport, so it is an easy stop either right after you fly into Minneapolis or right before you fly out. It is a huge mall with over 500 stores, a multitude of restaurants, an aquarium, and a major indoor amusement park. When I first asked friends for suggestions, they actually recommended staying away from the Mall of America because of the crowds.
However, my flight got in very early the first time I visited the city, so I went to the Mall of America before anything opened, and this is the way I would recommend exploring the place. You can still admire the hugeness and wonder of the place and walk quickly from floor to floor. Seeing the amusement park without anyone there is actually kind of fun (and a bit spooky) because it lets you take all kinds of people-less pictures and see the sights while everything is still quiet.
I ended up leaving the mall when everything was just starting to open, and when that happened, I did notice a big shift in the atmosphere. At a lot of the stores, retail workers stand at the entrance and call to you as you pass by, asking you to come in and buy something, and when there are more than 500 stores, this can get tiresome quickly. I could also see the experience not being as fun with a lot of people crowding the spaces.
If you have kids, it would be worth it to go as the amusement park did look like a lot of fun, and there is plenty to do from going on rides to going through a mirror maze to seeing the aquarium. If you are on your own, though, I would recommend going when I did–early in the morning–and this way, you can explore one of the world’s biggest malls without being rushed or hassled.
So all in all, it gets a good grade for its sheer size, variety of shops and restaurants, and impressive entertainment offerings. Just know that during regular business hours, there are a lot of salespeople constantly pushing you to buy stuff, and this can get overwhelming at a place this size.
Mall of America: B+
Some of the other hotspots to visit include the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden. This place is out by Loring Pond, and even though it was pouring down rain when I finally got there with the wind blowing my little travel umbrella inside out every few seconds, it was still a fun place to see.
The sculptures vary from faces to a horse made of driftwood to the more famous blue chicken and the cherry on the spoon. There is also a nice walking path that goes all around the park (and to a very photogenic walking bridge)!
One of the other big spots to visit is Minnehaha Falls a little south of the city. The falls are part of a park, and there is a walking path that loops around the falls and goes past some of Minnehaha Creek which is also pretty.
What I liked about this park was that you could see the falls from several viewpoints–one at the top, one toward the side (where most people were taking pictures), and one at the bottom.
The hike to and from the bottom of the falls has a lot of stairs, but it isn’t too strenuous and is well-maintained, too. Luckily, the rain lessened on the day that I visited, so I could get some good views of the waterfall!
Last, and certainly not least, is the Guthrie Theater. This place was actually really close to my hotel, so I walked there, and it surprised me by how beautiful it was. It is a massive theater and was largely deserted when I went, so I wandered around admiring the place until I got to the yellow room–arguably the best view in town! The space was largely empty, so I just took in the view of the Stone Arch Bridge on the Mississippi River. The yellow panes make for interesting photos, too!
While at the theater, you can also go to the Endless Bridge which has similar views but without the yellow panes–so if that is more to your liking, pay that a visit, too!
There is one more viewing spot in Minneapolis–the Foshay Tower–but both times I visited the city, it was closed and wouldn’t open until after I left, so I sadly coudn’t see that and review it for you! Even so, I was very happy with the viewing experience at Guthrie and highly recommend that–it’s free (unlike the Foshay Tower) and is beautiful!
Now, Minneapolis is known for more than its views! The food! I found it funny that out of all the recommendations of places to see in Minneapolis, 90% of those recommendations were for restaurants! And this place doesn’t disappoint!
Let’s start with the best places…
Red Cow. There are a few locations, but I walked to the one on the North Loop, and it is an awesome place to grab a beer and a burger. Minneapolis is known for its “Juicy Lucy” (a hamburger with the cheese inside the patty–more on this later). Great, fast service, an extensive drink menu, tasty burgers, and ample seating, this place is the perfect place to have a meal. The portions are also sizable (I ended up taking a lot of my meal back to the hotel!), so get there hungry (and thirsty!).
For its excellent service, good food, clean atmosphere, and friendly vibe, this place gets an excellent score!
Red Cow: A
If you have any room for dessert or fancy an ice cream, the place to go is Izzy’s Ice Cream. They have a lot of different flavors (even a mystery one!), and you can get ice cream scoops in an assortment of sizes. The single and double scoops come with a small bonus “Izzy scoop,” too, and you can pick a different flavor for that if you wanted. The flavor that you absolutely cannot miss is the salted caramel. OMG. I am not a sweets person in general and only got one scoop, but I wanted that scoop to last forever!
The staff is friendly, too, the space clean, and there are some small tables where you can sit and eat. The only downside is that the prices are ridiculously expensive. Luckily, my Uber driver warned me on the way there, so the sticker shock was expected, but just expect to pay out the nose for some ice cream. But OMG get the salted caramel, and you won’t be worried about the cost!
For its to-die-for flavors, clean establishment, and friendly staff, this place gets high marks! The only downside is the cost, but otherwise, it’s the best ice cream you’ll ever eat!
Izzy’s Ice Cream: A
Another place to try out is Hell’s Kitchen. It is located near the western part of downtown and is a fun place to get any meal–whether you are going for breakfast, supper, or even just a drink. The decorations are really cool to see as you walk down the steps to the restaurant and the staff was lovely–very helpful and friendly!
The menu has a lot of fun options, and when I went in the morning, a lot of the patrons were sipping from Bloody Marys, Mimosas, and drinks of that nature. The prices are quite reasonable, too, so that was a nice break from the prices I encountered at other spots in town.
I knew that the place was famous for its Lemon Ricotta Pancakes, and not being a big pancake person, I asked the waitress if I could just try it without getting the whole pancake stack. She said that I could get one as a “side,” so that’s what I did. And it was good! The taste is more subtle than I thought it would be, but it was still tasty and came with an assortment of fresh fruits on top. They give you syrup, too, but the pancake was good enough on its own with some melted butter. Mmmm!
For its good prices, fun decorations, expansive menu, and wonderful service, this place gets a great score!
Hell’s Kitchen: A
One place that took me by surprise was a seafood place by Minnehaha Falls. Sea Salt Eatery had gotten great reviews online, so when I visited the park, I wandered inside as they opened, tempted by all the good smells of food cooking!
You order at the front, and they give you a number to put at your table. Not being exceptionally hungry, I got one crab cake.
When it came out, it was cooked to perfection! Crispy outside and tender inside with lovely seasoning that made the whole meal scrumptious. The place is also in a peaceful spot with lots of outdoor seating, trees surrounding the restaurant, and the Minnehaha Falls just a short distance away–if you listen carefully, you can even hear the water from your outdoor table!
For its good food, beautiful atmosphere, and friendly staff, this place gets high marks!
Sea Salt Eatery: A
Okay, now for the famous place to get a Juicy Lucy. And I am afraid I am going to get so much flak for this review: Matt’s Bar. This is the birthplace of the “Juicy Lucy”–the burger that Minneapolis is famous for…the burger with the cheese cooked in the middle of the burger. The place looks unassuming from the outside and when I first got there, I wondered if I went to the right place. But then as soon as you open the doors, you see that it is an absolute madhouse–people everywhere with standing room only from wall to wall.
After a half an hour wait in line, I got a seat at the bar and ordered a “Juicy Lucy,” but it wasn’t until another hour and ten minutes later that it came, so be prepared for a wait! The time waiting allowed for a lot of people watching, and I was astonished that the place only had one cook and two waitresses–one for the bar (she was also the cashier and took/prepared all the “to go” orders) and one for the rest of the restaurant. The place is slammed at all hours and just in the time I was there, I was exhausted just watching them as they would literally run from place to place, rush to fill drinks, wrap up burgers, deliver food, make change, take more table/bar orders, take and prepare “to go” orders, and clean tables and dishes. I can’t even imagine how tired they all were at the end of the day!
The food was okay when it came. There is a small amount of cheese in the middle of the burger (but not near the amount shown in pictures), but it was a bit overcooked. The drink selection is also very limited. The very long wait made it seem like these were just the most amazing burgers ever, but honestly, it was a bit of a letdown and made me wish I had gone back to Red Cow rather than come here. But hey, it’s a famous place that you can check off if you are in Minneapolis. Though, if you are short on time, I might suggest skipping it.
For its hardworking staff and unique food, this place gets an okay grade. The place really needs to hire more staff, though, to not only bring down wait times, but to be more fair to the cook/servers in sharing the workload.
Matt’s Bar: B
On my second visit to Minneapolis, I was determined to find a better place to get a Juicy Lucy (and to show my husband what a good Juicy Lucy was)! So after looking at reviews of just about every place in town, I decided we would walk to Crooked Pint Ale House and experience the Minneapolis delicacy the way it was meant to be! And holy goodness, it did not disappoint!
Firstly, this place offers all sorts of Juicy Lucys with different cheeses, sauces, and toppings, so you can decide any which way you want to order it. And they offer fried cheese curds as sides! Matt’s Bar did not, so this is another reason to go here. Cheese curds are a staple of Minnesota, so if you want the full experience, this is the place!
And they have an extensive beer/cider list as well! I think Matt’s Bar had some beers, but I didn’t have any then, but at Crooked Pint Ale House, my husband and I had a hard time deciding which one to get! There were so many good choices!
The service was excellent, too, and months later, my husband and I still talk about this place and how good it was! The food was hot and fresh (and delicious) and the whole experience was just a perfect way to spend a chilly evening in Minneapolis. A perfect place indeed!
So for its amazing food, good service, extensive drink menu, and ambience, this place gets a top score! When my husband and I visited, Red Cow was closed, so that was another reason we went here, but I would venture to say this place is even better than Red Cow, and that is saying a lot!
Crooked Pint Ale House: A+
Ready for another A+ place? I don’t give A+s out often, but when it is deserved, I shout its praises from the rooftops, so take note of this next place! Hen House Eatery! Oh, my goodness! This was another place my husband and I visited during my second time in the city, and we decided to go for breakfast/brunch before we had to check out of our hotel.
The menu is extensive as they offer all sorts of things from sweet to savory (they have a full bakery in the restaurant as well!). They also offer a wide range of mimosas, too, and not one to pass up a brunch mimosa, we ordered the Menage of Mimosas so that we could try a variety. It comes with orange, cranberry, blueberry, and sour cherry flavors, and they were all delicious! I liked the cranberry best, but you really can’t go wrong with any of them.
And the food! The food was so good, too. My husband had biscuits and gravy while I had the French toast, and these came with bacon and an assortment of potatoes, so you know we were so full by the end of the meal! But it was so good and probably one of the best brunches we’ve ever had which is why this place gets such a high rating.
For its extensive menu (for food and drinks!), great service, and deliciousness, this place gets an A+ from me!
Hen House Eatery: A+
However, Minneapolis is FULL of amazing restaurants to try! I didn’t have a chance to try all the places I wanted to, but some other spots to check out would be the Day Block Brewing Company (great selection of beers and ciders not seen at other places!), The Coffee Shop North East (great coffee and a surprisingly big venue with lots of cozy study/work spots), and Dunn Brothers Coffee (this place is a chain coffee shop, but it is still good, has a lot of seating–and a fake fireplace!–and has plenty of locations around Minneapolis). When I was asking for recommendations, a lot of people recommended Spoon and Stable, but their menu is fancy/pricy, so I didn’t try it, but if you have a bigger budget, maybe try that place, too?
So if you go to Minneapolis, try all the food! Use the Skywalk! See the sights! It’s a great getaway, and I highly recommend it!
Favorite Experiences
I think my favorite parts about Minneapolis were the surprises I encountered. The Guthrie Theater was one of those surprises because I spent a while navigating through the completely empty building, finding several elevators and staircases before finally stumbling across the Yellow Room or the Amber Box. And absolutely no one was there, so the beautiful view was something I could just sit and admire in absolute peace and quiet. You can actually see a fair bit from the bridges across the Mississippi River to the historic signs above the city to the riverwalk. It’s a very peaceful way to spend some time and makes for some great pictures!
Izzy’s Ice Cream, Tilted Pint Ale House, and Hen House Eatery were nice surprises, too! I knew Red Cow was going to be good, because everyone talked about it, but the others were nice additions to the trip! Now to lose the weight from trying these places out..ha!
What I Wish I Knew
All in all, it was a fun trip, but some things I wish I knew were…that travel umbrellas completely and utterly suck and are no match for rain and wind in Minneapolis. I only brought a carry-on, so I had one of those tiny umbrellas, but when the rain really started to come down as I was exploring the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, my umbrella didn’t provide any cover at all, but would just be flipping itself inside out every few seconds.
I even thought about just leaving the gardens, but then I thought, no, this is the only time I’ll be here, so I might as well just get through it and see the sights, rain or shine! But the umbrella situation got so comical that I actually started laughing when I would spend more time wrestling with my inside out umbrella than seeing anything or taking pictures. So if you go and rain is in the forecast, maybe pack a bigger/heavier umbrella or buy one?
Also, I wish that I knew that the hours posted for operation on websites are not always accurate. For example, Izzy’s Ice Cream was posted as opening at 11 a.m., but I got there only to find that the place wouldn’t even open until 1 p.m. So I wondered around a bit to kill time (and found Day Block in the process!), so when you make plans, don’t trust the postings online, but perhaps call places the day before and ask about hours of operation.
I wish I knew that Matt’s Bar and Grill was just not worth the hype (and wait). I know I could have spend that time elsewhere seeing more of the city (and probably eating better food!), but oh, well, not all places are perfect!
Lastly, I wish I knew what absolute mayhem the MSP Airport is for flying back! I have taken connections there and never had any problems, but oh, my Lord, the line to get through security (AFTER the line to check in) was two hours!! I learned later that the reason for the craziness was that the airport is under construction, but I am so glad I got there early. The security line was so long and looped so many times back and forth that it was hard to even see where the line started. At one point, I even asked a worker where the line started and he pointed and said, “See the people? It’s over there.” Ahem, people? There are people everywhere! But I was polite in my response and eventually found it, however the line was just absurd. So factor in way more time than you think you will need if you are flying out of that airport.
I found a lot of my spots through suggestions from the Girls LOVE Travel group on Facebook, so I highly recommend joining that group! This forum here is also helpful in finding good places to see.
Hope you enjoy the city! I know I did!
I also post reels and TikToks regularly of all the places I’ve reviewed on here, so if you want to see some videos of what to expect, check out my social media here:
TikTok: @touristyteacher
Instagram: @touristyteacher
Facebook: @touristyteacher
Happy travels!
