Things to do in Minneapolis start with two free sights: the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden and the Minneapolis Institute of Art. The Walker Art Center, Mill City Museum, the Stone Arch Bridge, Minnehaha Falls and Mall of America follow, and the Blue Line train links the airport, downtown, Minnehaha Park and the Mall. We read the official pages on 15 October 2026.
The sights, with address, hours and price
Minneapolis Sculpture Garden and Spoonbridge and Cherry
Address: 725 Vineland Place, Minneapolis, MN 55403 is the Walker's address. The Park Board lists the garden at 726 Vineland Place (Walker Art Center visit page and Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board garden page, read 15 Oct 2026)
Hours: Daily, 6 a.m. to midnight (Walker visit page; the Park Board page says "6 am to midnight")
Price: Free (Walker visit page)
The Walker's page says Spoonbridge and Cherry is in the garden. Neither page says whether the fountain is running now.
Walker Art Center
Address: 725 Vineland Place, Minneapolis, MN 55403 (Walker Art Center, visit page, read 15 Oct 2026)
Hours: Closed Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday to Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. On the second Sunday of each month, galleries open at 11 a.m. Closed on the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (same page)
Price: Adult $18. Senior (65 and over) $16. Student with ID $12. Active military and their families $9, and free from Armed Forces Day in May to Labor Day. Free for ages 18 and under, EBT cardholders, citizens and members of Tribal Nations, and Walker members (same page; the page has no date)
Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia)
Address: 2400 Third Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55404. The main entrance is on Third Avenue South (Mia, visit page, read 15 Oct 2026)
Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Closed Monday, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (same page)
Price: General admission to the permanent collection is always free, with no ticket or reservation. Special exhibitions need a paid ticket. Parking in Mia's ramp and lots is paid, and the page gives no rate (same page)
Mia says its collection has more than 100,000 works. Bags larger than 15 by 15 inches, backpacks, umbrellas and water bottles must be checked at the free self-serve coat check.
Mill City Museum
Address: 704 South 2nd Street, Minneapolis, MN 55401 (Minnesota Historical Society, Mill City Museum hours and admission page, read 15 Oct 2026)
Hours: Closed Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday to Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Thanksgiving (26 Nov 2026), Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year's Eve. Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on 27 November and on 26 and 27 December 2026 (same page)
Price: Adult $15. Seniors 65 and over, veterans, active military and college students $12. Ages 5 to 17 $8. Ages 4 and under free. Tickets are sold on site only, with no advance sales online or by phone (same page)
The museum is built into the ruins of what it calls the world's largest flour mill. It has no parking lot of its own. The city runs ramps nearby.
Stone Arch Bridge
Address: 1 Portland Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55401. The bridge crosses the Mississippi River below St. Anthony Falls (National Park Service, Stone Arch Bridge page, last updated 27 Feb 2020, read 15 Oct 2026)
Hours: "6 a.m. to 10 p.m., unless otherwise posted" (same page)
Price: The page lists no fee. The bridge is 2,100 feet long and 28 feet wide (same page)
The page dates from 2020 and shows no closure notice. Check the NPS alerts before you go.
Bde Maka Ska and the Chain of Lakes
Address: 3000 Bde Maka Ska Parkway, Minneapolis, MN 55408. Part of the Minneapolis Chain of Lakes Regional Park (Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, Bde Maka Ska Park page, read 15 Oct 2026)
Hours: 6 a.m. to midnight in developed areas, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. in undeveloped areas (same page)
Price: The page lists no entry fee and a pay parking lot with no rate. Wheel Fun Rentals rents canoes, kayaks, bikes, boats and paddle boards, and the page gives no prices (same page)
The page lists three beaches (32nd Street Beach, North Beach and Thomas Beach), a 3.1-mile walking trail, a bike path, a fishing pier and a skate park at the 32nd Street lot.
Minnehaha Regional Park and Minnehaha Falls
Address: 4801 S Minnehaha Drive, Minneapolis, MN 55417. Phone 612-230-6400 (Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, Minnehaha Regional Park page, read 15 Oct 2026)
Hours: Developed areas 6 a.m. to midnight. Undeveloped areas 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Some restrooms close earlier (same page)
Price: The page lists no admission charge. It lists a pay lot, a free lot and street parking kiosks, with no rates (same page)
Getting there: The Blue Line has a station named 50th Street / Minnehaha Park (Metro Transit Blue Line route map, effective 14 Mar 2026). We did not check the walk from the station to the falls
The park has a bandstand, a playground, a wading pool, picnic areas and a disc golf course, and Wheel Fun Rentals rents bikes. Sea Salt Eatery opens seasonally for lunch and dinner.
Mall of America
Address: 2131 Lindau Lane, Bloomington, MN 55425. Phone 952-883-8800 (Mall of America home page, read 15 Oct 2026)
Hours: Monday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The page shows no holiday hours (same page)
Price: The home page states no mall admission policy and no parking rate. Attractions inside sell their own tickets, and we did not check any price
Getting there: Mall of America is the last station on the Blue Line. The station is on the mall's east side, lower level (Metro Transit route map and airport page). We did not confirm the ride time from downtown or the airport
Guthrie Theater and the Endless Bridge
Address: 818 South 2nd Street, Minneapolis, MN 55415. Phone 612-377-2224 (Guthrie Theater, Getting Here page, read 15 Oct 2026)
Hours: The Guthrie says the building is open to the public year-round, with hours that change by day. On 15 October 2026 its visit page showed 1 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. (Guthrie visit page)
Price: The Guthrie's first-timer guide invites visitors to explore the Endless Bridge and the Amber Box for city views. It names no charge for the public spaces. Backstage tours start at 10:15 a.m. on the second and fourth Saturday of each month, and the Guthrie asks you to reserve (Guthrie first-timer guide and visit page)
The Riverfront Ramp across South 2nd Street charges $15 at the standard event rate, and $50 when U.S. Bank Stadium has an event, says the Guthrie. The Guthrie (818) and Mill City Museum (704) are both on South 2nd Street.
The skyways
Note: Meet Minneapolis, the tourism board, says "most Skyway connected buildings are open until 6pm, Monday - Friday and are closed on weekends," and that hours vary by building. It gives "over 10 miles" and "around 80 city blocks" in one place and "over 8 cumulative miles" in another, so we give no single length. It points to SkywayAccess.com for current hours (Meet Minneapolis, skyway guide page, read 15 Oct 2026)
The skyways are enclosed bridges between buildings. In winter they let you cross downtown without going outside, but only on weekdays while the buildings are open.
Free things to do
| Sight | What the source says |
|---|---|
| Minneapolis Sculpture Garden | Free, 6 a.m. to midnight (Walker page) |
| Minneapolis Institute of Art | General admission always free, closed Monday (Mia page) |
| Stone Arch Bridge | No fee listed, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. unless posted (NPS page, 2020) |
| Minnehaha Regional Park | No admission charge listed. Some lots charge (Park Board page) |
| Bde Maka Ska | No entry fee listed. The parking lot charges (Park Board page) |
| Guthrie Endless Bridge | Public spaces open year-round, hours vary by day (Guthrie pages) |
Things to do with kids
| Sight | What the source says |
|---|---|
| Walker Art Center | Free for ages 18 and under |
| Minneapolis Institute of Art | Free general admission for all ages |
| Mill City Museum | $8 for ages 5 to 17, free for ages 4 and under |
| Minnehaha Regional Park | Playground and wading pool |
| Bde Maka Ska | Three beaches, boat and bike rentals |
| Mall of America | Open daily. We did not check its attractions or prices |
We did not check age limits, height rules or opening dates for the park play areas and beaches.
Getting around
From the airport to downtown
Getting there: Blue Line from the Terminal 1 or Terminal 2 station. Metro Transit says "Travel time to downtown (Target Field) is less than 30 minutes" and that trains leave every 15 minutes during most of the day. The line runs 24 hours a day between Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, with no fare between them. The page gives no fare and no hours for the downtown trip (Metro Transit, airport page, read 15 Oct 2026)
Price: Adult fare (ages 13 to 64) $2 on Local Bus and METRO, at all times. Reduced fare $1 for ages 6 to 12, seniors 65 and over and Medicare card holders. All-Day Pass $4 for adults, valid on buses and light rail until 2 a.m. the next day. Downtown Zone rides cost 50 cents. The page carries no effective date (Metro Transit, fares page, read 15 Oct 2026)
Pay at a METRO station ticket machine with a Go-To Card or pass, or with the Metro Transit app, says Metro Transit. We expect the airport trip is the regular $2 fare, but the airport page does not say so. Check service alerts before you ride.
Light rail stations that matter
The Blue Line runs from Target Field to Mall of America. In order, its stops include Target Field, Warehouse District / Hennepin Avenue, Nicollet Mall, U.S. Bank Stadium, Cedar Riverside, Franklin Avenue, Lake Street Midtown, 38th Street, 46th Street, 50th Street Minnehaha Park, VA Medical Center, Fort Snelling, Terminal 1, Terminal 2, American Boulevard, Bloomington Central, 30th Avenue and Mall of America (Metro Transit route map, effective 14 Mar 2026).
Do I need a car in Minneapolis?
Not for the downtown sights, in our reading of the sources.
| Place | How to get there |
|---|---|
| Airport | Blue Line, under 30 minutes to Target Field |
| Downtown, Mill City Museum, the Guthrie and the skyways | Downtown Zone fare of 50 cents, and the skyways connect many buildings on weekdays |
| Minnehaha Park | Blue Line, 50th Street Minnehaha Park station |
| Mall of America | Blue Line, last station |
| Walker, Sculpture Garden, Mia, Bde Maka Ska | We did not look up bus routes |
If your list is mostly the Walker, Mia and the lakes, look up bus routes first, or plan on a taxi or rideshare. A car costs money to park too: the Park Board lists pay lots at Minnehaha and Bde Maka Ska, and Mia's ramp is paid. We did not check any rental price.
Where to stay in Minneapolis
We did not check any hotel's rate or room list, so we give no prices.
| Area | What it is near |
|---|---|
| Downtown and the Mill District | Blue Line stations at Nicollet Mall, Target Field and U.S. Bank Stadium, Mill City Museum, the Guthrie and the skyways |
| Around Vineland Place | The Walker Art Center and the Sculpture Garden |
| Near Bde Maka Ska | The lake, the beaches and the trails |
| Bloomington | Mall of America and the airport stations on the Blue Line |
For a first visit we suggest downtown, because the Blue Line, the 50-cent Downtown Zone fare and the skyways are all there. Bloomington puts you at the Mall and the airport, with the Blue Line to downtown. We did not check which hotels are in each area.
Best time to visit and winter cold
NOAA's 1991 to 2020 monthly normals for Minneapolis-St. Paul airport:
| Month | Average high | Average low | Precipitation | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 24 F | 9 F | 0.89 in | 11.0 in |
| April | 57 F | 38 F | 2.91 in | 3.5 in |
| July | 83 F | 65 F | 4.06 in | 0.0 in |
| October | 58 F | 41 F | 2.58 in | 0.8 in |
(NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, monthly normals dataset 1991 to 2020, station USW00014922, read 15 Oct 2026. Temperatures rounded.) December averages 29 F and 15 F, with 11.4 inches of snow. A single week can be warmer or colder than these averages.
July is the warmest of these months and January is by far the coldest. In January the skyways help downtown on weekdays, but most skyway buildings close on weekends.
What we checked and what can change
Read on 15 October 2026: the Walker Art Center visit page, Mia's visit page, the Guthrie Theater's visit, Getting Here and first-timer pages, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board pages for the Sculpture Garden, Bde Maka Ska and Minnehaha Regional Park, the Meet Minneapolis skyway guide, the Minnesota Historical Society's Mill City Museum hours and admission page, the National Park Service Stone Arch Bridge page, the Mall of America home page, Metro Transit's airport page, fares page and Blue Line route map, and NOAA's monthly normals.
Not confirmed: whether the Spoonbridge and Cherry fountain is running, the Blue Line fare for the airport trip, the ride time to Mall of America, any bus route to the Walker, Mia or Bde Maka Ska, parking rates at the parks and at Mia, the price of Mia's special exhibitions, the Guthrie's building hours on any day but 15 October, any Blue Line service alert, and any hotel rate. Prices and hours change, so check each page for your date. We did not visit Minneapolis for this page.
