Best Areas to Stay in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota

Downtown is known as the business area of Minneapolis, hosting impressive skyscrapers, office complexes and the most important museums in the city.

Downtown Minneapolis is bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and is an industrial oasis with several well-known attractions such as First Avenue, a live music club, which is a great place to discover the nightlife of the city.

In this area, you will find department stores and boutiques, ideal for shopping lovers. It is also Downtown that concentrates the restaurants, breweries and high-end hotels of Minneapolis.

Downtown Minneapolis has several transport options to move to other districts, including routes 4, 11 and 61 of the bus, which makes it one of the best areas to stay in Minneapolis, since it is very well-connected.

Downtown Minneapolis is a recommended area for business travelers, thanks to the Minneapolis Convention Center, where major events are held frequently.

The Mall of America is the single most visited tourist attraction in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area.

This shopping center is located in Bloomington, 10 miles south of downtown Minneapolis and 13 miles southwest of downtown St. Paul.

Home to 500+ shops, a huge food court, and several entertainment venues, Mall of America was the largest mall in the country when it opened in the early nineties and is still one of the world’s biggest shopping centers today.

This superlative shopping and entertainment center is where most of the family-oriented tourist attractions in the MSP metro area are located.

The most visited one is Nickelodeon Universe, the largest indoor theme park in the United States. It features roller coasters, rides, a mini golf course, and several other attractions.

The Sea Life Minnesota Aquarium, located within the mall, includes a 300-foot-long observation tunnel and exhibits sharks, rays, turtles, and tropical sea life species.

The Mall of America Transit Station, located directly east of the shopping center, offers blue line light rail connections to the airport and downtown Minneapolis. Several bus lines also connect the mall to other districts and towns in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.

The Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport is located 3 miles from Mall of America, so this area is also a great option for those in transit or with an early flight.

The Warehouse District, filled with fashion stores and innovative restaurants, has transformed the old Minneapolis department stores to become a vibrant, ever-growing area.

The Warehouse District is known for its lively nightlife, where the bars and clubs of the city are concentrated, famous for hosting several concerts and festivals

Attractions such as the Target Center stadium, the Bob Dylan mural, Acme Comedy Company and The Lab Theater are part of the Warehouse District, making it one of the best areas to stay in Minneapolis, as there is always something to see and do in its streets.

This shopping district, in addition to boutiques, includes some of the best gastro pubs, ideal to enjoy cocktails at the end of the day.

The buses on route 7 and 14 run through the Warehouse District and go to other areas of the city. For those who visit by car, this district offers parking areas, with availability subject to the day and time.

The Warehouse District is among the best areas to stay in Minneapolis for nightlife, as it is the center of entertainment in the city.

Staying in Mill District allows you to go back in time and travel to the Minneapolis that dominated agriculture.

The area offers views of the flour mills that were converted into condos, as well as attractions such as the Guthrie theater and the MacPhail music center.

Currently, Mill district is the cultural center of Minneapolis, located on the east side of the Downtown area, and home to buildings that are part of the heritage of the city, as well as offices and shops.

This district is ideal for relaxing days, hiking trails and bike rides along the Mississippi River, so it is one the best areas to stay if you’re looking for a peaceful time in the great city of Minnesota.

St. Paul is the second of the two cities that make up the Twin Cities metropolitan area. It is also the capital of Minnesota.

Located on the east bank of the Mississippi River, this city is home to several local attractions.

The Minnesota History Center is a museum considered one of Minnesota’s finest public buildings.

Downtown St. Paul is also home to the Minnesota Museum of American Art, Minnesota Children’s Museum, Science Museum of Minnesota, and city squares Rice Park and Miers Park.

A little further west lies the Cathedral of Saint Paul, considered one of the finest examples of Beaux-Arts architecture in the United States.

The Minnesota capital’s central districts also offer some great urban parks and nature preserves along the Mississippi.

St. Paul-Minneapolis Union Depot, located in Downtown St. Paul, is the most important intermodal transportation center in the MSP metropolitan area. This major transport hub offers long-distance trains by Amtrak, intercity bus services by Greyhound and Megabus, and local green line light rail connections to downtown Minneapolis.

Dinkytown is a commercial district within the Marcy – Holmes neighborhood of Minneapolis.

It is made up of a set of blocks occupied by small businesses, restaurants and bars.

In this area, you’ll find the University of Minnesota, which gives a great, youthful energy to Dinkytown.

With a modern atmosphere, in Dinkytown you can enjoy concerts in Varsity Theater, as well as dinner in bars and elegant restaurants like the Loring.

To travel the district or move to other places in Minneapolis, you can take the bus at different stops in the area.

Dinkytown is a small but very lively district, ideal when looking for where to stay in Minneapolis, and recommended for young adults.