Are you planning a visit to the great, big city of Minneapolis? Or are you a local, looking for a fresh way to spend your day?
Get off Netflix, stop going to the same bar every day, and try something new. Your soul needs some fresh excitement, and Minneapolis has a lot to satisfy this need.
If it’s wintertime, there’s plenty of indoor Minneapolis entertainment options. And if the weather outside is pleasant, there are tons to do to soak up the fresh, Minnesota air, along with the little bit of sunshine that the city receives.
Ready to create a fresh list of things to do in Minneapolis, either by yourself or to impress your friends? Keep reading below for our guide to Minneapolis entertainment and recreation.
Coffee Crawl
Sure, you’ve probably gone on a pub crawl before. That’s old news. How about trying out a coffee crawl? Major cities, Minneapolis included, are buzzing with hip, innovative cafes that coffee beverages that will blow your mind.
From mind-boggling single-origin coffee, that tastes like fresh, juicy fruit, to signature drinks that would rival any dish prepared in a five-star restaurant, a well-executed coffee crawl across the city will be an experience to remember.
What coffee shops should be on your list? Glad you asked!
Cafe Ceres is home to a professional pastry chef, who serves his goodies alongside high-quality espresso beverages, as well as traditional Turkish coffee.
Dogwood Coffee is arguably the cities greatest coffee roaster. The effort they put into sourcing the best coffee beans, meticulous roasting, and delicate brewing can be tasted in each and every cup of coffee. After getting your drink, be sure to bring a bag of beans home with you.
Wildflyer Coffee offers top-notch pour-over coffee that you can feel good about. Their goal is to provide quality, fun work opportunities to youth that are on the brink of homelessness.
Need a little nitro to round out your caffeine splurge? Finish your crawl at Quixotic Coffee, where the cities first nitro bar lives. Not sure what nitro has to do with coffee? All the more reason to pay them a visit.
Cycle About
Here’s a surprising statistic; Minneapolis is the fourth most bike-friendly city in the US. It’s right up there alongside popular bike meccas like Portland, Seattle, and San Francisco.
That’s why you’ll see tons of cyclists on the roads year-round. Not even snow can’t stop them.
The cycling-friendly attitude of the city date backs to the 19th century when a city planner put a huge priority on greenspace in the city. What that means today is miles and miles of bike paths that connect the city, without requiring riders to ride alongside traffic.
So you can get around the entire city on a bike stress-free.
And the city of Minneapolis hasn’t stopped there. They are actively making the city a better place to ride bikes every year, by adding new bike lanes and organizing the flow of traffic to protect cyclists and walkers above cars.
As a result of being a recreation-friendly city, cycling is one of the best activities to do in Minneapolis. You get exercise, fresh air, and you get to explore parts of the city that you would normally drive right past.
And, it’s perfect when you combine this with a coffee crawl.
The Great Escape
Looking for some fun Minneapolis entertainment ideas that keep you inside, and provide a fun, mental challenge? The Great Escape Room Minneapolis is all that and so much more.
They have three different escape room challenges so that you can visit multiple times and still enjoy a fresh experience. And each one lasts at least an hour and may include live performances.
Looking to make a full evening out of it? Rusty Taco is just across the street from the escape room, as is Spitz, a bar worth checking out after you make it out.
Appreciate the Arts
Do you enjoy live, visual arts? Then Guthrie Theater, one of the best performing arts venues in the country, should be on your list. The theater was born out of a distaste of the over-commercialized Broadway in New York City. As a result, the emphasis at Guthrie is placed on art, not on money.
Walker Art Center is another place that you can spend hours. Renowned around the world for its contemporary art collection, strolling through the art center during the afternoon is a must.
Orpheum Theater is the place to catch a live musical performance. This venue is nearly 100 years old. As a result, artists like Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, and Stevie Wonder have graced the stage here. It’s arguably the best Minneapolis entertainment venue.
Enjoy a View From Above
Foshay Tower was completed in 1929 and was once the tallest building in Minneapolis. But even though it’s no longer the tallest, you can still visit the observation deck on the 31st floor for remarkable views of the city.
If you are looking for a place to stay while visiting Minneapolis, the “W Minneapolis” is a luxury, innovative hotel that calls the Foshay Tower home.
Explore Breathtaking Parks
Minneapolis has always prioritized green space around the city, making it easy to find a great place to relax and engage in some form of recreation.
Chain of Lakes Regional Park has tons to do in any season. Five different beaches dot the park, making it a fun place to swim or fish. Kayaking is also popular in the area.
Soccer and softball fields, along with a hockey rink ensure there is always a friendly competition to be had. Don’t want the day to end? Camping is available as well, to make a weekend stay in Minneapolis complete.
Boom Island Park sits on the Mississippi River. It’s a great place to head for a picnic, a hike, or to start a bike ride.
And Mill Ruins Park is characterized by the abandoned flour mills that make up the park. This place is a photographer’s dream.
Minneapolis Entertainment Never Ends
This list just scratches the surface of Minneapolis entertainment options. There’s so much to do, both indoors and outdoors, in winter and summer, in the great city of Minneapolis.
If you haven’t yet been, this city should be near the top of your travel list. And if you’re a local, you should never have a boring day off work again.
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