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Minneapolis Layover Guide: Making the Most of Your Stopover

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LAYOVER PASSUNITED STATES

MSP

Minneapolis Airport (MSP)

AIRPORTS1

TO DO8

TO EAT7

Layover planner

Plan your Minneapolis layover

BY JAMES WINDSOR8 STOPS · 7 PLACES TO EAT

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Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) is the crown jewel of the Upper Midwest, serving as a primary gateway to the north-central United States. Whether you are passing through on a short connection or have a long day to explore, the Twin Cities offer incredible accessibility via light rail. With 1 airport(s) serving the region, travelers can easily transition from the terminal to world-class shopping or scenic waterfalls in under 20 minutes.

8 ways out of the terminal.

Best Things to Do During a Minneapolis Layover. Tap a row for timings and the insider tip.

#STOPTIMEFROM MSPWHY

Mall of America

3-5 hours5 milesThe largest mall in the US features an indoor theme park, aquarium, and hundreds of shops. Accessible via a 12-minute light rail ride from either terminal.

The largest mall in the US features an indoor theme park, aquarium, and hundreds of shops. Accessible via a 12-minute light rail ride from either terminal.

TIME 3-5 HOURS

Minnehaha Falls

1.5-2 hours4 milesA stunning 53-foot waterfall located in one of Minneapolis' oldest parks. It is just a few stops away on the METRO Blue Line.

A stunning 53-foot waterfall located in one of Minneapolis' oldest parks. It is just a few stops away on the METRO Blue Line.

TIME 1.5-2 HOURS

Stone Arch Bridge

2 hours12 milesWalk across this historic former railroad bridge for the best skyline views of Minneapolis and the Mississippi River.

Walk across this historic former railroad bridge for the best skyline views of Minneapolis and the Mississippi River.

TIME 2 HOURS

Walker Art Center & Sculpture Garden

2-3 hours13 milesHome to the iconic 'Spoonbridge and Cherry' sculpture. This world-renowned contemporary art museum is a must-see for culture seekers.

Home to the iconic 'Spoonbridge and Cherry' sculpture. This world-renowned contemporary art museum is a must-see for culture seekers.

TIME 2-3 HOURS

Mill City Museum

2 hours12 milesBuilt into the ruins of what was once the world's largest flour mill, this museum tells the industrial history of the city.

Built into the ruins of what was once the world's largest flour mill, this museum tells the industrial history of the city.

TIME 2 HOURS

Target Field

3 hours13 milesIf your layover aligns with a Minnesota Twins home game, this open-air stadium is easily accessible via the light rail.

If your layover aligns with a Minnesota Twins home game, this open-air stadium is easily accessible via the light rail.

TIME 3 HOURS

Chain of Lakes

2-4 hours10 milesExplore Lake Harriet or Bde Maka Ska for a true 'Land of 10,000 Lakes' experience with walking trails and boat rentals.

Explore Lake Harriet or Bde Maka Ska for a true 'Land of 10,000 Lakes' experience with walking trails and boat rentals.

TIME 2-4 HOURS

Como Park Zoo & Conservatory

2-3 hours11 milesA beautiful, free zoo and botanical conservatory located in nearby St. Paul, perfect for families.

A beautiful, free zoo and botanical conservatory located in nearby St. Paul, perfect for families.

TIME 2-3 HOURS

Viator selectionLive recommendations

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Fits your layover3+ hours layover

Challah Baking Experience

For thousands of years, Jewish people have brought in the Sabbath with candles, wine, and the blessing over challah -- the traditional braided bread. During this activity, you'll learn practical challah-baking tips as well as the history, significance, and cultural roots of challah-baking. You'll experience a genuine and age-old Jewish tradition as you learn the steps to bake your very own challah -- and then you'll be able to enjoy your warm-from-the-oven fresh-baked challah bread!

Duration

1 hour

+ 2h airport buffer

Layover fit

Good for 4–6 hour layovers

Needs 3h total

Admission

Check on Viator

Ready to book for your Minneapolis layover

Instant confirmation on many tours · Free cancellation available

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"Crooked" St. Paul Gangsters Private Riding Tour (2 hrs)

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Fits your layover4+ hours layover

"Crooked" St. Paul Gangsters Private Riding Tour (2 hrs)

We'll connect at a location and hour convenient for you and step back in time during this private, 2-hour riding tour. You'll hear how St. Paul, Minnesota became a haven for the nation's most notorious gangsters, including John Dillinger, during the first decades of the 20th Century, and the impact of that legacy on life today in the "Saintly City. " How could bank robbers and bootleggers run their crimes while "hiding in plain sight"? This private riding tour will show the homes, nightclubs, hangouts - and even the courthouse - where these professional thugs lived, planned, played and were prosecuted. We'll also see other St. Paul highlights, including Summit Ave, cathedral and Capitol. Private transportation is a professionally chauffeured "town car" sedan or Cadillac Escalade SUV. Want to entertain locals or out-of-towners? Old enough to remember those lurid headlines or young enough to be amazed? Ready for a new twist on a town you thought you knew? This tour is for you.

Duration

2 hours

+ 2h airport buffer

Layover fit

Good for 4–6 hour layovers

Needs 4h total

Admission

Check on Viator

What you'll see

Attraction stop (2h)

Starting from your desired pickup point, the private riding tour will include exterior views of many St. Paul locations - some famous and some blandly "everyday" - where yesterday's gangsters lived their lives while planning and committing horrendous crimes. You'll see: - Where the wanted criminal John Dillinger lived and learn how he escaped a gun shootout - The site of a bloody kidnapping that riveted the nation - A former illegal speakeasy and casino popular with both the underworld and elite - Neighborhoods that welcomed the city's wealthiest citizens alongside the nations' hoodlums This tour is engaging and informative rain or shine. The itinerary can be adjusted to accommodate changing weather and your personal schedule.

Ready to book for your Minneapolis layover

Instant confirmation on many tours · Free cancellation available

Book on Viator

View on Viator

Fits your layover4+ hours layover

Saint Paul History Walking Tour

Walk the Gilded age avenues of the capital city of the North Star state. Hear the story of the city of seven hills

Duration

2 hours

+ 2h airport buffer

Layover fit

Good for 4–6 hour layovers

Needs 4h total

Admission

Check on Viator

What you'll see

Attraction stop (10 mins)

Marvel at architecture of the third largest catholic church in the United States and hear the story of its creation

Attraction stop (20 mins)

Stop in at the oldest brewery and saloon in the state where recruits for the civil war had their last drinks before departing for the war

Attraction stop (10 mins)

Enjoy the shade of mighty oak trees and the refreshing sounds of its Victorian fountain

Attraction stop (10 mins)

Step into the heart of Saint Paul

Ready to book for your Minneapolis layover

Instant confirmation on many tours · Free cancellation available

Book on Viator

* Tours are scored against your layover length — availability and pricing confirmed on Viator.

Bookable · scored against your layover

Tours that get you back in time.

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VIATOR TOURFITS YOUR LAYOVER

Minneapolis Skyway Walking Tour

A great tour year-round, especially if you're visiting in the winter months! Minneapolis is home to the largest, contiguous skyway system in the world! Originally designed to counter the 1950s post war suburban boom by revitalizing the city's retail core, today the second story walkways connect 80 city blocks and meander more than 9 miles. This is a great way to see the city - inside and out - during cool weather, hot weather, rainy days and the brutally long Minnesota winter, so pretty much year-round! There are so many treasures within downtown's unique architectural landscape, and the skyway system is sometimes the only way to see them. AFTERNOON TOUR ends at the historic Minneapolis Club, not typically open to the public. Choosing Mpls City & Skyway Tours, you are supporting a local, woman-owned small business with a big heart. (Please note, this is a walking tour. We will walk up to two miles, with breaks. Wear comfortable shoes and bring water.)

TOUR2h 15m

BUFFER+2H

NEEDS4.3H

Book on Viator

VIATOR TOURFITS YOUR LAYOVER

Minneapolis Local Bar Tour with Tastings

Learn about the unique character and history of Minneapolis and its neighborhoods with local expert guides while enjoying hand selected drinks that define our city and its people. Share stories with your guide and fellow tour members as we walk the streets of Minneapolis between our bars. Chat with the knowledgeable bartenders and staff that help us get through those long winter months, and heartbreaking sports teams

TOUR2h 30m

BUFFER+2H

NEEDS4.5H

Book on Viator

VIATOR TOURFITS YOUR LAYOVER

Walking St. Paul Summit Ave. Victorian Homes Private Tour (2 hrs)

For 2 hours, take a private, guided stroll along charming and historic Summit Ave. in St. Paul, Minnesota, past stately homes built during the Gilded Age that are nearly perfectly preserved today. You'll hear stories about the barons and tycoons who built these homes and how their houses have survived 120 or more years of change. You'll also wind through a former back alley now transformed into a charming city street that features modern residences in historic structures. Residential architecture buffs will spot nearly every type of home style popular during the Victorian era - Queen Anne, Italianate, Georgian Revival, Neo-classical, Romanesque, Beaux Arts, Tudor and more. Love grand, old homes that are pristinely preserved as active residences? Enjoy meandering outdoor sidewalks among trees, parks, fine landscapes and beautiful buildings? This tour is for you. "Informative & fun! A walking Wikipedia." David S., FL USA "5 stars! Personable...knowledgeable." Thalia S., GA USA

TOUR2 hours

BUFFER+2H

NEEDS4H

Book on Viator

Availability and pricing confirmed on Viator. Free cancellation on many tours.

Need a bed between flights?

Day rooms & airport hotels.

Long or overnight at MSP? Plenty of airport hotels sell rooms by the hour. Compare a few before you land.

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Getting there

Flights through Minneapolis.

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Where to Eat During Your Stopover

Matt's Bar

American / BurgersSouth Minneapolis$

American / Burgers · South Minneapolis

Blue Door Pub

Pub Food / Jucy LucysMSP Terminal 1$$

Pub Food / Jucy Lucys · MSP Terminal 1

Ike’s Food & Cocktails

Classic AmericanMSP Terminal 1$$

Classic American · MSP Terminal 1

Spoon and Stable

French-Inspired MidwesternNorth Loop$$$$

French-Inspired Midwestern · North Loop

Surly Brewing Co.

Brewery / PizzaProspect Park$$

Brewery / Pizza · Prospect Park

LoLo American Kitchen

Street Food / FusionMSP Terminal 1$$

Street Food / Fusion · MSP Terminal 1

Hello Pizza

PizzaEdina$

Pizza · Edina

GETTING AROUND

Getting Around Minneapolis

The most efficient way to navigate during a layover is the METRO Blue Line light rail, which connects both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 to the Mall of America and Downtown Minneapolis. Trains run every 12-15 minutes. Taxis and ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft are readily available at designated areas in both terminals. For those staying at airport hotels, most offer complimentary shuttles.

Get an eSIM before you landMaps and ride apps work the moment you're off the plane Drop your bags in townExplore hands-free, collect on the way back

Practical Tips for Your Minneapolis Stay

01Minnesota has no sales tax on clothing and shoes—perfect for shopping at the Mall of America.

02Check your terminal carefully; Terminal 1 and 2 are accessed by different road exits and are not walkable from each other.

03Use Smarte Carte lockers in Terminal 1 to store your carry-on luggage while you explore the city.

04The Light Rail is significantly cheaper than a taxi for reaching major landmarks.

05Allow at least 2 hours for security when returning to MSP, as it is a major hub and can get busy.

06Download the Sun Country or Delta apps if flying through MSP, as they offer the most frequent updates for this hub.

07If traveling in winter, utilize the Minneapolis Skyway system downtown to stay warm indoors.

08MSP offers free Wi-Fi throughout both terminals for all passengers.

Inside the terminal

Airports in Minneapolis

MSP

Minneapolis Airport (MSP)

MSP has two terminals, Terminal 1 (Lindbergh) and Terminal 2 (Humphrey), which are connected by a light rail shuttle. If you have a layover of 4+ hours, take the Blue Line light rail directly to the Mall of America. For shorter stays, Terminal 1 offers an award-winning selection of local shops and restaurants.

Shopping Destinations

Mall of America

12 mins via Light Rail

Over 500 stores with no sales tax on clothing or shoes, making it a shopper's paradise.

Nicollet Mall

25 mins via Light Rail

A twelve-block portion of Nicollet Avenue in downtown Minneapolis with flagship stores and boutiques.

MSP Terminal 1 Retail

0 miles

Features local favorites like Prince's 'The Purple Store' and high-end international brands.

50th & France

15 mins via Taxi

An upscale neighborhood shopping district with luxury boutiques and local jewelry designers.

Make every minute count

Layover Time Management Guide

For a 2-4 hour layover, stay within Terminal 1 to enjoy the local food scene or the walking path. For a 4-8 hour layover, take the Blue Line light rail to the Mall of America (12 mins) or Minnehaha Falls (15 mins). If you have 8+ hours, head into Downtown Minneapolis to see the Stone Arch Bridge and enjoy a meal at one of the city's top-rated restaurants in the North Loop or Mill District.

Things people ask at the gate.

Can I leave the airport during a layover in Minneapolis?

Yes, as long as you have the necessary visa/entry requirements for the United States. The light rail makes it very easy to reach local attractions quickly.

How far is the Mall of America from MSP?

It is approximately 5 miles away and takes about 12 minutes to reach via the METRO Blue Line light rail.

Does MSP have luggage storage?

Yes, Smarte Carte offers luggage storage lockers at various locations in Terminal 1.

Is there a train from MSP to downtown?

Yes, the METRO Blue Line runs from the airport to downtown Minneapolis in about 25-30 minutes.

What is the 'Jucy Lucy' and where can I get one?

A Jucy Lucy is a burger with cheese melted inside the meat patty. Matt's Bar and 5-8 Club are the famous local spots to try one.

How do I get between Terminal 1 and Terminal 2?

You must use the Light Rail Transit (LRT) shuttle. It is free to use between the two airport stations.

Is Minneapolis safe for solo travelers during a layover?

Yes, the airport and the light rail route to the Mall of America and downtown are generally very safe for travelers.

SHORT ON TIME?

Hand the layover to a human.

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