Ask a Minneapolis local, and they’ll tell you it’s possible to experience all four seasons in one day here. While they have a serious point about the weather’s volatility, every time of year presents its own distinctive activities, unveiling new experiences each month.
Post up by a glassy lake in the summer, hike on crunchy leaf-filled trails in fall or cozy up at a top-notch restaurant in winter: the city’s events keep moving 365 days of the year, no matter what the temperature. Here’s our guide to help you decide which season you'll most love to visit Minneapolis.
Cooling off both literally and figuratively from the summer buzz, shoulder season starts with the crisp breeze of fall and carries on through the holidays. Fall in Minneapolis is nothing short of charming, with cozy cafes and restaurants illuminated with both candles and the excitement of sweater-clad patrons. Apart from dates around specific holidays, finding a place to stay in town won't be hard.
You won’t find a lot of daylight in the low season, but you will find lower prices and far fewer crowds. Minneapolis makes the most of the colder months with winter-themed activities – races in the snow, ice hockey and even a carnival – and it’s the perfect time to embrace the indoors and hang in some of the city’s best bars, cafes, restaurants, galleries and museums. Minneapolis is no stranger to extreme cold, but with skyways (above-ground corridors to transport you from one building to the next) and tons of all-day worthy indoor spots, there’s a lot to see and do even in winter here.
Sparing absolutely none of the fanfare, Minneapolis seems to pack a whole year’s worth of summer fun into a few short months. Summer is truly taken seriously here. Because the city is blanketed by winter for almost half of the year, everyone’s fired up about making the most of warm weather once it arrives. The middle summer months can get a little muggy, but that’s nothing a swim in one of the city’s myriad freshwater lakes can’t soothe. While you might find accommodations slightly more expensive during high season, it’s well worth it for the warmth, high-spirited energy and sunshine-doused festivities.
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Key events: Lake Harriet Kite Festival, Polar Dash, Minneapolis Boat Show, City of Lakes Loppet, US Pond Hockey Championships
Key events: Restaurant Week, International Motorcycle Show, St. Paul Winter Carnival
Key events: St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Twin Cities Auto Show
Key events: Art in Bloom, Minneapolis–St. Paul International Film Festival, Minnesota Twins Home Opener
Key events: Northeast Minneapolis Art-A-Whirl Festival, May Day Parade, Festival of Nations
Key events: Stone Arch Bridge Festival, Northern Spark Festival, Juneteenth, Rock the Garden
Key events: Twin Cities LGBTQ+ Pride, Loring Park Art Festival, Basilica Block Party, Minneapolis Aquatennial, Minnesota Orchestra’s Sommerfest
Key events: Minnesota State Fair, Minnesota Renaissance Fair, Uptown Art Fair, Powderhorn Art Fair, Mill City Live Concerts
Key events: Minnesota State Fair, Minnesota Renaissance Fair, Minnesota Golden Gophers Football begins, Minnesota Vikings Football begins
Key events: Twin Cities Marathon, Zombie Pub Crawl
Key events: Holidazzle Festival, Art Attack
Key events: Holidazzle Festival, New Year’s Eve
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