I might be coming your way and have never been to your city can any one tell me how far the airport is from center city downtown  by cab? and already have a date planned !st night   but am considering stay 2 extra nights to go to  the mall of America  to do a little shopping and sightseeing  any ideas on what to see and best steakhouses ? thanks in advance for your help!

15-20 minutes to downtown if the traffic is flowing and probably 3o-35 minutes if it's not. Can't help with a good steakhouse.

Best steakhouse: Manny's (downtown).  Next: Ruth's Chris or Morton's (downtown).

Cab to city center: 20-30 minutes.

To see: Aside from MOA, Minnehaha Falls (near airport, though outdoors), Guthrie Theater (nationally known, great plays), a drive around the lakes (Lake of the Isles, Calhoun, Harriet) and Minnehaha Parkway--all in Mpls.  

In St. Paul--James J. Hill House, Summit Avenue, St. Paul's Cathedral, State Capitol.

Others can fill you in on the bars and club scene!

og

-- Modified on 12/6/2011 9:53:16 AM

If you are downtown, hard to beat the quality of Manny's for steak and great steak atmosphere.
South of the metro area is much more difficult as quality drops off.

I can't believe no one has mentioned Murray's Steak House!

An easy and convenient way to travel from the airport to downtown Minneapolis is via light rail, about a 30 minute ride. There is a station at the airport, follow the signs, trains run every 10 minutes or so and stop about 3 places downtown for about $2.00. From the light rail stations, you can access the skyway system and get virtually anywhere downtown. You can also take the light rail from downtown to the Mall of America and back. Steaks, Mannys, Mortons and Murrays are all great.

Capital Grille is also one of the best steakhouses in town

It is 1.75 from the airport to downtown and is only 25min's.  It is the fastest means of transportation to downtown from the airport.  Then when you are downtown there is the skyway and also there is a free bus that runs up and down Nicollet.  As mentioned you can get to the Mall of America on the Rail as well for the same 1.75.  http://metrotransit.org/light-rail.aspx

I'm frugal.    

Hello Sweetie!

Just giving my 2 cents without reading what has already been said, so I hope I'm not repeating too much!  Lots and LOTS of good food in Minneapolis.... and even a couple that are NOT chains!  Ruth Chris, McCormick and Schmidt (sp?) and Capital Grill are of course always good, but they are chains...try something local!  Check out Manny's if you like loud and boisterous, or Murry's if you want a throw back to old time decadence, KILLER garlic bread and homemade beef jerky and LOTs of other options!  Note...names are the similar, but experiences are not!!!

Don't miss out on some other amazing Minneapolis meals... Hell's kitchen is NOT from the tv show but for 10 years has lines out the door on every single weekend.  And if you want to know the best place for lunch...call me up and I'll take you there personally!  

Downtown is about 20 minutes by cab from the airport, and MOA is about 2 minutes from the airport.  Check other boards for places to stay...and avoid staying...for safety.

Have fun!  I hope I'm around when you arrive, and that we can get together!  

XO
Wendy

First off, glad you're choosing to visit our fair cities! Here's hoping you have a great time and decide to return many times. I'll stick to Minneapolis activities since that's what I know.

Others have mentioned Murray's Steak House, which is our local treasure. I should warn you that Murray's is a lot like some hobbyists - not much to look at on the outside but amazing on the inside. Ruth's Chris has also been mentioned and is good. Crave is an upscale downtown restaurant near the Orpheum and State theaters (concerts and Broadway touring shows, mainly), and located above the Rock Bottom Brewery brewpub.

If you're into art, there's the Walker Art Center just outside of downtown, and the Minneapolis Institute of Arts in south Minneapolis.

Another poster mentioned the Guthrie, which is our flagship live theater venue, but there's plenty of other live theater venues in town including the Seven Corners neighborhood between downtown and the University of MN (home of Theater in the Round and the Mixed Blood theater) and the Lyn-Lake neighborhood near Uptown (home of the Jungle Theater and the bohemian Bryant-Lake Bowl).

And (as yet another poster already mentioned), you can take the light rail passenger train between downtown and the Mall of America; it also stops at the airport.

Hope you enjoy your stay!

-- Modified on 12/6/2011 2:28:41 PM

If you feel like getting out of downtown for a meal, Pittsburgh Blue in Maple Grove is great for steaks, but my absolute favorite over all that have been mentioned is Giannis Steak House in
Wayzata....about 30 min. west of downtown out hwy394.

Murray's is a lot like some hobbyists -not much to look at on the outside but amazing on the inside?  Hey, I resemble that remark........

The light rail is good, but if you are like most women you travel with more than one bag.  The light rail does not belly up to the main hotels downtown, so when you come from the airport, take a taxi so you don't have to lug your bags down the streets of downtown.  Just don't tell the Somali taxi driver that you're a provider with sex toys and condoms in your bags.  It's against their religion so they will refuse to take you.

Once you are settled in your hotel and you want to go to the Mall of America, take the light rail. It is cheap, quick, and more scenic than a taxi and only a block or more from any downtown hotel.

Have a good visit to our fair city!

Since you left AZ, Victoria, it appears that state's discussion board has gone into a deep slumber.  Yesterday morning was the last post and I tried to liven that up with my stupid "Secret Agent Man" song lyrics. Didn't work there either.

I was going to start a post about fellatio in the animal kingdom but decided not to disturb their sleep. I wonder how long it can go?

As public transport goes, the light rail is very good, but it will cost you time. MOA takes 40 minutes instead of 20, etc. Even with as much free time as I have, I'll have no part of it.

A bit formal (and pricey) for my taste, but good stuff.

Murry's steak house is the best.  You will hear about Manny's but it is bright and crowded. From the airport take the light rail. It is quick, cheap, clean and easy.

First I want to thank everyone for all your help  what a great group of folks you have here in MN......I did not leave the AZ board just wanted to take a break and see if others would be able to keep up the pace over there ..I too have been watching it and am saddened  that  so few seem to be able to start a decent topic  so I have been on a little board in az  trying to jump start it  and it seems to work untiil I stop  ....the boards need everyone posting  not just a few  to keep it fun and informative  you guys seem to be on the right track.....Happy Holidays and try not to freeze your butts off..... I heard its getting cold fast there ,  shoot we  here in AZ  have a freeze warning tonight already ourselves ........now I have to go outside  and cover the plants ....take care guys!

A great city to check out is stillwater , cool bars and shopes  .  its a classy  city , and is Minnesotas first city .  plus the views are great

I  love the warmness of the group here  i have many pms already  not sure when I will be coming now as my overnight I had planned  had to cancel so might wait until it warms up a little  thanks  wendy we will have that lunch date