If you’re anything like me, you relish finding the perfect day trip destinations just as much as you enjoy the far-flung international trips. I think there is something exciting about hopping on a plane, exploring a new city, and making it back home in time to sleep in your own bed. That is why I am always on the lookout for non-rev day trip destinations like MSP that combine a wide range of things to do and public transportation to get around. While the Mall of America attracts families from across the country, there is so much more to do in MSP than go hang out at a really, really large mall. After all, it’s just a mall.
If you want to fly in for a day trip in MSP, you better make sure the weather is compliant. The average temperature in the winter months is well below freezing, but the summers here are unbelievable. I don’t blame Minnesotans for wanting to take advantage of the warm weather as much as possible because they don’t have a ton of warm days before the cold returns.
Getting from MSP to downtown Minneapolis (10AM)
I planned my MSP day trip on a picture-perfect August afternoon. My flight arrived in MSP around 10am with nothing else besides the clothes on my back (and a smartphone in my pocket). I had phoned ahead to friends I had in the area and we decided to mee downtown for brunch at 11am, so I had an hour to make it from the airport to our meeting point.
A quick check of Google Maps’ transit feature confirmed that the public transportation connecting MSP airport to downtown Minneapolis is a breeze. A $2 one-way light rail ticket is all it takes to get you from the airport terminal to the heart of downtown in about 30 minutes. I meandered around the airport to kill some time (Angel Food Bakery provided plenty of deliciously colorful donuts & pastries to drool over in their glass display case) before heading to the airport light rail stop.
A quick credit card swipe is all it takes to grab your ticket before jumping on the next Metro Blue Line train to downtown. Since the route doesn’t terminate at the airport, you will need to make sure you jump on the right train. The trains heading towards Target Field will take you through downtown Minneapolis, and the trains heading towards the Mall of America station go the opposite direction. No transfers are required to ride the Blue Line all the way to downtown, and the Metro Transit light rail car that I rode on felt modern and clean. Yay for public transportation!
Brunch in downtown Minneapolis (11am)
The light rail ride to downtown was uneventful (keep an eye out for U.S. Bank Stadium where the Minnesota Vikings play). Disembarking here will spit you out on S 5th St and S Marquette Ave, which is 4 blocks away from our brunch spot: Hell’s Kitchen.
A bold, blood red sign with Hell’s Kitchen splayed across it announces that I have arrived at my destination. After quickly shuffling down a set of stairs, I burst into a bustling basement that felt both very bright and very dark at the same time.
There is a live band playing on a small corner stage as I make my way to our table, but I’m distracted by what we came here for: the 35-foot bloody mary & champagne mimosa bar. Tucked away in a partially hidden hallway, this build-it-yourself bar has everything you can think of. I grabbed my mug and raced off to fill it up with hot sauces, olives, pickles, peppers, various cheese, slices of bacon, jerky sticks, and even a couple buffalo wings. As I was loading my mug up, I observed in awe as a group of mimosa drinkers stacked their glasses sky high with fruit slices, mini muffins, and rainbow-colored candies. There is only one rule here: you can stack as much as you can possibly fit in (and on top of) your mug as long as it won’t fall off on the way back to your table.
Drinks on the town (1:30pm)
I absolutely stuffed my face at Hell’s Kitchen, but we decided that it was time to emerge from the basement that is Hell’s Kitchen and find somewhere to enjoy the summer sunshine. Our next stop was the unabashedly ridiculous tiki bar Psycho Suzi’s Motor Lounge. If you thought Hell’s Kitchen was eccentric, just wait until you find yourself enveloped in Suzi’s world of leopard print decorations and trippy carpet print (I won’t ruin the surprise, but it’s totally mind-bending).
I was told that when the weather is nice, you hit the patio at Suzi’s. I don’t make the rules, but I was glad to abide by them on this stunning Minneapolis day. We split the Eruption in Paradise, a devastatingly sweet concoction served in a large volcano tiki mug, while watching kayakers paddle down the Mississippi River below us.
By 3pm I figured we probably couldn’t handle the sugar rush of a 2nd tiki drink at Psycho Suzi’s, so we switched gears & grabbed a rideshare to Surly Brewing Co. across town. This place was seriously impressive, and Surly’s venue is nothing like your typical urban brewery. Instead, we first explored the massive patio that was perfect for enjoying the good weather in Minneapolis. We grabbed our first round from a walk-up window on the outside of the two-story beer hall that can best be described as looking like the exterior of a modern ski chalet. I always judge a brewery by their dark beers, and I thoroughly enjoyed their Black Horseman dark lager.
For our second round, we inhaled one of Surly’s pizza along with some IPAs (I think we all agreed their Axe Man IPA was the best of the bunch).
While finishing up our last sips of beer at Surly, I took a quick glance at my phone to confirm that all the flights from MSP were wide open that night. Non-rev flying has its perks! I quickly moved my name to the last flight’s standby list so that we could make one more stop on this whirlwind trip: Tattersall Distilling. This unintimidating cocktail bar’s mismatched furniture that was illuminated with gobs of natural light gives off cafe-esque vibes without trying too hard. I ordered their Northside cocktail, an aquavit-based with mint & lime that was perfectly tinged with habanero bitters, and was impressed with the finished product. If you are in the area, I would recommend stopping in for a drink (or two!).
Back to MSP airport (7pm)
As the afternoon began to grow long, it was time to bid my Minnesota friends adieu and head back to the airport. A 20-minute Lyft ride got me to the airport early enough to meet a friend at the PGA’s MSP Airport lounge located on the second floor of Terminal 1. I get complimentary access to the PGA MSP Airport lounge as part of my Priority Pass membership from one of my travel credit cards. If you want to learn more about accessing airport lounges with this perk, check out my Best Credit Cards for Non-Rev Travelers guide.
The PGA MSP lounge isn’t your typical airport lounge, and I honestly had a hard time trying to define it. Half of the lounge is essentially just a run-of-the-mill golf pro shop, but the other half is a bar & grill with a putting green and golf simulator. If you are feeling up for it, you can even take lessons with an instructor here!
Conclusion
Flying into MSP allows non-rev travelers a number of options for a day trip or overnight layover. I was able to explore four unique destinations with my friends and still make it back to the airport in time to fly home that same day. I am sure that Minneapolis has a lot more to offer, and I didn’t even get a chance to step foot in St Paul on my trip. I look forward to the next time I find myself on a plane destined for MSP.
Did I miss any of your favorite spots? Have a recommendation for other non-rev travelers who are planning a day trip to MSP? Connect with me on Twitter or add to the conversation in the comments below!
Hell’s Kitchen was the correct choice for brunch! I’m glad you got a chance to experience it.