'''Downtown''' is a district in Minneapolis. Downtown Minneapolis is a compact square mile area bounded by the Mississippi River to its north, the Interstate 394 to its west, Loring Park and the Minneapolis Convention Center to its south, and the Hubert H. Humpreys Metrodome to its east. It is sprinkled with architecturally interesting skyscrapers, most of which are interconnected, mainly on the second level above the street level, by a growing web of Skyways, now approaching eight miles in total length. Nicollet Mall is the main semi-pedestrianized shopping street in downtown Minneapolis.

Get in

  • By Light Rail from the MSP Airport. The easiest way to get to downtown from the MSP airport is to take the single existing Light Rail line, the Hiawatha, which will stop at Nicollet Mall, the main north-south shopping street of downtown Minneapolis.
  • By Bus. Numerous buses run frequently through the Nicollet Mall. See the Metro Transit website[http://www.metrotransit.org/] for detalis.
  • By Car. Numerous parking lots are connected to the Skyways.
  • Get around

    Although most of the city's grid is along a strict north-south/east-west layout, the area near downtown on both sides of the river lies at an angle to the rest of the city's grid to better align with the river. Here streets run parallel to the river, and avenues run perpendicular (except for Washington Avenue, which parallels the river). Downtown contains mostly numbered streets and avenues, although a few important ones are named. Most of Downtown is within South Minneapolis, although the Warehouse District extends into North Minneapolis. Keep in mind that this is the only part of town, other than the West Bank, where you will encounter streets as well avenues designated "South". The intersection of S 2nd Ave and S 5th St is many blocks from the intersection of S 2nd St and S 5th Ave!

    Much of downtown uses a series of Skyways, [http://downtownmpls.com/images/directions/DowntownMpls-map.pdf] to connect downtown shops and businesses. Navigating the skyway system can be confusing since one often has to take a curcuitous route to reach their destination. However, it's often a welcome alternative to walking outside in Minneapolis' harsh winter cold. For example, one could walk from the Convention Center in Minneapolis to Washington Avenue (a block before the Mississippi) without going outside, and without stopping at a pedestrian traffic light. Interstate 394 feeds into heated parking garages, so that a Wayzatan suburbanite could enter her Lexus, drive the length of 394 to the heated lot, go to work, shop at Target or Nieman-Marcus, see a movie, have dinner, and return home - all without having to wear a coat or change clothes, even in 20-below weather.

    If you get tired of walking, Metro Transit buses are only $0.50 per ride within the ''Downtown Zone''; keep in mind that no transfers are issued when paying the downtown fare. You can also ride a light-rail train between ''Warehouse District/Hennepin Avenue'' and ''Downtown East/Metrodome'' stations for this same fare.

    See

  • Minnesota Orchestra. ttp://www.mnorch.org.

    Theater

  • Orpheum Theatre. 10 Hennepin Ave. 1 612 373-5600. ttp://www.hennepintheatredistrict.org.
  • State Theater. 05 Hennepin Ave. 1 612 373-5600. ttp://www.hennepintheatredistrict.org.
  • Pantages Theatre. 10 Hennepin Ave. 1 612 373-5600. ttp://www.hennepintheatredistrict.org.
  • Hennepin Stages. 24 Hennepin Ave. 1 612 373-5600. ttp://www.hennepintheatredistrict.org.
  • Guthrie Theater. 18 S 2nd St. 1 612 377-2224. ttp://www.guthrietheater.org. Relocated in 2006 to their brand new theater by the Mississippi River near the old milling district.

    Do

    Buy

    The '''Skyways'''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minneapolis_Skyway_System] boast an excellent variety of retailers, and one can find almost anything, though the distances between stores can be very inconvenient. That said, it's like a mall for the agoraphobic or claustrophobic. The best times to find what you want are between 10AM and 2PM, as many excellent food shops are opened just to handle lunch hour.

    '''Nicollet Mall''' [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicollet_Mall] is not an enclosed mall but the main downtown street in Minneapolis, running more or less north-south. In the five blocks between 5th Street and 10th Street, Nicollet Mall becomes a two-lane wavy roadway to reduce traffic and make it more pedestrian friendly for shoppers. Although the street, Nicollet Mall, extends north and south for several more blocks, the main shopping area is along this 5-block wavy corridor. The Skyways cross Nicollet Mall in only three places and integrate the indoor malls with Nicollet. Buses running frequently through the Nicollet Mall, the Light Rail running along 5th Street, and numerous parking decks connected to the Skyways combine to provide good access to downtown.

    Eat

  • '''The Rock Bottom Brewery''' located Downtown Minneapolis (9th & Hennepin) hosts a variety of refreshing, innovative beers. The pints are great, and the food is even better. Stay away from the "Angry Hippie," though, as most people seem to dislike it. On busy nights you may expect a long wait, but it's not so bad if you can manage to get a pint before your meal. On the less busy Sunday nights, the bar is open only until 12AM, but there is fewer customers so the servers are far more attentive. Around the time the offices are let out (5PM), expect a longer wait. A good plate costs around $25, and is well worth it.
  • Drink

  • First Avenue. 01 1st Ave N. 1 612 332-1775. ttp://www.first-avenue.com/. Probably the oldest and most legendary club in town. Dance nights of various flavors (House, Salsa, etc.) are hosted as are local and national bands and the occasional "other" event such as the Pro-Wrestling and the new Roller Derby League. Housed in the former Minneapolis Greyhound station, the club is located at the corner of 1st Avenue and 7th Street (hence the name), and can be easily identified by its black exterior decorated with silver stars of all the noteworthy artists who've played there. First Avenue gained national notoriety in the mid-eighties as the club where Prince played out his rivalry with Morris Day and The Time in ''Purple Rain''.<br> The club is divided into two main parts:</drink>
  • * <drink name="The Main Room" alt="" address="" directions="" phone="" email="" fax="" url="" hours="" price="">Where the dance nights are held and national touring acts perform. The Main Room is regarded as one of the premier sites for live music in the country. Often compared to Chicago's Metro, or San Francisco's Filmore. The Main Room offers nightly drink specials and a limited kitchen.</drink>
  • * <drink name="7th St. Entry" alt="" address="" directions="" phone="" email="" fax="" url="" hours="" price="">A smaller room off to the side where one is more likely to see local bands or lesser known national touring acts. Don't be put off by the small size. Hundreds of touring bands have graduated from the 7th St. Entry to become major touring acts. Son Volt, Wilco, The Replacements and Jane's Addiction are among the list of bands that played first in the Entry before moving on to the Main Room, much bigger venues and even arenas.</drink>
  • Fine Line Music Cafe. 18 1st Ave N. 1 612 338-8100. ttp://www.finelinemusic.com/. A smaller-sized music club located on 1st Avenue, the Fine Line features national and local acts. The main level provides a close proximity to the acts, while the mezzanine offers meals and seating for a more expensive price.
  • O'Donovan's Irish Pub. 00 1st Ave N. 1 612 317-8896. ttp://www.odonovans.com/. aily 4PM-2AM. A rather small-looking pub with a big inside, this is a good place to go for a pint. They have a nice variety of drinks on tap, from cider to stout to both ("Poor Man's Black Velvet"), and some authentic Irish food in case that isn't thick enough. The help can range from decent to good, and the regulars may even be rather welcoming as well. Fair prices, good beers, and even better food.

    Sleep

  • Crowne Plaza. 18 2nd Ave S. ttp://www.msp-northstar.crowneplaza.com. $$. Situated in the heart of Downtown, this Minneapolis hotel is connected by the city_fs enclosed skyway to shopping, dining, entertainment, and the business district. The hotel offers 223 guestrooms.

  • The Hotel Minneapolis by DoubleTree. 15 Fourth Street South. 12-340-2000. ttp://www.thehotelminneapolis.com/. :00. 2:00. $$. Recently renovated, this boutique style hotel built in a former bank (''the old vault doubles as a wine cellar'') offers classy and modern style all at once. Guest rooms are smaller but offer all the amenities of a luxury hotel. The lobby area is inviting with a beautiful lobby bar with free billards as well as a full service restuarant known as the Max.

    Contact

  • <listing name="Minneapolis Public Library - Central Branch" alt="" directions="entrances on both the Nicollet Mall and Hennepin Avenue sides" address="300 Nicollet Mall" phone="+1 612 630-6000" email="" fax="" url="http://www.hclib.org/AgenciesAction.cfm?agency=Ce" hours="Tu 10AM-8PM, W 10AM-6PM, Th 10AM-8PM, F-Sa 10AM-6PM, Su 12PM-5PM" price="">The library has computer workstations with internet access. You can access the internet for free for ''up to one hour'' within a 6-hour block of time. As an out-of-town visitor without a Minneapolis library card, you will need to obtain a Temporary Internet Access Card from a librarian; proper photo identification is necessary to obtain one. Free wifi is also available throughout the library, and many tables have electrical outlets.</listing>