Family Time in Minneapolis

Minneapolis is a friendly Midwest destination with plenty to do and see for families.

Stay

Stay in the newly renovated Hotel Emery, part of the Marriott Autograph Collection. This stylish property is right in the heart of downtown and offers all the high-end amenities needed for a comfortable stay for your family. All the rooms are pretty spacious, but families will particularly like the deluxe double queen guestrooms, with two large beds, a large bathroom with plenty of vanity space and a separate seating area for enjoying coffee in the morning or some bedtime snacks.

If you’re a Marriott Bonvoy member, you can enjoy complimentary continental breakfast in the morning at The Mill, as well as grab-and-go snacks and beverages the whole day. Other guests will enjoy Spyhouse Coffee Lounge, serving locally roasted coffee and baked goods.

The on-site signature restaurant, Giulia, offers Northern Italian cuisine.

To get in a workout during your trip, head to the hotel’s huge fitness center, outfitted with state-of-the-art equipment including Peloton bikes.

Play

There are plenty of places for families to play in Minneapolis.

If it’s a sunny day, don’t miss a visit to the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, where you can not only see the iconic “Spoonbridge and Cherry” sculpture, but also plenty of other unique sculptures, all in a family-friendly outdoor setting with plenty of space to run and play.

For rainy days, the Science Museum of Minnesota is a good spot to explore. There’s something for all ages, but kids especially love discovering fun facts about topics from dinosaurs to mathematics. There’s also an Omnitheater for you and your crew to kick back and enjoy a quick, immersive show.

Nickelodeon Universe in Bloomington, Minnesota. Photo: Ritu Jethani | Dreamstime.com

The Mall of America is great not just for shopping, but for fun as well. There are plenty of places to play, from Nickelodeon Universe to SEA Life Minnesota. There are roller coasters at the former and magnificent sea creatures at the latter. Beyond these two popular attractions, there are lots of kid-friendly storefronts, including the LEGO Store, American Girl and The Crayola Experience.

If you have older children (teens and up), then there’s one unique, Minneapolis experience you likely won’t find in any of the guidebooks. Tour Orfield Laboratories, a short drive from downtown. This nondescript lab was once home to a recording studio frequented by the likes of music legends such as Prince and Bob Dylan, but the lab is also known for its Guinness World Records-recognized “Quietest Place on Earth” — a room used for testing that absorbs all sound waves. It’s so quiet, in fact, that after 10 or 15 minutes in the lab, you’ll start hearing some eerie noises — your body’s own systems at work, including blood pumping, sinuses draining and joints rubbing. Lab tours can be booked via email for $125 per person.