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Hi, I plan to stop in Minneapolis for one day, a Saturday, on my 2nd Eastbound Empire Builder trip (not the one this summer but the one I'm booking for 2006). Can anyone recommend a good hotel in a convenient safe area of downtown Minneapolis, not too expensive (I prefer not to spend much more than $100/night)? Also, where is the train station in relation to downtown Minneapolis? What is the lightrail public transportation like in Minneapolis? Will I be able to get to the Dinkytown area from Downtown? Thanks!
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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In a previous discussion someone mentioned a hotel next to the ex-Milwaukee RR station. This would be close to the central downtown shopping area and also to the scenic St. Anthony Falls area on the Mississippi. Don't miss the walk across the Stone Arch Bridge in front of the falls, built by James J. Hill, the "Empire Builder", to route passenger trains off the mainline into the now gone Union Station.
Since I live in the area, I can't tell you much about hotels or their prices. There are also many nice looking hotels/motels around the University of Minnesota campus which is about 2/3 of the way to downtown Minneapolis from Amtrak and next to Dinkytown.
The Amtrak station is in an industrial/warehouse district of St.Paul about 2 blocks north of University Ave, a main bus route that connects the Twin Cities. It is only about 5 miles east of downtown Minneapolis and there is usually a line of cabs waiting for the train to arrive. The unpopulated station area is not pretty, but I would not call it run down or unsafe.
Light rail runs from downtown on 5th Street to the Mall of America, a great destination if you are a shopper. A very nice ride, $3 will get you 6 hours of unlimited riding plus anywhere you want to go on the bus system. It passes through the airport and Minnehaha Park. Minnehaha Falls is only a couple of blocks off the tracks, where you can hike down the gorge to the Mississippi.
Dinkytown is only a couple of miles east of downtown and can easily be reached by bus.
Posts: 1572 | From: St. Paul, MN | Registered: Dec 2002
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