A Home Run in Minneapolis: Exploring Target Field and the Grand Rounds Scenic Byway

May 10

Behind the scenes at Target Field: Home of the Minnesota Twins

A backstage pass at Target Field

Ballpark #6 in our MLB stadium tour was Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Being on a summer road trip, we decided to stay right downtown so everything we wanted to do would be in walking (or biking) distance. We’d be back in the car soon enough! Tru by Hilton Minneapolis Downtown was perfect. Moderately priced, great location and free breakfast!

It was a 1-mile walk to Target Field
Just 0.6 miles to Mill Ruins Park and the Ground Rounds Scenic Byway
Right in the heart of downtown Minneapolis, perfect for exploring

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links for products and/or services we love. If you decide to make a verified purchase through the links in this post, I will earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you). Thank you for choosing to wander with us. We hope your adventures are filled with as much joy and awe as we’ve experienced!

Behind-the-scenes Stadium Tour

This Major League ballpark is in the heart of Minneapolis, Minnesota, with easy freeway access and parking. On the suggestion of a friend, we arrived at Target Field early in the day, just in time to join a Pre-Game Stadium Tour.

If you have time and the stadium you’re headed to offers public tours, we recommend doing it. This is a unique chance to get a sneak peak into parts of the ballpark not generally open to the public.

On the Target Field guided tour, we explored areas from the exclusive suites and inner hallways filled with Twins history and memorabilia, to the Budweiser Roof Deck that offered a birds-eye view of the field, along with a spectacular view of the Minneapolis skyline. We walked by the Press Box where the pre-game announcers were hard at work, and sat in the Champions Club seats right behind home plate for batting practice (a rare up-close and personal experience for those of us used to sitting in the “cheap seats”!). One of the coolest aspects of the Target Field stadium tour was the insight we gained into how this modern facility was planned and uniquely built to fit a small urban footprint and function with several state-of-the-art environmentally friendly elements.

Days and times tours are offered vary by stadium; e.g., most offer non-game day tours, some offer game-day tours (typically starting at least 3 hours before the first pitch) and some skip tours when there is an early start. So, be sure to do your research if this is something you really want to do.

Game Time | Minnesota Twins vs. Detroit Tigers

After the tour, we got checked into our room at Tru by Hilton Downtown Minneapolis, donned our Twins baseball caps (gotta support the home team!) and headed back to the stadium on foot. On our way, we passed by the kaleidoscopic mural of Bob Dylan - a colorful tribute to the iconic artist from Duluth, Minnesota, at Hennepin and 5th St.

SeatGeek or StubHub are great resources for purchasing tickets. You can score some pretty great deals from upper deck or outfield budget-friendly seats to higher priced lower deck and suite options. One really great aspect of Target Field are the many open-seating bars and restaurants inside the stadium. Even with our tickets in the 300 deck, we were able to wander the stadium and watch part of the game from the Truly on Deck Club Level area while enjoying good food and a ballpark beer.

Exploring Around Minneapolis (literally)

Grand Rounds Scenic Byway

While we set out to Minneapolis on a baseball road trip, we learned about the city’s Grand Rounds Scenic Byway - a series of interconnected trails, totaling more than 100 miles, 51 dedicated to cycling - and “most Instagrammable spots,” so we packed up our beach cruiser bikes and planned to spend a day exploring Minneapolis on two wheels.

The route we took was a 24-mile loop, with stops at the Mill City Farmers Market, Minnehaha Falls, and Sculpture Park. The Ground Rounds Scenic Byway is a shared trail for cyclists and pedestrians that wound us along the Mississippi River, around five lakes, through even more parks, and along city streets. It was impressive to see so many people out cycling, running, skating and boating; enjoying all that the trails offered.

Highlights along the way

Mill Ruins Park. Situated along the Mississippi River, the park is home to the Mill City Farmers Market, featuring local fresh foods, food trucks, artists and more on Saturday mornings from May to October. The weekend we were there, a local dance studio offered free Lindy Hop dance lessons and a colorful piano was sitting riverside, inviting people to sit down and play a tune (part of Pianos on Parade).
Minnehaha Falls. Locking up our bikes, we went on a short hike through Minnehaha Regional Park to see the falls. Along the trail, people were picnicking and cooling off in the stream, and a crowd was gathered around a musician playing near the 53-foot waterfall. Back on the Byway, we found the statue of Hiawatha and Minnehaha.

Swan Boats & Pirates in the Park. From Minnehaha Regional Park, we biked around Lake Nokomis where we stopped to watch part of a cute little “Pirates in the Park” production and all the canoes, kayaks and swan pedal boats out on the lake.
Guava’s Cuban Cafe. And then to lunch… Across the street from Todd Park (we loved the name!), we found Guava’s Cuban Cafe. This was an off-the-beaten-path, nothing special location from the outside, but inside was charming and the food was delicious! These are our favorite kind of dining spots… Those where you can sit down, chat with the owner’s family and enjoy an authentic meal. While having lunch in this little Cuban cafe in Minneapolis, we swapped stories about our shared experiences in Costa Rica. Just the kind of “small world” experience we love.

Chain of Lakes. Winding up the western side of Minneapolis, we pedaled along the Chain of Lakes trail, past Cedar Lake, Lake of the Isles, Bde Maka Ska, and Lake Harriet. We didn’t stop to enjoy the lakes, but they would be fun places to come back to. There’s boat rentals, picnic areas, playgrounds, fishing and more. Plus, the Minneapolis Music and Movies in the Park at the Lake Harriet Bandshell.
Minneapolis Sculpture Garden. Arriving at the Sculpture Garden, we cooled off with a treat from an ice cream truck, then meandered through the 11-acre park. There are more than 40 works of art displayed there - free and open to the public - including the iconic LOVE statue, Spoonbridge and Cherry, and the newer OKCIYAPI, an artistic gathering place that invites peace and reflection.

Star Wall and Crown Our Prince Mural. Rounding out our 24-mile loop, we road back through downtown Minneapolis to see Star Wall at First Avenue and the Crown Our Prince 100-foot-tall mural honoring the Minneapolis native artist.
Grain Belt Beer Sign and Stone Arch Bridge. After a delicious dinner at one of the restaurants in Minneapolis’ trendy Warehouse District, North Loop neighborhood, we walked back along the riverfront to see the iconic Grain Belt Beer sign and Stone Arch Bridge lit up for the night.