Why Bloomington is the Place to Stay for Your Twin Cities Adventure
As the top travel destination in the Upper Midwest, the Twin Cities offers lots of amazing things to do and sights to see. There are arts and culture attractions including Prince’s private estate called Paisley Park and the Minnesota Sculpture Garden, home of the iconic Spoonbridge and Cherry. The Minnesota Zoo is a family favorite. The famed Chain of Lakes is a haven for outdoor recreation. And, of course, sports fans love watching the region’s college and professional teams.
Big events in the Twin Cities are another draw. You can always find a hit concert at Target Center, U.S. Bank Stadium or Mystic Lake Amphitheater. Plus, there’s the annual Minnesota Yacht Club Music Festival and extraordinary special engagements such as the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and WWE SummerSlam.
Whatever brings you to the Twin Cities, the suburb of Bloomington is the perfect headquarters for your stay. Located right next to Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport and just a few miles from all the major tourist attractions, Bloomington is close to wherever you want to go and provides a safe, affordable alternative to downtown lodging.
When you plan a Twin Cities adventure, here are five reasons to make Bloomington a big part of the fun.
Hyatt Regency Bloomington Minneapolis
Convenient and Affordable Twin Cities Places to Stay in Bloomington, Minn.
Bloomington is home to more than 40 hotels with cherished brands including Hilton, Holiday Inn, Hyatt, Marriott, Wyndham and many others. You can find rooms for two or suites for the whole family, with pet-friendly options, too.
Overnight parking rates are better than at downtown hotels in the Twin Cities and many places to stay in Bloomington offer money-saving packages as well. You can take advantage of Spring Break deals for family fun or combine your stay with discounted admission to regional attractions such as Chanhassen Dinner Theatres and Fagen Fighters World War II Museum. Mall of America Stay & Play packages are super popular and a great way to save money while exploring the USA’s largest retail and entertainment complex.
Bloomington is also the No. 1 place for Stay, Park & Fly packages. You get easy access to Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport and an affordable place to keep your car while you travel.
MORE: Bloomington Hotel Amenities
Mall of America
World-Class Twin Cities Shopping in Bloomington, Minn.
Of all the tourist attractions in the Twin Cities, Mall of America in Bloomington takes the cake. The sheer size of the world-famous mall is mind-boggling:
- 6 million square-feet
- more than 520 stores
- over 50 restaurants
Mall of America retailers include Alpaca Connection, American Eagle, Apple, Build-A-Bear Workshop, Card Vault by Tom Brady, Coach, Nike, Nordstrom, Sephora and literally hundreds of others. In fact, there are so many stores that even if you spent only 10 minutes in each one it would take nearly 4 days to visit them all!
Of course, you’ll spend much more than 10 minutes, especially at interactive places such as the M&Ms store where you can customize your own box of the beloved candy and at Beef Jerky Experience where you can sample meats from kangaroo and shark!
Some Bloomington hotels are within walking distance of Mall of America and many others offer free shuttles throughout the day. You can even stay right at the mall and take the skywalk from the Radisson Blu Mall of America and JW Marriott Minneapolis Mall of America hotels.
Bloomington is also home to the Upper Midwest’s only Ikea, the world-famous destination for innovative and affordable furniture, home goods and unique Scandinavian design. Bloomington is where you’ll find the flagship store for recreational outfitter REI, too.
MORE: Shop Local In Bloomington
SEA LIFE at Mall of America
Exciting Twin Cities Entertainment in Bloomington, Minn.
Whatever entertainment draws you to the Twin Cities, that’s just the start of the fun to have while you’re here. You’ll find tons of interactive things to do right near where you stay in Bloomington, too.
For starters, Nickelodeon Universe at Mall of America is the largest indoor amusement park in the United States. There are more than two dozen thrill rides including roller coasters and a log flume all inside! Mall of America has the world’s longest indoor zipline, too, plus many other unique attractions including SEA LIFE Minnesota Aquarium, Crayola Experience and the Amazing Mirror Maze along with two miniature golf courses, a FlyOver America flight simulator, an escape room, comedy house and much more. A popular hangout at the mall for adults is The Fair On 4, with food and entertainment including go karts, axe throwing and the old German game of hammerschlagen.
Bloomington has lots to do outside the mall as well. You can go indoor rock climbing at Vertical Endeavors, play bumper-car Whirlyball and explore Activate, the world’s first active gaming facility. The Works Museum features hands-on engineering and technology exhibits and the Northwest Airlines History Center has fascinating memorabilia and artifacts from one of America’s iconic commercial airlines.
Families love Great Wolf Lodge, an indoor waterpark with a four-story water fort, lazy river, wave pool and more.
MORE: Bloomington On A Budget: Top Affordable Activities
Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge
Scenic Twin Cities Outdoor Recreation in Bloomington, Minn.
Both Minneapolis and St. Paul have highly touted park systems that rank among the best in America, and Bloomington holds its own in that regard, too. You can be wowed by the waterfall in Minnehaha Park in Minneapolis, and you can relax among the tranquil koi ponds of the Normandale Japanese Garden in Bloomington. You can explore the zoo and conservatory at Como Park in St. Paul, and you can observe reptiles and frogs at Richardson Nature Center in Bloomington.
In fact, there are nearly 100 city parks and greenspaces in Bloomington including the 2,500-acre Hyland Lake Park Reserve where you can go hiking, biking, paddling, disc golfing and, in winter, skiing. The city is also home to the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, a 14,000-acre preserve with active recreation and birdwatching, too.
Golfers love Bloomington because it’s the ideal home base for playing Twin Cities courses that are part of the Great Northern Golf Trail. The Legends and The Wilds are just minutes away, and there are two courses right in town as well: Hyland Greens is a laid-back, 9-hole, par-3 course and Dwan is a municipal links that doubles as an Audubon International Certified Cooperative Sanctuary. Plus, Bloomington is where you can play Office Golf after dark and on rainy days.
MORE: Outdoor Recreation In Every Season In Bloomington
FireLake Grill House and Cocktail Bar
Tasty Twin Cities Food and Dining in Bloomington, Minn.
In addition to highly-ranked parks, the Twin Cities has many world-class restaurants that draw foodies from afar. Spoon and Stable is a perennial favorite with James Beard Award-winning chef Gavin Kaysen. The region is also home to Owamni, a James Beard Best New Restaurant specializing in indigenous food and culture.
You can eat at either of those delicious dining destinations and then wind down for the night in Bloomington, which has its own selection of high-quality local restaurants by the way. Get barbecue at Smokestack Express, Italian at Ciao Bella, steaks at FireLake Grill House & Cocktail Bar and a classic pie at Carbone’s Pizza.
There also are more than 50 restaurants at Mall of America including fan favorites such as Benihana, Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., Fogão Gaúcho Brazilian Steakhouse, Margaritaville and Rainforest Café as well as kid-friendly quick eats at A&W, Chick-Fil-A and Shake Shack.
