Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis- St. Paul International Airport (MSP)
14 miles/21 minutes from Target Field

WHERE TO STAY?  

Hotels Near Target Field (all within 1 mile) 

Unlimited Budget

Loews Minneapolis Hotel 
The Grand Hotel Minneapolis
The Westin Minneapolis
Hampton Inn & Suites Minneapolis Downtown

Moderate Budget
Millennium Hotel Minneapolis
The Hotel Minneapolis
The Depot  Minneapolis

Best Western- Normandy Inn & Suites

Chaser Budget Traveler

Crowne Plaza - Minneapolis Downtown

WHERE TO PARK?

Located in the historic warehouse district of downtown Minneapolis, Target Field is being acclaimed as the most transit-friendly ballpark in America. Since there isn’t a centralized parking lot around the ballpark, we recommend taking either the Hiawatha Light Rail, Bus, Northstar Commuter Rail or Game-Day Express Bus. The Hiawatha Line has a Target Field terminal and offers 19 stations between the Mall of America and downtown Minneapolis. Numerous bus routes will connect with the trains at Hiawatha Line stations. Ballpark Chasers recommend purchasing the “Event 6-hour Pass” for a cheap round-trip to and from the ballgame. For additional help planning your trip on the Metro Transit, click here. 

The Northstar Commuter Rail Line provides rides from Big Lake to the Target Field station with stops in Elk River, Anoka, Coon Rapids and Fridley. The Northstar only delivers service to a select number of Twins games, so make sure your game is one of them. 

When driving into downtown Minneapolis and Target Field, look for street parking, meter parking, garages and paid lots. Depending on the direction you are coming from, you will want to find the easiest route to Target Field.  Street parking will always be the cheapest option (sometimes free, if you are lucky). Just make sure you follow the meter signs. The easiest and yet most expensive options are the dozens of paid lots and garages surrounding Target Field. As with all event parking, the closer to the ballpark, the more expensive the lot. Parking is ranging between $12-$20 this season. Adjacent to Target Field is the AMB/Hawthorne garage which holds almost 7,000 parking spaces. Ballpark Chasers suggest finding a parking spot in a lot or garage further away from Target Field to avoid the post-game traffic. 

WHERE TO EAT?

O'Donovan's and Kieran’s Irish Pub are two Irish bars within walking distance of Target Field. Ballpark Chasers recommends Kieran's for their famous fish and chips and corned beef Reuben’s along with their live music and drink menu. If you prefer a younger and livelier crowd, check out Sneaky Pete’s, located 3 blocks from Target Field. Sneaky Pete’s is open 365 days of the year and serves a full meal until 1am. With 55 high definition televisions showing every game live, what's not to love about this place? This is the spot to be in downtown Minneapolis after a sporting event as Sneaky Pete’s dance floor is open every night until 2am. Our favorite burger in the area is the Jucy Lucy, found only at Matt's Bar and Grill. Matt's is about a 15-minute drive from Target Field and well worth the drive. Are you looking for a nicer option? Make reservations for Butcher & the Boar, about a 10 minute walk from Target Field. Craft food, beer, and bourbon, Butcher & the Boar will not disappoint.  

Ballpark Chasers Favorite Bar- Sneaky Pete's 

Brand new for 2018 is Bat and Barrel. Located inside Target Field, this space is open to the public and offers indoor and outdoor seating. It's a great setting to meet for food and drink before, during or after the game! Other bars/restaurants within Target Field include Barrio, Town Bar Tavern, and Hrbek's, and the Budweiser Roof Deck. 

Other food options within Target Field include Murray’s Steakhouse, The Loon Cafe, J.D. Hoyt's and Kramarczuk’s Sausage. We also love Target Field's turkey legs, walleye on a stick, pork chop on a stick, and Walk a Taco. As for hot-dogs, the Twins went back to their original routes of Metropolitan Stadium for the same recipe of “Original Twins Dog”. As for the Metrodome favorite “Dome Dog”, they have done away with it and replaced it with a quarter-pound “Twins Big Dog”. 

Ballpark Chasers favorites include the Minnesota Crispy Belly Bacon w/ Jalapeno Jelly & Vinegar Slaw, Smoked Meat Sandwich w/ Vinegar Slaw & Maple Syrup Hot Sauce, and Valentini's Italian Burger.

New Food at Target Field

Soul Bowls: you built it! Our favorite combo includes Mac and Cheese, Rick Ross Smoked Mushrooms, and Shaggy Yellow Rice.

Boomstick:  two-foot-long hot dog on a hoagie coated with chili, nacho cheese, grilled onion, and jalapenos.

Chicken & Waffle Cone: 

Peanut Butter n' Jelly Bacon Sandwich: warm peanut butter on one slice of bread, jelly slathered on the other, and crunchy candied bacon between them! Served on sourdough bread ($10, Section 114).

Curds & Cakes Cheese Curds: golf ball-sized deep-fried Ellsworth Creamery curds that you dunk into ranch dressing

WHERE TO BUY TICKETS?

Now that the newness of Target Field has worn off, the attendance has been dropping each year since opening. During the 2017 season, Target Field ranked 21st in total attendance. We expect this trend to continue this season so take advantage of the Twins ticket promotions. For the best deal on tickets, Ballpark Chasers recommends pre-purchasing your tickets through the Twins ticket office. 

WHEN TO GO?

On average, the Twin Cities are the coldest metropolitan cities in the nation. Because the Twins no longer play in the comforts of a dome, weather should certainly play a factor when planning your baseball trip to Target Field. The last thing you want is a rain out or even worse, a snow out.  For this reason, Ballpark Chasers highly recommends planning your trip to Minnesota in late June, July or August.



WHAT ELSE TO SEE?

Despite the lack of top rated attractions in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, there are a few baseball museums worthy of a visit. The Minnesota Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame, located on the second floor of the St. Cloud Civic Center, is a must-see for those hard-core baseball fans. The museum specializes in Minnesota’s amateur, minor league, college, high school, and legion baseball history.  The MHOF showcases memorabilia dating back to 1857, including such items as uniforms, photos, bats, balls, programs and so much more. The Hall of Fame is open to the public and currently offers free admission. Call the St. Cloud Civic Center Office at 320-255-7272 for hours of operation.
Another free museum in the area is the Original Baseball Hall of Fame of Minnesota. Founded by Ray Crump, a Washington Senators batboy and the first ever equipment manager of the Minnesota Twins, Ray showcases his collectibles from years past. This self-guided museum is a must for any Twins fan, but will still captivate any baseball purist. Located across the street from Gate A of the old Metrodome, stop by before the game and see Kirby’s shrine and the world’s largest Twins bobblehead. Allow about 30 minutes to walk through at your leisure.
The Mall of America is our final recommendation and is a short 15-minute drive from Target Field. This 4 story mall is one of the largest in the world and houses over 500 stores. To put it in perspective, seven Yankee stadiums could fit inside of this building! When you find the log ride, look up high and locate the stadium chair mounted on the wall. The chair marks the original location from when Harmon Killebrew of the Minnesota Twins hit the longest home run in old Metropolitan Stadium history.

BALLPARK CHASERS VACATION?

Unfortunately, Target Field is all alone in the northern, central part of the United States. Ballpark Chasers recommends a weekend trip to Target Field to see a few games as well as the local museums. However, if you are itching for a long road trip, it is possible to combine Target Field along with Miller Park or Kauffman Stadium. A trip to Miller Park is 333 miles or 5.5 hours away while Kauffman Stadium is 440 miles or roughly 6.5 hours from Target Field.

Save your gas and stay closer to the Minneapolis area by seeing an Independent League ballpark. Just 10 minutes away from Target Field is CHS Field, home of the St. Paul Saints. Although the Saints are not affiliated with Major League Baseball, they still have a beautiful open-aired ballpark with quality talent on the field. Make sure to arrive early to hopefully receive one of their memorable giveaways as well as tour their new City of Baseball Museum. This 2,000+ square foot museum is located on the 3^rd base concourse, between sections 118-120.  The Museum includes powerful images, amazing artifacts, and cutting-edge technology all in the effort to bring to life the many stories that have made St. Paul a true baseball city.