Twin Cities: Winter Vacation in Minneapolis-Saint Paul
Our 2024/2025 winter flight schedule offers a direct flight from Frankfurt to Minneapolis-Saint Paul. Find out what you can experience in the Twin Cities during winter
Admittedly, a winter trip to the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, the capital of Minnesota, is not for those concerned about cold. The 32nd state is the second-coldest in the US after Alaska, and Minneapolis-Saint Paul is the frostiest metropolitan region in the entire country. However, those who venture to the north of the USA – with warm clothing in their luggage – will be rewarded with the unobtrusive and warm hospitality of Minnesotans.
Minneapolis and Saint Paul are still two independent cities on the Mississippi that have grown together over time. Minneapolis is the younger and somewhat more boisterous sibling, with skyscrapers, hip bars, restaurants and clubs. In Saint Paul, the skyscrapers are not quite as tall, you can see old Victorian architecture on every corner and – as befits a seat of government – things are a little more dignified.
Some things you shouldn't miss on a trip this winter:
Saint Paul Winter Carnival
A New York Times reporter wrote in 1855 that the Twin Cities was a second Siberia, uninhabitable by humans. To prove the journalist wrong, the residents launched the Saint Paul Winter Carnival the following year. In 2025, it will take place from January 23 to February 2 and, as every year, offer parades, scavenger hunts, ice sculptures, ice fishing tournaments and much more.
Hmong Village Shopping Center
Those who have had enough of ice and snow can warm up in the Hmong Village Shopping Center. The Hmong are an indigenous people from China and Southeast Asia. The largest diaspora outside of Asia can be found in Minneapolis-Saint Paul, where those Hmong who supported America in the Vietnam War and had to flee their homeland in the aftermath were resettled. Today, the Hmong enrich the Twin Cities not least with their food culture: papaya salad, pork belly and traditional soups are best enjoyed in the Hmong Village Shopping Center with its 17 restaurants.
Dakota Sacred Hoop Walk
The Dakota are the indigenous people of Minnesota. This winter, you can get to know their history and culture in a very special way. Digital artist Marlena Myles, a member of the Spirit Lake Dakota tribe, has created an augmented reality exhibition in the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. Visitors to the gardens can download an app and use it to see images and listen to audio files that provide information about Dakota culture.
For more information about our tips, please click on the points on the map above.
Want to visit more of the USA?
The A380 also flies to Los Angeles in winter.