Business and Convention Visitors to St. Paul

Visiting for a meeting, sales call or a Republican National Convention? Here's a quick guide for business visitors to downtown St. Paul, including getting here from the airport, getting around, where to eat, and what to see if you have any spare time in your schedule.

Getting to St. Paul from Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport

Minneapolis/St. Paul airport (airport code: MSP) is less than 10 miles from downtown St. Paul. Cabs are plentiful.

If you have hired a car, head east on State Highway 5. This freeway turns into West Seventh/Fort road, and leads all the way to downtown St. Paul.

Metro Transit bus route 54 connects downtown St. Paul to Minneapolis/St. Paul airport.

Arriving by train

The Amtrak station is in the east of St. Paul. Call a cab to get to downtown.

Getting around Downtown St. Paul

Downtown St. Paul is very compact, and walkable in fine weather. In the snow, or the heat of summer, the Skyway system is a network of climate-controlled tunnels that connect many office buildings and hotels in downtown St. Paul.

Map of downtown St. Paul and Skyway System

Parking ramps and on-street parking are widely available, if expensive.

Bars and Restaurants

Downtown St. Paul has a few restaurants and bars. West Seventh Street, a road that leads southwest from the Xcel Energy Center, has the densest amount of restaurants and the busiest bars.

Restaurants and bars on West Seventh Street

A short drive or taxi ride from downtown St. Paul is Grand Avenue, a stretch of restaurants, bars, cafes and independent stores.

• The Ten Best International Restaurants and Cafes on Grand Avenue
• Treats, Coffee and Cakes on St. Paul's Grand Avenue

Must-See Attractions in St. Paul and Minneapolis

If you have some free time, here's the must-visit destinations in the Twin Cities.

In downtown St. Paul, the Science Museum of Minnesota has fascinating exhibits and IMAX movies. The magnificent century-old Cathedral of St. Paul is on a bluff overlooking downtown St. Paul.

A little way out of downtown is St. Paul's Como Park which contains a zoo, conservatory, sculptures, historic buildings and Como Lake. Admission to all the attractions is free, and it's a good place for walking or jogging.

In Minneapolis, the Walker Museum and the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden is an interesting modern art museum with artworks inside and out. Uptown Minneapolis has bars, restaurants, shopping and people watching. The Mill City Museum, and beautiful Riverfront District in downtown Minneapolis is an evocative trip back in time to Minneapolis' history as a milling town.

Minnesota's most famous destination is the Mall of America. It's right where you arrived: the Mall of America is about a mile west of the Airport, and connected to it via the light rail line. For out-of-state visitors, there is no sales tax on clothing in Minnesota.