Baya Clare 2025-01-02 10:45:53
TRAVEL TIPS & IDEAS
Minnesota welcomes people of all abilities.
TRANSPORTATION & GETTING AROUND
One of the pillars of access is being able to get where you want to go. Minnesota’s transportation infrastructure is among the nation’s best in terms of accessibility.
Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) offers assistance for wheelchair users, electric cart service to distant gates, web and phone-based interpreting services at information booths, hearing loop technology and paging by text for deaf and hard-of-hearing travelers. For blind and low-vision travelers, the airport has Aira, which uses artificial intelligence and augmented reality to help people navigate the airport.
Many therapy dogs and cats are part of MSP’s popular Animal Ambassador program, and a partnership with the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Organization allows people to quietly indicate to airport staff, via a sunflower lanyard, that they may need more assistance.
All bus, light rail and commuter rail transit provided by the Metropolitan Council and the Minnesota Department of Transportation is accessible. In addition, Metro Mobility — a shared ride public transportation service for certified riders who are unable to use other transit options due to a disability — is available in much of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro. Trips can be booked online, by phone or by a teletypewriter. Other parts of the state are served by paratransit providers, including Dial-a-Ride in the St. Cloud area, STRIDE in Duluth, and Smart Bus in Albert Lea, Owatonna and Austin.
SHOPPING & ATTRACTIONS
As the largest mall in the country, Mall of America® in Bloomington has hundreds of stores and restaurants on four levels plus an entire amusement park (Nickelodeon Universe). It offers wheelchair access throughout and a service animal relief area. MOA® is also a Certified Autism Center.
Other venues with sensory-friendly spaces and events or times include the Minnesota Children’s Museum, the Walker Art Center, Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre, the Minnesota Orchestra and a number of movie theaters throughout the state.
MUSEUMS & THEATER
The Minneapolis Institute of Art showcases nearly 100,000 pieces of art from around the world, including a renowned collection of Asian art. It’s all accessible, from wheelchair access to captioned videos, ASL and Protacile interpreters to audio descriptions of artwork. Other accessible-friendly museums include the Science Museum of Minnesota in downtown St. Paul and the Minnesota Museum of Marine Art in Winona.
The Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis presents the classics and cutting-edge plays in a fully-accessible space that includes mobility accommodations and assistive options for deaf, hard of hearing, blind and low vision patrons. Penumbra Theatre in St. Paul, the nation’s first Black professional theater company, offers wheelchair-accessible seating, an infrared listening system and some interpreted performances. Other accessible metro theater options include Interact Theater, Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, the Children’s Theatre Company and Mixed Blood Theatre.
Outside of Minneapolis-St. Paul, the Rochester Civic Theatre, Fargo-Moorhead Community Theatre and the Duluth Playhouse are among the many regional theaters offering wheelchair-accessible seating, infrared listening systems and interpreted performances.
SPORTS
At Minneapolis’s Target Field, home of the Minnesota Twins, parking and seating are accessible, and there are elevators and ramps as well as listening devices. U.S. Bank Stadium, home of the Minnesota Vikings, offers similar accommodations as well as wheelchair-accessible concession stands. The Minnesota Wild hockey team plays at St. Paul’s Xcel Energy Center, which is fully accessible as well, offering mobility access, closed captioning and interpretation on request, and sensory kits for check out.
Minnesota has a wide variety of adaptive sports recreation programs and camps offered by universities, public school community education programs and non-profit organizations.
OUTDOOR RECREATION
Minnesota offers a wide variety of accessible outdoor recreation opportunities. There are 65 state parks and an extensive network of state trails, many of which have accessible features.
Blue Mounds State Park and more than a dozen other state parks have electric track chairs available.
Track chairs are all-terrain alternatives for designated trails that may not be accessible for regular wheelchairs. Gooseberry Falls State Park, one of the most popular and scenic state parks on the shores of Lake Superior, has accessible multi-use trails and connects to the Gitchi-Gami State Trail. There are also many accessible regional and city parks, resorts, campgrounds and beaches throughout the state.
A number of organizations offer resources on adapted fishing and accessible recreational opportunities, including Let’s Go Fishing and Fishing Has No Boundaries, which hosts popular annual fishing events.
More Information & Resources
One of the best places to look for information and assistance is the Minnesota Council on Disability (disability.state.mn.us). It advises the government, community organizations, businesses and the public on matters pertaining to disability. More information can also be found at disabilityhubmn.org.
Explore more accessible-friendly trip ideas at exploreminnesota.com/minnesota-accessibilty
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