Minnetonka - city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States

Minnetonka is a suburban city of 54,000 people (2019) in the Twin Cities area. The city’s forests, wetlands, prairies and lakes give it a natural environment unlike that of other suburbs.

Understand

The word "Minnetonka" comes from the Dakota Indian mni tanka meaning "great water". The city is home to Cargill, the country's largest privately owned company and United Healthcare, the state's largest publicly owned company.

Minnetonka's close proximity to Minneapolis makes it an attractive location for people wishing to visit the Twin Cities, yet not spend the money on a hotel downtown.

Get in

By plane

The Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport is only fifteen miles from Minnetonka.

By car

Minnetonka is intersected by two major interstates and a number of major highways. Interstate 494 runs north/south through the center of Minnetonka. Interstate 394 runs east/west, into Minneapolis and joining with interstate 94

Get around

Most people travel by car in Minnetonka. Metro Transit serves the Minnetonka area with bus service and the schedule can be found on the Metro Transit website. Express busses to Minneapolis run most mornings and evenings. Taxi service is also available by request, although it would be rather hard to hail a cab down from the street.

See

• Charles H. Burwell House, 13209 McGinty Rd E, 44.942818°, -93.449752°, +1 952 939-8219. A five acre site, including the buildings, is on the National Register of Historic Places, and the site is also a designated Minnetonka Landmark. Tours of the home are offered during the summer.

Do

• Shady Oak Beach, 5200 Shady Oak Rd, 44.91001°, -93.429839°, +1 952 939-8374. This 85-acre, fully recreational area offers 76′ of sandy beach shoreline and clear spring-fed waters, as well as great amenities including multi-age playground area (newly installed in 2011), lifeguards, swimming, high dive, concessions, changing area, canoe rental, sand volleyball, fishing and free parking. 2016-05-17
• Libbs Lake Beach, 16515 Park Ln, 44.947169°, -93.489202°. Libbs Lake Beach is a small neighborhood beach. The beach will have limited times with lifeguards on duty and also times when swimming is allowed in an unsupervised setting. Parking is very limited.
• The Marsh (Spa), 15000 Minnetonka Blvd, 44.938018°, -93.470415°, +1 952 935-2202. M-F 5:30AM-9:30PM, Sa Su 7AM-9PM. Set amid an expansive wetland, this suburban retreat includes a full-service salon, spa, conference center, fitness center, guest rooms and restaurant.

Buy

• Ridgedale Center, 12401 Wayzata Blvd, 44.968°, -93.438°, +1 952 541-4864. M-Sa 10AM-9PM, Su noon-6PM. Over 140 specialty stores and restaurants. Stores include Abercrombie & Fitch, Apple, Ann Taylor, Build-A-Bear Workshop, Coach, Coldwater Creek, Hollister, J.Jill, Origami Sushi, Sephora, Swarovski and White House Black Market.

Eat

• Bacio, 1571 Plymouth Rd, 44.969113°, -93.44274°, +1 952 544-7000. M-F 11AM-10PM, Sa 11:30AM-11PM, Su 10:30AM-9PM. Contemporary Italian restaurant serving dishes such as natural chicken risotto, spaghetti with meatballs and traditional flatbread pizza. $10-18
• Gold Nugget Tavern & Grille, 14401 Excelsior Blvd, 44.953365°, -93.417297°, +1 952 935-3600. Su-Th 11AM-11PM, F Sa 11AM-1AM. Serves its signature handmade tater tots (pumped full of cheddar), spicy walleye cakes and a lot of great American standbys like burgers and fries. Try the Minnesota Wild Rice Burger. $9-15
• Jimmy's Food and Cocktails, 11000 Red Circle Dr, 44.894997°, -93.419034°, +1 952 224-5858. Su-Th 11AM-10PM, F Sa 11AM-11PM. contemporary and traditional American cuisine with global influences, market fresh fish and seafood. $16-25
• Lone Spur Grill and Bar, 11032 Cedar Lake Rd, 44.953365°, -93.417297°, +1 952 540-0181. Su-Th 11AM-10PM, F Sa 11AM-11PM. Southwestern specialties and barbecue beef brisket. The meats here are smoked for 14 hours with specialty seasoning and all authentic menu items are handmade. $9-15
• Redstone American Grill, 12501 Ridgedale Dr, 44.965257°, -93.436592°, +1 952 591-0000. M-Sa 11AM-1AM, Su 10AM-10PM. Watch the chefs in the open kitchen prepare specialties like Grilled Meatloaf, Wood Fired Filet Mignon or Slowly Roasted Prime Rib. Offers a full bar, extensive wine list, diverse lunch menu and Sunday Champagne Brunch. $10-50
• Scoreboard, 5765 Sanibel Dr (at Shady Oak Rd), 44.899333°, -93.422457°, +1 952 935-6537. M-Sa 11AM-midnight, Su 10AM-midnight. Sports themed bar & grill. Menu offers favorites like burgers and pasta, but there are surprises like fish tacos and lettuce wraps. $9

Drink

Sleep

• Holiday Inn Express, 10985 Red Circle Dr, 44.893834°, -93.41883°, +1 952 912-9999. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. 15 minutes from the MSP airport and downtown. Complementary continental breakfast served daily. $60-130
• Minneapolis Marriott Southwest, 5801 Opus Pkwy, 44.89733°, -93.40595°, +1 952 935-5500. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. Heated indoor pool, pond-side sunbathing deck, and health club. $75-250
• Sheraton Minneapolis West Hotel, 12201 Ridgedale Dr, 44.966142°, -93.432028°, +1 952 593-0000. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. Located across from Ridgedale Mall, and just 10 minutes from downtown Minneapolis. Hotel includes an indoor pool and full-service Atrium Bistro.

Connect

• Ridgedale Library, 12601 Ridgedale Dr, 44.964604°, -93.440127°, +1 612 543-8800. M-Th 9AM-9PM, F Sa 9AM-5PM, Su noon-5PM. Full computer lab with Wi-Fi internet access.

Go next

In the Twin Cities metro

• Mall of America in nearby Bloomington. Minnesota has no sales tax on clothing.
• Valleyfair is an amusement park that's within an hour's drive in nearby Shakopee.
• Minnesota Zoo is in nearby Apple Valley.
• Minneapolis is only a five minute drive from Minnetonka and offers plenty to do.