Minnehaha Falls Park
Minneapolis, MN
By Nicole Thom-Arens
Published in 2026
The paved pathways among towering oak trees immediately set the scene from the parking lot of Minnehaha Falls Park just 20 minutes via car from downtown Minneapolis. Minnehaha Falls Park is like a setting straight out of a Nora Ephron movie especially with the café, tables, and chairs set between the falls and the trees. Before we even glimpsed the waterfall, the charm of this place was palpable.
Liam and I visited the park on a late-September afternoon after enjoying a slow morning at the Saint Paul Farmers Market, and while most of the leaves were still green, some of the trees had turned and there was a slight chill in the air; it was an idyllic autumn setting. There are several parking lots located off Minnehaha Avenue. From where we parked, the falls were just a short walk along the paved paths through the trees. The landscaping and design of the park put the waterfall at center stage—it is accessible and a stunning surprise in the middle of the urban area.
Pathways surround the waterfall. One leads to partially covered walkway where vines climb the wooden structure, and the land opens up to a wildflower garden. The other direction leads down to the stream where stone bridge crossings unveil unpaved trails surrounded by flora. At one point, we paused and watched the trees as the wind picked up and showered the ground with yellow leaves. “I am such a textbook middle-aged millennial girl. Autumn makes me so happy,” I said to Liam while grinning widely. If I had to be stuck in a moment of time, that scene is a top three contender.
I admire and am a bit envious of the intentional green spaces scattered around the Twin Cities. Minnehaha Falls Park is designed to be a place where people can gather individually or together and enjoy the seasons, and there’s something very Scandinavian about it. Before visiting, I had only seen pictures of the water on social media, so I was pleasantly surprised to find the café and see people enjoying food and drink under the shade of towering trees just feet away from the waterfall. The Sea Salt Eatery, serves seafood, oysters, sandwiches, salads, and beer from about April to early October—check the eatery’s Facebook page for updates. There’s something so romantic to me about a café tucked into the trees; the simple sight of it just warmed my heart. Although Sea Salt is closed during the cold months, I image it would be just as lovely watching people sip coffee and cocoa on a snowy landscape near the frozen waterfall.