1. Taste new eats

While there's no shortage of places to eat in Minneapolis, check out these new restaurants we can't wait to try:

• Saffron: The highly anticipated return of Saffron, the restaurant of Palestinian-Minnesotan Chef Sameh Wadi that closed a decade ago, is here. Saffron brings Palestinian cuisine to Minneapolis by utilizing some of the oldest cooking techniques in the world, blended with modern influences and Minnesotan flavors. (now open)
• Jujube: The owners of the wildly popular Saturday Dumpling Co are bringing a Texas barbecue and Asian fusion restaurant to downtown Minneapolis. Jujube will open across the street from Gold Medal Park. (coming this fall)
• Square Roots: An Afro Creole Southern restaurant is opening in the Historic Coliseum Building in Minneapolis' Longfellow neighborhood. Along with exceptional cuisine, the restaurant will operate a paid hospitality residency program for young adults ages 18-24. (coming this fall)

2. See the new Broadway season at the Orpheum

Hennepin Arts' 2026-2027 Broadway on Hennepin Season will debut in Mid-October. The Orpheum Theater is ready to welcome Broadway classics and new adaptions alike to Minneapolis!

Show Dates:

• Clue (October 10-11)
• The Sound of Music (October 20-25)
• Maybe Happy Ending (November 17-22)

3. Shop at a new year-round farmers market

Minnesota's first farm stop is now open in Southwest Minneapolis. Radish Farm Stop is a year-round farmers market and coffee shop. Get produce and goods directly from your favorite local producers, and sip craft coffee and enjoy fresh pastries all year long.

4. Cheer on some new professional sports stars

Between the Vikings, Timberwolves, Lynx, and Frost, there are several new sports stars that will rep Minnesota for the first time. Grab tickets to a professional sports game in Minneapolis to see them in action! Here's who you should keep an eye out for:

• New Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray
• New Minnesota Timberwolves players LaMelo Ball and Jonathan Kuminga
• New Minnesota Lynx guard Olivia Miles (okay, Miles has been here this whole season, but you still need to see her in action!) and Aari McDonald
• A whole host of new Minnesota Frost defenders, forwards and goalies

5. Watch a new film to get inspired

Get cozy this fall at the movie theater. Throughout the season, attend different film festivals and watch some of the most inspirational, creative and artistic movies of the year. These are the upcoming festivals where you can discover your next favorite movie:

• Arab Film Festival (September 23-27)
• Cine Latino Festival (October 7-11)
• Twin Cities Film Festival (October 15-24)

6. View a new art exhibit at the Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia)

The Mia is the place to be this fall. With several new captivating art exhibits, you'll have no problem spending hours walking the hall of Minneapolis' most popular museum. The best part? Entrance to the Mia is free. Check out these upcoming exhibits:

• Cream of the Crop: The Second Harvest (September 19 - November 29)
  Come enjoy crop art without the crowds! The Great Minnesota Get-Together returns to Mia in 2026 as curators once again pick outstanding pieces from the Minnesota State Fair’s beloved crop art showcase.
  
  Expanding on last year’s celebration, this exhibition presents more than 20 works by crop artists, featuring the five that earned the coveted “Best in Show” ribbons.

• Back from the Underworld: Mia's Dante Tapestry Restored (Now - January 31, 2027)
  What is physically the largest Italian Renaissance masterpiece in the United States? The answer has been in storage at Mia for nearly 70 years.
  
  This exhibition brings back to view Francesco Salviati’s tapestry depicting the meeting of Dante and Virgil at the beginning of the Inferno. Over 17 feet tall, the tapestry was created to cover an entire wall of the Palazzo Salviati in Florence and was woven in the 1540s at a workshop established by the Grand Duke Cosimo de Medici.

• Paris Couture (October 4 - January 17, 2027)
  Step into Parisian luxury at Mia. “Paris Couture” brings more than 80 haute couture masterpieces from the Palais Galliera, spanning the late 19th century to today.
  
  The exhibition features icons such as Dior, Balenciaga, Schiaparelli, and Grès. Together, these extraordinary garments show couture as one of the great art forms of the modern era. You’ll see imagination matched with flawless technique and lavish materials. Get close to the details and discover how couture ateliers transformed dressmaking into high art.

7. See stunning fall views from new Minneapolis parks

Two new parks have opened this year along the Mississippi River, each promising picturesque views of changing fall trees along the river. Orvin "Ole" Olson Park offers swinging benches and lounge chairs, and Graco Park has grassy spaces for fall picnics and lounging.

8. Treat yourself to a self care session at a new spa

In search of relaxation and rejuvenation? Check out two new spas that opened in the city. Book a massage at the North Loop's newest spa, The NOW Massage. They offer three signature massage sessions, such as deep tissue, gliding cupping and crystal hot stones. Each massage is customizable, and you can add on each option above to meet your body where it is.

Alternatively, check out Minneapolis' first social spa, the All's Well Water Spa. All's Well was founded by three Minneapolis friends who craved a place to slow down and reconnect. Each spa pass here includes access to their sauna, steam room, cold plunge and warm pool. There are two new experiences not found at other spas in the city. Experience low-heat halotherapy in the salt room, and go plant bathing in their green room for all seasons.