Minneapolis/Southeast

Almost all streets and avenues in SE Minneapolis are numbered, except for a few named on or around the University of Minnesota campus. Most of this area follows the same river-aligned grid as downtown. Like downtown, streets parallel the river and avenues are perpendicular to it; the only exception is University Avenue, which in Southeast is the equivalent of "3rd St SE". The famous Dinkytown area is a good place for hanging out at a coffee shop. It's located nearby 14th Ave and 4th St SE. The Prospect Park neighborhood is also part of Southeast Minneapolis, but it has an entirely different street grid, with winding streets with English names, such as Seymour, Warwick, and Arthur.

By car

If driving along Interstate 35W, take the exit marked "University Ave SE/4th St SE" and turn on University Avenue (a one-way street). Most of Dinkytown is between 13th and 15th Avenues; turn on one of these streets as most of the action is not along University Avenue, but along 4th Street SE (one block to the left; it's a one-way in the opposite direction) and the cross-streets mentioned above (especially 14th Avenue SE). If you are going to Stadium Village, continue driving down University Avenue past Dinkytown until you get to Oak St SE, then turn right.
If driving along Interstate 94, take the exit marked "Huron Blvd"; there will only be one direction to head in: north. If heading to Stadium Village, turn left on Washington Ave SE. If heading to Dinkytown, keep driving along Huron Blvd, which runs directly into 4th St SE. Continue along 4th St SE until you get to Dinkytown. You can also take the MN-280 exit off I-94 and either go west on University, which will turn into 4th St, or go west on Kasota which will turn into Rollins, make a left on 15th Ave straight into Dinkytown.
In addition to the freeways, car access to Southeast from the other side of the river is available via the Hennepin Avenue, Third Avenue (connects 3rd Ave S on the west side with Central Avenue on the east side), 10th Avenue (connects 19th Ave S on the west side with 10th Ave SE on the east side), Washington Avenue, and Franklin Avenue bridges.
The stretch of Washington Avenue between the Mississippi River and Oak Street has been converted to a pedestrian/transit mall and is inaccessible to cars.

By Metro light rail

The Metro Green Line cuts through the University of Minnesota campus along Washington Avenue as it runs between the downtowns of Minneapolis and Saint Paul. The relevant stations are East Bank (on Washington Avenue between Union and Harvard Streets, and the most convenient stop for the U of M East Bank campus), Stadium Village (on 23rd Avenue between University Avenue and 4th Street, next to TCF Bank Stadium), Prospect Park (on 29th Avenue between University Avenue and 4th Street), and Westgate (on University Avenue at Berry Street in Saint Paul right at the Minneapolis border).

By bus

• Route 2 comes from Franklin and Hennepin and runs down Franklin Avenue through South Minneapolis and Riverside Avenue through the West Bank. The bus zig-zags its way through Southeast Minneapolis, running on Washington Avenue through the middle of campus until Oak Street (in the middle of Stadium Village), then turns north toward 4th Street, which it runs on through Dinkytown (in the opposite direction, the bus runs on University Avenue). At 10th Avenue the bus jogs over to 8th Street where it runs northwest to its terminus at 6th Street and East Hennepin Avenue in Old St. Anthony.
• Route 3 comes from Downtown and the West Bank and runs on 15th Avenue through Dinkytown, then Como Avenue through the Como neighborhood. The bus continues into Saint Paul, going past the State Fairgrounds and Como Park before terminating in Downtown St. Paul.
• Route 6 comes from Southwest Minneapolis, Downtown, and Old St. Anthony. In Southeast, University-bound buses run on University Avenue while Downtown-bound buses run on 4th Street, through Dinkytown, until Oak Street at which point they run on University in both directions. The bus runs past the Stadium Village Metro Green Line station and terminates at 27th and University.
• Route 16 comes from Saint Paul, shadowing the Metro Green Line, and runs on University Avenue through Prospect Park. The bus terminates at Stadium Village Station.
• Route 67 comes from the Franklin Avenue Metro Blue Line station in Seward and runs along Franklin Avenue through Prospect Park. The bus continues into Saint Paul, running mostly along Minnehaha Avenue before terminating in Downtown Saint Paul.

There are also many limited-stop buses linking the U of M with various spots around the Twin Cities, but service is limited.

The best part of Southeast Minneapolis is the Mississippi River. Walk across the Stone Arch Bridge and see St. Anthony Falls (now manmade) and the lock and dam. Maybe you'll get to see a boat go through. The Southeast side of the river also features restaurants with great views of the downtown skyline, and if you turn north on East Hennepin, you'll find a wonderful collection of restaurants and shops.

Museums

• Weisman Art Museum

  phone: +1 612 625-9494
  address: 333 E River Rd
  Frank Gehry-designed art museum on the University of Minnesota campus.

Parks

• Tower Hill Park

  address: 55 Malcolm Ave SE
  A small city park that is home to the Prospect Park Water Tower (commonly known as the Witch's Hat), which is on one of the highest points in the city. The top of the tower has great views of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, but it is only open on one day of the year, typically the Friday after Memorial Day from about 5PM-8PM. If you are visiting the city on that day, don't pass the opportunity to climb up to the top of the tower.

• Varsity Theater

  phone: +1 612 217-7701
  address: 1308 4th St SE
  Elegantly decorated theater that now acts as a music venue. Shows are mostly all ages or 18+.

• Northrop Auditorium

  phone: +1 612 624-2345
  address: 84 Church St SE
  2,700-seat performing arts venue.

• TCF Bank Stadium

  address: 2009 University Ave SE
  Home to the Minnesota Gophers NCAA football team.

• Mariucci Arena

  address: 1901 4th St SE
  Home to the Gophers men's hockey team.

• Williams Arena

  address: 1925 University Ave SE
  Home to the Gophers men's and women's basketball teams.

• The Book House

  phone: +1 612 331-1430
  address: 1316 4th St SE, #201
  Huge selection of used books. Also has a rare book collection and a small selection of vinyl records.

• Varsity Bike & Transit

  phone: +1 612 623-0990
  address: 1316 4th St SE
  Sells traditional, electric, and cargo bikes, plus accessories. Also offers bike repair services.

Dinkytown

Around 14th Ave and University Ave SE.

• Al's Breakfast

  phone: +1 612 331-9991
  address: 413 14th Ave SE
  A slightly hidden diner that is perfect for mornings. Seating at a single counter, line forms behind stools. Delightfully crunchy hash-browns and greasy egg-dishes will take care of that American diner breakfast craving. Some think it gets by on reputation these days and anywhere with elbow room is better.

• Annie's Parlour

  phone: +1 612 379-0744
  address: 313 14th Ave SE
  Burgers and malts on the second-story patio. They charge extra for every single item, so a burger/fries/shake starts getting expensive but it's worth it if you're in the mood.

• Burrito Loco

  phone: +1 612 746-5626
  address: 418 13th Ave SE
  A burrito joint plus a full service bar. Service can be quite dodgy earlier in the evening; they seem to forget about customers outside of rush times.

• Camdi

  phone: +1 612 331-4194
  address: 1325 4th St SE
  Chinese/Vietmanese restaurant, very small space (can sometimes get over-crowded during the lunch rush). Vegetarian/vegan friendly and dirt cheap (especially the lunch specials).

• Erbert and Gerbert's

  phone: +1 612 331-1185
  address: 316 15th Ave SE
  Regional sub shop chain.

• Loring Bar & Restaurant

  phone: +1 612 378-4849
  address: 327 14th Ave SE
  For pasta and an eclectic, very romantic atmosphere, try the descendant of the now-defunct Loring Pasta Bar. Cozy and comfy with amazing bar and marble/stone bathrooms, although a little pricey for the tiny sevings. Vegetarians welcome.

• Mesa Pizza

  phone: +1 612 436-3006
  address: 1323 4th St SE
  Dozens of varieties of pizza, available by the slice or a whole pie. Some varieties are bizarre (some may even say grotesque), such as the infamous macaroni-and-cheese pizza. One vegan pie available daily. Very popular with the post-2AM drunkards.

• Shuang Cheng

  phone: +1 612 378-0208
  address: 1320 4th St SE
  A perennially popular and surprisingly authentic Chinese restaurant. Often raved about in reviews due to its dishes' abundances of vegetables and unique offerings (such as Walleye with Black Beans Sauce), it also offers standard fare. Vegetarians welcome.

• Tony's Diner

  phone: +1 612 378-4730
  address: 1327 4th St SE
  Features gyros—stuffed with french fries like they do in Greece—and baklava mixed in with excellent burgers and hot sandwiches and hoagies.

Stadium Village

Located closer to Oak St and Washington Ave SE.

• Bona

  phone: +1 612 331-5011
  address: 815 Washington Ave SE
  Vietnamese. Vegetarians welcome.

• Hong Kong Noodle

  phone: +1 612 379-9472
  address: 901 Washington Ave SE
  Mandarin character menu, authentic Chinese cuisine that is good for cheap eats. Vegetarians welcome.

• Stub and Herbs

  phone: +1 612 379-1880
  address: 227 Oak St SE
  If you're not up for a perpetual Ladies' Night and preening Greeks, Stub and Herbs is a great bar/restaurant for those seeking standard American fare. They offer fresh soft pretzels with sweet'n'hot mustard and an expansive shot list and draft beer selection, helping to make it a local institution. Better than your average college hangout, but if you hate crowds it is best avoided on weekend evenings and game days (especially Gopher's hockey).

Other areas

• Ramen Kazama

  phone: +1 612 331-4205
  address: 1510 Como Ave SE
  Small Japanese bistro serving ramen and rice plates.

• Alma

  phone: +1 612 379-4909
  address: 528 University Ave SE
  Amazing food which can best be described as a combination between French, Fusion, and small-town Minnesotan. They use almost exclusively organic ingredients.

Alcohol

• Kitty Cat Klub

  phone: +1 612 331-9800
  address: 315 14th Ave SE
  A swanky nightspot. Hosts live music at night.

• Sally's Saloon

  address: 700 Washington Ave SE
  The daily dining specials at Sally's help make it a popular afternoon and evening destination among University students. At night, this is the place on the East Bank to see drunk college kids tripping over each other.

• Blarney Pub and Grill

  address: 412 14th Ave SE
  A faux-Irish college bar that has nightly drink specials, multiple levels and three full bars. Karaoke and long island ice tea specials bring in huge crowds on Thursday nights.

Coffee

• Purple Onion Cafe

  phone: +1 612 252-0217
  address: 1301 University Ave SE

Budget

• Wales House

  phone: +1 612 331-3931
  address: 1115 5th St SE
  A unique bed and breakfast in a historic home, the Wales House tries to make you feel at home during your stay.

• Days Inn University of Minnesota

  phone: +1 612 623-3999
  address: 2407 University Ave SE
  A couple blocks east of the University of Minnesota. Convenient access to Downtown Minneapolis. Free shuttle within a two mile radius, plus shuttles to and from the airport for a fee.

• University Inn

  phone: +1 612 746-1300
  address: 925 4th St SE

Mid-range

• The Commons Hotel

  phone: +1 612 379-8888
  address: 615 Washington Ave SE
  All rooms feature a 42-inch flat-screen TV, refrigerator, and free high-speed internet. The hotel also has a gastropub and a fitness center.

Splurge

There is free wifi available to the general public on the University of Minnesota campus. Look for the network UofM-Guest.

• Southeast Library

  phone: +1 612 543-6725
  address: 1222 4th St SE