40 days in Minneapolis & Anchorage Itinerary

Located on both banks of the Mississippi River, Minneapolis salutes the state's love of the outdoors with numerous lakes, wetlands, creeks, and waterfalls--many connected to one another by a national scenic byway great for sightseeing.

Venture out of the city with trips to Central Park (in Rosemount), Willow River State Park (in Hudson) and Chippewa Falls (Leinie Lodge & Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company). Next up on the itinerary: admire the sheer force of Minnehaha Park, browse the different shops at Mall of America, test your team's savvy at popular escape rooms, and take in nature's colorful creations at Minneapolis Sculpture Garden.

To find more things to do, ratings, reviews, and other tourist information, go to the Minneapolis trip planner.

Phoenix to Minneapolis is an approximately 4.5-hour flight. You can also drive; or take a bus. The time zone changes from Mountain Standard Time (MST) to Central Standard Time (CST), which is usually a 1 hour difference. Traveling from Phoenix in June, things will get colder in Minneapolis: highs are around 79°F and lows about 61°F. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 16th (Sun) early enough to fly to Anchorage.

Home to nearly half of Alaska's population, the port city of Anchorage covers a staggering area of over 4,900 sq km (1,900 sq mi) surrounded by mountains.

You'll find plenty of places to visit near Anchorage: Whittier (Horsetail Falls Trail & Boat Tours & Water Sports) and Palmer (Independence Mine State Historical Park, Pioneer Falls, &more). Make the 25th (Tue) an awe-inspiring day at Chugach State Park. There's lots more to do: explore the landscape on two wheels at Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, gain insight at Alaska Native Heritage Center, examine the collection at Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center, and look for all kinds of wild species at Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center.

For maps, reviews, traveler tips, and more tourist information, read Anchorage travel website.

Getting from Minneapolis to Anchorage by flight takes about 7 hours. Other options: drive. The time zone difference when traveling from Minneapolis to Anchorage is minus 3 hours. Traveling from Minneapolis in July, expect Anchorage to be little chillier, temps between 69°F and 55°F. Wrap up your sightseeing by early afternoon on the 7th (Mon) to allow time for the flight back home.