Skip to content
BusinessesGrow
Stone Arch Bridge, Minneapolis, MN

Photo: August Schwerdfeger, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

SightseeingIconicPhoto OpFree

Stone Arch Bridge

100 Portland Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55401 · Minneapolis, MN

Why you should go…

Railroad baron James J. Hill built this graceful limestone-and-granite crossing in 1883 to carry his Great Northern trains over the Mississippi, the only stone arch bridge on the entire river. Converted to a walk-and-bike span in 1994, the 2,100-foot bridge curves past St. Anthony Falls with postcard views of the Mill District skyline. A top-to-bottom restoration finished ahead of schedule in July 2025, so every stone and mortar joint is freshly renewed.

  • #bridge
  • #mississippi river
  • #walking
  • #biking
  • #st anthony falls

Good to know

General sightseeing guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • The forecast is part of the ticket

    Haze, low cloud, and rain flatten a view. Clear-day visits are worth rearranging your plans for.

  • Golden hour sells out first

    Sunset slots at observation decks and cruises are the first to go, so book those further ahead.

  • Dress a layer warmer

    It is always breezier up high and out on the water than it feels at street level.

  • Timed entry is common

    Plenty of landmarks release tickets in windows rather than at the door, so check before you walk over.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Stone Arch Bridge, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Theatre & Events
    Iconic

    Guthrie Theater

    $25–$50

    World-class theater on the riverfront, wander its cantilevered Endless Bridge for free Mississippi views.

    0.2 mi awaySwitch it up: Theatre & Events

  • Museums
    History Buff

    Mill City Museum

    Under $25

    A museum built into the ruins of the world's largest flour mill, with an 8-story elevator show and rooftop river views.

    0.2 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Attractions
    Family Favorite

    U.S. Bank Stadium

    Under $25

    Walk the Vikings locker room, press level and field on a guided tour of this glass-walled Minneapolis stadium.

    0.5 mi awaySwitch it up: Attractions

  • Sightseeing
    History Buff

    The Basilica of Saint Mary

    Free

    See the granite Beaux-Arts front of America's first basilica on Hennepin Avenue, now under restoration with its upstairs nave closed.

    1.7 mi awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    Spoonbridge and Cherry

    Free

    See a 52-foot spoon balancing a giant red cherry over a pond in the free Minneapolis Sculpture Garden.

    1.9 mi awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    Cathedral of Saint Paul

    Free

    One of America's grandest domed churches, crowning a hill with sweeping views over downtown St. Paul.

    7.4 mi awayMore like this