SportsQuest
All games

Week 7, Sun, Oct 25, 12:00 PM local

Indianapolis Coltsat Minnesota Vikings

U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis. Fly into MSP.

Build the quest

Kickoff slot

Early

Lots open before breakfast.

Lots open

8:00 AM

Local time on game day.

Where to stay

In the city

Tailgate from 8:00 AM, then the game.

The matchup

Form, ESPN's model and the stat leaders
Form

The Colts are 1-2 after 3 games, 2nd in the AFC South.

They are 0-1 on the road.

The Vikings are 3-0 after 3 games, 1st in the NFC North.

They have won 3 in a row.

They are 1-0 at home.

What we know about U.S. Bank Stadium

Where visiting fans stay

Checked at the source
  • Downtown East / Mill District. 5 min by walk. The stadium is at 401 Chicago Avenue, downtown Minneapolis. Radisson Red, Moxy and Aloft sit about 0.2 miles away. Hubert's Bar is within 0.1 miles of the gates. South Washington Avenue, with brewpubs, Thai food and chains, is two blocks north. Here the closest hotels are also the right hotels.
  • Nicollet Mall / core downtown. 15 min. enclosed skyway walk, or one stop on the Blue/Green line. This matters most for a December or January game. The Minneapolis skyway is an enclosed, heated path all the way to U.S. Bank Stadium. It stays open before, during and after every Vikings game. Hotels on the skyway route: The Westin, Hyatt Centric, Royal Sonesta, Rand Tower, Marriott, Embassy Suites, The Lofton, Hyatt Place. Book one and you can walk to your seat in a shirt in January. Hotels only near the route, Hilton Garden Inn, Vacation Inn Express, Hotel Ivy, Hilton Minneapolis, connect at street level. That is not the same thing.
  • North Loop. 15 min. METRO Blue or Green line, or a 20-minute walk. The best bar and restaurant area in the city sits about a mile northwest of the stadium, on the Green and Blue Line near Target Field. Pick this area if the trip is as much about the city as the game. Pick Downtown East if it is about the game.

Around the stadium

From a specialist guide
Downtown East and South Washington Avenue form a real bar district. Hubert's Bar & Restaurant sits within 0.1 miles of the stadium. South Washington Avenue, two blocks north, carries most of the bars and restaurants. The stadium sits inside downtown, so staying near the stadium means staying in the city. That is not true at Soldier Field or Lambeau.

Getting in from the airport

Checked at the source
MSP Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport: 30 minutes via the METRO Blue Line, direct from Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 to downtown Minneapolis. No transfer, no bus, no taxi.

Getting to the stadium

Checked at the source
METRO Blue Line and Green Line to U.S. Bank Stadium station, about 30 min. The station platform sits right outside the stadium's front door. Minneapolis Skyway System, enclosed and heated. It leads straight into the stadium. Standard hours are Mon-Fri 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sat 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sun noon to 6 p.m. Hours extend for stadium events, set per game. Example: Sunday, September 13, 2026, noon to 9 p.m. Example: Sunday, October 25, 2026, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Example: Monday, November 9, 2026, 3 p.m. to midnight.

Tailgating

From a specialist guide
Classic parking-lot tailgating is closed to visiting fans here. The Vikings sell tailgating passes only as a season-long purchase; single-game passes aren't sold. Instead, two walk-up pre-game spots sit on the stadium campus. The Delta Vikings Village opens three hours before kickoff, or 10 to 10:30 a.m. for a noon game, and closes one hour after the game. It has a bar, team store, games, sponsor booths, and food and drink from Aramark at The Longhouse. The SPAM Tailgate runs at The Commons, a public park outside the stadium, with a DJ starting three hours before kickoff and, on some dates, a free concert. Whether either spot requires a game ticket is not stated on any official page. Delta Vikings Village opens three hours before kickoff, or 10 to 10:30 a.m. for a noon kickoff, and closes one hour after the game ends. No separate admission charge is advertised. Whether a game ticket is required is not confirmed. SPAM Tailgate runs at The Commons, a public city park, with entertainment the Vikings describe as free, including a free headline concert on some dates. It opens three hours before kickoff, with entertainment starting at 10 a.m. for a noon kickoff. Whether a game ticket is required is not confirmed.

Getting in

Checked at the source
  • Bag policy: For Vikings games, clear plastic, vinyl or PVC bags up to 12 by 6 by 12 inches are allowed. A one-gallon clear freezer bag is allowed. Small clutch bags up to 4.5 by 6.5 inches, with or without a strap, are allowed. Medically necessary bags are reviewed case by case. Hard-sided containers, coolers, briefcases, backpacks and camera bags are not allowed. This rule is for Vikings games only; other events may differ.
  • Re-entry: Guests can't exit and re-enter on the same ticket. The only exception is an emergency, approved by a gate supervisor.
  • Prohibited items: Banned items include large umbrellas, strollers, laptops, video cameras, and any camera lens over 6 inches. Still cameras with a lens of 6 inches or less are fine. Also banned: laser pointers, air horns, flagpoles, selfie sticks, beach balls, balloons, skateboards and drones. Outside food and drink are banned beyond one water bottle; rules on the bottle vary by event. Hand-carried jackets are allowed, which helps in January.

Touring the stadium

Checked at the source
No game-day tours run. The stadium offers the Ultimate Touchdown Tour instead, the day before a Vikings home game. The standard Public Tour is also closed on event days. The Ultimate Touchdown Tour runs select days before a Vikings home game. The standard Public Tour runs Wednesday to Sunday, at 10 a.m., noon, 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. For a Sunday game, that means a Wednesday-to-Saturday slot. No fixed booking window is published; tickets sell through Ticketmaster, and the stadium recommends buying in advance due to demand. Sell-out risk is moderate. Public tour price isn't listed on the stadium site; it's sold through Ticketmaster. Group tour pricing depends on party size; contact [email protected]. The public tour runs 90 minutes; the Ultimate Touchdown Tour runs 120 minutes.

After the final whistle

From a specialist guide
No official clearance time is published after the game. Two light rail lines board right at the door. The skyway stays open after the game. Most downtown hotels are a walk away. Light rail platforms fill fast right after the final whistle. The skyway is often faster if your hotel sits on it.

One thing to avoid

From a specialist guide
Watch for two traps. One: booking at Mall of America or Bloomington because it's cheap and on the Blue Line. It's 25-plus minutes out, the Blue Line fills with Vikings fans from that end before kickoff, and you lose the skyway, the bars and the walk home. Two: booking a downtown hotel without checking it sits on the skyway route, not just near it. On a January game, that difference shapes the whole trip. Also, don't plan on tailgating, see below.

Bars near the stadium

Checked at the source

  • Crooked Pint Ale House

    501 Washington Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55415

    Crooked Pint is the most reliable pre-game bar in Downtown East. On Sunday noon home games it opens at 9 a.m., two hours early, just for Vikings traffic.

    Away fans: mixed, a large downtown pub with broad trade

  • Day Block Brewing Company

    1105 S Washington Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55415

    Day Block sits in an 1883 building. Past tenants include a hospital, a furniture store, an undertaker, and a plumbing supply store.

    Away fans: mixed and welcoming, a neighborhood brewpub with a dog-friendly patio

  • Vikings Longhouse / Medtronic Plaza

    Medtronic Plaza, 530 Chicago Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55415

    This is the club's own pre-game area. It's bigger than a single bar.

    Away fans: mixed

Sidequests in Minneapolis

In the order they happen. Each one earns points.

  1. Outing40 points

    Minneapolis Sculpture Garden and Spoonbridge and Cherry

    Free 11-acre garden with over 60 works, the largest urban sculpture garden in the country. Open daily 6am to midnight. Kids run the lawns, everyone photographs Spoonbridge and Cherry.

    Free. The day before

  2. Eat65 points

    Kramarczuk's sausage and pierogi

    Cafeteria-line Eastern European deli in Northeast Minneapolis, a James Beard America's Classic in 2013, six decades in business. Smoked sausages, baked goods, prepared plates. Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 8pm, cards only.

    $. The day before

  3. Landmark65 points

    Stone Arch Bridge

    1883 railroad bridge, 2,100 feet long, now for walkers and bikes. Crosses the Mississippi at St. Anthony Falls, 15 minutes north of the stadium. Reopened July 2025 after repairs.

    Free. The day before

  4. Landmark65 points

    Mill City Museum

    Museum in the ruins of the world's largest flour mill, beside the Stone Arch Bridge. Flour Tower elevator show, baking lab, rooftop deck. Adults $15, kids 5 to 17 $8, tickets sold on site.

    $$. The day before

  5. Eat65 points

    Jucy Lucy at Matt's Bar

    South Minneapolis bar making the Jucy Lucy since 1954: two beef patties sealed around molten cheese. Order it, wait for the cheese to cool, expect a line on weekends.

    $. 19 hours before kickoff

  6. Drink25 points

    Kieran's Irish Pub

    Downtown pub open over 30 years, across from Target Center on the light rail line. Fish and chips, poured pints, multiple TVs for watch parties.

    $$. 18 hours before kickoff

  7. Eat65 points

    Hell's Kitchen breakfast

    Underground downtown restaurant, breakfast all day: lemon ricotta pancakes, Mahnomin wild rice porridge. Opens 7:30am daily. A 35-foot Bloody Mary bar runs 9am to 1pm Saturday and Sunday.

    $$. 4 hours 30 minutes before kickoff

  8. Drink25 points

    Day Block Brewing

    Brewpub in an 1883 building two blocks from U.S. Bank Stadium. House beers, hand-tossed pizza, dog-friendly patio. Sunday 11am to 8pm, Saturday from noon, opened early once for a Vikings preseason game.

    $$. 2 hours 30 minutes before kickoff

  9. Photo25 points

    The Legacy Ship

    160-foot ship-shaped sculpture outside the stadium with a 55-foot curved LED board and seating. Timeline of Minnesota moments built in. Gates open two hours before NFL kickoffs, shoot it on the way in.

    Free. 2 hours 10 minutes before kickoff

  10. Ritual25 points

    Ride the light rail to U.S. Bank Stadium Station

    The stadium has its own Metro station on the Blue and Green lines at 401 Chicago Avenue. Board downtown or at the airport, step off at the gates.

    $. 1 hour 30 minutes before kickoff

  11. Ritual25 points

    Walk the skyway to the stadium

    Minneapolis's enclosed second-floor skyway opens for every U.S. Bank Stadium event, longer hours for big ones. Walk from a downtown hotel to the stadium without stepping outside.

    Free. 1 hour 15 minutes before kickoff

Seats and views

Where each part of U.S. Bank Stadium sits, and what you see from it.

Indoors. Every seat is under the roof.

100 level, end zone100 level, corner, home side100 level, home sideline100 level, corner, home side100 level, end zone100 level, corner, visitor side100 level, visitor sideline100 level, corner, visitor side200 level, end zone200 level, corner, home side200 level, home sideline200 level, corner, home side200 level, end zone200 level, corner, visitor side200 level, visitor sideline200 level, corner, visitor side300 level, end zone300 level, corner, home side300 level, home sideline300 level, corner, home side300 level, end zone300 level, corner, visitor side300 level, visitor sideline300 level, corner, visitor sideHomeVisitors
100 level100s, for example 103 to 143200 level300 level300s, for example 301 to 347Tap any part of the stadium to see its view.