Saint Paul Skyway, Saint Paul, MN, Visitor Guide & Things to Do Nearby

The Saint Paul Skyway is a network of enclosed, glass-sided walkways that link buildings across downtown Saint Paul, Minnesota. It lets people cross between offices, shops and hotels without going outside, which matters in a city with long, cold winters. It is also one of the best ways to see downtown from above.

The story behind it

Skyways like these grew out of a simple problem: Minnesota winters are hard on anyone walking between buildings. Saint Paul's answer was to join downtown blocks with bridges over the streets, so a person can cover a good stretch of the centre indoors. The network connects many blocks and runs for several miles in total.

One detail sets Saint Paul apart. Many skyway systems are owned building by building, but the creators of our route note that Saint Paul's skyways are publicly owned, treated as part of the city's own infrastructure like the streets below. After the offices empty on a winter evening, the corridors fall quiet and the lit glass above the street makes the skyway feel like a second, slower level of the city.

What to look for

• Glass bridges crossing the street overhead, which are easiest to spot if you stop at a corner and look up.
• The First National Bank Building on Minnesota Street, one of the larger buildings tied into the network.
• The lit corridors glowing above the street in the evening, especially in winter.
• The view down onto street level from inside a bridge, which gives a different angle on downtown's blocks.

Tips for your visit

• Allow 30 to 60 minutes if you want to walk a few bridges and look at the buildings from both street level and above.
• Check current opening hours before you go, since access depends on the hours of the buildings the skyway passes through.
• Winter is when the skyway earns its place, but it is also a comfortable way to cross downtown in rain or summer heat.
• Walk the streets as well as the bridges. The best views of the skyway are from below.

See it on a quest

Ghost Hunt in Saint Paul, MN passes the Skyway as one stop on a longer walk through downtown. You reach each place on foot, the app tells you about it as you arrive, and you solve a puzzle based on what is in front of you. With a ghostly theme, it suits the quiet corridors above the street. One ticket covers the whole group, and you can start whenever you like.