Slideshow

Best Cheap Cities to Visit

Slide 4 of 23

Minneapolis

Minneapolis has a hip soul and a Midwestern sensibility, with a thriving music and art scene. On the outskirts of the city, the Walker Arts Center offers free admission on Thursdays and hosts Summer Music & Movies, a free outdoor series at Loring Park that pairs movie screenings with live music from local bands. The 2012 theme, "In Dreams," features Alfred Hitchcock’s Spellbound on July 30 and The City of Lost Children, directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Marc Caro, on August 13.

Eat: One of resident celebrity chef Andrew Zimmern’s favorite local restaurants is Tilia, where small plates like roasted jerk chicken thighs are under $10 and larger plates are less than $20. The Tin Fish seafood shack sits right on Lake Calhoun and serves tacos starting at $3.

Stay: The charming Nicollet Island Inn sits in the middle of the river, right next to the trendy warehouse district, and has rooms starting at $169.

Photo courtesy of Meet Minneapolis Official Convention + Visitors Association.