Travel and Accommodations

Venue

The program will be held at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (unless otherwise noted). Download an annotated map of the EER venue (Acrobat (PDF) 508kB Jul6 22). Visit the University of Minnesota website for more information about the campus.

Travel

Travel by Air

Minneapolis−Saint Paul International Airport is the closest commercial airport to the University of Minnesota.

Information about ground transportation to and from the airport can be found on the MSP Airport transportation page. Light rail transit can be taken directly directly from the airport straight to downtown Minneapolis and the University of Minnesota campus. Airport-to-Downtown Minneapolis Light Rail and Bus Route Map can be found on the MetroTransit public transportation site.

Shuttles are also available, through prior reservations.

Travel by Train or Bus

More information regarding travel by train via Amtrak can be found here. More information regarding travel by bus via Greyhound can be found here.

Travel by Car

The Twin Cities can be accessed via Interstate I-35E, I-35W, and I-94. Interchanges are in close proximity to the city center.

Information about ground transportation to and from the airport can be found on the MSP Airport transportation page. Group shuttles are available, through required reservations.

Parking at University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

Visit Parking and Transportation Services for information on parking at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, including parking regulations, parking tickets, and visitor and event parking. Campus visitor parking can be found here. For questions about parking, you can contact parking services directly at (612) 626-7275. For accessibility questions related to parking, please visit the parking services page.

Travel Stipends

If your institution has limited resources to support your travel to the Earth Educators' Rendezvous, you may be eligible for assistance from our workshop travel stipend fund. A limited number of travel stipends are available for those in need of funds. Stipends are awarded to applicants based on financial need and the potential impact on their participation and only to those that have met the application deadline.

The travel stipend application deadline is April 5, 2022.

Learn more about travel stipends »

Lodging

Graduate Minneapolis

A block of rooms is being held for conference participants at Graduate Minneapolis, located right on campus along Washington Ave, just 0.4 miles walk. To reserve a room for yourself within this hotel block, please read the instructions below. Book your room well in advance—after June 18, 2022, any unreserved rooms that remain within this block will be released. Face coverings may be required. Please contact the hotel for more information. Guest check-in time is 4:00 pm CT; let the hotel know if you will need other arrangements for early arrival.

Show amenities

Self Parking: Self-parking is available for overnight guests at a rate of $25/night. In the event that the hotel lot is full, parking will be validated for the Washington Avenue Ramp across the street from the hotel. Please contact the hotel at 612-379-8888 for any questions.

University of Minnesota, Twin Cities On-Campus Lodging - Yudof Hall

Check-in is at 1 pm and check-out is by 12 pm. Bed linens and towels are provided in each room, however the beds are not made. Linens/towels may be exchanged as needed at the Information Desk. Please contact Conference & Events Coordinator at 612-625-7007 if your check-in and check-out needs are different. Early arrivals or late departures must be approved prior to your arrival. Charges for an additional night may be applied for early check-ins or late check-outs as well as for guests who do not check-out. For an example of the dorm, see the University of Minnesota Housing and Residential Life page. Face coverings may be required. Please read the University of Minnesota's COVID-19 guidelines for more information.

Other Options

You are also welcome to arrange lodging for yourself at other venues. For additional lodging options, visit where to stay in Minneapolis.

Show Hampton Inn & Suites Minneapolis University Area

Hampton Inn & Suites Minneapolis University Area

A block of rooms is being held for conference participants at Hampton Inn & Suites Minneapolis University Area, located on 2812 University Ave SE, 1 mile from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. To reserve a room for yourself within this hotel block, please read the instructions below. Book your room well in advance—after June 26, 2022, any unreserved rooms that remain within this block will be released. Face coverings may be required. Please contact the hotel for more information. Guest check-in time is 3:00 pm CT; let the hotel know if you will need other arrangements for early arrival. Rates are $137 before taxes. Hampton Inn offers the following:

Free breakfast is offered daily, allowing guests to start their day off right.
Free high-speed and Wireless Internet access in the lobby and all guestrooms, allowing guests
to easily stay connected to their customers and family while at our hotel.
Complimentary shuttle that runs 7am – 11pm daily that goes to all parts of the entire University of Minnesota, East Bank campus

Parking is charged as follow:
Self-Parking = $15.00 + tax. Subject to change. Please contact the hotel at 612-259-8797 for any questions.

Show Hilton Garden Inn Minneapolis University Area

Hilton Garden Inn Minneapolis University Area

A block of rooms is being held for conference participants at the Hilton Garden Inn Minneapolis University Area located at 511 SE Huron Blvd, 1.0 mile from the University of Minnesota. To reserve a room for yourself within this hotel block, please read the instructions below. Book your room well in advance—after June 10, 2022, any unreserved rooms that remain within this block will be released. Face coverings may be required. Please contact the hotel for more information. Guest check-in time is 3:00 pm CT; let the hotel know if you will need other arrangements for early arrival. Rates are $129 before taxes and include:

Free WiFi
Non-smoking rooms
On-site restaurant
Indoor pool
Fitness center
Pet-friendly rooms

Parking is charged as follows:
Self-Parking = $15.00 + tax. Subject to change. Please contact the hotel at (612) 504-3000 for any questions.

Show Courtyard by Marriott Minneapolis Downtown

Courtyard by Marriott Minneapolis Downtown

A block of rooms is being held for conference participants at the Courtyard by Marriott Minneapolis Downtown located at 1500 S Washington Ave, 1.1 miles from the University of Minnesota. To reserve a room for yourself within this hotel block, please read the instructions below. Book your room well in advance—after June 9, 2022, any unreserved rooms that remain within this block will be released. Guest check-in time is 3:00 pm; let the hotel know if you will need other arrangements for early arrival. Rates are $159 before taxes and include:

Fitness center
Free high-speed internet
High-speed internet at a price
Parking
Pet friendly
Pool
Restaurant on-site

Parking Options:

On-site parking, fee: 3.50 USD hourly, 22 USD daily
Self-parking daily fee $22 billed to room with in/out privileges or $17 without privileges - Special Events vary
Download the parking options at Court Yard by Marriott PDF (Acrobat (PDF) 488kB Jan28 22) Please contact the hotel at 612-333-4646 for any questions.

Meals

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities campus, and surrounding areas are filled with a wide range of cuisine at an affordable price. For more information, check out campus dining options, Minneapolis Eating Experience, Eater Twin Cities, and Trip Advisor's recommendations for Minneapolis and St. Paul.

The University of Minnesota area is filled with a wide range of cuisine at an affordable price. Check out the Dining in the Twin Cities page.

Special Accommodation Requests

The Earth Educators' Rendezvous is committed to providing universal access to our programming and supporting special accommodation requests to the best of our ability. Please check the box on the registration form if you would like a member of the Rendezvous/SERC staff to follow up with you to assist with accommodations that support your needs (e.g. accessible parking space, alternative formats, lactation room). Please note that we will do our best to accommodate your needs, but cannot guarantee we will be able to. Regardless, advanced notice is necessary.

Getting Around Minneapolis

Minneapolis, MN is a large city with a population of about 2.9 million. While the city is walkable, transportation is also available and sometimes recommended.

Here are a few of the modes of transportation offered in Minneapolis:

Bus and Light Rail Service
Rideshare including Uber and Lyft

More information regarding visitors and transportation at the University of Minnesota can be found here.

St. Paul/Minneapolis (Twin Cities)

The Twin Cities refers to the metropolitan area containing several distinct cities. The total population is about 3.7 million people.

Minneapolis and St. Paul began as towns on opposite sides of the Mississippi. Minneapolis was primarily a milling town, using the waterfalls upstream to make flour, whereas St. Paul had one of the major river ports of the Mississippi. The cities continued to grow until they merged into each other. For a brief time, they contained one of the only railroad crossings of the Mississippi.

During the warmest month of July, average temperatures range from 65-83 degrees Fahrenheit.