Kansas City to Minneapolis drive: Best stops, time & distance
The distance from Kansas City to Minneapolis by car is 437 miles, with a 6h21m driving time. The best road trip stops on the Kansas City to Minneapolis drive are Nine Eagles State Park, Des Moines and the Buddy Holly Crash Site.
Planning a Kansas City to Minneapolis road trip itinerary
The Kansas City to Minneapolis drive takes you from the Kansas/ Missouri border to the biggest city in Minnesota.
Technically two cities spread over two different states, Kansas City has a rich cultural heritage. The Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and American Jazz Museum show this off. Other top attractions include the National World I Memorial and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum
Good experiences in Kansas City include an indulgent food tour of the city’s best BBQ joints, Segway tours, the Sealife Aquarium and wine-tasting trips.
Memorable Kansas City accommodation includes the colonial-style Truitt Hotel and the stylish, art-filled 21C Museum Hotel.
Top attractions in the twin cities of Minneapolis-St Paul include the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, the Basilica of St Mary and Minnehaha Falls.
Minneapolis has a big craft brewing scene, and one of the best ways to explore is on a craft breweries tour. Alternatively, take a walking tour through the city’s vast Skyway network of enclosed bridges and food tours.
Other MSP experiences include St Paul’s historic gangster-era caves, Twin Cities ghost tours and St Paul walking tours.
The Minneapolis hotels with the best visitor reviews are the Element in the Warehouse District and the AC by Marriott in the West End.
Kansas City to Minneapolis distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Kansas City to Minneapolis is 437 miles. That makes for a driving time of around six hours and 21 minutes. The quickest route is up the I-35.
The best stops to add to a Kansas City to Minneapolis road trip itinerary are Nine Eagles State Park, Des Moines and the Buddy Holly Crash Site.
For more suggestions, read the guides to the Kansas City to Des Moines drive and Des Moines to Minneapolis drive.
Kansas City to Minneapolis road trip attractions: Nine Eagles State Park
Nine Eagles State Park in southern Iowa has nine miles of hiking trails, which are good for spotting native plants, birds and other wildlife. On the lake, you can go fishing for bass and channel catfish, while overnight visitors have three campgrounds to choose from. Come in summer, however, and it’s likely to be the swimming beach that holds the most appeal.
Best stops between Kansas City and Minneapolis: Des Moines, Iowa
Good things to do in Des Moines include the Adventureland Resort theme park, the Science Center of Iowa and the Pappajohn Sculpture Park.
Also worth a look are the Iowa State Capital, Des Moines Art Center and Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden.
For Des Moines accommodation with great reviews, try the Hotel Fort and the Renaissance Des Moines Savery Hotel.
Des Moines to Minneapolis drive: The Buddy Holly Crash Site
About five miles to the north of Clear Lake IA, a plane crashed on February 2nd, 1959. It was one of the most famous plane crashes in American history, as the aircraft was carrying musicians Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper. The site is marked by a massive pair of horn-rimmed glasses – Buddy Holly’s signature look.
More Kansas City road trips
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More Minneapolis road trips
Minneapolis to Atlanta | Minneapolis to Boston | Chicago to Minneapolis | Minneapolis to Dallas | Des Moines to Minneapolis | Minneapolis to Fargo | Minneapolis to Madison WI | Milwaukee to Minneapolis | Minneapolis to Nashville | Minneapolis to New York City | Omaha to Minneapolis | Minneapolis to Sioux Falls | Minneapolis to Wisconsin Dells.