You can absolutely bring a car to downtown Minneapolis — you just want a plan for it before you arrive. Whether you’re coming to Oaklands on 9th for a single night, a work week, or a month-to-month furnished stay, here’s exactly where to put the car, what it costs, and a few tricks that make parking downtown cheaper and calmer than you’d expect.
The easy answer: the 215 Lot, right behind the building
Oaklands on 9th has its own guest lot — the 215 Lot — directly behind the building at 215 South 9th Street, so you can unload at the back door instead of circling the block. Overnight parking is $19 per night, and if you’re staying five or more nights the rate drops to $11.40 per night, which suits the way most of our guests actually stay.
A few things to know: you can reserve your spot online up until 9:00 PM, each pass covers one vehicle, and the lot can’t take U-Hauls, trailers, or long trucks. A valid pass matters — vehicles parked in the 215 Lot without one are towed at the owner’s expense. And if the lot sells out for your dates, we don’t hold hidden spots in reserve, but there are neighboring lots on the same block and metered street parking close by — plus all the options below.
City ramps a short walk away
Downtown Minneapolis has a large municipal parking system run by MPLS Parking, and several city ramps sit within a few blocks of our front door — including the Leamington (1001 2nd Avenue South), 11th at Marquette (1111 Marquette Avenue), and LaSalle at 10th (915 LaSalle Avenue). Rates, reservations, and event parking are all on the MPLS Parking site. One caution: several downtown ramps have clearances around seven feet, so check before you bring a tall van.
On big event nights, the ramps closest to the venues fill early and prices jump. If you’re driving in for SummerSlam weekend at U.S. Bank Stadium (August 1–2) or one of this summer’s Armory concerts, reserve your parking when you book your room — not when you pull off the highway.
For budget-friendly longer-term parking, the ABC Ramps on the west edge of downtown, near Target Field and Target Center, are owned by MnDOT, managed by the city, connected to the skyway system, and offer monthly and carpool programs.
Metered street parking and the MPLS Parking app
Metered street parking surrounds the neighborhood, and the City of Minneapolis’s MPLS Parking app lets you find a metered spot and pay from your phone instead of hunting for a pay station. Do read the signs — downtown has permit zones, rush-hour restrictions, and, in winter, snow emergency rules that change where you can legally park overnight. Meters work fine for a few hours; for overnight stays, a lot or ramp is the calmer choice.
Staying a month? Do the five-night math
This is where Oaklands’ extended-stay setup pays off. At the five-plus-night rate of $11.40, a full month in the 215 Lot comes to about $342 for 30 nights — parked steps from your door, with no contract, matching the month-to-month furnished studios upstairs. If you’d rather go the contract route, both MPLS Parking and the ABC Ramps sell monthly parking. Either way, ask us when you book and we’ll help you sort out parking for the length of your stay.
Or skip the car entirely
Plenty of guests discover their car mostly sits. There’s a Minneapolis Skyway entrance directly across the street, Target is two blocks away, and U.S. Bank Stadium, Target Center, the Armory, and Orchestra Hall are all walkable — Metro Transit buses and light rail cover the rest. We wrote a whole guide on getting around downtown Minneapolis without a car, and for sightseeing, let Minneapolis Trolley Tours do the driving while you watch the city go by.
Ready to make arrival easy? Book your furnished studio, reserve your parking spot, and pull in knowing exactly where the car goes. Questions about your vehicle or your dates? Call us at (612) 314-5124 — we’re happy to help before you book.
Keep reading: booking a spot in the 215 Lot is especially smart on big stadium nights — like Ed Sheeran’s LOOP Tour stop at U.S. Bank Stadium on August 15, when you can park once behind the building and walk to the show.