Between the first Orchestra festival in early November and the last notes of the holiday season on New Year’s Day, downtown Minneapolis fills up with theater, music and markets. If you want to be here for the whole stretch (a relative’s long visit, a work contract, a family that wants more than a hotel weekend), a furnished studio at Oakland’s on 9th lets you stay by the night, the week or the month.
Can you really stay a night, a week or the whole season?
Yes. Oakland’s on 9th is a furnished, month-to-month studio apartment hotel at 215 South 9th Street, with no contracts. Each studio has a full kitchen, and WiFi, all utilities, heat and free laundry are included. Some units are pet friendly, and the studios come in three tiers (Good, Better and Best), so you can match the space to the length of your stay. The building is an 1889 brownstone restored in 2019. The skyway is one block away, but the building is not connected to it.
What is happening downtown from November through New Year’s?
Here is the season at a glance, with each date set taken from the official event pages we used in our individual guides.
- Nov. 5–14: the Minnesota Orchestra’s Nordic Soundscapes Festival. See our Nordic Soundscapes stay guide.
- Nov. 11–Dec. 27: A Christmas Carol at the Guthrie. Our Christmas Carol guide has the details.
- Nov. 20–Dec. 20: the Minneapolis Christkindl Market at North Loop Green, on five weekends. Read our Christkindl Market guide.
- Nov. 28–Jan. 1: the Minnesota Orchestra’s holiday season at Orchestra Hall, listed on the Orchestra’s official calendar. See our holiday season guide.
- Dec. 4–6: Julmarknad at the American Swedish Institute, per ASI’s Julmarknad page. We cover getting there without a car in our Julmarknad guide.
- Dec. 12–20: Nutcracker Fantasy at the State Theatre, listed on the Hennepin Arts event page. Our Nutcracker Fantasy guide has the showtimes.
Dates can change, so confirm times and tickets on each official page before you plan a dinner around them.
Why does a studio with a kitchen suit the holidays?
A holiday itinerary is mostly a string of late evenings, and the nights between them are for ordinary life. A full kitchen means breakfast and leftovers do not have to come from a restaurant, and we explain how that works for the big meal in our Thanksgiving-in-a-studio guide. With heat and utilities included, there is no separate bill to track if your stay runs through the cold months. If you are new to a Minnesota winter, our winter prep guide covers what to pack and expect.
How do you get around without a car?
Downtown Minneapolis is built for it. Enter your event address and the time of day in the Metro Transit trip planner to see your options, since we would rather you check than rely on our guess. Check each venue’s address, and look up the Christkindl Market at North Loop Green in particular, before you decide how to travel.
Looking for something extra to do?
Two sister businesses make good add-ons. A heated holiday lights trolley boards at the Pillsbury Club mansion (see the Minneapolis Trolley Tours holiday ride page), and the historic 300 Clifton mansion is a romantic alternative if you want a night away from the kitchen.
Ready to book your holiday stay?
Call us at (612) 314-5124, email info@oaklandson9th.com, or book your studio online. Tell us your dates and we will help you find the right fit.
Keep reading: Can You Get to a Gophers Hockey Game From Downtown Minneapolis Without a Car?