Every November, families from every corner of Minnesota pack the car, pile into the stands and follow their high school team to the biggest stage in the state. In 2026 the Minnesota State High School League football semifinals and the Prep Bowl championships are both at U.S. Bank Stadium in downtown Minneapolis. If your team makes a run, you could be making two trips to the city in ten days. Here’s how to make it easy, and why a furnished studio at Oakland’s on 9th means you can leave the car parked.
The 2026 semifinal and Prep Bowl dates
Semifinals: Thursday, Nov. 19 (first game 10:30 a.m.), Friday, Nov. 20 (9 a.m.) and Saturday, Nov. 21 (9 a.m.), per U.S. Bank Stadium’s semifinal page.
Prep Bowl: Friday, Nov. 27 and Saturday, Nov. 28, with games starting at 10 a.m. both days, per the stadium’s Prep Bowl page.
Matchups and kickoff times: These depend on how the brackets play out, so check the Minnesota State High School League for your team’s game.
Notice the Prep Bowl dates: that’s the Friday and Saturday right after Thanksgiving. Plenty of families will be fitting a championship game around a holiday weekend, which is exactly when a hotel room downtown gets hard to find.
Know before you go: gates and seating
The stadium’s tournament pages share a few details worth knowing before game day. Fans enter through the Legacy Gates on the west side of the stadium. The ticket office is on the northwest side, near the CFMOTO Gate and the Vikings Team Store. Home teams sit on the south side (enter through the Purple Lobby) and visiting teams sit on the north side (enter through the Gold Lobby). Check the bag policy on the stadium’s site before you pack the blankets and cowbells.
Getting there without a car
Oakland’s on 9th sits at 215 South 9th Street in the heart of downtown, so U.S. Bank Stadium is an easy walk east through downtown on a decent November day. If the weather turns, the Metro Transit trip planner will map a light rail or bus route; check Metro Transit’s rider alerts on game day, since service changes happen. One honest note: the downtown skyway system is one block from our door, not connected to our building, so you’ll walk that first block outside.
No car also means no stadium parking hunt, no post-game traffic jam on the way out of the ramp, and no wondering where to leave the minivan overnight. If you do bring a car, see our parking page, and read up on Minneapolis snow emergencies in case an early storm rolls in.
Why a furnished studio beats a hotel for tournament week
Tournament travel is not a one-night trip. You might arrive the night before a semifinal, head home, then come back after Thanksgiving for the Prep Bowl. Oakland’s on 9th rents fully furnished studios by the night, the week or the month, with no contracts. Every studio has a full kitchen, so you can reheat Thanksgiving leftovers or feed a hungry player before an early kickoff. WiFi, all utilities and heat are included, and laundry is free, which matters when a whole family’s game-day gear needs washing.
The building itself is a piece of Minneapolis history: an 1889 brownstone designed by architect Harry Wild Jones and restored in 2019. Choose from our Good, Better and Best studios, and some units are pet friendly if the family dog is part of the cheering section.
Make it a Thanksgiving weekend in the city
The Prep Bowl weekend is a busy one downtown. On Friday, Nov. 27 the Timberwolves host the Memphis Grizzlies at Target Center, and on Sunday, Nov. 29 the Vikings host the Atlanta Falcons at noon at U.S. Bank Stadium. If you’re staying through the weekend, our guide to spending the holidays in a furnished studio downtown has more ideas, and our Vikings game-day guide covers the walk to the stadium.
Want a break from football? Minneapolis Trolley Tours offers a fun way to show visiting family the city, the historic Pillsbury Club makes a memorable dinner out, and grandparents who’d rather have a quieter, romantic stay can look at 300 Clifton, our mansion bed and breakfast in Loring Park.
Book your tournament stay
Brackets move fast, and so do downtown rooms over Thanksgiving weekend. Check availability and book at Oakland’s on 9th, or call us at (612) 314-5124. We’d love to host your team’s fans, and we’ll be cheering for you.
Keep reading: Can You Walk the Skyway to Garth Brooks at Target Center From Oakland’s on 9th? Dec. 11 and 12, 2026