If you are planning a trip around the Basilica of Saint Mary, the church that rises over Hennepin Avenue at the edge of Loring Park, read this before you book. According to the Basilica’s own visit page, “tours of the church are suspended until approximately April 2027,” and the upstairs nave is closed to the public during restoration. The good news is that the building is not going anywhere, the neighborhood is still wonderful, and a few steps from it there is a Georgian mansion with a hot tub, a haunted video lounge and a garden. We are 300 Clifton, so we are a little biased.
What can you actually do at the Basilica right now?
Less than usual, and it is worth knowing before you arrive. The visit page lists the church at 1600 Hennepin Avenue, with no general visiting hours posted. Worship has moved to Teresa of Calcutta Hall on the lower level, and the page lists Saint Joseph Chapel Mass at 7:00 a.m. and noon, Monday through Friday. The front plaza is fenced off during stair restoration, so pedestrians are asked to use the perimeter sidewalk along Hennepin. Parking and entry details change, so check the Basilica’s visit page the week you travel.
The restoration itself is visible progress. The campaign’s news page reports that crews have begun detailed cleaning of the 40-foot Baldacchino over the altar (posted October 7, 2026) and that the narthex floor tiles, damaged over the years by salt and water, are being replaced (posted October 15, 2026). The same site calls the church “America’s First Basilica.” We have not found a reopening date for the nave beyond the April 2027 tour estimate, so treat that as the Basilica’s current target rather than a promise.
Where to stay if the Basilica is on your list
300 Clifton sits in the same Loring Park neighborhood, and the Minneapolis Park Board’s Loring Park page is a good way to plan a stroll through the park itself. We have not timed the walk between the Basilica and our front door, so if you are traveling without a car, put both addresses into the Metro Transit trip planner and let it give you the real answer for your day and hour.
For a visit built around a historic interior, a stay here is a natural fit. 300 Clifton is a National Register mansion with distinct guest rooms, including the Crystal Mansion, carved fireplaces, hand-painted murals and English gardens. Evenings can end in the four-season garden hot tub or in the haunted video lounge, with its heated reclining seats.
Other things to do near Loring Park while the nave is closed
Plenty of Minneapolis’s best-loved places are open and a short ride away. The Minneapolis Sculpture Garden is a free outdoor art stop, and the Minneapolis Institute of Art has its Paris Couture exhibition running through January 17, 2027; we wrote up that one in our Paris Couture guide. In winter, our ice skating guide covers the rinks. For more park-side ideas, see things to do near Loring Park.
Another way to see Gilded Age Minneapolis is from a heated trolley. Our post on the Christmas mansion tour explains how the Gilded Age mansion tour works, and the Pillsbury Club in the Charles S. Pillsbury Mansion is where the Minneapolis Trolley Tours depart. If you need a longer-stay base, Oakland’s on 9th offers furnished month-to-month studios downtown.
Book direct and get two vouchers
Direct bookings at 300 Clifton include a $20 Pillsbury Club dining voucher and a $20 Minneapolis Trolley voucher per stay; the details are on our vouchers page. Ready to plan your Loring Park weekend? Book your stay at 300 Clifton and check the Basilica’s visit page before you go.
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