If you have ever wanted a winter night in Minneapolis that feels like a storybook, mark Saturday, February 13, 2027. That is the night of the 23rd annual Luminary Loppet, when more than 1,200 glowing luminaries ring the frozen surface of Lake of the Isles, and it lands on the eve of Valentine’s Day. Pair it with a room at 300 Clifton, the historic Carpenter Mansion in Loring Park, and you have a whole romantic weekend: candlelight on the ice, then a soak in a garden hot tub under the stars.
What is the Luminary Loppet?
The Luminary Loppet is a candlelit walk around Lake of the Isles put on by the Loppet Foundation, and it is the foundation’s largest fundraiser of the year. According to the official Luminary Loppet page, the 2027 edition brings:
- A luminary trail on the lake from 6 to 10 pm
- Ice sculptures and an “enchanted forest”
- Fire dancers on the east side of the lake from 6 to 9 pm
- Community singing from 7:30 to 8:30 pm and a children’s choir at 6:30 pm
- Hot cocoa and a free s’mores station
- The Luminary Party with food trucks, Pryes Brewing beer and live music, 6 to 10 pm
Even the foundation’s own visitor comments read like love letters. One guest describes going alone the first year, then with a boyfriend, then a fiancé, and now a husband. Few winter events in Minneapolis are this made for couples.
When do tickets go up, and how do start times work?
This is the part worth acting on now. The Loppet page lists adult passes at $30 and youth passes (ages 4–16) at $10, with children 3 and under free. Both prices go up on December 9, to $35 and $15.
There are six start waves: 6:00, 6:30, 7:00, 7:30, 8:00 and 8:30 pm. Each wave is capped, so the best times can sell out. You can start at or after your registered time (not before), and you can stay on the lake as long as you like. Pass pickup is available early at Lunds in Uptown on Friday, February 12 (5–8 pm) and Saturday, February 13 (10 am–4 pm), or at tents around the lake on the night.
Why stay at 300 Clifton for Luminary weekend?
The Luminary is an evening outdoors in a Minnesota February. Where you go afterward matters. 300 Clifton is the Eugene J. Carpenter Mansion, a National Register landmark often called the finest Georgian architecture in Minnesota, set on the edge of Loring Park just west of downtown. Coming back from the lake to a carved fireplace, hand-painted murals and a quiet room in a historic home is a very different night from coming back to a hotel hallway.
Then there is the warm-up. The four-season garden hot tub is made for exactly this kind of night: thaw out under the stars after an hour among the luminaries. If you would rather stay inside, the haunted movie room has heated reclining seats, and Gertrude’s Cistern, the mansion’s speakeasy, is right there for a nightcap.
For a Valentine’s weekend, the rooms do a lot of the work. Choose from the Crystal Mansion, the Grand Edwardian, the Georgian, the Coachman’s, the Blacksmith’s Forge, the Hayloft or the Estate rooms. Each has its own character, and none of them feels like a chain hotel.
How do you get from Loring Park to Lake of the Isles?
Lake of the Isles sits west of Loring Park, a short drive or rideshare away. The Loppet strongly encourages leaving the car behind: it recommends getting dropped off on the east side of the lake, at least a few blocks away, and walking over, because the surrounding streets get congested and part of the southwest parkway is closed that night. Metro Transit is also offering free bus passes to and from the event (the link is on the Loppet page), and you can plan the route with the Metro Transit trip planner.
How do you build a whole Valentine’s weekend around it?
Make it two or three nights. Friday, pick up your passes early and settle in by the fire. Saturday, have a slow morning, take a walk through Loring Park, then head to the lake for your start wave. Sunday is Valentine’s Day itself.
That same week, Hadestown is at the Orpheum — we covered those dates in our Operation Mincemeat and Hadestown guide. For more ideas, see where to stay for Valentine’s Day in Minneapolis and our winter weekend guide.
Booking direct comes with extras: a $20 Pillsbury Club dining voucher and a $20 Minneapolis Trolley voucher, each per stay (details on our vouchers page). The Pillsbury Club makes a lovely Valentine’s dinner stop.
Ready to book Luminary weekend?
Valentine’s weekend is one of the busiest of the winter, and the Luminary’s start waves are capped. Grab your passes before the December 9 price increase, then reserve your room at 300 Clifton. We’ll keep the hot tub warm.
Keep reading: Where Should You Stay for Zach Bryan at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis? Wednesday, April 28, 2027