WNBA Finals fan guide: What to eat, where to go when not at Target Center for Lynx vs. Liberty

The WNBA Finals come to Minneapolis this Wednesday, and whether the Minnesota Lynx or the New York Liberty win, the Twin Cities will also play host to a fourth game of the series on Friday.

That’s likely to bring a loyal cadre of Liberty fans into town, some for a couple of nights, not to mention Lynx and WNBA fans from around the region. So what’s to do in Minneapolis and the area when you aren’t cheering on the team at Target Center? The good news, sports fans, is that there are plenty of fun things to check out near the venue and beyond.

The place for hungry game-goers or post-gamers to start is right around Target Center, where there’s all kinds of dining and drinking spots — from classic watering holes to old-school steakhouses to high-end destinations. Here’s a list of nearby joints that we compiled in May when the Timberwolves were making a playoff run.

Do New York fans have what it takes to eat like a Minnesotan? If so, even as local temperatures trend toward the chilly, it’s a good bet some of these 60 Twin Cities restaurants with patios will still be hosting diners in the great outdoors. (Naturally, it’s not a bad idea to check first.)

If you’re the type of foodie who likes to eat like an insider, Star Tribune restaurant critic Jon Cheng recently revealed four of his own hidden gems of the local dining scene.

The Apple Valley-based Minnesota Zoo introduced a new attraction in summer 2023 that has proven hugely popular with visitors. The Treetop Trail, an elevated walking path built along a former raised monorail track, allows people stroll to as high as 32 feet above the ground while viewing ponds, woods and 10 different animal exhibits.

Fans of fall color shows would not be disappointed at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, which features some great fall walks through the falling leaves and recently debuted one of the country’s first Hmong botanical gardens.

If you like to mix your basketball with a bit of culture, there’s a bounty of theater choices in the Twin Cities. The Tony award-winning musical ”Some Like It Hot” opens Tuesday at the Orpheum, just blocks from the basketball arena. Out in the suburbs, the Chanhassen Dinner Theater just opened its production of “White Christmas.”

The Twin Cities Film Festival kicks off Oct. 17, with many chances to watch a variety of films ahead of their release dates. Get tickets here.

A Bar of Their Own, the state’s first bar highlighting women’s sports, opened with a bang earlier this year. You can bet it will be hopping the night of both games.