For travelers in the Rice Lake area, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) is our primary gateway to the world. Located just over 100 miles to our west, getting to your terminal doesn’t have to include early-morning traffic panic or hunting for a parking spot in a massive airport lot. The secret to a seamless trip? Combining a beautiful drive with a smart, luxury airport stay the night before you fly. Here is exactly how to pull off the ultimate stress-free travel day.
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Step 1: Choose Your Route (By Season)
Depending on what time of year you are heading to the Twin Cities, you have two great options for the drive from Rice Lake. Both take roughly 2 hours, but they offer very different experiences.
The Summer Scenic Route (via New Richmond)
When the roads are clear and you want a more relaxed, picturesque drive, skip the interstate entirely. Head west out of Rice Lake on WI-48 West toward Cumberland, then pick up US-63 South down to WI-64 West.
This path takes you straight through New Richmond and crosses the St. Croix River near the beautiful St. Croix Crossing bridge into Stillwater, MN. From there, you just hop on WI-64 / MN-36 West and slide down I-694 South to connect directly to the airport. It’s shorter in mileage, entirely bypasses the Eau Claire interstate merge, and offers great Wisconsin scenery.
The Winter Interstate Route (via Eau Claire)
When the snow flies, stick to the salt maintained and wide lanes of the interstate. Head straight south out of Rice Lake on US-53 South down toward Chippewa Falls, then merge onto I-94 West toward St. Paul. As you enter the Twin Cities metro area, follow signs for I-494 South/West, which leads you right to the MSP Airport exits.
Traveler Tip: If you have an early morning flight, driving down the evening before lets you completely bypass the unpredictable morning rush-hour traffic in the Twin Cities metro area.
Step 2: The Hidden Gem — InterContinental MSP Airport
Instead of waking up at 3:00 AM to drive from Rice Lake or paying premium rates for standard airport ramps, the savviest way to start your vacation is checking into the InterContinental Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport the night before.
It is the only hotel located directly on the airport grounds, and having stayed here several times, it completely changes how you experience travel day.
What Makes It Worth It:
- Quiet, Thoughtfully Appointed Luxury: You might worry about airport noise, but the insulation here is incredible. The rooms are exceptionally quiet, beautifully styled, and feature premium amenities designed for a deep, restful night of sleep before a long travel day.
- Unwind at the Bar & Restaurant: You don’t have to settle for basic airport fast food. The on-site dining and lounge spaces (like La Voya and Bradstreet Crafthouse) are sophisticated and welcoming. It is the perfect atmosphere for unwinding after the drive, and their bar features fantastic specialty craft cocktails—like their Black Walnut Old Fashioned or the Altitude Adjustment (our favorites) —to toast the start of your trip.
- Park & Fly Packages: You can book “Park, Stay, & Go” packages that bundle your luxury room with up to 4, 8, or 15 nights of secure parking in their attached, covered garage. Your car stays entirely protected from the elements while you’re away.
- Seamless Transit & Private TSA: The hotel provides a complimentary shuttle service 24/7 to both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. Even better, if you are traveling with carry-on luggage only, you can bypass the main airport lines entirely. The hotel has its own dedicated, on-site TSA security checkpoint (open daily from 5:00 AM to 10:00 AM) that connects via an enclosed skyway directly into Terminal 1.
The Frequent Flyer Pro-Tip: How to Get a Free Night
Because we fly out of MSP for business trips several times a year, we looked for a way to maximize our travel budget and decided to open the IHG Chase credit card. It has completely paid for itself. One of our favorite perks of the card is that you receive an Anniversary Free Night certificate every single year just for keeping the card active. (The annual fee for the card is $99.)
Whenever possible, we prefer to maximize the value of this reward by spending our free night at an InterContinental property. It works flawlessly for our pre-flight stays right here at MSP. However, it’s also an incredible excuse for a getaway further down the road—we’ve used it for a stunning coastal escape at the InterContinental The Clement Monterey, located right on Cannery Row.
Want to unlock a free annual night for your own travels? You can check out the current sign-up bonus and apply using our direct link: Earn 140,000 bonus points with the IHG One Rewards Premier Business credit card.
TIP: If you have the IHG One Rewards Business card, you automatically get Platinum Elite status at IHG hotels and will receive vouchers for cocktails and homemade seasoned fries upon arrival at the MSP Intercontinental. Being Platinum Elite also usually gets us an upgrade to a corner room with views of the airport runways.
Because Minneapolis-St. Paul International (MSP) is a massive aviation hub, you have plenty of options when booking your escape. The airport operates out of two completely separate terminal buildings that do not connect internally. Knowing which airline you are flying determines exactly where your shuttle driver will drop you off.
If you haven’t locked in your final destination details yet, you can browse live flight rates and find the best routes across all of these airlines using Aviasales. It lets you compare prices between legacy carriers in Terminal 1 and budget options in Terminal 2 at a single glance.
Terminal 1 (The Main Hub)
Terminal 1 is the primary hub at MSP and hosts the vast majority of legacy carriers, international airlines, and regional operators. If you are checking into the InterContinental MSP, you are attached directly to this terminal via the skyway bridge.
Airlines flying out of Terminal 1 include major domestic carriers like Delta Air Lines (which accounts for over 65% of MSP’s total traffic), American Airlines, United Airlines, and Alaska Airlines, and International Operators such as Air France, KLM, Air Canada, Aer Lingus, WestJet, and Discover Airlines.
Terminal 2 (The Low-Cost Hub)
Terminal 2 is located a few miles away and primarily serves budget, charter, and select domestic leisure airlines. It is generally a quicker terminal to navigate, but you will need to take either the free light rail or the shuttle over from the InterContinental if you stay there before your flight.
Airlines flying out of Terminal 2 include: Sun Country Airlines (MSP is their home base), Southwest Airlines, Frontier Airlines and Icelandair
Step 3: Returning Home to Rice Lake
When your vacation wraps up and you land back at MSP, getting back to Rice Lake is just as easy:
- Grab Your Bags: Head to baggage claim to collect any checked luggage.
- Catch the Shuttle: Contact the InterContinental front desk or check in with guest services to hop on the complimentary 24/7 shuttle back to the hotel.
- Hit the Road: Pick up your car from the covered ramp, scan your validation, and enjoy your choice of the easy 2-hour cruise back home. Or, if you’ve arrived on a redeye flight, stay the night and head out in the morning – refreshed!
By turning your travel day into a relaxing overnight stay, you eliminate airport stress before your flight even leaves the tarmac. Happy Contrails!