Top Places to Trick-or-Treat

Growing up, deciding where to trick-or-treat was almost as important as what costume to wear. What houses hand out king-sized candy bars? Are there any that give away peanuts, pennies, or other frowned upon “treats”? In what neighborhood can we hit the most houses in the least amount of time? These are valid questions, really, as there’s nothing more disappointing to a kid than coming home with poor, untradeable loot. 

Since my doorbell ringing days, a new, more sophisticated way of determining the best neighborhoods has arisen. Zillow has ranked the 20 Best Cities to Trick-or-Treat, rounding up which ones will get you the most candy with the least walking and safety risks. Their methodology is a tad more sophisticated than my kid logic, as they equally factor in the Zillow Home Value Index, population density, Walk Score, and local crime data.

Good news for us, Minneapolis landed the No. 11 spot, citing the neighborhoods of Cedar-Isles-Dean, Linden Hills, Lynnhurst, Fulton, Hiawatha, Howe, and Cooper as the best spots to trick-or-treat. If you’re unfamiliar with these neighborhoods, here’s a breakdown:

Cedar-Isles-Dean: Located on the western edge of Minneapolis, taking its name from Cedar Lake, Lake of the Isles, and Dean Parkway. Boundaries: Lake street to the south, France avenue to the west, and Kenilworth Lagoon and Lake of the Isles to the north and east.

Linden Hills: Located in the southwest area of Minneapolis. Boundaries: Lake Calhoun and West 36th street to the north, Lake Harriet and William Berry Parkway to the east, West 47th street to the south, and France avenue to the west.

Lynnhurst: Located in the southwest area of Minneapolis. Boundaries: 46th street to the north, Lyndale avenue to the east, 54th street to the south, and Penn avenue to the west.

Fulton: Located in the southwest area of Minneapolis. Boundaries: West 47th street to the north, Penn avenue south to the east, West 54th street to the south, and France avenue south to the west.

Hiawatha, Howe and Cooper: Part of Minneapolis’ Longfellow neighborhood. Boundaries: 27th street railroad tracks and the Midtown Greenway to the north, Minnehaha Park to the south, the Mississippi River to the east, and Hiawatha avenue to the west.

Because in our weather-dependent state we always need to have a plan B, if it’s too cold, too rainy, or too snowy, fill up your bag at the World’s Largest Indoor Trick-or-Treat at the Mall of America. Taking place from 5-8 p.m., you can pick up a treat bag (southeast corner of Nordstrom Court), gather candy from participating stores (tip: there’s an allergy-free zone in the Sears Court), and take part in the costume contest and dance party (Rotunda).