Overview and Travel Assistance

The city of Rochester, MN revolves around the Mayo Clinic and is often called “Med City,” resulting in an abundance of options for lodging, food, and activities for patients and their travel companions. Minnesota is the land of 10,000 lakes, and Rochester is tucked into the southeast corner of the state, close to both Wisconsin and Iowa. While the spring, summer, and fall at the Mayo Clinic provide for some milder temperatures, visitors at all times of year, but particularly during the harsh Minnesota winter, should come prepared to bundle up.  Don’t forget to check the weather a few days before you visit. There is a system of tunnels on the Downtown Campus of the Mayo Clinic, called the Skyway/Subway, that connects several of the Clinic’s main buildings to a food court, shops, and a number of hotels. If you stay in one of those hotels, you can get to your COE appointment without venturing outside. 


To learn the basics for Mayo Clinic patients and visitors, click here. For all of your travel and housing options, continue reading this page. To dig into local lodging, including hotels and short-term rentals.


General tips

  • Use points from credit cards or other loyalty programs to cover some or all of your travel costs.
  • Sign up for loyalty programs with credit cards, airlines, and hotels in order to earn points for your travel. This is particularly useful if you know you will be visiting your COE multiple times and can continue to accrue those points.
  • Considering joining AAA. Members receive excellent discounts, especially at hotels.
  • Travel Agency/Patient Travel Services 
  • Mayo Clinic offers travel arrangements for patients and their families. Patient Travel Services (866-551-3392) can help you make flight reservations, changes to your travel itinerary, hotel reservations, and arrange ground transportation.

Concierge services 

  • Mayo Clinic offers free concierge services (507-538-8438) including hotel, restaurant, and area business recommendations.

Lori Fund 

  • The HCMA Lori Fund will provide micro travel grants to HCM patients traveling to an HCMA-recognized Center of Excellence for care or HCM patients traveling to a facility for heart transplant care. Awards up to $600.00 are available per calendar year. 


Getting to Mayo Clinic

Air Travel


Domestic Airports within 100 miles

International Airports within 100 miles

  • Rochester International Airport (RST) is the closest airport to Mayo Clinic. It's a small airport with daily flights on American Airlines, Delta and United. A staffed Mayo Clinic information booth and transportation desk are located near baggage claim to help arrange transportation to your final destination.
  • Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) is located about 80 miles north of Rochester. Shuttle service to Rochester, a 90-minute drive, can be scheduled in advance through Mayo Clinic Concierge Services.

Angel Flight East (215-358-1900) provides free air transportation to qualified patients and their families by arranging flights to distant medical facilities.


Miracle Flights (800-359-1711) provides free flights to those in need of life-changing medical care not available in their local communities.


Car

  • East-West highway routes: Interstate 90, US Hwy 14, State Hwy 30, State Hwy 42, State Hwy 296. 
  • North-South highway routes: Interstate 35, US Hwy 52, US Hwy 63.

Approximate driving times to Rochester are:

  • 1 hour 20 minutes from Minneapolis/St.Paul, MN
  • 3 hours from Des Moines, IA
  • 5 hours, 30 minutes from Chicago, IL

Rental car


Train

The La Crosse train station is on the Empire Builder Line, which offers daily passenger service between Chicago and Seattle via Minneapolis/St. Paul.


Bus

Ground Services





Getting Around Rochester & Mayo Clinic

Getting Around  Rochester


It is relatively easy to navigate Rochester, MN, as there are many available forms of transportation. Start clicking on this map to get around Mayo. Click on this map for getting around Mayo  or click on this map for getting around Rochester for an overview. Below are some specifics:


Skyway/Subway System

  • Climate-controlled pedestrian skyway and underground walkway

COE-affiliated shuttle

  • “Mayo Clinic provides a free shuttle service for patients and guests between the Gonda Building (downtown) and Saint Mary’s Campus.” 

Rental car


Car service, taxi, or rideshare

Download these rideshare apps to your phone to see local rates and services


Public transportation

          - Local bus system


Bicycle share/bike lanes or paths


Ground Services


Navigating the COE Facility


The Mayo Clinic’s main address is located at:

200 First Street SW

Rochester, Minnesota 55905

Phone: 507-284-2511 (main line)


Campus buildings and maps

  • The Mayo Clinic provides downloadable pdfs and links to Google Maps for each of the main locations for their doctors’ offices and hospitals.
  • Parking is available at a number of ramps and surface lots near both the Downtown Campus and the Saint Mary’s Campus. A “ramp” is a parking garage. The ramps for the Downtown Campus are connected to each other and to the Mayo Clinic buildings via pedestrian subways so you don’t have to go outside.
  • Click here for additional information on parking in Rochester, MN. 

Accessibility & Amenities

Accessibility


The Mayo Clinic is among the most wheelchair-friendly destinations you can find, and they offer accessibility services for all special needs and disabilities. Their services include patient escorts, wheelchairs, strollers, handicap-accessible parking, hearing-impaired services, and accessible restrooms.



Amenities


Post Office

  • City Station Boxing Post Office (800-275-8777) 102 Broadway Avenue S, Ste 100, Rochester, MN 55904

Shopping areas in the skyway/subway system




Hotels and Lodging

Lodging 


There is no shortage of available hotels and short-term rentals in the Rochester, MN area, so your choice of where to stay depends largely on your preferences. Start here for an overview.


A few items of note:

  • The Center of Excellence itself is located in the Mayo building at 200 1st Avenue SW on the Main Campus in Downtown Rochester. Many surgeries and procedures are done at the hospital on the Saint Mary’s Campus. You may want to select lodging that is closer to one or the other. There is a free shuttle that travels back and forth between the two.
  • Anderson Wheelchair Rentals (507-512-7899) is a great source for medical equipment and supply rentals, such as reclining chairs, adjustable beds, and bathroom safety items, and they deliver to most of the local hotels.

Hotels:


The annual average nightly hotel room rate in Rochester, MN (excluding taxes) is $133 in 2024.


To begin your hotel search, click here, and set the filters on the left to search for all of the typical amenities you seek. Outside of the usual filters such as free parking, free continental breakfast, and hi-speed wireless internet, there are Mayo Clinic-specific filters available. We’ve pre-filtered a few of them for you here:

We’ve also researched some HCM patient-friendly amenities you may wish to take advantage of, including patient pricing discounts, connecting rooms, kitchenette, and the availability of recliners. Many lodging options that do not include a kitchenette do have refrigerators and/or microwaves available to guests. You may need to request them in advance.


We hope you’ll use the list below to assist in your hotel search:


Best Western Rochester (507-289-8866)

3-star hotel; 10% discount for Mayo Clinic patients; call in advance to request the medical reclining chair; connecting rooms are available but not guaranteed.

  • COE Discount Available
  • Recliner Available
  • Connecting Rooms Available
  • Handicap Accessible
  • Courtesy Clinic Shuttle

EVEN Hotels Rochester-Mayo Clinic Area, an IHG Hotel (507-322-6317)

3-star hotel; A "Wellness Hotel." Patient discount fluctuates based on availability. Located next door to Anderson Wheelchair Rentals. Connecting rooms available but not guaranteed. EVEN is located in the same building as Staybridge Suites.

  • COE Discount Available
  • Connecting Rooms Available
  • Handicap Accessible
  • Courtesy Clinic Shuttle
  • Google Top 5 Reviews


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Food & Tourism

Places To Eat

COE Cafeterias

  • Downtown campus - The patient and visitor cafeteria is located on the street level of the Eisenberg Building. It serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. The cafeteria is open from 7:00 a.m.- to 7:00 p.m. every day, including holidays. Visitors are welcome to have patients join them in the patient cafeteria.
  • The Skylight Commons in the subway level of the Mayo Building also serves breakfast and lunch, and is open from 7:00 am to 2:00 pm every day.

St Mary's campus


  • The patient and visitor cafeteria is on the main floor of the Francis Building. It features a complete breakfast menu, hot entrees, pizza, grilled and deli sandwiches, soups, salad bar and desserts. All food is available for takeout.
  • The Saint Marys Campus visitor cafeteria is open seven days a week from 7:00 am - 7:00 pm

Grocery Stores

  • People's Food Co-op, 519 1st Avenue SW, Rochester, MN 55902 (507-289-9061)
  • Eagle Store, 23 2nd Street SW, Rochester, MN 55902 (507-282-5266)
  • HyVee, Barlow Plaza, 1315 6th Street NW, Rochester, MN 55901 (507-288-8233)

Delivery Services

Download these food delivery apps to your phone to see local rates and services:

  • Grub Hub/Seamless
  • Doordash
  • Postmates
  • Uber Eats
  • EatStreet

Tourist/Recreational Destinations


Visitor Information


Attractions

Sports

Seasonal

Outdoor Activities/Scenic hiking/Trails

Parks and Playgrounds

Historic Sites

Museums and Galleries


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Travel information is provided through a collaboration between The Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association and Reasonable Accommodations LLC.


The HCMA and Reasonable Accommodations will make their best effort to keep the Patient Travel Planning Guide as current as possible. The HCMA cannot give any guarantees with regard to the prices, opening times, and availability of any specified facilities. Additionally, just because facilities are mentioned does not necessarily mean that these will always be available. Changes may also have been made to the specified prices, opening times, and availability.