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Major city · United States

DarwinDarwin, Minnesota

Go only as a 1–2 hour roadside stop for the twine ball on a US-12 drive; skip it as a base — there is no lodging or transit to build a trip on.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
USD
Best months
May–Oct
avoid Dec–Mar (ice, snow, unplowed rural roads)
Airports
MSP · RST
Nights
0–1
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
  • United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
  • United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
  • United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.

Darwin is a village of about 350 people in Meeker County, southern Minnesota, and it exists on the travel map for one object: the world's largest ball of twine rolled by one person, 3.65 m across and about 8 tons, sitting free and open 24 hours beside County Road 14. Everything else — two bars, a small inn, a summer festival — is a footnote. Come as a stop between Minneapolis and Litchfield, not as a destination.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Darwin, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeCoffee to go$2–4
  • BeerDraught beer$5–8
  • Budget bedChain hotel room, Hutchinson or St Cloud, a night, per roomUS$95
  • Mid-range bedSmall village inn room, a night, per roomUS$120
  • High-end bedSmall village inn room, a night, per roomUS$180

A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$45 · Mid US$95 · High US$190

Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

World's Largest Ball of Twine (rolled by one person)Twine Ball Days, second Saturday in AugustUS-12 roadside stop between Minneapolis and Litchfield
Airports
MSP Minneapolis–St Paul International (About 1 h 30 min by car via I-394 west and US-12; no public transport to Darwin.) · RST Rochester International (Longer drive, about 2 h 30 min; only useful if you are already in southeast Minnesota.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Darwin: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

−5°C

−15°C

7 rd

Feb

−2°C

−13°C

6 rd

Mar

5°C

−6°C

8 rd

Apr

14°C

2°C

10 rd

May

21°C

9°C

11 rd

Jun

26°C

14°C

11 rd

Jul

29°C

17°C

10 rd

Aug

28°C

16°C

9 rd

Sep

23°C

11°C

9 rd

Oct

15°C

4°C

8 rd

Nov

5°C

−4°C

7 rd

Dec

−3°C

−12°C

7 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

You need a car. Darwin sits on US-12 about 80 km west of Minneapolis; there is no bus or rail service to the village. Inside Darwin everything is walkable in minutes — the twine ball, the bars and the inn are all within a few blocks.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Litchfield, Minnesota

go

Door to door: About 20 min

US-12 east, about 15 min by car

Motels, food and fuel; the sensible base for this stretch.

Rochester, Minnesota

overnight

Door to door: About 2 h 30 min

US-12 east to I-494, then US-52 south

Too far for a return day from Darwin; sleep there instead.

Austin, Minnesota

overnight

Door to door: About 3 h

US-12 east, then I-35 south

Southern Minnesota base, not a day trip.

Northfield, Minnesota

caution

Door to door: About 2 h

US-12 east, then I-35 and MN-19

Doable as a long day if you are already driving east.

Minneapolis

go

Door to door: About 1 h 30 min

US-12 east, becomes I-394

The nearest big-city airport and hotel supply.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Darwin village

One small inn; a handful of rooms. Book ahead for Twine Ball Days or plan to sleep in Litchfield.

Litchfield (13 km east)

Chain motels on US-12, restaurants and a full supermarket; the practical base for this stretch of road.

Hutchinson (about 30 km southeast)

More rooms and services; useful if Litchfield is full.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Roadside stop (fuel and snacks)
$10–25 per person
Day out from the Twin Cities
$40–80 per person incl. fuel and a meal
Overnight in Litchfield
$90–160 per room

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Motel room in Litchfield1 × 1 night × US$110US$110
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × US$95US$190
Fuel, Twin Cities round trip (about 160 km)1 × US$20 · checkUS$20
Bar meal and a drink2 × US$25US$50
eSIM, about a week of data2 × US$15US$30
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeUS$40
Trip total≈ US$220 per person per day, bed includedUS$440

2026 estimate in US dollars; fuel and rental car excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee to go$2–4
Bar burger with fries$12–18
Draught beer$5–8
Motel room, Litchfield, summer weekendcheck$90–160
Fuel, per galloncheck$3–4
Twine ball visitFree

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Very low crime in a village of about 350 people. The real risks are rural driving — ice, deer at dusk, long gaps between services — and summer storms with hail and tornado warnings on the Plains.
  • No public transport: without a car you cannot get here or leave.
  • Cell coverage is fine in the village but patchy on surrounding county roads.
  • Winter roads ice up and rural stretches are not quickly cleared; drive to conditions.
  • The bars are small and cash-friendly; card acceptance varies — carry some cash.
  • The twine ball sits in an open shelter with no staff, no toilets and no lighting beyond the street.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911
Minnesota road conditions (MnDOT 511)
511

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

DarwinDarwin, Minnesota

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

1st Street, Darwin, MN 55324To this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911
  • Minnesota road conditions (MnDOT 511)511

Embassy

No consulates in Darwin. Nearest consulates-general are in Minneapolis and Chicago; embassies are in Washington, D.C.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Drive MSP airport → Darwin: about 130 km, 1 h 30 min by car (check)
  • Drive Minneapolis → Darwin: about 80 km, 1 h 15 min via I-394 and US-12 (check)
  • Parking at the twine ball: free roadside pull-off

Say or show

  • It is on 1st Street, off County Road 14. — Where is the twine ball?
  • It is open 24 hours and free. — Is it open now?
  • Two bars in the village; more in Litchfield. — Is there food nearby?
  • Ask first; some small bars are cash-friendly. — Can I pay by card?

Carry water and a paper map: services are sparse between towns.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Darwin. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: May–Oct · avoid Dec–Mar (ice, snow, unplowed rural roads) · month by month →
  2. 2 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 5 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for MSP: last-mile drive times field-checked, rental-car fallback, overnight rung.
  2. Two walking clusters with rescue anchors: the twine ball and County Road 14, the village bars and inn.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (twine ball shelter, Twine Ball Days, Country Saloon, Jack's Tavern) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Winter and storm arrival fixtures so gates A–D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to United States

Sources