Best areas to stay in Minneapolis?

Try The Loop neighborhood in Minneapolis proper.

I love Uptown and the neighborhoods around the lakes - each gives you about 3 miles to bike, rollerblade, run - etc around - hang out on the lawn - read a book or have lunch  - relax

Stay on or near Nicollet Island

Well, i'm from Mpls. and Live in Vegas now and my favorite area to hang out is Downtown Minneapolis.  The skyways are a culture by themselves and there are several cool places to hang out and/or stay.  On the far end of Nicollet Mall is The Local and Brit's Pub & Eating Establishment.  Towards the river on the north end of downtown is a revitalized area of the Warehouse District and great places to hang out from holes in the wall like Cuzzy's Grill & Bar to newer fusion type places like The Freehouse or you could go down towards Seven Corners Apartments (the area is called seven corners) where you'll find a few bars that have a mix of U of MN students there as it's on the edge of the East Bank.  

I've stayed in North Loop before and I loved it. There's a lot of restaurants and bars too. Definitely seemed like the younger "hipper" area. I really liked the area around 50th & France. I got the vibe that this is a pricer area but it's really pretty, has the cutest stores and really trendy restaurants. There's a great spa here too Spalon Montage, treat yourself :)

Hey Owen, here are my favorite areas I like hanging around:

Lowertown- not really a social (nightlife) area, but it's becoming huge for the art scene. The food scene here is pretty good too, the community really embraces local farmers which is cool to see. Be sure to see the St Paul Farmers Market, they have awesome live music here. 

North Loop - a little trendy, much more restaurant options and a good area for night life. I'd say this area is aimed more for the younger crowd, it's a lot of fun! Check out Marvel Bar here! 

Linden Hills Neighborhood is a quieter part of Minneapolis and its super quirky and cute. I love it here, theres a lot of unique shops around and great restaurants. Try Sebastian Joe's

Downtown Minneapolis is a good central spot. You're close to museums and Loring Park which is a fun area to explore. 

Uptown has a lot of areas for shopping, a little more lively over here. There's a lot of restaurants on "Eat Street" and some good bars. 

If you want something a little more quiet, look into staying over in Eagan. A more residential area but it's away from the city but not far enough where it's a hassle to get to.