The Pillsbury Club is a private, members-style club inside the Charles S. Pillsbury Mansion, open to guests with a reservation. That raises a fair question for a first-time visitor: with so much on the menu, what should you book? This guide sorts the Club’s experiences, as they are listed on the experiences and tours page, by the kind of night you want.

Which experience is right for a quiet, curious evening?

Start with the Club’s own experiences. The listing includes Psychic Readings, billed as “an evening of messages, insight and spiritual connection,” and a Paranormal Ghost Hunt. We have more on the second one in what the paranormal ghost hunt at the Pillsbury Club is. Both are booked through the experiences page, and as with everything at the Club, reservations are required in advance. We have not published prices or running times here because the listing does not give them, so check the booking page for current details.

Which experience is best for a group celebration?

If you are bringing friends, family or coworkers, look at the Club Rooms. The Emerald Suite is a private second-floor room that, according to the club rooms page, accommodates up to 10 guests and is meant for relaxing before or after a mansion tour or celebrating a special occasion. Our fuller write-up is in our Emerald Suite guide. For parties that end with a crime, the Club also lists the Murder Mystery trolley experience, covered in where to do a murder mystery night in Minneapolis.

Which trolley tour should you pick?

The Club is the departure point for Minneapolis Trolley Tours, and the experiences page lists several. Here is how the Club describes each:

• Candlelight Ghost Tour: a spine-tingling journey to the most haunted sites in the city aboard a historic trolley said to be haunted itself.
• Murder Mystery: an interactive trolley experience in which you solve clues and work together to crack the case, suited to groups and parties.
• True Crime Tour: a highly interactive tour where riders play the jury and work to solve chilling crimes from Minneapolis’ past.
• Sightseeing Trolley Tour: a guided tour of the city’s landmarks, neighborhoods and scenic highlights.
• Gilded Age Mansion Tour: a look at Minneapolis mansions from the outside and from the inside.
• Thunder Down Under: an adults-only experience that blends live male entertainment with an interactive trivia game.

Not sure? If the mansion is the draw, pick the Gilded Age Mansion Tour. If you want a spooky night, pick the ghost tour. If you want to be the detective, pick the murder mystery or the true crime tour.

How do you plan the rest of the visit?

Arrive 30 to 45 minutes early, as the visit page recommends, so you can check in and explore before your experience starts. The Club’s dining page describes a cocktail lounge, and reservations are required. Free street parking and a guest lot across the street are listed on the visit page. Our guides to what to expect on your first visit and the rules at the Pillsbury Club cover the details.

Staying overnight? 300 Clifton, a historic bed and breakfast in Loring Park, gives direct-booking guests a $20 Pillsbury Club dining voucher per stay, as listed on its vouchers page. Planning a longer stay downtown? Oakland’s on 9th offers furnished month-to-month studios. Across the street, Mia offers free general admission to its permanent collection, and Meet Minneapolis keeps a citywide events calendar.

Curious about the house itself? The History Journal tells its story, and the splendors page is a good first stop. When you are ready, choose your experience and reserve.

Keep reading: How Big Is the Pillsbury Mansion? An Architect’s Floor-by-Floor Count of 22,186 Square Feet