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What It’s Like to Visit Paisley Park, Prince’s Private Estate and Recording Complex

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In a suburb 30 minutes west of Minneapolis, Prince built a 65,000-square-foot, $10-million facility in 1987. Named after a song that describes a beautiful and peaceful place, Paisley Park served as a recording studio, soundstage, and occasional residence for The Purple One for nearly three decades. Here is what you can expect when you visit Paisley Park in Chanhassen, Minnesota. 

I paid full price to visit Paisley Park in Chanhassen, Minnesota, and fan girl over Prince for an hour. But you can count on me to always share my honest opinions no matter who is picking up the tab.

Back in the 20th century when a 5’-2”, ruffled-shirt-clad skinny legend owned the Billboard Hot 100 after the release of Purple Rain , I was just entering high school. I knew there was no way my parents would allow my newly minted teenage self to go see Prince in concert at the Cow Palace in March of 1985, so I did the next best thing. 

We talked a friend’s older brother into renting Prince’s R-rated movie of the same title so we could watch it at her house. Thinking back on it now, that may be the only thing I managed to get away with growing up in a household run by a career Army officer and a teacher. They were hard to trick!

Despite what it may seem, my parents were very open-minded and certainly understood generation gaps, especially when it came to music. While they were finishing high school, they watched the Beatles perform on The Ed Sullivan Show while their Lawrence Welk-loving parents admonished the Fab Four for their “long” hair. And as my folks’ college years took them to the end of the 1960s and through a decade of significant social and cultural changes, they loved Peter, Paul & Mary, Joan Baez, James Taylor, and other “long-haired hippy” folk singers whose songs represented their generation’s ideals.

My parents never censored the music I listened to, even after Tipper Gore’s crusade against Prince got his album slapped with a “parental advisory” sticker. But there was no way they would have ever allowed me to travel 60 miles to San Francisco to watch a half-naked man sing about a girl named Nikki who I guess you could call a “sex fiend.” 

While I don’t think I ever loved a Prince song more than “Let’s Go Crazy” from Purple Rain , I still admired his other music over the years. There were the hit songs he wrote for Sinead O’Connor and the Bangles. I was still a fan when he changed his name to an unpronounceable symbol in 1993, and I think his killer Super Bowl halftime show set the bar so high that only Lady Gaga’s performance a decade later was even in the same realm. 

And there was Jimmy Fallon’s recapping how Prince kicked off a performance of “Let’s Go Crazy” at the Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special with the words, “Dearly Inebriated.”

Like so many people around the world, I was heartbroken by the news that Prince had suddenly passed away at the age of 57 on April 21, 2016. And with Prince’s Paisley Park studios now open for tours, it was the first thing I worked into my itinerary for a long weekend in the Twin Cities .

Have You Visited Paisley Park?

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To help offset the costs of running EverydayWanderer.com, you’ll find affiliate links lightly sprinkled throughout the site.   If you choose to make a purchase via   one of these links , there’s no additional cost to you, but I’ll earn a teeny tiny commission.   You can read all of the legal blah blah blah (as my little niece says) on the   full disclosure page .

Be Punctual, Your Tour Guide Ain’t Got Time to Waste

If you arrive for your Paisley Park tour like a little red Corvette that is much too fast (more than 20 minutes before your tour starts), security guards will deny you access to the Paisley Park parking lot. And, just off of Arboretum Boulevard (AKA Highway 5), there isn’t really a place to wait unless the preschool across the way wants you loitering in their parking lot. (They probably don’t.)

Sage Advice:  If you allow lots of extra time for traffic and find yourself in Chanhassen a bit early for your scheduled Paisley Park Tour, there is a Starbucks at Arboretum Boulevard and Chanhassen Road that is a five-minute drive from Paisley Park.

But, if you arrive too late and miss your scheduled tour time, you’re also out of luck. So channel your inner Baby Bear from the Goldilocks tale and be sure your arrival at Paisley Park is just right!

Can You Picture This?

Perhaps it’s because of his unique sense of style or maybe it’s from watching his music videos over the years, but I envisioned Prince’s Paisley Park to be a truly extraordinary building. So the first time I saw the industrial-looking, square-tiled exterior of Paisley Park in a photograph, I was stunned.  “That’s it?!? That can’t be it.”Even on the outside, Paisley Park Studios is much cooler in person than it looks in a photograph. But stepping over the threshold into the star’s former recording studio and home provides the expected ambiance.  In the foyer, where guests show their tickets to begin the Paisley Park tour, sky blue walls painted with puffy white clouds butt up against purple walls ranging from lavender to royal purple. As we headed toward the Paisley Park atrium, one of the first stops on the Paisley Park tour, a pair of Prince’s eyes painted on the wall high above us watched our every move.

In the atrium, under a soaring skylight that lets some of the only natural light into Paisley Park, the love symbol that once doubled as the artist’s unpronounceable name is tiled like a large mosaic into the floor. As our tour guide, Corri, encouraged us to gather around, she noted that no one one would step on the symbol, as if it were sacred. Across from a kitchen where Prince would enjoy snacks and meals with guests, a flock of doves painted high on the adjacent wall flies toward the heavens. And live doves in a large cage on the second story sometimes coo for guests.  Yes, this is much more what I expected, and the tour was just getting started…

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You Can’t Take a Picture Sweetie (Even If You’re a Star)

Intensely private in life, Prince remains the same in death. Absolutely no phones, cameras, or any other recording devices are allowed inside Paisley Park. It’s best to keep them locked in your car (after all, they’re pretty safe out there with the security guard monitoring access to the parking lot and all).  For some people, leaving a cell phone behind is like losing a limb. But, if you bring your cell phone into Paisley Park, it will be locked in a grey pouch until the tour ends about 70 minutes later in the gift shop.

No Forgiveness If You Go Astray

If you are caught taking a photo or video inside Paisley Park, you’ll be immediately escorted out of the building and permanently banned from Prince’s recording studio. And, I promise you, if you try to break this rule you’ll be caught, because security is always present at Paisley Park. 

I was so busy taking in my surroundings that it took me a while to notice how security works at Paisley Park. Before Corri moved us to a new section of Paisley Park, she quietly announced our plans into a small headset. “The 10:10 GA tour is moving to the recording studio.” Just like a Secret Service agent is trained to blend into the crowd while guarding a subject with his or her life, an additional security guard would appear like magic in each room as our tour progressed. In contrast to Corri’s bubbly enthusiasm for sharing Prince’s life and legacy, these guards were all business as they stood in a corner and kept an eye on the crowd.

Your Pretty Baby Can’t Come with You

My youngest baby (and the only kiddo left at home) is 12. She can definitely identify many of Prince’s most popular songs. After all, two of her dance team members did a duet to “U Got the Look” this past season. But there was a lot I had to explain to her, and there were a few videos that were a tad racy.  She was definitely the youngest person on our General Admission (GA) tour, and that is partly because Paisley Park has age requirements for its tours. The GA tour we took requires visitors to be at least five. The VIP tour requires children to be at least 10, and the Paisley Park Ultimate Experience requires participants to be at least 12.

He’s Got the Look

From ruffled shirts to elaborate suits, and from high heels to fingerless gloves, Prince was a fashion icon. So it’s no surprise that Paisley Park has many displays featuring Prince’s outfits and accessories. You’ll see the iconic white high-collared ruffled shirt topped by a purple jacket from Purple Rain and his cloud-covered suit from his “Raspberry Beret” video. His quirky three-lens aviator glasses, a black fedora, and a diamond-studded ear cuff are also on display with many, many other items.

Baby, He’s a Star

From a wall in the entry with framed gold records to another long wall of awards behind glass, Paisley Park showcases the accomplishment of a superstar. In his four-decade career, Prince won seven Grammys and an Academy Award for Best Original Song Score for Purple Rain . He also won four MTV Music Video Awards that look like a silver astronaut planting a flag on the moon, in addition to a myriad of other awards. 

Fun Fact:  In June 2016, Prince was posthumously awarded an honorary doctor of humane letters by the University of Minnesota.

Dance to the Funky Music

One of the primary reasons Prince spent $10 million to build Paisley Park was as a recording studio. Each Paisley Park tour includes a visit to Studio A, a 1,500-square-foot recording studio with several isolation rooms. In one of the rooms, a music stand holds a notebook with handwritten lyrics to the last song Prince was working on before he passed away.

Fun Fact:   Although uncredited, Prince played guitar on three songs from Madonna’s Like a Prayer album, and the track “Love Song” was recorded at Paisley Park. 

Life is Just a Party

From the GA tour to the Ultimate Experience, every Paisley Park tour includes a visit to Prince’s NPG Music Club Room. With soaring ceilings and a kitchen hidden behind a swinging stainless steel door, this surprisingly intimate space includes a small stage surrounded by candles where Prince would often perform, and guests — from superstars to local residents — could fill the dance floor or relax on a comfy couch with a cocktail. 

Sage Advice:  A few times a month, Paisley Park offers an After Dark experience that allows guests to enjoy a live dj dance party in the NPG Music Club room from 7:00 pm to 11:00 pm.

But Parties Weren’t Meant to Last

My favorite part of the Paisley Park tour was the soundstage. When Prince was alive, this four-story, black-draped room featuring a full stage was used to rehearse for tours and to record music videos and movies. Now that Paisley Park is a museum, a large screen projects clips of Prince’s most popular music videos while guests take in a large display of Prince’s costumes, three of his cars, quotes that illustrate his approach to life, and many other artifacts.

Fun Fact:  In addition to Prince’s Graffiti Bridge , the Paisley Park Soundstage was used to shoot scenes from Grumpy Old Men and commercials for Burger King, McDonald’s, Lincoln Mercury, and other companies.  

The music videos were mesmerizing and brought back a flood of memories. I wanted to read each sign and drink in the artifacts on display. It would have been great to have another 15 minutes (or three hours) in this room.

The Elevator (Question) Will Bring Your Tour Group Down

If you tour Paisley Park, do not inquire about the elevator where Prince died. I know this etiquette because a woman on our tour asked that question and Corri politely replied that they prefer to focus on Prince’s life and don’t share that detail out of respect for his family. 

This is What it Sounds Like When Doves Cry

Just as every life will eventually come to an end, so does the Paisley Park tour. The last display is a collection of the signs, drawings, and other memorabilia left by fans at the fence around Paisley Park beginning on April 21, 2016, when news broke that the music legend had passed away.  

Paisley Park is In Your Heart

From the mural of Prince’s eyes that watch you as you walk into the atrium to the love symbol embedded on the tile floor under the soaring sky light, from the unfinished song lyrics on a music stand in recording Studio A to the small stage in the NPG Music Club room, Prince’s spirit remains omnipresent at Paisley Park. I could feel his love, creativity, and uniqueness around every corner.

When Paisley Park opened as a museum in October 2016, Prince’s ashes were on display in the middle of the atrium, housed in a custom urn shaped like his recording studio with the love symbol on top. A few months later, at the request of Prince’s family, the urn was moved to the atrium’s balcony. While Prince’s ashes remain at Paisley Park, as of a few months ago they are no longer on display or part of any Paisley Park tour.  In “Paisley Park,” the Prince of Funk sang of a place that speaks of profound inner peace. As his lyrics express, I hope that he is enjoying a lifetime lease on Paisley Park. 

To Visit Paisley Park in Chanhassen

What is paisley park.

Part museum, part recording studio, and part concert hall, Paisley Park is the former home and recording complex in the Minneapolis/St. Paul suburb of Chanhassen.

Where is Paisley Park located?

Can you tour paisley park.

Paisley Park offers several tour experiences, from the General Admission (GA) tour to the Ultimate Paisley Park Experience. Including service and facility fees, ticket prices range from about $45 to about $175. 

On your tour of Paisley Park, you’ll start in the Paisley Park atrium and see Prince’s recording studio, the Paisley Park soundstage, and museum-like exhibits featuring items from Purple Rain and Prince’s performances.

For the latest information, including special exhibits and events, visit the  Paisley Park website .

What does it cost to visit Paisley Park?

There are several Paisley Park tour packages. Once you add service fees and other charges, Paisley Park tickets range from about $45 to $175 per person.

What did you like most about your tour of Prince’s recording studio and home? Share your experiences in the comments section below.

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28 thoughts on “What It’s Like to Visit Paisley Park, Prince’s Private Estate and Recording Complex”

Hello 🙂 Thanks a lot for your review !

I will try to go there this year. I just wanted to ask if there are really no place we can make pictures ? I know it has to be a “secret” place, but I am coming from France and I would be really sad to not have even one picture memory to watch sometimes ou to show to my family…

The Hall with love symbol at the beginning, the phones are already under seals ?

Thank you 🙂

To remember a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Paisley Park, I have three photo suggestions for you: 1) Snap a selfie outside Paisley Park 2) Visit the underpass between Lake Ann Park and Paisley Park (also known as Graffiti Tunnel or Tribute Tunnel) and photograph all the tributes to Prince there 3) Upgrade to the VIP Experience where you’ll be allowed to have your photo taken at one spot along the enhanced tour

And, yes, they are ABSOLUTELY serious about not having your phone with you and they WILL lock it up if you bring it on site (rather than leave it in your car).

All of that said, visiting Paisley Park was one of the highlights of my trip to the Twin Cities!

This looks like an epic place to tour! Haunting and beautiful all at once. Will have to check it out for ourselves. Thanks for sharing!

It was such a cool experience, positive and uplifting, yet sad and tragic at the same time.

This is really interesting. Thanks for sharing the story. I particularly like the way you describe the last display of memorabilia left by fans after Prince’s death in 2016.

It was very moving! And folks still leave items along the fence of the compound today.

What a fascinating experience! I always find seeing studios fascinating. Thanks for all of the practical information, as well.

It just gave me chills to be standing in the recording space where so many legends once recorded their hits. Wow!

I enjoyed Paisley Park tour through your post. You described every bit of it and showed how much love people has for him even after his death. I have a friend who fell in love with him and said he’s the most sexiest man on earth ever. She will love Paisley Park.

Any Prince fan would LOVE a visit to Paisley Park! I hope your friend gets a chance to visit!

I’m definitely doing this tour next time I’m in Minneapolis. I, too, had to sneak and watch Purple Rain at a friend’s house and in the late 90s he played an after-hours show in Chicago – I of course had a camera (always had one!) and tried to sneak a photo. A huge hand came out of nowhere and grabbed my camera. A few minutes later, the same hand returned by camera with the film ripped out. So, yeah, dude really didn’t like photos!

OMG! I can totally see that about the camera and photos at the concert. You’ll love Paisley Park!

This is so cool – I’ve always wanted to visit Paisley Park! Thanks for sharing your experience!

If you are ever in the Twin Cities, I highly recommend it! Amazing experience!

I have some friends who are crazy Prince fans. I’m going to share this with them as well.

I’d love to hear what they think about my write-up and their experience if they get to visit Paisley Park.

I had no idea this place existed….or how badly I wanted to visit! Thanks for sharing this!! Growing up with a super religious mom, our music was definitely censored when we were in the house. But I remember being glued to the radio anytime I went anywhere haha. I loved Prince and I think this sounds like a super awesome visit!

It was such a great experience!

I didn’t know there was such a museum dedicated to Prince in Minneapolis. This is how little I know about the artist despite having few of his songs on my playlists. Having said that, this would definitely be something I would want to see, seems very interesting and fun.

It was SUCH a cool experience! What an amazing artist and human being. So sad he gone. 🙁

Crazy that you can’t so much as have your phone on you. But I’m sure it was a great tour. What an awesome experience!

Well, you can have it on you, it’s just locked up and inaccessible during the entire tour.

I didn´t know about the park, but your post has made be interested since I love ´80 music. I would like to visit the recording studio, it must be so exciting to be in the enviroment where such an amazing artist was recording!

If you are a Prince fan. Or a Madonna fan. Or a fan of any artist that ever set foot inside Paisley Park, you MUST go. There was just an amazing spirit that filled every room we visited!

Hi love your posts!!! I’m on way to P Park to experience Prince for my Bday March 13 th. I’ve been Prince fan admirer since day one of his iconic beautiful career n life. Even changed my name to Nikki!!! I m comming n just can’t wait!!! Lifetime dream bout to come true. Blessed to be able to come w my whole family.

How exciting! Have a wonderful time, and share your favorite pic with me by tagging @sagescott.kc on Instagram and using the hashtag #everydaywanderer. P.S. My birthday is March 13th, too!

I didn’t know you could visit Paisley Park so that’s on my radar now. I loved Prince and was sorry to see him leave us so early. I am a big fan of Minnesota and would love to incorporate this into my next trip!

Yes, Paisley Park opened as a museum in fall 2016, about six months after Prince’s death. It was such a cool experience to visit this special place and see so many amazing awards and artifacts from over the years. It sure brought back a lot of wonderful memories!

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Paisley Park Tours: Walking in the Footsteps of Prince

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It would not be a visit to Minneapolis without a trip to the former studio of one of its most popular former residents, and you can do this today through Paisley Park tours. One of the most famous, and most beloved, residents Minneapolis ever knew who was known to the city, the country, and the world, simply as Prince.

You have the opportunity to tour his former home and studio to learn all about this talented musician. Walk through the halls and rooms that provided him inspiration and see what was important to him.

Here’s a detailed look at Paisley Park Tours, including all of the information you need to visit.

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read  full disclosure  for more information.

My Thoughts on Prince

I enjoyed Prince during his heyday in the 80s with my big hair and scary bright blue makeup (no, there will be no photo evidence). Though I enjoyed his music, I can’t say I was a huge fan of his and once the clock struck and the year 1999 was over, I simply appreciate a song here or there that I heard on the radio.

I didn’t follow him, and I didn’t really understand the significance of the era of “the Artist Formerly Known as Prince.” After going on the Paisley Park Tours, I’m a bit sad that I didn’t follow him more closely as he was an incredible artist. Truly incredible. Perhaps this post is my way of making up for my lack of fandom, but I will say anyone with even a passing curiosity about him will really enjoy this tour.

Prince Rogers Nelson was a singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, dancer, actor, and filmmaker. He was an incredible artist whose talent with more than 26 instruments was self-taught, which is pretty amazing. Prince was known throughout his long career which spanned four decades for his artistic innovation and his flamboyant appearances. He was one of the top-selling artists of all time selling over 100 million records.

Prince wrote his first song at the age of 7, called “Funk Machine.” His second album went platinum in 1979. However, he really hit the consciousness of the country in 1984 when he starred in the film, Purple Rain, and created the soundtrack. According to Rolling Stone , the Purple Rain soundtrack is number 72 of the top 500 hits of all time.

In 1993, in rebellion against his record label, Warner Brothers, Prince adopted the “love symbol” as his stage name, a combination of male and female symbols. He was referred to as “the artist formerly known as Prince.” Once his contract ended in 2000 he stopped using this and went back to Prince as his stage name.

He continued collaborating with other artists with his guitar, songwriting, and voice and amassed a tremendous body of work until his death in 2016. Prince was a consummate entertainer, always trying something new and pushing into new areas of artistic creation.

The country lost a legend, and Minneapolis lost a local hero.

Paisley Park

Paisley Park is the $10M 65,000-square foot recording and production complex Prince started building in the mid-1980s. It was the realization of his dream to create an all-purpose building to fan the flames of his talent and that of others.

He always loved paisley and thought it was a metaphor for flowing and he enjoyed that visual in relation to his work. Music and creativity are ever-flowing.

Prince produced, performed, and recorded a lot of his work here, and many other notable musicians recorded there as well including Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Madonna, and others. It is a unique space designed to nurture his musical talents and that of others.

Prince held many spontaneous performance events here, inviting the public into the NPG Music Club or the Sound Stage for epic sets of live music that went on throughout the night.

In his words on the website, “Paisley Park is pretty much representative of everything I am musically.”

He planned for opening Paisley Park to tours after he was gone and to make it a museum of sorts, and left very specific instructions as to how he wanted his life within the walls to be displayed. Step inside to feel what it was like to be awash with so much creativity and talent.

Paisley Park Tours

There are several tour options available and they must be purchased online in advance of your visit. Tickets are not sold onsite at the residence. Pass the velvet rope for the tour of your choice.

General Admission

General Admission tickets are available for $48.

Tour Length

This is a guided tour that lasts approximately 90 minutes.

What You See

• Main floor including the recording studios
• Soundstage and concert hall where tour rehearsals were held and where his private concerts were
• Private NPG Music Club

The VIP tour cost is $90.

This is a guided tour with an expert guide for around 2 hours.

You see all of the rooms in the General Admission tour as well as:

• Prince’s rehearsal rooms and video editing suites
• Additional rooms and studio areas
• Additional artifacts from the archives
• Exclusive photo opportunity

On Thursdays, VIP tours record live vocals over a short segment of a Prince song in Studio B. The Mix is available for purchase.

The “Ultimate Experience”

This tour is offered only on select Sundays and every Monday, Friday, and Saturdays.

The Ultimate Experience tour costs $160.

This tour lasts for 2.5 to 3 hours.

You will see everything from the General Admission and VIP Tours as well as:

• Access to all three studios onsite: A, B, and C
• View a private screening of exclusive video footage in the editing suite
• Special audio playback session in the Studio B control room
• View additional archive items not available to the other tours

Paisley Park Tours After Dark

Note: This tour isn’t currently offered, however, they are showing “After Dark” events on the events page. Keep an eye on the site to see if they bring it back. It would be worth it!!

This tour cost is $60.

This tour is on two Saturday nights a month only and is in the tradition of the Paisley Park After Dark events that Prince hosted.

This tour is in the spirit of the Paisley Park After Dark late-night events Prince hosted. The tour includes:

• General Admission tour
• Live DJ dance party in the NPG Music Club Room
• Stay onsite until 11 p.m. when the event ends

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My Paisley Park Tour

I went on the General Admission tour and my mind was blown pretty much after passing the velvet rope. The room I walked into is a massive entryway with over-the-top artwork of sky and clouds and doves flying around covered with symbolism with his symbol on the floor. It gives a sense of free-flowing creativity.

There are a number of small rooms off the large room as you walk in with outfits he wore, guitars, awards, and other things Prince.

Little Kitchen

There is a little kitchen (aptly named the same) which includes some retro tables and benches covered in leather with black and white stripes. At the other end, there is a sofa with a television as well as a telecaster guitar displayed. Our guide said there used to be raging parties here on weekends.

Nearby is Studio A where LoveSexy, Diamonds & Pearl, and Batman were recorded. James Brown, Aretha Franklin, REM, and Madonna also recorded in Studio A. Prince believed that people should make music together and share equally. On display is a drum machine and synthesizer used in “When the Doves Cry.”

Prince wasn’t only the artist but also acted as a recording engineer and producer. The main booth hosts a chair so he could do these simultaneously instead of the typical standing setup. There are several other booths in this studio for other vocals, drums, and synthetics.

We got to listen to a new piece not yet released called, “Rough Enough.”

Influence Hallway

This area is a large mural that covers both sides of the hallway covered with the artists who influenced Prince’s work. Some of the people listed were expected, and others were a bit of a surprise. The artists included Mitchell, Hendrix, Armstrong, Brown, Davis, Ray Vaughn Clinton, and contemporaries like Tower of Power, Wendy and Lisa, Apolonia, Jimmy Jam, Chaka Kahn, and others.

1st Ave And 7th Street Downtown Danceteria

This room is a dedication to Purple Rain. It was a dance studio where he did the choreography for his movies. The walls are covered with pictures from Purple Rain and the center of the room has a display with his motorcycle, outfits, guitar, a keyboard, all from the movie

Movie Rooms

Next were several rooms dedicated to some of his other movies including Under the Cherry Moon and Graffiti Bridge. The walls in each room were covered in pictures and images from the movie and the room contained many items from the movie including outfits he wore, drum kits, guitars, and other items. All of these were designed post-humously based on his instructions found on his laptop.

History Hallway

Prince supervised the installation of this hallway with many of his awards and achievements. It includes his first album released when he was 19 in 1978. The walls in this area have most of his awards anywhere inside or outside the building.

There are also key images from different periods of time in his life, including the period of time from 1993 to 2000 when he felt enslaved by his Warner Brother publishing contract. His five self-published albums paved the way for other artists to emancipate themselves from record labels.

The centerpiece in this room is a Schimmel Pegasus grand piano worth around $200k. It’s very rare and there are only a few in the world. This one has a hydraulic lid on it. The room served as a relaxation room for Prince and there are pinball machines as well.

Sound Stage

The Graffiti Bridge film was recorded here as well as many others. There is a red light over the door and a large stage lined with many of Prince’s outfits through the years. Some of the suits had sparkles and one features a sky with clouds on it.

There are three cars towards one end of the room: a white BMW Z3, a Purple Plymouth Growler, and a robin-egg blue Bentley.

The room also features two large purple chairs that look like thrones and a large projector showing clips of Prince through the years.

NPG Music Club

The last room on the tour was the NPG, New Power Generation, Music Club. This is where he had his epic events and fans came to party with him and he’d play well into the night. It was often announced on social media and people would line up hoping they could get in.

Towards the back of the club, his favorite movie was up on a screen, Finding Nemo , leading through a passageway to his dressing room. A silver door led to his personal chef’s kitchen.

When Prince passed away on 4/21/2016, fans created an organic fence tribute around Paisley Park covered in purple, sparkles, images, fish from Finding Nemo . All of the non-perishable items were saved and some of it was set up here.

Of course, no tour would be complete without a visit to the gift shop. This store has a lot of Prince recreations from his many personas as well as Prince tees and Paisley Park items. You can even buy the little fish from Finding Nemo .

There is a TV playing his Superbowl Halftime show, where it was raining incredibly hard. He didn’t let it stop him, and in fact, he said, “Can you make it rain harder!?” Always the entertainer.

Things to Know Before You Go on Paisley Park Tours

• Tickets are not refundable.
• Younger-aged children are restricted from the tours (under age 5 for general admission, under age 10 for the VIP Tour, and under age 12 for the Ultimate Tour).
• One parking spot is issued per transaction.
• There are additional fees (service fee plus facility fee) added to tickets ranging from $7.50 to $11.75 per ticket.
• Photography of any kind is not permitted in the building. In fact, your phone is locked up in a soft pouch that you can get unlocked as you are leaving the property.
• Don’t arrive more than 20 minutes before your time slot.

Paisley Park is open on Sunday, Monday, and Thursday from 9 – 5, and on Friday and Saturday from 9 – 6. It’s closed on Tuesday and Wednesday. It is located at 7801 Audubon Rd, Chanhassen, MN 55317 . There is free parking on site.

Prince’s Legacy

Prince was an icon of music and film, also known for film and technology. Paisley Park tours provide you with a glimpse into his life and you are enswirled with a massive array of his artistry, from the murals, outfits, inspired artwork, and the sound stage. Every room is filled with the immense creativity that was Prince.

There’s no denying Prince’s rare talent. And his generosity in working with other artists and sharing his talents with his local people.

Can you ever look at the color purple, or sequins and sparkles, and not think of him? Paisley Park represents everything Prince was, is, and always will be, nestled in his Minneapolis.

“I like Hollywood. I just like Minneapolis a little bit better.” Prince

First Ave & 7th Street Entry

First Ave & 7th Street Entry proudly boasts that it is your “downtown danceteria since 1970.” This place put many artists on the map and has showcased some incredible bands now displayed in a star on the outside of the building. It is one of the longest-lived and best-known independent rock clubs in the country.

Though it’s technically two clubs, known locally as Mainroom and the Entry, this place has been around forever and is a landmark in downtown Mill City. There are 53 stars on the outside walls commemorating some of the acts who played there, and Prince has a star, of course. His first show was here on March 9, 1981.

Visiting is one of the popular things to do in Minneapolis , especially for sentimental Prince fans.

First Ave & 7th Street Entry is located at 701 N 1st Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55403 (at the intersection of First Ave and 7th Street.)

Why Paisley Park Tours are Worth Doing

Whether you are a fan of Prince or appreciate some of his work over his extensive career, Paisley Park tours are worth your time when you are in Minneapolis. One of the city’s most famous residents recorded and produced a lot of his work here, and you can see what an incredibly talented artist he was.

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Paisley Park

Paisley Park, Prince’s private estate and production compound in Chanhassen, Minnesota offers fans of the music icon the unprecedented opportunity to tour the legendary 65,000-squre-foot complex that served as the center of Prince’s creative universe. Tours take visitors throughout the extensive main floor, including studios where Prince recorded, produced and mixed most of his biggest hits, exhibit spaces that chronicle films such as Purple Rain and Graffiti Bridge, Prince’s private NPG Music Club, and a massive soundstage and concert hall where Prince rehearsed for concert tours and held exclusive private events and concerts. Visitors can see artifacts from Prince’s personal archives, including iconic concert wardrobe & memorabilia, awards, musical instruments, artwork, rare music and video recordings and motorcycles. Prince sold over 100 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling artists of all time. He won seven GRAMMY Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and an Academy Award for the film Purple Rain, all of which are displayed at Paisley Park. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004, the first year of his eligibility. Prince was born in Minneapolis and resided in the Minneapolis area throughout his life.

Paisley Park 7801 Audubon Road Chanhassen, 55317

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Paisley Park

The man that put Minneapolis on the map, inspired other artists, and was an international influence in the music scene is always being honored and remembered throughout the city. One of the places closest to his legacy is Paisley Park , his home and recording studio in suburban Minneapolis.

Following the success of the movie as well as Prince’s song, Purple Rain, Paisley Park Records was created as Prince’s record label and was funded in part by Warner Bros. Soon after was the creation of Paisley Park itself, Prince’s masterpiece and haven. He helped with the design and hoped to make an all-encompassing music venue complete with recording studios, a soundstage, clothing production, a dance studio, and office space. Many of Prince’s songs were written and produced at Paisley Park, and he was even known to host impromptu private concerts. Prince wasn’t the only one to appreciate the creative space. Artists like Stevie Wonder, James Brown, Madonna and Aretha Franklin have recorded at Paisley Park as well.

Prince’s energy can be felt in every room. From the décor to the concert spaces to the names of the rooms, every detail provides a peek into Prince’s mind. With Paisley Park now being open to the public, fans can take a walk back in time to see where the magic happened. Tour his recording studios, editing suites and club space, and see much of Paisley Park just as Prince left it. Many areas have actually remained untouched since his passing, allowing visitors to get a glimpse into his everyday life. Schedule a tour and celebrate Prince’s life and his impact on both the music industry and on Minneapolis.

Experience Prince’s Minneapolis

Minneapolis helped shape Prince into the man and the artist he became, and in return, Prince forever left his mark on Minneapolis. Even as Prince’s success swept the globe, he always remained close to his roots in Minneapolis. His journey started here and throughout his whole career, he embraced his hometown. He put Minneapolis on the map with his music and his distinct style.

Visit Prince’s Hometown of Minneapolis

From Prince's childhood home to First Avenue nightclub and his Paisley Park studios, the Minneapolis area is full of people touched deeply by Prince, and it’s home to countless places and landmarks that connect us to his life. We have curated a glimpse into the history of Prince's adventure here in our great city. Feel free to download, Experience Prince's Minneapolis tour itinerary and take your friends and family on a self-guided exploration of our city, painted in purple.

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Watch CBS News

The Prince Experience: A Look Inside The Paisley Park Tour

November 2, 2016 / 12:08 PM CDT / CBS Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Members of the media Wednesday got to tour Prince's Paisley Park compound, where the Purple One famously lived and recorded many of his songs.

On Friday, Prince's home/studio opened as a museum to the public, following delays with the local government due to zoning concerns. Gov. Mark Dayton declared it "Paisley Park Day" in celebration.

The Paisley Park tour lasts about 45 minutes, allowing visitors to see everything from handwritten lyrics to doves in the atrium. Guests can walk through the 65,000-square foot complex where Prince famously held many of his exclusive concerts and events.

One of the big highlights is the "Purple Rain" room, which features the stunt motorcycle from the 1984 flick. On display are also Prince's famous purple coat and a purple piano.

Media members were able to photograph only certain sections of the complex, including the NPG Music Club, the "Under the Cherry Moon" room, the Super Bowl room and the area dedicated to the memorial fence that fans constructed.

MORE PICTURES : Paisley Park (Limited) Tour Gallery

Prince fans and spectators from all over the world are expected to visit Paisley Park. Angie Marchese, the director of archives, said many fans find the tour to be an emotional experience, where they can feel the Purple One's presence.

"Prince had an insight, wanted to open museum," Marchese said.

Prince died in April due to an accidental opioid overdose.

The Paisley Park tour costs about $40. The VIP tour costs $100. Tickets can be purchased here.

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Inside Prince’s Paisley Park: The Secretive Celebrity Kingdom You Can Visit

Shannon McMahon

Editor Shannon McMahon is always planning her next trip and often writing in her travel journal. Follow her on Twitter @shanmcmahon_ and on Instagram @shanmcmahon .

Shannon joined SmarterTravel in 2015. A former news reporter, she's lived in the south of Spain, spotted elephants in Sri Lanka, gone spelunking in the Caribbean, hiked Jordan's Petra Basin, interviewed Sao Paulo's Michelin-Star chefs, and explored China via bullet train. Travel trends, news oddities, and her visits to up-and-coming destinations are some of her favorite things to write about.

Her stories have also appeared online on USA Today, The Sun, Huffington Post, Business Insider, blog.TripAdvisor.com, Boston.com, and more. Her educational background is in journalism, art history, gender studies, Spanish, and film. She's been quoted as an expert travel source by CNBC, People.com, MarketWatch, The Washington Post, USA Today, and more.

The Handy Item I Always Pack : "Plenty of extra thick hair elastics. They tame my frizzy curls and come in handy in a surprising number of packing and hotel dilemmas."

Ultimate Bucket List Experience : "Climbing (yes, climbing, it's steep!) the Great Wall of China before it's gone."

Travel Motto : "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness." - Mark Twain

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat : "Window, of course."

Email Shannon at [email protected] .

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“Tomi, you said you came to parties here before. How?” someone in my tour group asked from the back of the recording studio. Its wood-paneled walls were strung with instruments and amplifier cables. Tomi, our tour guide, had just invited us to pick up a worn paddle to play table tennis at a ping-pong table—one that Prince, the late Minnesotan rock star, had played on many times before.

“Um, I was a stalker,” Tomi answered.

We laughed, but as I looked around the room it was clear we all knew he wasn’t exactly kidding.

I never counted myself among the camera-toting tourists who would flock to ritzy mansions made famous solely for their celebrity owners. “Star Tours” in Los Angeles and Elvis’s Graceland in Memphis always sounded voyeuristic and unappealing to me. But that idea changed in April 2016, when Prince Rogers Nelson died at his home and studio compound, Paisley Park .

Paisley Park Tour: Prince’s Mysterious Playground

“ Admission is easy, just say you believe and come to this place in your heart ,” goes the 1985 song that would later share a title with Prince’s estate and studio complex in Chanhassen, Minnesota, about 30 minutes outside of Minneapolis. “ Paisley Park is in your heart .”

Paisley Park tours opened to the public just six months after Prince’s death—but many of his fans had already been inside before the star’s passing. A showman of epic proportions, Prince (His Royal Badness, The Artist, The Prince of Funk, The Purple One) sometimes opened his home to fans for shows on his private soundstage and after-parties that drew all types, from Minnesotans to Madonna. That’s what our tour guide meant by “stalking.” If you kept a close enough eye on Prince, he’d invite you over himself—normally via Twitter , and most notably for pajama parties, but only if you agreed not to use your phone inside.

Visiting Paisley Park

With that chapter of Paisley Park over, Prince’s remaining family members opened the complex the masses for daily scheduled tours (reservations required). But Paisley Park is keeping its award-plastered halls and four recording studios otherwise under-wraps: You still have to forego using your phone and any cameras when you visit. At the front door, a bodyguard locks your phone in a cloth pouch that you carry with you, rendering your electronics unusable until you exit the building. A nuisance to some people, Prince fans often appreciate the move as an opportunity to focus on the details with just your own two eyes. To others though, it might seem like a visitor-boosting ploy.

Most rooms are kept as Prince arranged them, including a few that were curated into costume displays or award exhibits by Prince himself before he died; he wanted the complex to one day be his own Graceland.

Paisley Park looks more like a business park or top-secret government building from the outside, but inside it’s a surprisingly intimate portrait of The Artist. It’s a Minneapolis travel experience appropriate for anyone who appreciates Prince’s music—or any music, really.

More Than a Mansion Tour

Paisley Park is much more than its white geometric walls let on, but it’s also more than what most probably think of when they hear “celebrity home.” Aside from the famous outfits, instruments, and awards on display, Paisley Park (like Graceland) is also its artist’s final resting place. The tour begins below Prince’s urn in the Paisley Park atrium, under a skylight that used to glow purple when he was home. Sunday VIP tours offer breakfast  which includes some of Prince’s favorite foods—s’mores French toast and scrambled eggs were on the menu when I visited—prepared by his chef.

You’ll walk through the office of a music legend situated largely as he left it, with books and framed photos on desks and shelves. You’ll snake through recording studios that have hosted other legendary artists, like Stevie Wonder, Celine Dion, and more. You’ll stand in the sound stage that hosted fans for late-night jam sessions. You’ll play ping-pong on his personal table (they say he was a table-tennis and basketball pro). You might even leave the building teary-eyed (as I was surprised to find myself) from hearing Purple Rain play while reading notes left to the late great musician in the wake of his passing.

Paisley Park is equal parts whimsy and emotion, and a place I’m sure the Prince of Funk would love you to experience in your pajamas.

[viator_tour destination=”22209″]

More from SmarterTravel:

• 10 Must-Visit U.S. Hotspots for 2017
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• Games of Thrones in the Real World: See Where the HBO Hit Was Filmed

Associate Editor Shannon McMahon writes about all things travel. She visited Paisley Park as a guest of Meet Minneapolis . Follow her on  Twitter  and  Instagram .

We hand-pick everything we recommend and select items through testing and reviews. Some products are sent to us free of charge with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions and do not accept compensation to review products. All items are in stock and prices are accurate at the time of publication. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.

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Paisley Park - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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Paisley Park, Prince’s Lonely Palace

By Amanda Petrusich

In 1984, Prince recorded a song called “Paisley Park,” for his seventh record, “Around the World in a Day.” Its lyrics imagine a kind of utopia:

There is a park that is known For the face it attracts Colorful people whose hair On one side is swept back The smile on their faces It speaks of profound inner peace Ask where they’re going They’ll tell you nowhere They’ve taken a lifetime lease On Paisley Park

Prince wrote often and eagerly about the idea of sanctuary—places where his spiritual anxieties were assuaged. Back then, Paisley Park was merely an imagined paradise. “Paisley Park is in your heart,” he sings on the chorus.

Three years later, it was real: in 1987, Prince built a sixty-five-thousand-square-foot, ten-million-dollar recording complex in Chanhassen, Minnesota, and called it Paisley Park. It was intended to be a commercial facility—Madonna, R.E.M., and Stevie Wonder all recorded there—but by the end of the nineteen-nineties it had stopped accepting outside clients. Eventually—no one can quite say when—Prince began living there. He wanted to establish a self-contained dominion, insulated from interference or judgment, where he enjoyed total control, and his life could bleed easily into his work.

On April 21, 2016, Prince collapsed and died in an elevator at Paisley Park. He had overdosed on the opioid fentanyl, which he’d been taking for chronic hip pain. He was fifty-seven, had sold around a hundred million albums, and did not leave a will. Shortly after hearing the news, Joel Weinshanker, a managing partner of Graceland Holdings (which runs Elvis Presley’s Graceland mansion, in Memphis), approached Bremer Trust, the bank tasked by a Minnesota court with administering Prince’s estate while his heirs were determined. Weinshanker wanted to make sure that Prince’s things were cared for. The bank agreed to let him visit. “The air-conditioning and the heating system weren’t working,” he told me. “There were leaks in places where you wouldn’t want leaks.”

Prince’s sister, Tyka Nelson, and his five half siblings were eventually named his heirs. With the family’s blessing, Graceland Holdings took over management of the property. Because Paisley Park is expensive to maintain, and because the estate was facing a considerable tax bill, the family made one decision quickly: Prince’s sanctuary would become a museum. Six months after Prince’s death, on October 28, 2016, Paisley Park opened to the public.

From the road, Paisley Park looks industrial, utilitarian, and cheerless, like a big-box store that has recently gone out of business. The exterior is covered in white aluminum panels. Inside, fleecy clouds have been painted on pale-blue walls. Sunlight comes through a glass pyramid over the lobby, but there are very few windows, which makes roaming through the complex disorienting, like spending all day inside a casino. Prince didn’t like cameras or cell phones, and visitors are asked to turn these off and place them in pouches at the front desk. (When I left, my pouch was unsealed by a stone-faced security guard whose sole duty appeared to be unsealing pouches.)

On my first visit, I took the V.I.P. tour, which costs a hundred dollars (there is an additional fee for parking), and takes about an hour and forty minutes. Tickets must be purchased online in advance, and buyers are instructed not to show up more than twenty minutes before the tour begins. The staff is strict about these rules; when I arrived for my 1 P.M. tour a little after twelve-thirty, I was turned away, and nervously circled a Target parking lot. My group included a couple celebrating their thirtieth wedding anniversary who had driven eighteen hours from Richmond, Virginia; two punk musicians from Asheville, North Carolina; and a young man who had travelled alone from Colorado.

The tour begins in the atrium. A pair of caged white doves coo peaceably on an upstairs balcony. (Divinity and Majesty, doves Prince kept as pets, received an “ambient singing” credit on his album “One Nite . . . ,” from 2002. Divinity still lives at Paisley Park, though Majesty died in 2017.) Prince’s ashes are mounted fifteen feet above the white marble floor, in an urn designed to resemble Paisley Park—it, too, looks like a big-box store, in miniature. The placement feels deliberate, as if guests were required to check in with Prince before proceeding deeper into his home. It’s expected that visitors, some of whom are still putting away their car keys, will pause here to enact grave-site rituals—genuflect, sob, pray, bow, or whatever it is a person does to convey homage. My fellow tour-goers clutched one another. Anyone uncomfortable with sudden public displays of bereavement might simply shift anxiously from one foot to the other, uncertain of where to focus her eyes.

Before I arrived, I found the property’s purpose somewhat oblique: was it a shrine, a historic site, a mausoleum, a business? In the atrium, I discovered that Paisley Park provides an immediate target for a very particular kind of grief. (The museum’s curator, Angie Marchese, described it to me simply as “a place to go.”) Most of Prince’s fans didn’t know him personally, yet his work was essential to their lives. When he died, where could they mourn? An ungenerous reading might be that Americans are so ill equipped to manage death that we are forced to mediate it through tourism. We soothe our pain by buying a plane ticket, booking a hotel room, buying a key chain: expressing gratitude via a series of payments. It works, to an extent.

The Paisley Park tour charges on from the atrium, through exhibit rooms filled with displays—costumes, instruments, notebooks, gold records—that are linked to albums, films, or specific periods in Prince’s career. It snakes into his office and his editing bay, and through three studio spaces. These feel clean, modern, and expensive. One of the highlights of the tour is a chance to play Ping-Pong at Prince’s own table, where he often beat his guests—including Michael Jackson, who visited Paisley Park in 1986, while Prince was working on the film “ Under the Cherry Moon ,” the follow-up to “ Purple Rain .” Prince mercilessly taunted the hapless Jackson, who had never played Ping-Pong before. When Jackson dropped his paddle, in defeat or clumsiness, Prince joyfully walloped a ball into his crotch. (The gift shop now sells canary-yellow Ping-Pong balls branded with Prince’s purple symbol; I bought a set of two for twelve dollars.) Prince was a more gracious basketball player, though no less formidable. “I don’t foul guests,” he told the writer Touré when they played a two-on-two game at Paisley Park, in 1998. The incongruousness of the hobby, and his skill at it, was immortalized in a “Chappelle’s Show” skit from 2004, in which Prince, who was barely five feet three, drifts gently down from the basket after a winning dunk. The bit reiterated a thought many of us had already had: that the laws of the physical world simply did not apply to Prince.

Prince’s office and the so-called little kitchen—a small room just off the atrium, which contains a microwave, a gold-colored French press, a coffee table, and a couch where he watched Minnesota Timberwolves games—are mostly unchanged. It’s fun to imagine Prince doing ordinary things here, like unwrapping a microwave pizza, waiting impatiently for it to cook, and then getting molten cheese plastered to the roof of his mouth. (The tour, I should note, does not suggest any such goings on.) At this point, visitors are briefly free to wander alone through the exhibit rooms. Some of my tour-mates saw me taking notes in a small notebook and pulled out their own pads and pens. We were all hungry for information. The screen saver on the desktop computer in the editing bay features a scene of Egyptian pyramids. At the time of my visit, there were framed posters of Fritz Lang’s “ Metropolis ” and Clint Eastwood’s “ Bird ,” a film about the life of Charlie Parker, and scented candles had been placed in almost every room. In the office, I noted a stack of books—including a rhyming dictionary, the Bible, several volumes about ancient Egypt, and “ In Praise of Black Women .”

Many of Prince’s elaborate stage costumes are on display here. His outfits were often custom-made, and the craftsmanship and whimsy involved in their construction is staggering. I spent a good ten minutes sizing up a pair of sparkling flared pants, suède-heeled boots, and a generously ruffled shirt, all in the same immodest shade of cherry red—an outfit too bold and spectacular to imagine anyone else wearing. (On Prince, it was majestic.) There are several costumes of historical significance—the long purple coat from the “Purple Rain” movie, that aqua suit he wore for his Super Bowl performance, in 2007—but it’s hard to discern what they reveal about Prince, beyond his waist size (in the “Purple Rain” era, a mere twenty-two and a half inches). They’re relics of his professional, public life—proof of a groundbreaking career.

Fans tend to shell out staggering amounts of money for memorabilia or other ephemera, because owning such things allows them to feel closer to an artist whose work has deeply moved them (which is to say, it makes real an intimacy that was previously imagined), or because they believe they can learn something private, and heretofore unknown, from it. It’s possible to cherish music without worrying about where it came from, or what sort of life its creator led, but true love—and what else powers fandom?—makes us want to know a person in some fundamental and complete way. Stuff becomes a conduit for understanding, and for making more sense of the wild, alchemical rush that fuels both fandom and the art itself. How did Prince come to make so many nonpareil recordings? What allowed for it? What clues now lurk in his silverware drawer, or under his pillow, or in the back of his makeup case?

Prince was born Prince Rogers Nelson, in 1958, in Minneapolis. He was named—in a way—for his father, John Nelson, a pianist who performed as Prince Rogers. His relationship with his mother, Mattie Shaw, was strained, and his early life was isolated. His parents divorced, in 1966, and he was taken in by a neighbor. From a young age, Prince was confident of his exceptional talent and its worth to the rest of the world. In an interview with his high-school newspaper, in 1976, about a band he had formed, he blamed its lack of fame on geography. “I really feel that if we would have lived in Los Angeles or New York or some other big city, we would have gotten over by now,” he said. On his most thrilling songs, such as “Let’s Go Crazy,” from 1984, or “Sign o’ the Times,” from 1987, he sounds preternaturally relaxed, as if his musicianship was as innate to him as breathing.

In 1992, Warner Bros. offered Prince a six-record deal worth a hundred million dollars—then the largest recording-and-publishing contract in history. Yet, by 1996, he had begun publicly condemning the music industry. He changed his name to an unpronounceable symbol—Warner Bros. controlled the trademark for the name Prince—and scrawled the word “Slave” on his cheek. His distrust of Warner Bros. has made the contents of his private vault at Paisley Park, which is rumored to contain thousands of unreleased recordings, especially tantalizing. “I didn’t always give the record companies the best song,” he told Rolling Stone , in 2014.

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As a pop star, he was unprecedented and occasionally unfathomable. Tiny and hypersexual, he wore heeled boots and black eyeliner, and purposefully eschewed easy categorization. Unlike Michael Jackson, Prince did not appear to be in conflict with himself. Tommy Barbarella, who played keyboards in the New Power Generation, Prince’s backing band in the nineteen-nineties, described that self-assurance as essential to Prince’s success. “He touched something, especially in those people who were outcasts, or who felt different,” Barbarella said. “He made it O.K. to be different.”

Details about Prince’s personal life remain scant, and there have been surprisingly few posthumous revelations. There is tenderness and lust in his songs, but it’s harder to find those things in the stories told about his life. This makes autobiographical readings of his work difficult. In 1996, he married Mayte Garcia, a twenty-two-year-old belly dancer. She had toured with him since she was seventeen, when her parents appointed Prince her legal guardian. Garcia gave birth to a son, Amiir, in October of that year. He died in the hospital at six days old, of a rare genetic condition. Prince refused to publicly acknowledge his son’s death. Oprah Winfrey arrived at Paisley Park just a few weeks afterward, and filmed an interview with the couple. She gently asked Prince about Amiir. “It’s all good,” he replied. “Never mind what you hear.”

Garcia’s memoir, “ The Most Beautiful: My Life with Prince ,” was published in April of 2017. It’s one of the only first-person accounts of life at Paisley Park, and the book’s disclosures are sometimes troubling. Under the tutelage of Larry Graham, the bassist for Sly and the Family Stone, Prince became a devout Jehovah’s Witness, and because of his new faith, he discouraged Garcia from seeking medical attention after a miscarriage. He was often demanding and proprietary of other people’s bodies. If his female backing dancers gained weight, Garcia writes, he docked or withheld their pay.

By many accounts, Prince was an inscrutable and paranoid boss. “An enigma to the end,” Barbarella said. “He didn’t have close friends.” Alan Leeds, who was Prince’s tour manager for much of the nineteen-eighties, and briefly ran Paisley Park Records, said that it was Prince’s need for total control that drove him to build Paisley Park. Leeds, who now manages the R. & B. singer D’Angelo, cut ties with Prince in 1992. When D’Angelo visited Paisley Park, in 2000, Prince cautioned him to keep an eye on his tapes when Leeds was around. He worried that Leeds—or someone else—had been leaking stolen recordings. (Leeds denies the accusation.) “When D. came back, he called me from the car,” Leeds told me. “He said, ‘Man, you won’t believe it. He’s out of his mind.’ ”

Prince’s work ethic was notorious. He often played all or most of the instruments on his albums himself, a tendency that, in an interview with Rolling Stone , in 1985, he described as a product of his vigor: “The reason I didn’t use musicians a lot of the time had to do with the hours that I worked. I swear to God it’s not out of boldness when I say this, but there’s not a person around who can stay awake as long as I can,” he said. “Music is what keeps me awake.”

That he was so fluent at such varied tasks is now part of his legend; we hold it up as further evidence of his brilliance. On “For You,” his first album, which he released when he was twenty, Prince is credited with playing twenty-seven different instruments. One track contains forty-seven stacked and layered vocal lines.

Prince’s virtuosity was uncontestable, and perhaps nobody else could have played those parts in the same way. But collaboration, even when it’s difficult, can sometimes yield a richer, stranger document; work generated and realized in perfect solitude often feels airless. Even though most of his songs are about sex or dancing or some other kind of interpersonal communion, Prince almost never let anyone else into his art. In 2004, when he and George Harrison were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne, Steve Winwood, and others performed the Beatles’ “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.” Prince appears onscreen about halfway through, as if he’d just been teleported in from some much cooler event. (Rewatching, you can see that he was, in fact, there the whole time, curtly bobbing his head from the far side of the stage.) What he does next, on his solo, is wild and stirring. His shirt is unbuttoned, and there’s a rose pinned to his lapel. At first, his eyes stay closed. After a while, his guitar seems to disappear entirely, and it’s as if the solo is simply coming from Prince himself—beaming out of his chest. Yet he is never quite of the band. Toward the end, a gleeful and mischievous expression seizes his face. This might be Prince most purely himself—locked into some unreal groove, alternately ignoring or showing everyone else up. Before he strolls offstage, he launches his guitar toward the heavens. It never comes back down.

At Paisley Park, he was able to write, rehearse, and record as much as he wanted, without compromise, and on his own schedule. “He didn’t see music as work,” Leeds told me. “It’s just what he did. If you called it work, you were a cynic.” In “The Most Beautiful,” Garcia includes a note that Prince sent her early in the couple’s relationship: “A secret—when I have a disagreement with someone—it’s usually only one. Then they’re gone.”

Visitors do not have access to the living quarters at Paisley Park. The tour deals with this largely by misdirection, pointing guests toward details that might seem revealing—like the elegant slope of Prince’s handwriting—but nonetheless require additional extrapolation to feel meaningful. That interpretive work is generally left to the individual. When the guide pointed out a little circle of spilled wax on the carpet—Prince himself had spilled that wax!—I gazed at it longingly, hoping that something significant might be revealed.

Mostly, the tour made me feel lonesome. Absent its owner, Paisley Park is a husk. In 2004, when Prince briefly rented a mansion in Los Angeles from the basketball player Carlos Boozer, he redesigned the place, putting his logo on the front gate, painting pillars purple, installing all-black carpet, and adding a night club. (Boozer threatened to sue, but Prince restored the house before he moved out.) Yet Paisley Park feels anonymous. His studios are beautiful, but unremarkable. There are many photos of him, and his symbol is omnipresent, but I was hoping for evidence of his outsized quirks and affectations—clues to some bigger truth. I found little that seemed especially personal. Paisley Park presents Prince only as a visionary—not as a father, a husband, a friend, or a son.

It seems likely that Prince himself insured this. (“There’s not much I want them to know about me, other than the music,” Prince told Details in 1991, when asked about his fans.) Although he left no will, he’d carefully prepared his home for visitors prior to his death. Art work or exhibits that seem as if they were surely erected posthumously—a painting of Prince’s eyes that overlooks the building’s entryway, a mural that depicts both his personal influences (Joni Mitchell, Miles Davis, Carlos Santana) and the artists he believes he has influenced (Sheila E., members of the New Power Generation), an exhibit that showcases the customized Hondamatic motorcycle he rode in “Purple Rain”—have been there for years.

This part, at least, felt extraordinary to me. Genius does not always come linked to this sort of self-possession. Prince built monuments to himself in his own home, during his lifetime! He had even tested out the museum concept, periodically opening Paisley Park for guided tours. In 2000, he charged fifteen dollars for a regular tour and seventy dollars for a V.I.P. version, which included a visit to the underground parking garage where he shot the “Sexy MF” video, in 1992. Like many celebrities, he was attempting to wrest control of his own legend and contain it.

In the nineteen-eighties and nineties, Prince’s critics often characterized him as despotic, self-righteous, vain, and arrogant, but, later on, the narrative shifted. Perhaps there was a sense that not very many people could or would make music like his anymore—that we had reached the end of some line. His work began to feel increasingly inimitable and precious. The year he died, he sold more albums than any living artist.

Although Prince’s estate has disregarded some of his preferences—his discography is now available on Spotify, a platform he pulled his music from in 2015, in part because he believed that the company didn’t compensate artists properly—there’s something profound about how Paisley Park insists on maintaining Prince’s privacy. It does not need to modernize him (which feels unnecessary), or even to humanize him (which feels impossible). In 2016, the most common response to Prince’s death was disbelief. His self-presentation was so carefully controlled that he never once betrayed his own mortality. He’d done nothing to make us think he was like us. During parties, Prince sometimes stood in a dark corner of the balcony and watched other people dance. Visiting Paisley Park now evokes a similar sensation—of being near Prince, but never quite with him. ♦

An earlier version of this piece misstated how Prince acquired the opioid fentanyl, which killed him.

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By Vinson Cunningham

By Doreen St. Félix

The Paisley Park Tour – Prince’s Former Home

Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to get through a tour of Paisley Park. And to pay homage to one of music’s most talented, complex, and unusual artists ever – Prince.

Sadly, Prince died on April 21, 2016. A day many cried purple tears.

As Prince said about life, “It means forever, and that is a mighty long time. But I am here to tell you; there is something else, The afterworld.”

And, while Prince may be in the afterworld, he left us forever with Paisley Park – his home and recording studio entertainment park.

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History Of Paisley Park

Construction began in 1986 and finished in 1987. Prince was the designer. You will feel this as you tour the place. Many eccentric elements dominate the interior, precisely what you’d expect from Prince. Paisley Park got its name because paisley means colorful, and park means to play or entertain. In other words, Prince’s colorful playground. Located in Chanhassen, Prince recorded here for nearly 30 years.

Before his death, approximately 50 people were employed at Paisley Park, including security staff, wardrobes, assistants, and other employees.

Prince Rogers Nelson Fact File

• Full Name: Prince Rogers Nelson
• Born: June 7, 1958
• Died: April 21, 2016 – Age 57
• Cause of Death: Accidental fentanyl overdose
• Marriages: Mayte Garcia 1996 – 2000 and Manuela Testolini 2001 – 2006
• Height: 5ft 2ins
• Children: One – Amiir (Prince in Arabic), born in 1996. With his first Mayte wife, He was diagnosed at birth with Pfeiffer syndrome type 2 and died six days later.

Paisley Park Museum

Unbeknownst to most, Prince’s former home and recording studio, “Paisley Park,” is now a museum, and you can take a tour. Open to the public six months after his death. Knowing that I would visit, I did not read any reviews before I visited. I wanted to experience it for myself and form my own opinions.

I want to set everyone’s expectations here.

We all know that Prince lived at Paisley Park for the last three years. Most people don’t know it is more of an entertainment complex and recording studio than a home. Sadly, you can only view areas on the first floor that are 100% commercial or considered public by Prince.

This took me aback; I’ve seen many photos of Paisley Park and knew it was an entertainment complex. I just assumed that a tour would include personal space as well. This said it’s still an excellent way for fans to see where he spent the years of his life.

So now that’s clear – Let’s Go!

Ticket And Tour Options For Paisley Park Museum

The paisley experience.

The Paisley Experience includes guided tours of the following:

• The main floor of Paisley Park, including studios where Prince recorded, produced, and mixed some of his biggest hits
• Massive soundstage and concert hall where Prince rehearsed for tours and held exclusive, private events and concerts
• N.P.G. Music Club, where Prince had countless late-night performances

Average Tour Time: 70 minutes

The V.I.P. Experience

The V.I.P. Experience includes the Paisley Experience, PLUS:

• A 30-minute more extended tour experience
• Access to additional content, rooms, and studio areas
• A showcase of other artifacts from the Archives
• A unique and exclusive photo opportunity

Average Tour Time: 100 minutes

The Ultimate Experience

The Ultimate Experience includes the V.I.P. Experience plus exclusive access to additional spaces and exhibits. As a more immersive way for fans to tour, the Ultimate Experience is available on select days only and often sells out. This wide-ranging tour offers an expanded 3-hour guided tour including:

• Studios A, B, and C access
• A private screening of exclusive video footage in Paisley Park’s Editing Suite.
• A special audio playback session in the control room of Studio B.
• Visitors on the Ultimate Experience will also access archive items not displayed on the G.A. and V.I.P. tours, providing a more in-depth museum experience.
• A Light beverage comes after the tour.

Ultimate Experience Average Tour Time: 3 hours

I took the Ultimate Experience Tour so I will cover all angles of what to expect. And, I paid for my ticket so you know the deal. I will tell you the good, the bad and ugly.

Entering Paisley Park

If you have never seen the outside of Paisley Park, brace yourself. It is a concrete complex; you probably know it’s right off a highway. However, seeing it in person makes it a stranger, not as an entertainment park but as a home. I can’t even comprehend it; it’s so commercial in appearance.

(Photo credit: Paisley Park)

Then, upon entry, you met with all the rules and regulations – another shock for me.

Strictly No Photography

This is the first time in my life that I’ve had to turn my cell phone off and place it in a sealed bag. And by sealed, I mean locked with an anti-theft device similar to those used in stores. The concept here is that Prince did not allow anyone to take photographs inside Paisley Park.  The museum is respecting his wishes. I get it, but it was not what I was expecting.

Prince focused on living life in the present moment and did not own a cell phone (Photo credit: Colleen Lanin, poster at Paisley Park)

On the bright side, you can take photographs at the end of the tour in the concert venue and the nightclub.

Paisley Park Address

7801 Audubon Road, Chanhassen, MN 55317, United States

The Tour of Paisley Par k

Once you have entered the primary receiving area, you’ll walk through a corridor dressed in awards. You’ll see a painted picture of Prince’s eyes if you look up. It’s fitting, he’s watching you!

This corridor is the one where the elevator once stood. The elevator where Prince died. It’s since been covered up. This is not pointed out on the tour, which is by design. However, if you want to pay respect to the actual place of death, it is on the right, directly before you pass under the painting his eyes.

If you decide to pay tribute, be respectful, such as silence, a prayer, or a bow. Don’t be an idiot and leave a memento – you’ll get kicked out.

Paisley Park Interior Courtyard

Next, you enter the central courtyard—a two-story bacterium with pyramid-shaped skylights. A balcony wrapping it and gold columns to finish the look.

Purple glows emanate from them at night. Paintings of puffy white clouds and doves in flight are dotted along the sky-blue walls.

Prince’s ashes are kept in a miniature Paisley Park replica below the skylights.

It was here that Oprah interviewed Prince in 1996. A large white cage containing Prince’s pet dove, Divinity, can be seen on the second floor. An embedded love symbol is in black tile on an otherwise white floor. In this space, two cushy purple chairs are flanking each side. Please refrain from sitting on any Paisley Park furniture!

Surrounding the tiled space is carpeting featuring images of the sun, moon, and stars. The curved columns in the room create different patterns based on the angle from which they are viewed. At Paisley Park, Prince wanted a combination of colors and shapes representing the multifaceted nature of his music, movies, and other artistic endeavors.

This is where you get what I think is a real glimpse of his entities. It reminded me a little of the interior of the Venitian in Vegas. It’s a tad contemporary, a splice of gaud, and plenty of symbolism. I found it cold and office-like. Not somewhere you’d hang out. At least, not in my opinion.

Paisley Park Studios Soundstage

The soundstage at Paisley Park was almost entirely used to film Graffiti Bridge, the sequel to Purple Rain. In addition to Grumpy Old Men (the movie), McDonald’s, Porsche, and the Muppets, the space has also been used for filming or rehearsal. Prince’s powder blue Bentley and purple Plymouth Prowler are displayed in this vast space.

Paisley Park Recording Studios

There are several recording studios inside Paisley Park. All of them progressively modernized with the times.

The studio at its time was a state-of-the-art recording studio with parquet wood floors and granite-walled i solation rooms explicitly designed for sound.

Studio A has hosted everyone from  James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Celine Dion, Madonna, and R.E.M.

In Studio A, you hear unreleased music recorded by Prince before his passing. While this was fascinating, I found it to be a double standard of privacy. Prince, who did not allow photography in Paisley Park. I doubt he would be comfortable sharing this music. And, rightly so. He would have released it if it was perfect and up to his standards.

Prince’s Mural

The hallway outside Studio A contains a long sunset-colored mural that Prince had commissioned. On the left, you will see images of Prince-influenced artists like Lisa and Wendy from The Revolution, Cat Glover, Apollonia, Vanity 6, Morris Day and The Time, Sheila E., and Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds. The mural’s right side depicts the artists that greatly influenced Prince, such as Stevie Wonder, Jimmy Hendrix, Carlos Santana, and Chaka Khan.

Arcade Room

During Prince’s early days, he played stand-up arcade games in this room. It contains an unusual yellow couch, giant flower sculptures (like Georgia O’Keefe’s), and a Schimmel Pegasus piano inscribed with Prince’s symbol on its hydraulic lid. When he bought the piano in the 1990s, it cost him over $100,000.

NPG Music Club

Musicians and celebrities used to jam out at the NPG Music Club with Prince. During these free concerts, he also invited local fans. He would often not appear until 2 or 3 in the morning. Sometimes, he did not show up at all if he did not feel the vibe. He would play one of his favorite movies on a giant screen to entertain those seated in the cozy, curved purple booths. The space is now used for Sunday brunches, Friday dance parties with a DJ, and Saturday movie screenings.

Studio B is where most die-hard fans want to be. If you’ve chosen The Ultimate Experience, you will get to experience it, And this is where you may cry.

Trust me when I tell you this: I was the only one on the tour who did not cry in Studio B. And this is purely because as much as I loved Prince and appreciated his music –  he did not affect me like this. By effect, I mean that he did not profoundly shape who I am, and I was never physically attracted to him either. Don’t interpret this as disrespectful to the man; I am a fan, but not a teary-eyed fan. Most importantly, you can love and appreciate an artist and not have an emotional connection, so there is no judging here!

It is also in Studio B, where you will get a chance to have your photograph taken. Not on your device, but taken by an employee and given to you on a USB card.

Assuming it’s available (post- COVID ), you will also get the chance to record a thirty-second clip here.

What impressed me in Studio B is that you hear how Prince layered and produced his music. He would write a melody, record it, then sing over it. All phases were done independently. And Prince could operate all of the technology on hand. Most impressively, he used more old-fashioned techniques like recording to tape and physically cutting and piecing the tape together.

On the other side of Studio B’s motherboard is a large room home to a purple baby grand piano. And it used to house a ping-pong table.  Prince loved ping pong players, and he was exceptionally good at it.

Here is the only photography you will get in Studio B:

Property Of The Estate Of Prince Rogers Nelson

This is bonus material! Prince owned several properties in Chanhassen, Minnesota.

Homes Before Paisley Park

Prince’s home before living in Paisley Park was bulldozed at his request. However, it still has the original gates.  The current owners built a new house on it but kept the gates.  This is the perfect place to take in all things Prince and glimpse his prior home. Just be respectful, as it’s someone’s home:

Address : 9401 Kiowa Trail, Chanhassen, MN, United States

This location served as Prince’s primary artistic headquarters for a critical period in the 1980s.

Prince used to own a 188-acre parcel along Galpin Boulevard, which his estate sold to Lennar. Lennar is developing 169 homes on the property.  Prince once lived in a yellow three-story house at 7141 Galpin Blvd. The house has since been demolished, but a security gatehouse remains. Prince’s heirs requested that the development not be associated with the late megastar when selling the property.  Yet, it’s called “The Park” – did everyone catch that? Then there are the street names… Paisley Path and Rogers Court are two examples. There is some association going on. A great place for die-hard fans to visit.

Address : Galpin Blvd, Chanhassen, MN, United States

A visit here is tricky, and I need to warn you! There are some miserable, angry residents. One lady threatened us for taking photographs and made a big to-do, much like other famous places like Walt’s house from Breaking Bad . If you are going to live somewhere this famous, expect the tourists.

I’ll also add this –  how silly is it that “The Park” is not a gated community?

The best way to visit The Park is to drive through the estate and get your photographs as discreetly as possible.

Brit On The Move’s Favorite Prince Songs

Before we start here, let me warn you that my first choice and all-time favorite Prince song is explicit.

So, if you are easily offended – scroll down.  There are a couple of naughty ones on this list, so consider skipping them all unless you are up for some sexual expression.

Darling Nikki

How could this not be my first choice? It is “Darling Nikki.” My name is Nikki, and Prince spelled it the same way as my name! Darling Nikki is by far my favorite song. I will not confess my soul here and own all the behavior mentioned. I grew up in England in the ’80s and lived a single life before life in America!  And for the record (pun intended), I have never done any of this in a hotel lobby!

I knew a girl named Nikki I guess you could say she was a sex fiend I met her in a hotel lobby Masturbating with a magazine She said how’d you like to waste some time And I could not resist when I saw little Nikki grind She took me to her castle And I just couldn’t believe my eyes She had so many devices Everything that money could buy She said sign your name on the dotted line The lights went out And Nikki started to grind

Darling Nikki is responsible for creating the infamous Parental Advisory sticker to solidify this as my first choice. Yes, this song sparked the creation of the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC) in 1985. The PMRC is now a well-known Parental Advisory sticker on album covers.

In short, Prince is responsible for the Parental Advisory stickers – long before rap. And Darling Nikki is the song that started it all! 

Another reason for this to be my first choice! I love controversy. And the irony of how sexuality is riddled with double standards in America. We cannot have nudity on T.V., but we can have porn all over the internet.

Moving on……

Purple Rain

I do not know very many people who do not know the lyrics to Purple Rain. It is probably one of Prince’s most iconic songs ever. One of the biggest 80’s ballads of all time. For me, this reminds me of the ’80s movie Purple Rain.

Prince’s interpretation of ‘Purple Rain’ was “When there’s blood in the sky – red and blue = purple… purple rain pertains to the end of the world and being with the one you love and letting your faith/god guide you through the purple rain.” Simply stated, it is raining blood—what a fantastic poetic metaphor.

Never meant to cause you any sorrow Never meant to cause you any pain I only wanted to one time to see you laughing I only wanted to see you in the purple rain Purple rain Purple rain

Fact:  Purple Rain was originally written as a country duet with Stevie Nicks! Yep, but she turned it down because she said it was too much for her.

Nothing Compares 2 U

It might have been Sinéad O’Connor who made this a household tune in the ’90s, but Prince wrote it. Prince first released the song in 1985 with the band The Family on their 1985 self-titled album.

Now, I love Sinéad’s version, I really do, but it is commercial in comparison to Prince’s raw version.

It’s been seven hours and fifteen days Since u took your love away I go out every night and sleep all day Since u took your love away Since u been gone I can do whatever I want I can see whomever I choose I can eat my dinner in a fancy restaurant But nothing I said nothing can take away these blues

If you’ve ever experienced a gut-wrenching breakup, you know these lyrics!

Written by Prince, Kiss was first released by Prince and The Revolution on the album Parade on February 5, 1986. In 1988, Art of Noise released a cover of the song featuring Welsh singer Tom Jones on vocals.

I must confess that I like both versions! The beat screams dance, and while the lyrics are racy, you cannot help but dance.

You don’t have to be beautiful to turn me on I just need your body, baby, from dusk ’til dawn You don’t need experience to turn me out You just leave it all up to me I’m gonna show you what it’s all about You don’t have to be rich to be my girl You don’t have to be cool to rule my world Ain’t no particular sign I’m more compatible with I just want your extra time and your kiss

When Doves Cry

Another classic that most of us know! Who does not recognize the epic guitar solo morphs with the catchy beat? This one is not a dance one for me, but it is a sign-along one, giving me goosebumps!

A crying dove means things are in bad shape or have gone wrong. This song is about relationships gone wrong. And it’s thought this was about his turbulent relationship with his parents or one of his many lovers.

Dig if you will the picture Of you and I engaged in a kiss The sweat of your body covers me Can you my darling Can you picture this? Dream, if you can, a courtyard An ocean of violets in bloom Animals strike curious poses They feel the heat The heat between me and you

For me, I like the melody of this one. It’s a good old-fashioned sing-along, feel-good tune. There are three theories on what 7 means. One is the setting for the movie Three Chains of Gold, The Seven Deadly Sins, and thirdly the evilness of the music industry for artists. There were seven major record labels, and Prince’s reference here is that will all fall.

All seven, and we’ll watch them fall They stand in the way of love And we will smoke them all With an intellect and a savoir-faire No one in the whole universe Will ever compare I am yours now, and you are mine And together, we’ll love through All space and time, so don’t cry One day all seven will die

I think we all have some crazy in us, even if it is deep down inside. And I firmly believe that we all want to just let loose at some point. So, let’s go crazy is very fitting for the era. Like, the next liberation following the ’70s.

I said, let’s go (crazy) Dr. Everything’ll-Be-Alright Make everything go wrong Pills and thrills and daffodils will kill Hang tough children He’s coming He’s coming Coming Take me away

F.A.Q.s About Paisley Park and The Paisley Park Tour

Why is prince’s house called paisley park.

During the production of “Purple Rain,” Price came up with the idea of Paisley Park. Named after the Prince song “Paisley Park,” which includes lyrics like “Come 2 the park/And play with us/There are no rules/In Paisley Park,” the campus was opened in 1987 for $10 million and 65,000 square feet.

What was Paisley Park before Prince bought it?

In the days before Prince, Paisley Park was merely a fantasy. A chorus of the song proclaims, “Paisley Park is in your heart.” Paisley Park was built in 1987, a sixty-five thousand square foot, ten million dollar recording studio in Chanhassen, Minnesota.

Who owns Paisley Park now?

A 65,000-square-foot complex at Paisley Park was turned into a museum after Prince’s death. Tours of the Paisley Park Museum began in October 2016. The tours were initially organized and managed by  Graceland Holdings , which has managed  Elvis Presley’s Graceland  since 1982. As of Oct. 1. 2019, Prince’s Estate took over running Paisley Park.

What is Paisley Park famous for?

For nearly 30 years, it was the home of Prince. It was his home, creative sanctuary, and production complex.

How long is the Paisley Park tour?

During this 90-minute guided tour, you’ll see the main floor of Paisley Park, including the studios where Prince recorded and produced some of his biggest hits.

Is the Ultimate Experience at Paisley Park worth it?

It depends on what you hope to see.  I was ultimately disappointed that I could not see Prince’s personal space. I was equally disappointed by the double standards. Notably, there is no photography, but let’s raid his vault!

Can you take pictures at Paisley Park?

No, you cannot take pictures inside Paisley Park – it’s strictly forbidden. However, you can take pictures outside.

Closing Thoughts

So, what did I think of the tour?

First of all, it’s been on my  bucket list  to visit Paisley Park since it became a museum, so regardless, it was worth it for me.  However, recall I said I chose the Ultimate Experience Tour and the tune of $160? It is not worth it unless you are a die-hard fan, and even then, you are not sure what the recording element is worth it or the one photo you can take in Studio B. I visited while COVID guidelines were in place, so we could not record. Had I known this, I would not have opted for this tour.

Be sure to validate what you get before you buy tickets!

Then there is the complimentary beverage. This one’s sinful, and it even breaks my heart to say it. It’s a complimentary drink – one. The complimentary drink is your choice of a soda can or a bottle of water from a commercial fridge to help yourself. And, while Prince never allowed alcohol at Paisley Park, there’s a coffee bar on hand.  I don’t think this token drink is up to Prince’s standards, and he’d be horrified. Can we get fresh juice, some kombucha, el fresco – something?

And, while the estate is loaded with fantastic memorability, I was ultimately disappointed that I did not get to see any of Prince’s personal space. I was equally disappointed by the double standards. Remarkably, there is no photography, but let’s raid his vault!

I do not regret taking the tour. I am happy that I got to experience Paisley Park, but it was not what I expected. This was my first visit , but it won’t be my last one. Finally, if you visit Paisley Park, tour Downtown Minneapolis; there’s plenty to see and do.

Feel free to refer to me as Darling Nikki going forward, and please let me know what your favorite songs are or how Prince impacted you!

Looking For More Travel Inspiration? Start Here :

• Sun Studio – The Birth Place of Rock & Roll
• Why Visit Graceland – Elvis The Kings Home

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Nikki Webster is a travel writer who covers how to travel while grinding a day job without breaking the bank. Nikki is always in search of off-the-beaten-track experiences and unique stays. She is particularly fond of Florida and writes extensively about the state. She flies around 60,000 miles annually and has visited 74 countries, 50 states, and six continents. You can read all about her travels at www.britonthemove.com or follow along on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.

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This person may possibly be referring to what you wrote:

Who owns Paisley Park now? A 65,000-square-foot complex at Paisley Park was turned into a museum after Prince’s death. Tours of the Paisley Park Museum began in October 2016. The tours are organized by Graceland Holdings, which has managed Elvis Presley’s Graceland since 1982.

Graceland Holdings managing the PP tours ended in October 2019, then Comerica took over and now Primary Wave and the siblings are in charge. This is definitely outdated information that should be amended. Stood out like a sore thumb for me.

Interesting notation about The Park, very helpful to know for my next visit.

Hi Sonya, I’m scratching my head on this one. I did the tour in 2020, and at that time, when I researched ownership it was under Graceland Holdings. Yet, as you stated Graceland Holdings managing the PP tours ended in October 2019. It’s likely I did not dig deep enough. I honestly don’t know how I did not catch this. But, I really appreciate you taking the time to point this out. I’m updating it now:) Thank you, and I hope you enjoy the tour. Nikki

this information is outdated and false.

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USA TODAY 10Best

Best adventure tours in the Untied States? Vote now

April 30, 2024 // By 10Best Editors

By 10Best Editors April 30, 2024

With summer around the corner, you might be ready to get out and enjoy the great outdoors. We're looking for the best outdoor excursions — boat tours, helicopter tours, aerial adventure parks, fishing charters, rafting trips, kayaking excursions, bike tours, and hot air balloon rides — to help our readers plan their greatest adventure yet.

A panel of experts has selected our groups of illustrious nominees across each of nine categories, and now it's your turn to vote for your favorites.

Voting ends on Monday, May 27 at noon ET, and you can vote once per day, per category.

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Click on each category below to vote:

Best Adventure Tour Operator

These 20 adventure tour operators — nominated by an expert panel — cater to travelers who crave excitement, challenge, and fun in their vacations. Whether you're looking for an individualized journey or group tour, they'll have something for you, with activities ranging from hiking and biking to rafting and kayaking.

Which adventure tour operator would you most like to book with?

Vote: Best Adventure Tour Operator »

Best Aerial Adventure Park

Zip lining and treetop tours have exploded in popularity as a way to experience the forest canopy in a safe and thrilling environment. These 20 aerial adventure parks — nominated as the best in the U.S. by an expert panel — beckon with their zip lines, rope bridges, and climbing elements, each promising an unforgettable experience high above the ground.

Which aerial adventure park would you most like to visit?

Vote: Best Aerial Adventure Park »

Best Bike Tour

One of the best and greenest ways to experience the beauty of the world is by bike. Just start pedaling and the journey becomes as important as the destination. These top companies have been nominated by an expert panel for their fantastic guided and self-guided tours that take you around the globe on two wheels.

Which bike tour company would you most like to tour with?

Vote: Best Bike Tour »

Best Boat Tour

From whale watching excursions and sunset sails to scenic cruises past waterfalls and cliff-backed shores, there are so many water-based tours to choose from across the United States. An expert panel has nominated these 20 companies for offering the best boat tours in the country.

Which boat tour company would you most enjoy a trip with?

Vote: Best Boat Tour »

Best Fishing Charter

Whether you’re looking to polish your angling skills on America’s rivers or head offshore in search of your next big catch, these 20 fishing charters and outfitters — nominated by an expert panel as the best in the U.S. and U.S. territories — are sure to increase your chances of success.

Which fishing charter would you most like to set out with?

Vote: Best Fishing Charter »

Best Helicopter Tour

Whether it’s the majestic layers of the Grand Canyon, flashing neon lights of the Las Vegas Strip, or beautiful rainforests and beaches of Hawaii, top destinations across the United States often look even better from the air. An expert panel has nominated these 20 companies for offering the best helicopter tours in the Untied States.

Which helicopter tour company would you most like to take flight with?

Vote: Best Helicopter Tour »

Best Hot Air Balloon Ride

Hot air balloons take the act of travel to new heights, offering a fresh perspective while floating in the sky in a woven wicker basket. There’s no other experience quite like it, and these 20 companies have been nominated by an expert panel for offering the best hot air balloon rides in the United States.

Which hot air balloon company would you most like to float into the air with?

Vote: Best Hot Air Balloon Ride »

Best Kayak Tour

Kayak tours combine aerobic fitness with the chance to immerse yourself in nature on guided outings, and the diverse waterways of the United States present some of the most breathtaking paddling adventures in the world. These 20 companies — nominated by an expert panel — lead some of the best kayaking tours in the U.S. and U.S. territories.

Which kayak tour company would you most like to paddle with?

Vote: Best Kayak Tour »

Best White Water Rafting Tour

The rivers of the United States offer some of the world’s best white-water rafting opportunities, with thrills for experienced rafters and newbies alike. From white-knuckle rapids to more relaxed family floats, rafting is a great way to add a dash of adventure to a trip, and these 20 companies have been nominated by an expert panel for offering the best white-water rafting tours in the country.

Which white-water rafting tour company would you most like to traverse the river with?

Vote: Best White Water Rafting Tour »

Remember, you can vote once per day in each category. The 10 nominees with the most votes in each category will be announced on Wednesday, June 5.

Rolling Stones kick off 48th tour with ‘Hackney Diamonds’ cuts and classics in Houston

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The Rolling Stones opened their Stones Tour ’24 Hackney Diamonds on Sunday to a sold-out crowd of more than 70,000 fans at NRG Stadium in Houston.

The Stones played just three new tracks from the album, choosing to focus instead on classic hits including “Start Me Up,” “Gimme Shelter,” “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” and “Satisfaction,” according to a press release. The decision to focus on older material was not unsurprising for a group with more than six decades of songs to choose from.

It was the rockers’ first performance of material from their 2023 effort “Hackney Diamonds” since the album’s surprise release at the 600-seat club Racket in New York last October. (Fans and celebrities packed that tiny venue expecting merely a Stones show and instead were treated to a breadth of new songs — and a Lady Gaga cameo.)

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How a nondescript Highland Park laundromat turned into an underground music scene for experimental bands and rollicking shows.

April 1, 2024

As the tour rolls on, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood and company plan to make stadium stops in Glendale, Ariz.; Las Vegas; Seattle; East Rutherford, N.J.; Foxboro, Mass.; Orlando; Atlanta; Philadelphia; Cleveland; Denver; Chicago; Vancouver; Inglewood; and Santa Clara.

When the Stones hit SoFi Stadium this summer, they’ll be accompanied by the War and Treaty on July 10 and the Linda Lindas on July 13.

“Hackney Diamonds” is the rockers’ first studio album of original material in nearly two decades, following 2005’s “A Bigger Bang.” It’s also the Stones’ first LP since the death of founding drummer Charlie Watts in 2021. It’s the first time the band has been on the road since its 60th anniversary tour in 2022, and the tour will also feature a stop at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival on May 2.

“Charlie was one of the funniest guys I’ve ever known,” Richards told Times music critic Mikael Wood in 2021, “and the most unlikely man to be famous. He hated that side of the job and used to savagely take the piss out of it.”

‘You haven’t heard the last of Charlie’: Rolling Stones on a bittersweet tour and new music

Mick, Keith, Ronnie and Steve Jordan on saying goodbye to Charlie Watts, filling a legend’s drum seat and why it was ‘the right decision to keep going.’

Oct. 7, 2021

When “Hackney Diamonds” game out, Wood wrote in his album review, “The songs blend the same ingredients the Stones have been using since the beginning — blues, rock, soul, country, gospel — but they’re tighter and punchier than on any of the band’s previous late-era LPs.”

Meanwhile, according to Rolling Stone , back at the Houston concert one fan said, “People say Joe Biden is too old to be president. They need to look at Mick!”

That said, the Rolling Stones’ 48th tour is sponsored by AARP.

More to Read

Aerosmith farewell tour is back on with new L.A. date, months after Steven Tyler injury

April 10, 2024

Bruno Mars to open Inglewood’s Intuit Dome in August

April 5, 2024

Bob Dylan joins Willie Nelson’s Outlaw Festival tour bound for the Hollywood Bowl in July

Feb. 27, 2024

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Eva Hartman is a spring 2024 reporting intern with the Fast Break Desk at the Los Angeles Times. She is a senior at the University of Southern California studying international relations, where she has served as the news assignments editor and magazine editor at the Daily Trojan.

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