10 Best Road Trips in Minnesota Minnesota is filled with a plethora
of unique small towns with charm. From the plains-based towns in Southern Minnesota,
to the pine lodge towns in Northern Minnesota, and everything else in between.
What I love about Minnesota is the fact that visiting each town and each city is not about
visiting a small town, just 'cause, or ooh 'nother one down, check it off the list...
It's really about choosing what you want in a town since there is so much variety of scenery
and vibes from one town to the next. Also, you can choose specific themes for each road trip.
Not just saying I want outdoorsy type adventures but you can get hyper specific,
like doing a fall colors road trip or a waterfalls road trip.
The options are endless and totally worth it. There's so much to see in Minnesota.
Number 1 the North Shore Tour of the Towns The North Shore is one of my absolute favorite
road trips to do in Minnesota. It combines nearly everything you'd want in a road trip, which
includes a scenic drive, a major city in Duluth to stop at before you embark on your scenery,
small town stops along the way and excellent state parks.
The North Shore is a national scenic byway that starts shortly after Duluth and runs
along Lake Superior. There are a ton of beaches to visit like the cobblestone beach, brighton
beach and of course the iconic pink beach. For this road trip along the North Shore,
make it about stopping at the beaches but then also make this into a tour of the towns. Along
the North Shore, you can visit some of the best small town gems of Minnesota from Duluth including
Two Harbors, Castle Danger, Silver Bay, Lutsen, Grand Marais and Grand Portage.
Plan your tour around cabin hopping along Lake Superior to see the sights,
see the towns and meet the locals. Number 2: New Ulm for Oktoberfest
New Ulm is a small town with a ton of German history.
Founded by a small group of German settlers from the once small town of Ulm Germany,
this small community is living up to its name with lots of festivals, libraries, and churches.
The beautiful streets of New Ulm are decorated with beautiful German-style buildings,
most of them built over 100 years ago. You'll get a flavor of this by visiting
the iconic August Schell Brewing Company for Oktoberfest. New Ulm hosts one of the largest
Oktoberfest festivals in the United States. I visited during Oktoberfest and I must say that
Schell's knows how to put on a true Oktoberfest. It definitely lived up to my expectations.
But while you are in town, make sure you visit Hermann the German,
an iconic landmark in Minnesota that stands towering over the town of New Ulm.
This town makes for one of the best day trips from the Twin Cities since
you can get there in just about 90 minutes. Number 3: Lanesboro, MN and the Root River Valley
Lanesboro, Minnesota is a beautiful small town with Victorian homes and friendly,
welcoming locals. This is one of my personal favorite small towns in Minnesota given its charm
nestled in the middle of the Root River Valley and the fact that it is known
to be the Bed and Breakfast capital of Minnesota. Lanesboro is located about an hour and a half
from the Twin Cities and is a quick drive from Rochester, making it a great spot for a weekend
getaway during the gorgeous summer months or quiet escapes on a cold Minnesota winter weekend.
Lanesboro is one of the most romantic small towns in Minnesota and offers some great spots for
beautiful small weddings or photoshoots. The town, with its quaint shops, local
restaurants, and intricate architecture, makes it the perfect backdrop for a fantastic day out.
If you love outdoor adventures, this makes for a great destination to visit as
the Root River State Trail runs right along with the town which means you can bike for miles. Or,
rent a canoe or kayak and paddle down the Root River for as long as you can go on a summer day.
Number 4 Purify Yourself in the Depth of Lake Minnetonka
If you live in the greater Twin Cities area, you might be saying
is Lake Minnetonka really a "road trip". It's probably not a full on "road trip"
but it can be given how expansive the lake is and how many hidden gems are around the area.
You can literally have a staycation around Lake Minnetonka by staying in Excelsior and visiting
the many nearby towns like Victoria or Waconia. Or, do a brewery and winery tour
in Excelsior and Waconia, respectively. Alternatively, you can visit the north end of Lake
Minnetonka of Wayzata and tour Orono, Hamel and the surrounding small towns and gems in this area.
Not to mention Lake Minnetonka is not just about boating or ice fishing,
there are plenty of parks to visit as well. The expansive Three Rivers Park District
offers camping on one of the many islands, hiking, bike trails that go out for hundreds
of miles. There are a ton of options you just have to be open to trying something new or different.
Number 5 Great River Road Trip The Great River Road is another National
Scenic Byway in Minnesota. Like the North Shore, this road trip is probably one of
the best road trips in the entire country. Great River Road starts right in center
of Minneapolis and runs along the Mississippi River Gorge and goes on for a few hundred miles.
This road trip is just like the North Shore but instead of being in Northeastern Minnesota, you'll
be in Southeastern Minnesota. This road trip features some excellent towns to stop at including
Hastings, Red Wing, Lake City, Wabasha and Winona. You'll get a chance to see the scenic
transformation of the Mississippi River into what turns into Lake Pepin where
Lake City, Wabasha and Winona all reside. Not only that there are a ton of great
outdoor adventures, including the legendary Frontenac State Park which features hiking trail,
beaches and sweeping views of Lake Pepin. Each attraction on this road trip offers
something unique. For example, Red Wing offers its historic charm and the history of Red Wing
Shoes. Meanwhile, Lake City lays claim to fame of the birthplace of water skiing and
Wabasha features the National Eagle Center and the home to the movie Grumpy Old Men.
Being all these cities are located on the river or lake, there is a ton of great boating, kayaking,
fishing and canoeing. This road trip is a must do for any visitor or local Minnesotan.
Number 5 Visit Some of Minnesota's Best State Parks Along Lake Superior
Okay, back to the North Shore. This drive is two good to have only one feature.
On this road trip, I suggest you plan your itinerary around what I like to call
"State Park Row". As you drive north from Duluth along the North Shore, there are several state
parks that are so truly iconic to Minnesota including (in order from Duluth to heading north)
Gooseberry Falls State Park, Split Rock Lighthouse State Park (pictured above),
Tettegouche State Park and you must see Palisade Head
Temperance River State Park Cascade River State Park.
Superior National Forest and the Boundary Waters, and
Grand Portage State Park Not to mention you have some of the best hiking
in the United States with the Kitchi-Gami trail and Superior National Hiking Trail. Each place
has excellent camping options so you can make the trip into a camping and hiking excursion.
The best times to go that will blow your mind in scenery are
autumn for the fall colors or the springtime after snow melt to see the many waterfalls like
Gooseberry Falls, High Falls at Tettegouche State Park or High Falls at Grand Portage.
If you have extra time to plan, be sure to stop by Voyageurs National Park in the central
northern part of Minnesota. Number 6 Visit Close "Gems"
to the Twin Cities like Hastings & Stillwater Hastings is a small town that is located right
on the border of Minnesota and Wisconsin and sits on the meeting point of 3 different rivers.
This town is a great stopover spot along the Great River Road in Minnesota.
Hastings features parks, a hopping downtown area, and some superb restaurants.
Another town that border Wisconsin but located in an entirely different area is Stillwater.
Stillwater, located in Washington County, is not just one of Minnesota's oldest towns. It
is THE oldest since it is the first incorporated city in Minnesota. Stillwater is located on the
St. Croix River and borders Wisconsin. This town is home to both
beautiful architecture and nature. It is a must-visit place for foodies and
anyone looking for one-of-a-kind boutiques. Being that Stillwater is the first city of Minnesota,
this is a great place to visit for history buffs too. Make sure you stop by the Old Warden's
House and the Washington County Courthouse. Stillwater and Hastings have many similarities
and both are great day trip options from the Twin Cities since you can get there in under an hour.
But I suggest staying the night and exploring everything that each of these towns have to offer.
Number 7 Visit Schafer, Franconia Sculpture Park, Lindstrom, and Taylors Falls
You can visit all of these locations in just one road trip as they are all conveniently located
around each other. Shafer is a beautiful small city with beautiful scenery that includes several
outdoor activities like boating, fishing, and canoeing. This town also features the quirky, yet
fun, Franconia Sculpture Park that is a completely free sculpture garden offering art and designs
in a multiple acre park located off the highway. Meanwhile, Lindstrom is a Scandinavian sister city
that features Swedish shops, bakeries, restaurants and a ton of history about
immigrants of Scandinavia in Minnesota. Taylor's Falls is of the many fun small
towns located on the St. Croix river offering good times and good vibes. Taylor's Falls
is totally charming, with plenty of trails and surrounded by natural beauty.
Despite it being a small town in Minnesota Taylors falls has some very good tourist attractions.
Interchange Park is ideal for jogging and trekking. The Wild Mountain Ski & Snowboard
Center is a favorite stop throughout the year. Number 8 Visit the "Capital" of Southern
Minnesota aka Rochester It had been way too long since
I visited Rochester and I'm not sure why. But when I returned, I was surprised and impressed.
Rochester is the third-largest city in Minnesota behind Minneapolis and St.
Paul. It’s also home to the famous Mayo Clinic. The southeast Minnesota city with a busy hospital
and vibrant downtown, Rochester, Minnesota, has a charming, small-town vibe but is an actual city.
Rochester is home to some great craft restaurants and some of my favorite breweries in the state.
Given the history of the Mayo Clinic, Rochester offers one of the better art
cultures and history that the state has to offer. The Mayowood Mansion with its art,
architecture and sprawling gardens is one example. Or, even right downtown, in the many Mayo
Clinic buildings, they hold some of the largest collections of art in the world
that has been received by donors who have received health care there.
Number 10 Go "Up North" Minnesotans use the term of
"Going Up North" to generally describe, well, "going up north?" I don't know how to explain
it but when you say you are going up north. If you haven't met the person before and you say
you are going up north, Minnesotans just get it and accept it. No questions asked on where.
But "going up north", means visiting the Chain of Lakes in the great Brainerd, Nisswa and
Pine River areas. Or, visiting Walker for the Chippewa National Forest. I'd recommend that.
You can even head further north to visit Ely and make a stop at the International Wolf Center
or have breakfast with the bears at the Vince Schute Wildlife Sanctuary.
This is a road trip that you need to take during those peak summer nights where mosquitos are the
size of small birds. But it's worth it because the stars, loons and timbering pine trees
are like nothing else you can possibly imagine. Going up north is a right of passage
and being that it's "just going up north" it's your definition to create. You don't need a city.
You don't need a landmark and you certainly won't need electronics.
Minnesota is a state with an abundance of road trips to take.
Whether you’re looking for the best scenic views, museums and art galleries or outdoor activities
like hiking, fishing or boating - Minnesota has something that will interest everyone.
If you love travel, join my free newsletter. I'll leave a link to it in the description below.
If you enjoyed the video scenery that I filmed,
please consider subscribing by clicking the shiny red button below the video.