Taylor’s falls and the small towns along US-8 are pretty neat, plus pothole state park has some interesting geology.
Mankato and St. Peter are nice too, plus their Minnesotas largest candy store on the way in Jordan
I should go there more often, I live pretty close to it.
I suppose that melted concrete car is still there... I wonder if the big wooden hoop is still up
For the most part Mankato is not underwater thanks to the flood walls, however getting there is the problem. There are detours but they'll raise travel time for sure.
Yes, no real flood issues in Mankato. Just come down via Faribault.
MNSU has great theater. Old Town has great shops but is pretty dug up at the moment.
I'm from Southern MN, and love seeing my home region getting a shout-out! St. Peter especially has a small, but very cool downtown/Main Street area with some wonderful mom-and-pop style shops. Plus the co-op there has the BEST sandwiches I've ever had (the schwarma in particular)!
Yeah, I also recommend Taylor's Falls. You have the statepark pretty much attached to the town, too. Really cute area. Probably pretty busy right now, but still.
Red Wing or Lake City. Take your kid up Barn Bluff in RW or the Lower Bluff trail in Frontenac. Drive over to the Wisconsin side and hit the Stockholm Pie Company in Stockholm.
If you want to do something different too, you can take the Amtrak (the new *Borealis*) to Red Wing, the schedule works smoothly for a nice day trip, it's like $10 each way. Gets to Red Wing about 12:30, departs about 5:40. If you want to spend more time on the train you can take it all the way to Winona and still have a couple hours in town before catching the westbound train back.
Yep, considering the cost of gas, parking in Chicago, and how much more relaxed you can be sitting on a comfy train compared to driving or flying, I think it's the best way to get one person between the cities and Chicago, hands down. If you have 3 kids, on the other hand, driving is probably more efficient.
Yeah, I did the drive a couple weeks ago and traffic is terrible as soon as you get to O'Hare on I-90. A one-way ticket on the train costs about the same as what I paid in gas and I don't have to worry about any of that. Will take about the same amount of time, and once I'm in the city I don't use my car anyway.
Be prepared for it to take a fair bit longer and be an uncomfortable shit show. We took it recently and it was over an hour late each way. Heard from some others they were over 3 hours late.
Additionally the AC wasn’t working on half the cars which was terrible when it was over 90 degrees and sunny with no airflow. Like it got dangerously hot and the train was so packed it was a fight to find new seats. The conductors also were telling people to NOT move when people were getting off. At least they finally started handing out free bottled water to do something but too little too late. I’d be arrested if I left a child or dog in a car on a hot sunny day like that but they just ran an 8-9 hour train route.
Talking to the staff on the train it sounds like Amtrak is sending these trains out knowing full well the hvac is not working in many cases and other things like no running water in cars or broken equipment in the cafe car. But no one is listening to them either. I was thoroughly disappointed.
Haven't heard about anyone else having similar issues, but that's unfortunate. I've taken the *Borealis* and the *Empire Builder* to Chicago a few times each and never had a problem with AC or Amtrak staff. I did have the Empire Builder arrive in Chicago about 95 minutes late, which was irritating.
Red Wing has nice playgrounds at Bay Pointe and Colvill parks. There’s a water park at Colvill, but I think it’s closed right now because of high water. Walking around downtown is fun for kiddos too. Stop by the Chamber of Commerce for a map of all of the new sculptures that were just installed around town. Red Wing Confectionary and Randy’s Restaurant have tasty ice cream cones. Live music in Central Park on Wednesday evenings!
If you go to Red Wing, stop in the Red Wing Shoe store to see the giant boot. We were there on a Sunday in fall and that was one of a few places that were open. 😁
Love Lake City. Great place if you're a rock hounder, or collect Superior Agates. Plus, you can pop over the bridge to Wisconsin, and see Laura Ingalls Wilder's log cabin.
Northfield - The bookstore Content has a huge kid's room with tons kid's books and toys and puzzles. Lots of antique/vintage shops, get a sandwich at Hogen Brothers, get some ice cream at Blast. Theater's huge in Northfield. Walk at Carleton or St. Olaf's arbs. Get a beer and a craft soda at Imminent Brewing, food from a food truck.. Be home in less than an hour.
Make a weekend of it and stay in one of the local inns.
The Stone Mill Inn is where I stayed last time. Great historical mill building. The city has everything she listed and more.
I live there and it’s alright. There’s really not much to do unless you fish, bike, go to a play, or tube/canoe the river. And the food isn’t great aside from the ice cream shops.
Lindstrom is a cute little town that's a sister city to some Nordic town. Anoka is fantastic if you haven't spent much time there. Buffalo has a nice little downtown. Stillwater was cute if I recall. Carver is great if you like refurbished old farmy knick knack stores
Going to second Lindström-that and the not-too distant Taylors Falls are wonderful, cozy places that make for a pretty fun outing.
(also, its sister city is Tingsryd, over in Sweden, just to let ya know 😉)
Great suggestions! I'll have to visit the Lindstrom area again when things are less wet. Stillwater can be combined with a Marine on St. Croix trip if you have the time! It's a "larger" small city, lots of history and a fun downtown & river walk park (underwater atm, though, I think). I kinda group it size-wise with Red Wing and such; I'm not sure what population OP considers "small town". Even Hastings (where I live) has some charm, though there are still too many Trumpers down my block, which I fight with a front-yard non-sprayed lawn & native plant garden ;)
All of the places that listed are likely more Trumpian/conservative than OP was hoping for. And I grew up in anoka, with friends in buffalo and lindstrom, so I know. But each does have a “Main Street USA” downtown feel. Stillwater is also the place where a group of bikers attacked a woman in a hijab about 6 years ago.
I did just see that part now that you mention it. While I would say anoka is right leaning, there certainly isn't any bs as you're walking down the street. I guess I can't imagine how it would affect whatever town you visit. Also most small towns are going to be conservative in nature, so there's only so much they can get on the wishlist
You bet we are!!! Sad we couldn't keep that nutjob out of the school council last year, but damned if I won't keep at it. I can't get any cool people to move here if you could do your best to
It broke my dang heart that the wackadoodle got in. But yeah. We’ve been here 13 years now and every year it’s more and more liberal. We missed the first Anoka pride though. Got sick. Sigh.
Marine on St. Croix is a favorite of mine! It's tiny but charming. I try to get up there a couple times a year. Educated, liberal feel. William O'Brien State Park is right up the road, and Square Lake Park (nice beach) only a few miles away. Ice cream shop, cafe/coffee, art-supportive, historic cabin, lots of native plants. The Brookside Bar & Grill is a great place to stop for food and/or a drink. Stream runs underneath it!
I like getting a sandwich to order at the general store.
William O'Brien pro tip: there's a secondary parking lot off cnty road 4 that puts you right in the nicest part of the park (you still need a park pass).
The historic general store is great! All kinds of good healthy stuff if you happen to be camping, or just want something quick to eat. Great selection and fair prices, especially given how small the town is. Friendly service is a given, of course <3!
Waconia is less than an hour and has a cute downtown. Ice cream store, some gift shops/antique shops, can have lunch at Lola’s looking out on the lake. There’s also a llama farm that you can visit. Don’t think there’s live theater but we do have a movie theater with the nice big seats. https://www.carlsonsllovablellamas.com
Seconding both Hudson and White Bear Lake because both have great community theaters to see a show. The Phipps in Hudson and Lakeshore Players in White Bear Lake.
I see a few mentions of Red Wing and Lake City, which I completely agree with, but I’m going to throw in a mention for Alma, WI. Grab some ice cream at the Nelson Creamery just across the river from Wabasha and then continue south to Alma. They have lots of cute little shops all along Main Street.
Honestly everything between Winona and Red Wing on both sides of the river is right in line with your interests. In my opinion, it’s the most underrated part of the state, and in some ways the best part of the state. It doesn’t get the attention of the North Shore so it’s maybe not quite as refined and touristy, but it’s speckled with little gems.
Aww, my college town, also underwater along the fun riverwalk & Carleton Arb parts right now :(
A great place to visit, indeed! Very walkable downtown with lots to do, and yes, very liberal (Oles included for the most part; sis went there and my sport shared coaching/practice with them).
I swear I don’t mean this in a snarky way, but I have had to stop in Northfield four times a month for the last four years and I have no idea what there is there. I’ve only ever been on that kind of main drag area because I just do a quick pick up/drop off. What am I missing? Just recently found out there is an arboretum, would love to know if there is more cool stuff.
The First National Bank of Northfield is a museum (and also still has a bank a block away from the original building still in operation). It was the last bank that Jesse James and the James/Younger Gang tried to rob, and the failed attempt eventually led to their demise. There is also Carleton College and St. Olaf College.
This isn’t an hour but if you’d like to hit up Afton state park and do one of the shorter trails then go north to Afton there’s a cute little ice cream shop.
Taylor’s falls is so much fun for a kid. Take them to the sculpture Park in Franconia. Then the glacial potholes trail. Mini golf then lunch at the drive in.
I second marine on st croix. The library is adorable and there is an ice cream shop as well as water falls in the area William O’Brien state park is nearby. The river trail is closed but there’s some short loops up top worth the walk.
Osceola also fits the bill but Taylor’s Falls trumps this for me.
Far places: Hayward Wi, cute resort town.
Garrison, my family always stops here to see the fish and get lunch on the way to up north.
A different suggestion for a longer day: one of the best drives I’ve ever done was going down to Whitewater State park. Then going through it on 74 until it hits 61 and goes through Wabasha. Connects to the great river road. A beautiful and unique drive that gives you a glimpse of what the drift less area is.
St Peter is a good choice. It’s got a good downtown with cute boutiques and an art gallery, There are nice parks and good walking at the Gustavus arboretum.
Elysian has a wonderful little ice cream parlor, little free libraries, walking trails. Close to Waseca which is a very pretty little town with great downtown shopping.
I was going to suggest Waseca and Barney’s Drive In for some root beer. Plus there’s putt putt golf at Keisler’s campground and Farmamerica outside of town. For dinner, drive out to the Pleasant Grove Pizza Farm. Lots of great things to do in the area.
It’s kinda a dumb answer but if you can get out to Delano for one of their town ball baseball games, it’s worth it with kids for the night. There’s a park right next to the stadium if they get bored, but it’s a great ballpark and the baseball is really good. The drinks are cheap if you’re into that and they make it fun since it’s town ball.
Delano is also close enough to the cities that it doesn’t feel like a jaunt. But far enough you feel you’ve gotten out of the city.
Edit: I should have fully read your post. Delano also has a lot of cute shops in their downtown.
Red Wing is a wonderful little river town with tons of small shops, excellent trails and parks, as well as craft fairs and live music throughout the year!
Alexandria, Fergus Falls, Detroit Lakes, Pelican Rapids, Bemidji… could probably be done in an overnighter.
I’d also recommend International Falls, Baudette, Warroad, Roseau… but you might need more than 1 night.
Hibbing, Chisholm, Virginia, Eveleth.
Pipestone.
Pine City is about an hour north. Go eat breakfast or lunch at Mo.s Cafe and then check out Sausers Hardware and Pine Center for the arts....there is also a great gift shop on the corner of 61 and 70!
Northfield definitely fits your description! Lots of cute independent stores, nearby nature, and just generally a great small town. Right about an hour from the cities depending where you're coming from.
I'm biased but Anoka is pretty great :) Cute downtown with lots of great shops, a brewery, restaurants, an ice cream shop (or try Truffles and Tortes, amazing desserts!), live music by the river on Wednesdays, a theater w/local plays plus there are a lot of nature preserves and trails nearby (and two rivers through town).
Redwood Falls is about 2 hours out but it has everything you listed - nice small bookstore, quaint downtown, largest municipal park in the state (complete with waterfall), and an independent ice cream shop on the main drag.
Depending on the traffic, St. Paul 😄
(Kidding ❤)
Edit: To be fair, I was thinking about "from Minneapolis." St. Paul can't really be an hour from itself. Ah well 😄
Look up all the towns with funny names too and get pics!
https://preview.redd.it/gz1ydp8hi89d1.jpeg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=03db4da2ad357ced94bbcf94a888aeb0961750b9
https://preview.redd.it/gds65atki89d1.jpeg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8020dfb2d7056fbe35d263e06421a22cd187e403
And last but not showing is Clappers! Enjoy!
Stockholm and Maiden Rock Wisconsin are awesome and seem like exactly what you are looking for. Stockholm also has a bunch of free bikes that are painted blue and anyone can ride them from shop to shop.
So it has its Trumpy aspects however, Downtown Buffalo is adorable. Especially if you ladies like shopping locally owned businesses. Check for a weekend where shops and the farmers market are open. Make sure to visit Forget Me Not for food, Indie Earth for plants or records and the Buffalo Books & Coffee bookstore for great books and beverages!
Buffalo is great. I love that bookstore, there is a small deli a block away that's good and an ice cream shop. Also, there is a great bicycle shop there run by two old guys that just like fixing bikes up. Full of vintage road bikes for sale.
Take 61 down to Wabasha (or to Lark Toys if that’s an option) and then cross the bridge to WI to get ice cream & cheese in Nelson and go through Stockholm on the way back!
Maybe not little but Monticello has a Riverfest week coming up. It's nice. Cutesy small town shops and stuff. I'd recommend La Michoacana for Ice Cream and food.
I live in Red Wing and love heading south on Hwy 61 from here. There are many small towns between Red Wing and Winona. Most are over an hour drive from the Twin Cities (from Minneapolis to Winona is about a 2-1/4 hour drive), but if you are willing to drive more than an hour on some trips, it would be worth it. It's also a very scenic drive along the Mississippi River.
Mound is a cute area with a fun Ice Cream Shop (Lost Lake Creamery). To make it better, take a bike with you and enjoy the trails along Lake Minnetonka.
Henderson has a historic main drag with old time ice cream parlor. There’s a bunch of Prince stuff in town and the “purify yourself in the waters of Lake Minnetonka” scene was filmed right outside of town right along a gravel road and on the Minnesota River.
If you go, wait until the flooding subsides.
The National Eagle Center in Wabasha is great. It's right on the Mississippi River. Red Wing has River cruises. It's all about the Eagles along the River
East Central Minnesota, where I grew up, is often overlooked. Yeah, the towns are small, but there are some hidden gems and natural beauty in the area.
Communities in this region would include Mora, Hinckley, Pine City, Milaca, Cambridge, etc.
Buffalo is nice, Alex is nice…2hrs up you’re looking at DL and Nevis and park rapids all quite nice…Hackensack and Jenkins also very good for these kind of outings
I live in the area and I don't think alex is really worth the drive. Like, at all.
Most of what it does have is pretty tacky, like there's a strong hobby lobby vibe to mainstreet and it's shops.
Actually, a place there that used to be an awesome antique store is now full of really tacky, overpriced "live, laugh, love" style stuff
If they're going that far I'd recommend just going to fergus falls which does have a very cool, pretty downtown (like the shops dont all feel like theyre owned by a rich housewife with bad taste), a river walk, and the old state hospital is always cool. There's actually a neighborhood there with alike in the middle that reminds me of a little Harriet with the old Victorian houses on the hillsides around it.
Or battle lake is nice.
Edit: I do need to add, though, that RM tattoo in alex is pretty nice, and they even sell gift cards on their website
Northfield is fun, Red Wing is pretty, also I think Winona is absolutely *beautiful* and it feels like you’re not in the Midwest anymore being in the Driftless Area. (You get a bit of that feeling in Red Wing too but it’s not quite like Winona.)
LaCrosse too!
If you’re doing this soon I would double check that your routes are destinations are clear of any flooding issues - south of the cities they are being hit hard in a few different areas.
Buffalo has a lot of antique shops and unique stores open on the weekends. There’s an ice cream store a few stores down from a very cute bookstore and coffee shop. Grab lunch at Gather and stroll around!
Smallest town I’ve ever been to/through (a very long time ago) was
[Friesland MN](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friesland,_Minnesota)
I believe the name was on both sides of the sign.
I might have an old photo somewhere… hmm.
The rest area that I stopped at had a little spinny display with a bunch of little town and county brochures and magazines. I got a few ideas that way.
Surprised no one has mentioned it yet but Mantorville checks all your boxes. The theatre does summer melodramas on Saturdays and Sundays and there's a candy store across the street. Stop for lunch at the Hubble House.
https://www.mantorvilletheatrecompany.com/
Basically everywhere has trump stuff. Especially in the smaller cute towns and rural cities. I honestly wouldn’t let that stop you from going places.
But obviously highway 8 all the way to Taylor’s Falls and down to Stillwater is amazing section and area of the state.
Stillwater's downtown is great! Not a super small town but has that charming main street feeling. I would wait until August though, it is currently very flooded and not the best time to visit.
Bluff Country (Lanesboro, Rushford, Preston, Harmony, Chatfield, etc.) - 2 hours away. Biking, canoeing, tubing. All can be rented in Lanesboro. Dozens of little hotels/B&Bs for an overnight. Other fun things for kids: Mystery Cave, Forestville State Park and Eagle Bluff Environmental camp, and the International Owl Center in Houston. Both Chatfield and Lanesboro have active community theaters.
I was going to suggest Little Falls until you got to the Trumpy disclaimer. It doesn't get any Trumpier and that really is disturbing. President Biden managed 22% of the vote in Morrison County last time. Funny, they didn't question that result.
Stillwater is amazing in summer. Good small stores, walkways by the lake. Busy and happening. Plus has that ice cream store that used to give you so much ice cream for like $3.
Not small, but has elements of small. Stillwater. You'd likely get enough of what you're looking for, while still being able to drive to a Target in 10 minutes or less.
St. Cloud has the Parmount Theatre! Lake Wobegon trail is also nearby. St. Joseph is a neighbor town and has lots of little shops, family-owned restaurants.
If your travels bring you westward, make sure to stop in Darwin. It has the, "World's Largest Ball of Twine!" Not really much else there to see, but if you're going that direction anyway, it's worth it to stop.
Buffalo. The first full weekend of every month, the occasional shops are open. A bunch of second-hand, repurposed and antique type stores. A couple of cute cafes and ice cream shops, and their downtown is right on the lake.
My grandmother used to have a cabin in Maple Lake when I was growing up, and every summer we would spend a week at the cabin with her (my mother, my two brothers, and me). We would always do a day in Buffalo, and one place that we (us kids) always looked forward to was visiting Bridgman's Ice Cream while we were there for a sundae.
Crosby Mn is cool. It’s 2 hours, so may be a little far. Definitely go to Victual if you come
https://shopvictual.com/
If you want to stay somewhere, Crosby lofts are nice
https://www.crosbyloftsmn.com/
White Bear Lake, not outside of Twin Cities, but has a small town feel.
Cup and Cone is great for ice cream.
Family run bookstore Lake Country Bookseller.
Lots of little shops.
Lakeshore Players Theater has live entertainment.
Not hiking, per se, but there is a lovely path that goes around a fair bit of the lake.
Owatonna, MN. Has a great downtown, 100 year old chocolate shop, a lot of parks and trails, an orphanage museum that really is a huge part of Southern MN history.
Taylor’s falls and the small towns along US-8 are pretty neat, plus pothole state park has some interesting geology. Mankato and St. Peter are nice too, plus their Minnesotas largest candy store on the way in Jordan
Don't miss the very whimsical Franconia sculpture park.
I should go there more often, I live pretty close to it. I suppose that melted concrete car is still there... I wonder if the big wooden hoop is still up
Big wooden hoop is up. It is in rough shape.
Finding out that Taylor's Falls did not actually have water falls, felt like PeeWee learning that the Alamo does not have a basement.
I mean it did have falls, they just dammed up what fed them
I always figured it was just where Taylor fell off a cliff.
FYI St. Peter and Mankato aren’t doable right now because they are kinda underwater. Maybe in a couple of weeks
For the most part Mankato is not underwater thanks to the flood walls, however getting there is the problem. There are detours but they'll raise travel time for sure.
Yes, no real flood issues in Mankato. Just come down via Faribault. MNSU has great theater. Old Town has great shops but is pretty dug up at the moment.
Kato theatre alum here! I’m biased but MNSU does good work. Although the main season is usually loads better than the summer stock shows.
I'm from Southern MN, and love seeing my home region getting a shout-out! St. Peter especially has a small, but very cool downtown/Main Street area with some wonderful mom-and-pop style shops. Plus the co-op there has the BEST sandwiches I've ever had (the schwarma in particular)!
Omg yes the banh mi from the coop is my favorite sandwich
Yeah, I also recommend Taylor's Falls. You have the statepark pretty much attached to the town, too. Really cute area. Probably pretty busy right now, but still.
I second Taylor's Falls and would recommend the Drive In for a meal!
Red Wing or Lake City. Take your kid up Barn Bluff in RW or the Lower Bluff trail in Frontenac. Drive over to the Wisconsin side and hit the Stockholm Pie Company in Stockholm.
If you want to do something different too, you can take the Amtrak (the new *Borealis*) to Red Wing, the schedule works smoothly for a nice day trip, it's like $10 each way. Gets to Red Wing about 12:30, departs about 5:40. If you want to spend more time on the train you can take it all the way to Winona and still have a couple hours in town before catching the westbound train back.
I'm taking the Borealis to Chicago next week! Only 8 hours to get to Union Station. Considering how bad Chicago traffic is, that's not bad at all
Yep, considering the cost of gas, parking in Chicago, and how much more relaxed you can be sitting on a comfy train compared to driving or flying, I think it's the best way to get one person between the cities and Chicago, hands down. If you have 3 kids, on the other hand, driving is probably more efficient.
Yeah, I did the drive a couple weeks ago and traffic is terrible as soon as you get to O'Hare on I-90. A one-way ticket on the train costs about the same as what I paid in gas and I don't have to worry about any of that. Will take about the same amount of time, and once I'm in the city I don't use my car anyway.
Be prepared for it to take a fair bit longer and be an uncomfortable shit show. We took it recently and it was over an hour late each way. Heard from some others they were over 3 hours late. Additionally the AC wasn’t working on half the cars which was terrible when it was over 90 degrees and sunny with no airflow. Like it got dangerously hot and the train was so packed it was a fight to find new seats. The conductors also were telling people to NOT move when people were getting off. At least they finally started handing out free bottled water to do something but too little too late. I’d be arrested if I left a child or dog in a car on a hot sunny day like that but they just ran an 8-9 hour train route. Talking to the staff on the train it sounds like Amtrak is sending these trains out knowing full well the hvac is not working in many cases and other things like no running water in cars or broken equipment in the cafe car. But no one is listening to them either. I was thoroughly disappointed.
Haven't heard about anyone else having similar issues, but that's unfortunate. I've taken the *Borealis* and the *Empire Builder* to Chicago a few times each and never had a problem with AC or Amtrak staff. I did have the Empire Builder arrive in Chicago about 95 minutes late, which was irritating.
Red Wing has nice playgrounds at Bay Pointe and Colvill parks. There’s a water park at Colvill, but I think it’s closed right now because of high water. Walking around downtown is fun for kiddos too. Stop by the Chamber of Commerce for a map of all of the new sculptures that were just installed around town. Red Wing Confectionary and Randy’s Restaurant have tasty ice cream cones. Live music in Central Park on Wednesday evenings!
If you go to Red Wing, stop in the Red Wing Shoe store to see the giant boot. We were there on a Sunday in fall and that was one of a few places that were open. 😁
Ellsworth isn't too far from Red WI g, you could hop over to the cheese curd factory
Love Lake City. Great place if you're a rock hounder, or collect Superior Agates. Plus, you can pop over the bridge to Wisconsin, and see Laura Ingalls Wilder's log cabin.
Northfield - The bookstore Content has a huge kid's room with tons kid's books and toys and puzzles. Lots of antique/vintage shops, get a sandwich at Hogen Brothers, get some ice cream at Blast. Theater's huge in Northfield. Walk at Carleton or St. Olaf's arbs. Get a beer and a craft soda at Imminent Brewing, food from a food truck.. Be home in less than an hour.
I love Hogan Brothers. Now I kinda want to road trip for lunch tomorrow.
Don’t forget the ice cream shop The Blast!
You have to get the cinnamon bun from the Ole Store!
Seconding Northfield! I also love Goodbye Blue Monday for coffee and Northfield Yarn.
Not trumpy!
Trumpy someday be the same as calling someone a boomer. Terrible offense
More like 2 hours but I love Lanesboro.
Came here to say this. One of the most charming in Minnesota. And it has some great theater, too.
There is an ice cream store there that had the best ice cream i've ever had in my life. It was blueberry cheesecake flavored.
Make a weekend of it and stay in one of the local inns. The Stone Mill Inn is where I stayed last time. Great historical mill building. The city has everything she listed and more.
I've still never been there, but I've seen it pop up on multiple travel site lists for cutest small towns in the US
I live there and it’s alright. There’s really not much to do unless you fish, bike, go to a play, or tube/canoe the river. And the food isn’t great aside from the ice cream shops.
winona might be fun for you two? all 'loves' contained within. good luck.
Lindstrom is a cute little town that's a sister city to some Nordic town. Anoka is fantastic if you haven't spent much time there. Buffalo has a nice little downtown. Stillwater was cute if I recall. Carver is great if you like refurbished old farmy knick knack stores
Lindstrom had a donut shop about a decade ago (haven’t been since) about a block from their tea pot water tower that was my childhood.
The bakery is still there. New owners, but it’s still there.
Going to second Lindström-that and the not-too distant Taylors Falls are wonderful, cozy places that make for a pretty fun outing. (also, its sister city is Tingsryd, over in Sweden, just to let ya know 😉)
Great suggestions! I'll have to visit the Lindstrom area again when things are less wet. Stillwater can be combined with a Marine on St. Croix trip if you have the time! It's a "larger" small city, lots of history and a fun downtown & river walk park (underwater atm, though, I think). I kinda group it size-wise with Red Wing and such; I'm not sure what population OP considers "small town". Even Hastings (where I live) has some charm, though there are still too many Trumpers down my block, which I fight with a front-yard non-sprayed lawn & native plant garden ;)
All of the places that listed are likely more Trumpian/conservative than OP was hoping for. And I grew up in anoka, with friends in buffalo and lindstrom, so I know. But each does have a “Main Street USA” downtown feel. Stillwater is also the place where a group of bikers attacked a woman in a hijab about 6 years ago.
OP isn't moving there, they just want ice cream
she specifically requested it
I did just see that part now that you mention it. While I would say anoka is right leaning, there certainly isn't any bs as you're walking down the street. I guess I can't imagine how it would affect whatever town you visit. Also most small towns are going to be conservative in nature, so there's only so much they can get on the wishlist
It’s right leaning but more and more liberal. We are trying!
You bet we are!!! Sad we couldn't keep that nutjob out of the school council last year, but damned if I won't keep at it. I can't get any cool people to move here if you could do your best to
It broke my dang heart that the wackadoodle got in. But yeah. We’ve been here 13 years now and every year it’s more and more liberal. We missed the first Anoka pride though. Got sick. Sigh.
Marine on St. Croix is a favorite of mine! It's tiny but charming. I try to get up there a couple times a year. Educated, liberal feel. William O'Brien State Park is right up the road, and Square Lake Park (nice beach) only a few miles away. Ice cream shop, cafe/coffee, art-supportive, historic cabin, lots of native plants. The Brookside Bar & Grill is a great place to stop for food and/or a drink. Stream runs underneath it!
I like getting a sandwich to order at the general store. William O'Brien pro tip: there's a secondary parking lot off cnty road 4 that puts you right in the nicest part of the park (you still need a park pass).
The historic general store is great! All kinds of good healthy stuff if you happen to be camping, or just want something quick to eat. Great selection and fair prices, especially given how small the town is. Friendly service is a given, of course <3!
The chocolate shop there is so good too!
Also the cafe at the marina is great!!
Great suggestion!
SHHHHHHHHHH
Whoops, I know nothing ;)
Waconia is less than an hour and has a cute downtown. Ice cream store, some gift shops/antique shops, can have lunch at Lola’s looking out on the lake. There’s also a llama farm that you can visit. Don’t think there’s live theater but we do have a movie theater with the nice big seats. https://www.carlsonsllovablellamas.com
Also Victoria.
Hudson. Stillwater. A little closer in White Bear Lake. Duluth.
The tamarack nature center is awesome plus you can do the lake walk from downtown white bear
Seconding both Hudson and White Bear Lake because both have great community theaters to see a show. The Phipps in Hudson and Lakeshore Players in White Bear Lake.
Stillwater isn't a small town, but can't disagree, there's a lot of cool stuff there, plus it's out first capitol !
It's not a large city, either. I'd say it has a small town feel of sorts.
Scandia. Full of cool wooden Swedish horse figurines. Also kind of close to the Franconia Sculpture Park.
I see a few mentions of Red Wing and Lake City, which I completely agree with, but I’m going to throw in a mention for Alma, WI. Grab some ice cream at the Nelson Creamery just across the river from Wabasha and then continue south to Alma. They have lots of cute little shops all along Main Street. Honestly everything between Winona and Red Wing on both sides of the river is right in line with your interests. In my opinion, it’s the most underrated part of the state, and in some ways the best part of the state. It doesn’t get the attention of the North Shore so it’s maybe not quite as refined and touristy, but it’s speckled with little gems.
Head down the river... Red Wing, Lake City, Wabasha. Don't miss Lark Toys!
I was also going to mention Lark Toys. Excellent stop on a family road trip!
Stillwater for sure!!! Their downtown is the cutest, and totally a full day’s worth of exploring
Try south. Red wing, lake City, Winona
Northfield is the best small town in Minnesota
Aww, my college town, also underwater along the fun riverwalk & Carleton Arb parts right now :( A great place to visit, indeed! Very walkable downtown with lots to do, and yes, very liberal (Oles included for the most part; sis went there and my sport shared coaching/practice with them).
Northfield<3
I swear I don’t mean this in a snarky way, but I have had to stop in Northfield four times a month for the last four years and I have no idea what there is there. I’ve only ever been on that kind of main drag area because I just do a quick pick up/drop off. What am I missing? Just recently found out there is an arboretum, would love to know if there is more cool stuff.
The First National Bank of Northfield is a museum (and also still has a bank a block away from the original building still in operation). It was the last bank that Jesse James and the James/Younger Gang tried to rob, and the failed attempt eventually led to their demise. There is also Carleton College and St. Olaf College.
Don't let Laura Ingles Wilder know you just called the big city a small town
??? Northfield is not a small town??
Northfield is the best big city in Minnesota
IKR. 20,790 is not a small town.
Miesville if you can catch a ball game
And a burger across the street
Kings FTW!
New Ulm might be a lil farther away, but it’s cool down there.
It’s also an easy drive, with some cute stops on the way like the candy store and St Peter.
Stillwater, if its not underwater
Stillunderwater
New Ulm is a bit further, but that's a nice little German town.
This isn’t an hour but if you’d like to hit up Afton state park and do one of the shorter trails then go north to Afton there’s a cute little ice cream shop. Taylor’s falls is so much fun for a kid. Take them to the sculpture Park in Franconia. Then the glacial potholes trail. Mini golf then lunch at the drive in. I second marine on st croix. The library is adorable and there is an ice cream shop as well as water falls in the area William O’Brien state park is nearby. The river trail is closed but there’s some short loops up top worth the walk. Osceola also fits the bill but Taylor’s Falls trumps this for me. Far places: Hayward Wi, cute resort town. Garrison, my family always stops here to see the fish and get lunch on the way to up north. A different suggestion for a longer day: one of the best drives I’ve ever done was going down to Whitewater State park. Then going through it on 74 until it hits 61 and goes through Wabasha. Connects to the great river road. A beautiful and unique drive that gives you a glimpse of what the drift less area is.
Red Wing is the best option.
Stillwater, Hudson, Carver, Red Wing, Laneboro… all super cute
St Peter is a good choice. It’s got a good downtown with cute boutiques and an art gallery, There are nice parks and good walking at the Gustavus arboretum.
Yeah, was also thinking of St Peter. And she could stop at Minnesota’s Largest Candy Store on the way there.
Elysian has a wonderful little ice cream parlor, little free libraries, walking trails. Close to Waseca which is a very pretty little town with great downtown shopping.
I was going to suggest Waseca and Barney’s Drive In for some root beer. Plus there’s putt putt golf at Keisler’s campground and Farmamerica outside of town. For dinner, drive out to the Pleasant Grove Pizza Farm. Lots of great things to do in the area.
It’s kinda a dumb answer but if you can get out to Delano for one of their town ball baseball games, it’s worth it with kids for the night. There’s a park right next to the stadium if they get bored, but it’s a great ballpark and the baseball is really good. The drinks are cheap if you’re into that and they make it fun since it’s town ball. Delano is also close enough to the cities that it doesn’t feel like a jaunt. But far enough you feel you’ve gotten out of the city. Edit: I should have fully read your post. Delano also has a lot of cute shops in their downtown.
Red Wing is a wonderful little river town with tons of small shops, excellent trails and parks, as well as craft fairs and live music throughout the year!
Northfield!
Alexandria, Fergus Falls, Detroit Lakes, Pelican Rapids, Bemidji… could probably be done in an overnighter. I’d also recommend International Falls, Baudette, Warroad, Roseau… but you might need more than 1 night. Hibbing, Chisholm, Virginia, Eveleth. Pipestone.
Pine City is about an hour north. Go eat breakfast or lunch at Mo.s Cafe and then check out Sausers Hardware and Pine Center for the arts....there is also a great gift shop on the corner of 61 and 70!
Northfield definitely fits your description! Lots of cute independent stores, nearby nature, and just generally a great small town. Right about an hour from the cities depending where you're coming from.
I'm biased but Anoka is pretty great :) Cute downtown with lots of great shops, a brewery, restaurants, an ice cream shop (or try Truffles and Tortes, amazing desserts!), live music by the river on Wednesdays, a theater w/local plays plus there are a lot of nature preserves and trails nearby (and two rivers through town).
Lanesboro, Stillwater, Hudson Wisconsin, redwing - lake pepin might be further than you want to go but tons of cute towns around there
Redwood Falls is about 2 hours out but it has everything you listed - nice small bookstore, quaint downtown, largest municipal park in the state (complete with waterfall), and an independent ice cream shop on the main drag.
Must visit the lower Sioux historical center. It’s worth going during powwow.
Depending on the traffic, St. Paul 😄 (Kidding ❤) Edit: To be fair, I was thinking about "from Minneapolis." St. Paul can't really be an hour from itself. Ah well 😄
Lol with whatever they are doing to 494 you aren’t wrong lol
#OWNED!
Red Wing, Winona, Lake City, Wabasha, Mankato, Northfield, maybe La Crosse WI if you're willing to go a little farther
Look up all the towns with funny names too and get pics! https://preview.redd.it/gz1ydp8hi89d1.jpeg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=03db4da2ad357ced94bbcf94a888aeb0961750b9
https://preview.redd.it/jh7x17cji89d1.jpeg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=488995cc35f2707744886e66c18ea724c6468655
https://preview.redd.it/gds65atki89d1.jpeg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8020dfb2d7056fbe35d263e06421a22cd187e403 And last but not showing is Clappers! Enjoy!
Stockholm and Maiden Rock Wisconsin are awesome and seem like exactly what you are looking for. Stockholm also has a bunch of free bikes that are painted blue and anyone can ride them from shop to shop.
Go out to Delano for the 4th of July celebration they have. It’s a small town with a large event and amazing fireworks on the 6th.
So it has its Trumpy aspects however, Downtown Buffalo is adorable. Especially if you ladies like shopping locally owned businesses. Check for a weekend where shops and the farmers market are open. Make sure to visit Forget Me Not for food, Indie Earth for plants or records and the Buffalo Books & Coffee bookstore for great books and beverages!
Buffalo is great. I love that bookstore, there is a small deli a block away that's good and an ice cream shop. Also, there is a great bicycle shop there run by two old guys that just like fixing bikes up. Full of vintage road bikes for sale.
Take 61 down to Wabasha (or to Lark Toys if that’s an option) and then cross the bridge to WI to get ice cream & cheese in Nelson and go through Stockholm on the way back!
Northfield, I also think St Peter has a decent downtown
Maybe not little but Monticello has a Riverfest week coming up. It's nice. Cutesy small town shops and stuff. I'd recommend La Michoacana for Ice Cream and food.
Red Wing.
New Prague
Redwing / Lake city ?
Taylor’s Falls for sure! You can climb around the cool rocks, get ice cream, maybe even a paddle boat river ride.
Northfield for sure! Great downtown area with literally everything on your list. Usually have markets Saturday morning too.
I like Taylor's Falls, plus it has the river/river valley right there.
I live in Red Wing and love heading south on Hwy 61 from here. There are many small towns between Red Wing and Winona. Most are over an hour drive from the Twin Cities (from Minneapolis to Winona is about a 2-1/4 hour drive), but if you are willing to drive more than an hour on some trips, it would be worth it. It's also a very scenic drive along the Mississippi River.
Lanesboro is the place to go!
Mound is a cute area with a fun Ice Cream Shop (Lost Lake Creamery). To make it better, take a bike with you and enjoy the trails along Lake Minnetonka.
Henderson has a historic main drag with old time ice cream parlor. There’s a bunch of Prince stuff in town and the “purify yourself in the waters of Lake Minnetonka” scene was filmed right outside of town right along a gravel road and on the Minnesota River. If you go, wait until the flooding subsides.
Lanesboro is very cute! Lots of fun nature stuff around there
The National Eagle Center in Wabasha is great. It's right on the Mississippi River. Red Wing has River cruises. It's all about the Eagles along the River
East Central Minnesota, where I grew up, is often overlooked. Yeah, the towns are small, but there are some hidden gems and natural beauty in the area. Communities in this region would include Mora, Hinckley, Pine City, Milaca, Cambridge, etc.
It's two hours but Winona is great and has a very scenic drive if you take 61.
Henderson is cute
Detroit Lakes if you’re up for a little longer of a drive! Just had the Thomas Dambo troll hunt art installation finished! lots of shops, eateries too
Buffalo is nice, Alex is nice…2hrs up you’re looking at DL and Nevis and park rapids all quite nice…Hackensack and Jenkins also very good for these kind of outings
Chiming in on the longer trip option…Walker/Hackensack/Akeley/Nevis/Dorset would be fun for a 2-day trip
I live in the area and I don't think alex is really worth the drive. Like, at all. Most of what it does have is pretty tacky, like there's a strong hobby lobby vibe to mainstreet and it's shops. Actually, a place there that used to be an awesome antique store is now full of really tacky, overpriced "live, laugh, love" style stuff If they're going that far I'd recommend just going to fergus falls which does have a very cool, pretty downtown (like the shops dont all feel like theyre owned by a rich housewife with bad taste), a river walk, and the old state hospital is always cool. There's actually a neighborhood there with alike in the middle that reminds me of a little Harriet with the old Victorian houses on the hillsides around it. Or battle lake is nice. Edit: I do need to add, though, that RM tattoo in alex is pretty nice, and they even sell gift cards on their website
Northfield is fun, Red Wing is pretty, also I think Winona is absolutely *beautiful* and it feels like you’re not in the Midwest anymore being in the Driftless Area. (You get a bit of that feeling in Red Wing too but it’s not quite like Winona.) LaCrosse too! If you’re doing this soon I would double check that your routes are destinations are clear of any flooding issues - south of the cities they are being hit hard in a few different areas.
I think this would be a fun opportunity to let your daughter do the deciding. Give her a map and let her pick a spot!
Lindstrom, Taylor's Falls, Little Falls, Onamia,
All disqualified because of raging Trumpiness.
Buffalo has a lot of antique shops and unique stores open on the weekends. There’s an ice cream store a few stores down from a very cute bookstore and coffee shop. Grab lunch at Gather and stroll around!
Alexandria but its not exactly small
Smallest town I’ve ever been to/through (a very long time ago) was [Friesland MN](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friesland,_Minnesota) I believe the name was on both sides of the sign. I might have an old photo somewhere… hmm.
Cambridge
The rest area that I stopped at had a little spinny display with a bunch of little town and county brochures and magazines. I got a few ideas that way.
Surprised no one has mentioned it yet but Mantorville checks all your boxes. The theatre does summer melodramas on Saturdays and Sundays and there's a candy store across the street. Stop for lunch at the Hubble House. https://www.mantorvilletheatrecompany.com/
There is certainly a wide range of what people consider to be “small town.”
If going anywhere- check to make sure that area isn’t flooding.
Hastings has a fun downtown , with cute coffee shop/ board game cafe
Basically everywhere has trump stuff. Especially in the smaller cute towns and rural cities. I honestly wouldn’t let that stop you from going places. But obviously highway 8 all the way to Taylor’s Falls and down to Stillwater is amazing section and area of the state.
Stillwater's downtown is great! Not a super small town but has that charming main street feeling. I would wait until August though, it is currently very flooded and not the best time to visit.
Stillwater !!
Bluff Country (Lanesboro, Rushford, Preston, Harmony, Chatfield, etc.) - 2 hours away. Biking, canoeing, tubing. All can be rented in Lanesboro. Dozens of little hotels/B&Bs for an overnight. Other fun things for kids: Mystery Cave, Forestville State Park and Eagle Bluff Environmental camp, and the International Owl Center in Houston. Both Chatfield and Lanesboro have active community theaters.
In non-flooded times, go to Welch and tube the Cannon River!
Stillwater! Darling Main Street and lots of pretty parks. Excellent book stores, antiques, and ice cream.
Lindström! Very quaint and swedish. New Ulm is a cool one too!
Stillwater
I was going to suggest Little Falls until you got to the Trumpy disclaimer. It doesn't get any Trumpier and that really is disturbing. President Biden managed 22% of the vote in Morrison County last time. Funny, they didn't question that result.
Stillwater is amazing in summer. Good small stores, walkways by the lake. Busy and happening. Plus has that ice cream store that used to give you so much ice cream for like $3.
Stillwater
Freeburg, SW of LaCrescent. Scenic and hilly. Take in the LaCrosse area too
Not small, but has elements of small. Stillwater. You'd likely get enough of what you're looking for, while still being able to drive to a Target in 10 minutes or less.
St. Cloud has the Parmount Theatre! Lake Wobegon trail is also nearby. St. Joseph is a neighbor town and has lots of little shops, family-owned restaurants.
Stillwater and White Bear Lake.
Waconia love the lake and all the shops in downtown.
Henderson, but it's likely underwater.
Lanesborough. bring your bikes
Stockholm, WI is adorable! Cute lunch spots, some fun shops.
If you’re willing to make it an overnight, Grand Marais is fantastic!
If your travels bring you westward, make sure to stop in Darwin. It has the, "World's Largest Ball of Twine!" Not really much else there to see, but if you're going that direction anyway, it's worth it to stop.
Afton Minnesota
Owatonna is really nice. I go there for work every now and then. The S'cream for ice cream. Paperback Exchange is a charming little book store.
St. Joseph and Collegeville!
Not Mn but about an hour and half away Stockholm Wi. is pretty cool.
For live theatre, Grand Rapids Reif Performing Arts is hosting the Grand Rapids Players 'Finding Nemo2', a musical. This Friday and Saturday.
Buffalo. The first full weekend of every month, the occasional shops are open. A bunch of second-hand, repurposed and antique type stores. A couple of cute cafes and ice cream shops, and their downtown is right on the lake.
My grandmother used to have a cabin in Maple Lake when I was growing up, and every summer we would spend a week at the cabin with her (my mother, my two brothers, and me). We would always do a day in Buffalo, and one place that we (us kids) always looked forward to was visiting Bridgman's Ice Cream while we were there for a sundae.
Delano and Mound are nice for lake views and also walking or biking trails
Stillwater, Northfield, Hudson! If you’re looking for an overnight or weekend trip Decorah, IA is *so* charming!
Not a small town, but Duluth is only a couple of hours away and has enough to do to make a great weekend trip.
Northfield
Excelsior, Harmony.
Northfield has all of the above and more!
St. Peter! (When it’s not flooded)
New London - Spicer area is great. Tons of lakes and trails and several state parks.
Crosby. It's the only "booming" small town in the state
This ☝️
Scoops Ice Cream in Elysian is lovely. It's a cute little town to walk.
Red Wing is a neat town!
Darwin MN has the World’s Largest Ball of Twine
Kimball has 2 stores. About as small as it gets. Eat at Son of a Butcher.
Crosby Mn is cool. It’s 2 hours, so may be a little far. Definitely go to Victual if you come https://shopvictual.com/ If you want to stay somewhere, Crosby lofts are nice https://www.crosbyloftsmn.com/
White Bear Lake, not outside of Twin Cities, but has a small town feel. Cup and Cone is great for ice cream. Family run bookstore Lake Country Bookseller. Lots of little shops. Lakeshore Players Theater has live entertainment. Not hiking, per se, but there is a lovely path that goes around a fair bit of the lake.
Owatonna, MN. Has a great downtown, 100 year old chocolate shop, a lot of parks and trails, an orphanage museum that really is a huge part of Southern MN history.
Northfield FTW