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10 great day trips around the Twin Cities

Cruise Lake Minnetonka, stroll on the St. Croix or climb a historic bluff.

At Red Wing, the Mississippi has to bend around Barn Bluff.

If you're taking a so-called staycation this year, don't stay too close to home. From the Twin Cities, you only have to drive an hour or so to find a world of fun.

Minneapolis and St. Paul grew around the confluence of two rivers, and their favorite day-trip destinations are on rivers, too. To the southeast, the port of Red Wing is curled into an elbow of the Mississippi. To the east, Stillwater and its shops unfurl along the St. Croix.

To the north, St. Croix Falls is a hub for hiking, paddling and bicycling. To the south, historic Northfield straddles the Cannon River.

You can shop or stroll, cruise or catch a play. Here are 10 lovely little vacations that will take only a day.

Red Wing / Antiques and a famous view

Red Wing's picturesque setting on the Mississippi River has been inspiring comment for centuries; explorer Jonathan Carver called it "the most beautiful prospect that imagination can form.''

He was standing atop Barn Bluff, a boxy mound that rises between Red Wing and the river. From its flat top, hikers can watch the traffic — barges, fishing boats, yachts, paddlewheelers.

That's the balcony of town; Bayfront Park is the front row. That's another good picnic spot and the center of action during River City Days the first weekend of August.

Many people know Red Wing for antiques: pottery, stoneware and a large stock of Victorian houses, built when the town was the nation's busiest grain-shipping center. The beautifully restored Sheldon, built in 1904, was the nation's first publicly owned theatre.

Get on Amtrak's Empire Builder at 7:50 p.m. in St. Paul and you'll have an even 12 hours to enjoy Red Wing. On July 4, there's a concert at the new bandshell in Central Park, and free Wednesday-evening concerts in summer.

Other big events: Garden Tour in July, Studio Ramble in September and Fall Festival of Arts in October.

For more, see Antiquing in Red Wing and Mississippi panoramas.

Excelsior / Sightsee from a steamboat

This town on Lake Minnetonka first was frequented by wealthy tourists, then by the middle class, who arrived on the St. Paul & Minneapolis Suburban Electric Railway for a day of leisure.

The steamboat Minnehaha on Lake Minnetonka.

In Excelsior, the restored steamboat Minnehaha gives tours of Lake Minnetonka.

The 1906 streetcar boat Minnehaha once again is scooping up passengers and taking them on excursions around the lake, to free concerts in Wayzata and to see the mansions that line the shore.

Excelsior still is a small town, with bistros and boutiques occupying the brick storefronts of Water Street. Its Commons is the best public space on the lake, with a swimming beach, ball field and bandshell.

Go on the Fourth of July, when there's a free sunset concert by the Minnesota Orchestra and fireworks (but don't get caught in the traffic jam after the fireworks).

The Saturday after Labor Day is Apple Day in Excelsior, with a big arts fair. The same weekend, Wayzata celebrates James J. Hill Days.

You can also see a play at the Old Log Theater. Or ride on the 15½-mile north corridor of the crushed-limestone Southwest Regional LRT Trail, which runs through Excelsior on its way from Hopkins to Victoria and Carver Park Reserve.

For more, see Cruising around Excelsior.

St. Croix Falls / A city of trails

Once, St. Croix Falls, Wis., was a city with trails. Now, it's the City of Trails (See Trail mix).

As the 1,000-mile Ice Age National Scenic Trail gains renown, St. Croix Falls is sharing it as the trail's western terminus. Starting from Interstate State Park's half-mile Pothole Trail, named for its cylindrical holes drilled by glacial whirlpools laced with sand and gravel, the Ice Age Trail heads out of the park and into town, climbing over a giant esker filled with glacial rubble.

From there, the trail's yellow blazes lead around town, up the St. Croix River valley and east across Wisconsin.

There are another 11 trails in Interstate State Park and two trails just south of town off County Road S, Wisconsin's newest Rustic Road. The crushed-limestone Gandy Dancer State Trail also starts in St. Croix Falls, taking bicyclists 48 miles north to Danbury; a spur allows bicyclists to start at the Polk County Information Center at the intersection of U.S. 8 and Wisconsin 35, 800-222-7655.

Go for Wannigan Days in July. There are some nice shops, an Aveda spa and the St. Croix Festival Theatre, which puts on concerts as well as plays. Check the schedule at 888-887-6002.

Menomonie / A favorite bicycling destination

It's hard to beat the Red Cedar State Trail out of Menomonie, Wis. It's one of the best-maintained crushed-limestone trails in the state and also one of the most scenic; it would be rare to ride its 14½ miles without seeing an eagle, heron, hawk or wild turkey.

The trail ends in the Dunnville Wildlife Area, where the Red Cedar River runs into the bigger Chippewa (see Red Cedar ride 'n' glide). But bicyclists can continue riding on the seal-coated Chippewa River State Trail, either 23½ miles east into Eau Claire or 6½ miles south into Durand.

A good stop for brunch or lunch is the Creamery in Downsville. If there's time, visit three attractions on Wisconsin 25: the Eau Galle Cheese Factory; a mile and a half north of Durand; the Caddie Woodlawn Home and Park, just west of Dunnville (see The first American Girl); and the Empire in Pine Lumber Museum in Downsville.

To get to the Red Cedar, drive through Menomonie on Wisconsin 25 and turn west on Wisconsin 29. The trail starts on the west side of the river.

Northfield / Colleges and a famous crime

An hour south of the Twin Cities, Northfield's quiet demeanor belies a fiesty past.

In 1876, it rebuffed Jesse James and the Younger Brothers when they tried to rob the First National Bank, sending the gang packing, minus two.

The economist who coined the term "conspicuous consumption'' came from Northfield, and the late Sen. Paul Wellstone, champion of the little guy, taught a generation of students at Carleton College.

In Northfield, the 1877 Archer House River Inn is the place to stay downtown.

On the other side of town, St. Olaf College is world-renowned for its music program and offers free recitals and concerts to the public. At Carleton, public Convocation lectures by well-known speakers also are free.

Browse in the shops that sell antiques, home decor and gifts on Division Street downtown. At the Northfield Historical Society Museum, learn about the infamous bank raid.

Hike in Carleton's Arboretum, or "Arb,'' on the floodplain of the Cannon River, or at nearby Nerstrand Big Woods State Park.

On the weekend after Labor Day, don't miss Defeat of Jesse James Days, especially the re-enactments.

For more, see Scrappy Northfield.

Stillwater / Cruising on the St. Croix

There's cruising of all kinds in Stillwater. Shoppers troll Main Street for bibelots and antiques; the Stillwater Trolley Co. prowls residential streets to give passengers glimpses of elaborately painted Victorians.

On the river, a gondolier rows folks up the St. Croix in a real Venetian gondola, providing song from a real Italian, Luciano Pavarotti, as well as picnic baskets full of goodies. The paddlewheelers of the St. Croix Boat and Packet Co. also cruise the St. Croix from their moorings near the Dock Cafe.

Go on a Tuesday for Summer Tuesdays: Market, Music, Movies in Lowell Park on the river. The huge Lumberjack Days is in July, with national music acts. The Fall Colors Fine Art and Jazz Festival is the first weekend of October.

Stillwater's streets become crowded with tourists on summer weekends, so go early.

For more, see Summer in Stillwater.

Lake Pepin / Eating and exploring

Since the first explorers came, saw and spread the word, Lake Pepin has been known for scenery. But these days, many people are going just to eat.

In Red Wing, The Nortons serves superb food on Main Street, next to its own Lucky Cat World Wine Market.

From Lake City, the Pearl of the Lake paddlewheeler gives tours of Lake Pepin.

In Lake City, Nosh has a view of the lake and marina. Next door, Rabbit's Bakery serves pastries and sandwiches. At the north end of town, the Pearl of the Lake paddlewheeler gives cruises on the lake.

In Wabasha, there's Vinifera, which also has its own wine market. Across the bridge in Wisconsin, the Nelson Cheese Factory always is worth a stop for its ice cream, imported delicacies and, now, a wine bar.

In Pepin, there's the very popular Harbor View (it doesn't take reservations or credit cards).

In Stockholm, Bogus Creek Cafe and Bakery has a pretty courtyard in which it serves caramel-pecan rolls and apple turnovers, plus soups, sandwiches and ice cream. The village is a good place to shop, too.

In Maiden Rock, the Smiling Pelican Bakery lures motorists off the highway to eat Viennese lemon tart and quiche in a garden full of flowers.

For more, see A spin around Lake Pepin.

Grantsburg / Paddling and wildlife-watching

Not far from the St. Croix River in northwest Wisconsin, native plants and animals have reclaimed wetlands and brush prairie once drained and used by settlers.

The land resisted taming, and today, the 30,000 acres of Crex Meadows Wildlife Area once again belong to osprey, otters, sandhill cranes, trumpeter swans and all kinds of migrating fowl. Wildflowers bloom, wild rice flourishes and visitors are invited to come out and see nature at its most robust.

A self-guided 24-mile auto tour takes visitors through wetlands, lakes, prairie and sedge marsh, where the Crex Carpet Co. harvested grass for rugs from 1912 to 1933. Dawn and dusk are the best times to see wildlife.

Nearby, visit Trade River Winery. Rent a canoe from Wild River Outfitters and paddle down the St. Croix. Downtown, eat at the new Vietnamese restaurant Little Cam Ranh Bay.

There's also a great hiking trail just five miles west on Wisconsin 70, in Governor Knowles State Forest. The trailhead for the Sandrock Cliffs Trail is right off the highway before it crosses the St. Croix River, and the bluff-top trail gives hikers views of the river as they walk through a fragrant forest of red and white pines.

Hudson / Shopping and strolling

The entrance to Hudson's Lakefront Park.

The 1936 Hudson arch draws visitors into Lakefront Park.

In summer, this Wisconsin river town is a good place to stroll in the sun. There's shopping in the historic downtown, with antiques at Abigail Page Antiques, art at Seasons on St. Croix, chocolates at Knoke's and gifts at Et Cetera, La Rue Marche and Lavender Thymes, among many other shops.

From downtown, visitors can migrate a block down to Lakefront Park, which has a beach and playground, and walk out onto the 1913 Old Toll Bridge, which now reaches only partway over the St. Croix. On Thursday evenings in summer, bands play in the park.

Afterward, stop for a bite at one of the cluster of restaurants on Second Street — the San Pedro Cafe, the Winzer Stube, Barker's Bar and Grill or Bricks, for pizza. For more, see Getaway on the St. Croix.

Mantorville / Melodrama on the Zumbro River

Highbrow it's not. But the theater housed in the 1918 Opera House of Mantorville, Minn., is as endearing as an old quilt.

Since 1973, the Mantorville Theater Company has been having a swell time putting on melodramas, some of them original, in this tiny village on the Zumbro River, 15 minutes west of Rochester. Audiences are encouraged to boo the villains, who are always dastardly, and cheer the heroes, who are always true and strong.

The town, once a stagecoach stop on the route from the Mississippi to the western plains, is on the National Register of Historic Places, including the 1857 Hubbell House, a restaurant visited over the years by such celebrities as Gen. U.S. Grant and Mickey Mantle and still a popular dining destination, 507-635-2331.

Tourists also like to browse in the antiques and gifts stores and at the chocolate shop.

Go for the Olde Fashioned Fourth of July and, on the weekend after Labor Day, Marigold Days, which includes fireworks, a flea market, music and parades. The Zumbro Bend Rendezvous, a living-history festival, is in late September. For more, see Mantorville's tourism site.

Last updated on February 25, 2010

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