8 Breathtaking Towns to Visit in Minnesota
With nicknames like the Land of 10,000 Lakes and the North Star State, Minnesota is not lacking in breathtaking scenery. Most of its gasp-worthy attractions are rural since they comprise lakes, plus mountains, rivers, waterfalls, wildlife, cliffs, bluffs, galleries, festivals, historic buildings, and cosmic anomalies. Yes, you can see some of those sites from the Twin Cities, but they might be clouded and crowded. As such, learn more about eight small communities in Minnesota with uncongested wonders. Let them take your breath away.
Crosby
Just over a decade ago, Crosby was a smaller community with an abandoned mine and many antique stores. Then, it was turned into a 70-mile mountain biking mecca that brought hundreds of thousands of tourists and refurbished the antique downtown. Trailside Tavern & Patio, Cuyuna Outfitters, and Red Raven are just some of the businesses supporting mountain bikers and other kinds of adventurers.
The Cuyuna Lakes Mountain Bike Trails are part of the Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area, a 5,000-acre mining graveyard now lush with vegetation and filled with crystal-clear water. Aside from cycling, activities include hiking, fishing, camping, swimming, canoeing, kayaking, scuba diving, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing.
Lanesboro
There are two lanes in Lanesboro. One takes cars, and the other takes horses and buggies. This 700ish-person city is in Fillmore County, which contains Minnesota's largest population of Amish people. Known for their scenic farms and delicious food, the Amish of Fillmore open their shops and sometimes their homes to tourists, who take Bluffscape Amish Tours from Lanesboro through the titular bluff-filled countryside.
Upon returning from Amish Country with beautiful photos and baked goods, they can admire the non-Amish attractions along the main street, including Sylvan Brewing, High Court Pub, and the Commonweal Theatre. Lanesboro has been voted both one of the outdoorsiest and artsiest towns in America.
Grand Marais
A playground on Lake Superior, the world's largest freshwater lake by surface area, Grand Marais offers swimming, boating, beachcombing, and some of the best sightseeing in Minnesota. The community and lake are straddled by gorgeous greenery and geology, which can be explored via the Pincushion Mountain Trail System. But you do not have to look outside Grand Marais for spectacular sights.
As the "oldest art colony in Minnesota," this town of roughly 1,300 people attracts thousands of artists and art enthusiasts with exhibits like the Sivertson Gallery and events like the Grand Marais Arts Festival. Already full of superlatives, Grand Marais is near the tallest waterfall in Minnesota (High Falls, 120 feet) and the highest natural point (Eagle Mountain, 2,301 feet) in Minnesota.
Luverne
Located in extreme southwestern MN, Luverne is the gateway to a colossal and colorful oasis called Blue Mounds State Park. Spanning more than 1,500 acres, the park has two lakes, about 80 bison, and 1.5 miles of towering, pink-hued Sioux quartzite cliffs, which were quarried by author Frederick Manfred circa 1960 for a unique abode that still stands and once served as the interpretive center.
After climbing the rocks of Blue Mounds, return to Luverne for another jaw-dropping (crushing?) attraction. Home to around 5,000 people, the community stores over 5,300 nutcrackers at the Rock County History Center. Rock climbers and nutcrackers are joined by Fargo fans since Luverne is the setting for season two of the movie-inspired FX series.
Ely
Ely is the wild north of the North Star State. It sits just below the Canadian border and contains roughly 3,900 humans and a rotating cast of bears and wolves. The North American Bear Center, dubbed the "only black bear and wildlife educational facility of its kind," flanks Ely on the west, while the International Wolf Center, which "advances the survival of wolf populations by teaching about wolves," guards it from the east.
Moreover, 2,000 of Minnesota's proverbial 10,000 lakes surround Ely in preserves like the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. You can go hiking, fishing, camping, canoeing, and dog sledding, and you can even view the Northern Lights since Boundary Waters was the first place in Minnesota to be designated an International Dark Sky Sanctuary.
Red Wing
You may know Red Wing as the home of Red Wing Shoes, a footwear company that specializes in work and hiking boots. Appropriately, you can lace up your Red Wings to hike Red Wing's outcroppings along the Mississippi River. The best of these is He Mni Can-Barn Bluff.
From 340 feet above the mighty Mississippi, Barnstormers get one of the best views of the river and a scenic wonderland in its own right. Historic and vibrant attractions include the Sheldon Theatre, Pottery Museum of Red Wing, Fair Trade Books, The Smokin' Oak Rotisserie & Grill, Falconer Vineyards, and Goodhue County Historical Society.
Baudette
Located even farther north than Ely, Baudette borders Canada with the Rainy River, which flows into Lake of the Woods. As the largest lake in the United States after the Great Lakes, Lake of the Woods brings thousands of people to the Baudette area for outdoor pursuits. Also, bringing people to Baudette is Independence Day.
This tiny community has a massive 4th of July celebration consisting of parades, kids' activities, food and craft vendors, a 5K walk/run, and "northern Minnesota's most spectacular fireworks display." They are launched over the river for almost an hour. Beyond aquatic and pyrotechnic attractions, Baudette claims Lake of the Woods Distilling Company and a 40-foot statue of Willie Walleye.
Northfield
Hugging the Cannon River near Red Wing, Northfield is a Bluff Country beauty with a booming downtown. Along with modern businesses like the Goodbye Blue Monday Coffeehouse and Imminent Brewing, central Northfield contains the First National Bank Historic Site, which is the restored bank where Jesse James and his gang attempted a robbery in 1876. Brave Northfielders thwarted the attempt and are honored annually with the Defeat of Jesse James Days, one of Minnesota's biggest outdoor festivals. After your heart pounds from intense reenactments, you can soothe your other senses at Carleton College's Cowling Arboretum while taking a scenic river walk with the Malt-O-Meal cereal factory, sweetening the air.
Already a marvelous state, Minnesota is most marvelous in and around small communities. Crosby, Lanesboro, Grand Marais, Luverne, Ely, Red Wing, Baudette, and Northfield have everything from mountain biking trails to wildlife refuges to art galleries to a Jesse James festival. Such attractions can leave you breathless in a multitude of ways. Go experience the wonderful beauty of rural Minnesota.
