2025's Most Underrated Towns In Minnesota

Minnesota, also called the "Land of Ten Thousand Lakes," separates the United States from Canada, and the American Midwest from the Dakotas and points west, on the Great Plains. The mighty Mississippi River — which originates in the state's Lake Itasca — defines Minnesota's eastern border. As its geographic position might suggest, the state, which joined the Union in 1858, on the eve of the U.S. Civil War, has long brought together a diverse mix of cultures and peoples. Those elements stand on vibrant display in many of Minnesota's under-appreciated towns, which often lie away from better-known destinations like its capital, Minneapolis, or the neighboring St. Paul, which together bear the name of the Twin Cities. For a Minnesota beyond the ordinary, these underrated places will inspire plenty of wanderlust.

Bemidji

Calling itself the 'first city on the Mississippi,' this northwest Minnesota town takes its name from a word from the Ojibwe tribe of Native American peoples, which means "lake with crossing waters." Indeed, the Mississippi flows southwest across Lake Bemidji on its way south to the Gulf of America. Once a logging and sawmill town, Bemidji now provides first-class outdoor recreation options, from fishing and camping to swimming and, when the weather is cold enough, ice skating. The town likewise hosts the Beltrami County History Center, which displays relics and stories of Native and European patterns of living in this bucolic town.

Brainerd

In north Minnesota, the unusually named Brainerd makes for a resort and vacation destination popular locally. Like Bemidji, this former lumber town, and later rail hub, now welcomes vacationers and pleasure-seekers of all kinds. The town itself sits mostly on the eastern bank of the Mississippi. The Brainerd Lakes have been a region beloved by Minnesotans for generations.

In town, the historic district centers on the Northern Pacific Railroad Shops, where rail cars once came for repairs and upkeeo. The downtown zone today counts coffee shops, beer brewers, and restaurants among its small-town small businesses. For some refined entertainment, the Lakes Area Music Festival, held each summer, focuses on classical performances of the works of the world's great composers.

Faribault

Halfway between Minneapolis and the state border with Iowa, this town, settled in 1852 at the confluence of the Cannon and Straight Rivers, wears its French roots on its sleeve. Those early beginnings are on vibrant display in the Alexander Faribault House, the town's French-Canadian founder and namesake, operated by the Rice County Historical Society. Faribault the man became successful in the fur-trading business then prevalent on either side of the Canadian border.

In the decades that followed its founding, Faribault built numerous schools and institutes of learning, which spawned the local nickname, "Athens of the West," a suggestion of the town's concentration of educational activities. The Faribault House continues to host events of French-Canadian and French-American interest today, delivering on both its heritage and its mission as a center of knowledge.

Lanesboro

Split by the Root River, the hamlet of Lanesboro, in Minnesota's southeast corner, draws visitors to its robust Amish community. The Protestant Christian religious minority, who pledge simple living and avoid modern technologies, have drawn interested tourists since settling here late by the standards of most Amish settlements, in 1974. Companies like Bluffscape Amish Tours educate and inform travelers about the unique community that has recently taken root in this area. For more local stories, the Lanesboro Historical Museum charts the town's beginning in the mid-1800s.

For active types, a converted rail bed now serves as the Root River State Trail, ideal for walking and cycling. Other local activities include golf at the Lanesboro Public Golf Club, and an array of rafting and fishing outfitters.

Little Canada

The name may seem misleading: the town of Little Canada is not in fact near America's neighbor to the north, but is in fact a suburb north of St. Paul. Founded in 1858, the same year that Minnesota joined the Union as a state, Little Canada celebrates these and other histories with its downtown Historical Walk self-guided route for visitors. Likewise, Little Canada's Victorian Village, so named for the wealth of architecuture from the Victorian historic period (1837-1901), delights fans of stately homes and old building styles. The town's Historical Society focuses on the region's connections to its French-Canadian past.

Each August, Little Canada puts on its popular "Canadian Days" festival, held in coordination with Thunder Bay, the town's sister city in (actual) Canada, in the province of Ontario.

New Ulm

Its name is a nod to the German roots of the town's early setters, who came from Ulm, Germany, and other places to build a new life in this southwest Minnesota town. German heritage comes into proud focus each fall, when the town hosts its own Oktoberfest, a celebration of beer, music, and German culture — an especially lovely event as the local leaves change color. The festival has earned plaudits as being among the best Oktoberfest events in the United States.

For those who cannot wait until autumn, New Ulm also hosts Bavarian Blast, a similar German heritage festival, each July. The party includes road races, souvenirs, a sauerkraut eating competition, and as much polka music as the average visitor can handle.

Nisswa

A short drive north from Brainerd, the hamlet of Nisswa offers a glimpse of small-town Minnesota life like it used to be. Among its quirky draws, the Nisswa Turtle Races — more like a turtle race season, since they run from June to August each summer. Given the slow pace of the reptile competitors, the town makes no promises about a maximum race time. Instead, the town only says, "We race till we're done."

For more family-friendly fun, other draws in town include the Chocolate Ox, a specialty chocolate and sweets business, with two locations in town. Each summer, Nissa puts on a Scandinavian folk music festival, celebrating the Nordic roots of many of its original settlers. Some of the festival participants play unusual instruments from the Scandinavian region, like the nickelharp and the hardingfele (or hardanger), a kind of fiddle.

Owatonna

In southeast Minnesota, an hour south of the Twin Cities, the town of Owatonna, takes pride in its Native American legacies. In Mineral Springs Park, the legend of Owatonna, a Native American princess and the town's namesake, is said to have taken the waters and received healing in the area's natural springs.

In other histories, Owatonna hosts the the Steele County Historical Society, founded in 1949. The group operates the Village of Yesteryear, a pioneer village, which sits not far from the Steele County History Center. For fans of architecture, the National Farmer's Bank is a mandatory stop, as it draws visitors from all over. Designed by famed architect Louis Sullivan, the building, nicknamed the "Jewel Box of the Prairie," has stood here since the early 1900s.

Underrated Minnesota Towns Are Among Its Best

These towns suggest that some of Minnesota's most visit-worthy towns remain, for one reason or another, underrated. Yet from historic logging-turned-vacation towns like Bemidji and Brainerd, to cross-border town cultures in Faribault and Little Canada, and the would-be tourist researching his or her next trip finds plenty to discover. Add to that the historic homes and buildings in Lanesboro and Owatonna, as well as the German and Scandinavian cultural pride in New Ulm and Nisswa — and the reasons to visit Minnesota become clearer. The state's towns like these may not go under-appreciated much longer.