Tips for Traveling the Great River Road, Part 1

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It’s summer and many of y’all will be hitting the road to travel and see something new (or revisit places you enjoy). I haven’t done a travel-themed podcast in a while, so in the next couple of episodes, I’m going to go over the highlights of driving the Great River Road. In this episode, I start with an overview of what to expect from the drive plus some overall highlights. Then, I start a north to south trek down the Great River Road from Itasca State Park and ending at Lake Pepin. Along the way, I’ll comment on the following places: Bemidji, Grand Rapids, Crosby, Brainerd, Little Falls, St. Cloud, Minneapolis, Saint Paul, and the communities around Lake Pepin. I obviously won’t be going into great depth about any particular place but instead want to give you a sense of the variety of attractions and experiences you can expect along the Mississippi River, with some picks about my favorite spots (and where to get good food and drinks). In the next episode, I’ll cover the rest of the Great River Road from Lake Pepin to the Mississippi’s confluence with the Ohio River at Cairo, Illinois.

Episode Transcript

Dean Klinkenberg (00:00):
The dream of building a road that paralleled
this marvelous river is nearlyas old as the automobile itself.
While the Mississippi RiverParkway Commission marks 1938 as
their official birth year,people like Joe Young of
Bellevue, Iowa were advocatingfor a scenic route along the
Mississippi nearly two decadesbefore that. In 1920, St Louis'

(00:20):
Truman Pearson bragged "Thishighway, when completed, will be
not only the most picturesque,but also the greatest north and
south cross country highway."Welcome to the Mississippi

(00:52):
Valley Traveler podcast. I'mDean Klinkenberg, and I've been
exploring the deep history andrich culture of the people and
places along America's greatestriver, the Mississippi, since
2007. Join me as I go deep intothe characters and places along
the river, and occasionallywander into other stories from
the Midwest and other rivers.
from the interviews and roll outa couple of episodes where we

(01:14):
Read the episode show notes andget more information on the
Mississippi atMississippiValleyTraveler.com.
Let's get going.

(01:40):
talk specifically about travelalong the Mississippi River.
This is going to be packed withtips and suggestions. So if you
are inclined to take notes, ifyou have a way of recording
things, I suggest you get a penand paper or pull out your phone
or do whatever you like to do torecord those notes. So it's
going to be at least twoepisodes, maybe three. We'll see

(02:03):
once I get the second onerecorded. So what we're going to
do in part one is I'm going togive you an overview of driving
the Great River Road, tell you alittle bit about what to expect
from the drive, offer somehighlights, some can't miss, or
places you really shouldn't skipas you're driving along the
Great River Road, and then we'regoing to begin a north to south

(02:24):
exploration. And I'll highlightplaces and regions and towns
along the way as we take thistrek from north to south,
beginning at Itasca State Parkand ending eventually at the
Gulf of Mexico. But in thisepisode, we will cover Itasca
State Park, Bemidji, GrandRapids, Crosby, Brainerd, Little

(02:47):
Falls, St Cloud, basically allthe sites in northern Minnesota.
And then we'll talk a little bitabout Minneapolis and St Paul.
And then we'll finish up withLake Pepin.
Thanks to all of you who havecontinued to show me love
through Patreon. I greatlyappreciate your support. It
makes me feel good, and it keepsthis podcast rolling along and
makes episodes like thispossible. If you want to join

(03:10):
that community, go topatreon.com/deanklinkenberg and
you can join it there. Or ifyou'd rather, you can just buy
me a coffee. Go toMississippiValleytraveler.com/podcast
and you'll find instructions onhow to buy me a coffee, as well
as how to join Patreon if youforgot that initial address.
Also at that addressMississippiValleyTraveler.com/podcast

(03:34):
you'll find a list of allprevious episodes. You can binge
listen if you wish, and if youclick on a specific episode,
you'll also find the show notesfor that episode. Well, all
right, let's start up ourvehicle and get moving along.

(04:01):
The Mississippi River hasinspired poets, painters,
writers, photographers andthrill seekers as well as
entrepreneurs looking to make abuck off the mall. The river has
inspired me, too, and for muchof my adult life. In the next
couple of episodes, I take youthrough some of the highlights
of traveling along theMississippi River. You know, I
often get asked what the primarydraw is, and the short answer is

(04:25):
always, of course, well, it'sthe river. But what is it about
the river specifically? For me,I enjoy the natural beauty and
the opportunities to get lost inthe river's natural world, to
learn about and spot the plantsand animals that rely on the
river. But travel along theMississippi has much more to
offer than that. Like history,the Mississippi corridor has

(04:47):
supported human life for atleast 10,000 years. The river
played a crucial role in thewestward expansion of the United
States with the Civil War and inthe industrial age. A trip along
the Mississippi offers a chanceto learn something new about
American history, as well asabout the people who were here
long before this was the UnitedStates. The river is also a rich

(05:09):
cultural corridor. Artists liveand create many small river
towns, big cities have worldclass museums. You can enjoy
masterpieces performed at theGuthrie Theater in Minneapolis,
for example, as well as near thebanks of the Mississippi and
Winona. First Class symphoniesfill the music halls in St Louis
and the Twin Cities, while theblues still ring out in a few

(05:32):
remaining clubs in Mississippi.
And then there's food, becausethe Mississippi cuts a north,
south path through the UnitedStates, a trip along the river
is an eye opening and mouthwatering experience of tasting
local and regional foodspecialties, from walleye with
wild rice in Minnesota toblackened red fish with dirty
rice in New Orleans. And you'llfind forward thinking chefs

(05:53):
working not just in the biggercities, but also in some of the
small river towns. If you getbored driving the Great River
Road, I gotta. I hate to say it,but you know, it's your own
fault, really. So let's startwith an overview of travel along
the Great River Road. I'll dropin a few highlights and in
general, what to expect from atrip driving down the Great

(06:14):
River Road. Then we'll make ourway from north to south, and
I'll offer tips about visitingplaces along the way. Grab
whatever you use to take notes,and let's get rolling.
The dream of building a roadthat paralleled this marvelous
river is nearly as old as theautomobile itself. While the
Mississippi River ParkwayCommission marks 1938 as their

(06:36):
official birth year, people likeJoe Young of Bellevue, Iowa were
advocating for a scenic routealong the Mississippi nearly two
decades before that. In 1920 StLouis' Truman Pearson bragged,
quote, This highway, whencompleted, will be not only the
most picturesque, but also thegreatest north and south cross
country highway.
A beautiful drive promised a lotof automobile traffic. So

(07:00):
advocates were excited by theeconomic possibilities of all
those cars passing through theirtowns. A 1920 editorial in
Iowa's Bellevue Leader asserted,quote, If millions are to be
spent in the Mississippi Valleyby the travelers by automobiles,
we must organize to get ourshare. An early brochure for

(07:21):
what was then called theMississippi River Highway
described what tourists couldexpect. Here's a quick quote,
"You will marvel at the varietyof beautiful scenery, wood
drives, lakes and streamsthrough America's greatest
cattle, rice, sugar, cotton,lumber, grain and ore producing area."
Marvel indeed. The Great RiverRoad has developed into one of

(07:44):
the best drives in the UnitedStates. And don't take my word
for it, USA Today named it oneof the 10 best bucket list
trips. Go Compare, a Britishwebsite, listed highway 61 which
is much of the Great River Roadamong the best American road
trips. Fox News has included theGreat River Road as one of the
best road trips in the UnitedStates.
So what can you expect from adrive along the Great River Road

(08:07):
today? The Great River Road is asigned route, not a specific
highway, more a road map than aroad. Each of the 10 river
states picks the specific roadsthat they want to be part of the
signed route in their state.
Whatever the route it passesthrough, dramatic scenery,
magnetic small towns and diversebig cities. The Great River Road
follows a single route throughnorthern Minnesota, but from the

(08:31):
Twin Cities to New Orleans,there are assigned routes on
both sides of the river. Thisgives you about 3700 miles of
pavement to drive, so you mightwant to get going now.
For the most part, the roadsstick close to the Mississippi

(09:01):
River, but in many places, youwon't see the river at all,
especially south of St Louis,except maybe for a few fleeting

(09:35):
Even when you're not right nextto the river, though, the Great
River Road passes through thevery heart of the United States,
moments here and there, when orwhen you cross a river bridge.
the best stretches are the twolane highways that meander near
the river. It's a great way toget to know or to get
reacquainted with the country.
People are friendly, and you'rerarely further than a forks
length from a good slice of pie.

(09:57):
You probably don't have the timeto drive the entire Great River
The best views of the river arealong these specific stretches,
Road in a single trip. We canwish but it would be hard to do.
So you might consider picking asection defined by bridges at
the upper and lower ends, thendrive a loop through that area
taking as much time as you have,whether that's a weekend or a
week or maybe a couple of weeks.
The more time you allow, theWisconsin Highway 35, especially

(10:19):
between La Crosse andmore satisfying the experience
is going to be. So what shouldyou see? The star is, of course,
the Mississippi River itself.
Catch a sunrise or sunset,whichever suits your lifestyle,
they are spectacular. Experiencemigration season, when millions
of birds are flying north orsouth along the river, look for
Linksville. US Highway 61between La Crescent, Minnesota
or listen for song birds in thespring or tundra swans in the

(10:41):
fall. Linger on one of the manyoverlooks and soak in the
expansive views of the rivervalley. Get outside and hike,
bike, paddle or picnic along theriver. We're lucky to have so
many parks and public landsalong the Mississippi. But if
and Red Wing, Minnesota.
Illinois Highway 100 betweenyou twisted my arm and made me
choose which ones absolutelyshouldn't be missed, I'd pick
these - Itasca State Park nearBemidji, Minnesota, where the

(11:03):
Mississippi begins. WyalusingState Park, which is near
Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin.
Trail of Tears State Park nearCape Girardeau, Missouri.
Alton and Grafton and IllinoisHighway 96 between Hamilton and
Meeman-Shelby Forest State Parkjust north of Memphis. Choctaw
Island Wildlife Management Areain Arkansas. St Catherine Creek
National Wildlife Refuge nearNatchez, Mississippi, and Jean

(11:24):
Lafitte National Historic Parkand Preserve just south of New
Orleans. There are many morethat are just as worthy of your
Nauvoo. South of St Louis, giantlevees block most of the views
time. But hey, you know, I saidyou twisted my arm and you made
me choose. So those are mychoices. There are literally,
though, 1000s of places to enjoytime next to the river, from
small town parks like whatyou'll find in Bayfield,

(11:46):
Wisconsin, to the large stateparks and federal refuges, each
has something to offer. Youmight get lucky just passing by
of the river, but what localscall The River Road in
these places and see somewildlife, but if you really want
to maximize your chances, set upa camp chair and stick around
for a while.
Let's talk about history now.
People have lived along theMississippi for 1000s of years,
and there are places along theLouisiana, that stretch of

(12:07):
highway between Baton Rouge andriver that preserve much of that
history, from earthen mounds andsites of ancient communities
that once lined the Mississippito the outstanding World War Two
Museum in New Orleans. If yourpriority first and foremost is
learning more about NativeAmerican history, I would
include these three sites asmust visits - Effigy Mounds
National Monument, which is nearNew Orleans at least parallels
the river and offers occasionalMarquette, Iowa. Cahokia Mound

(12:28):
State Historic Site near StLouis and Poverty Point in
Louisiana. Keep in mind, though,that descendants of those
indigenous Americans still liveand work along the river today,
so check out a pow wow ifthere's one going on, which is
one way to connect with Nativeglimpses in cities or on bridges.
American communities. The Wacipicelebration in July is a Prairie

(12:50):
Island Indian community near RedWing, Minnesota. That would be a
good place to start or to visit.
The flashiest museums may be inthe biggest cities in the along
the Mississippi, but nearlyevery small town has a museum of
its own, and I love every one ofthem. Please show them some love
too. I'll mention more of themspecifically when we start our

(13:10):
trip down river. But for now,here's a list of the few
essential museums and historicsites that absolutely shouldn't
be missed if you're travelingalong the Mississippi. The
Forest History Center in GrandRapids, Minnesota. Mill City
Museum in Minneapolis, TheScience Center of Minnesota and
St Paul. The National EagleCenter in Wabasha, Minnesota.

(13:32):
The National Mississippi RiverMuseum and Aquarium in Dubuque.
The Muscatine History andIndustry Center in Muscatine,
Iowa. Pretty much the wholevillage of Nauvoo, Illinois,
much of which is a historic sitemanaged by the Latter Day Saints
Church. Mark Twain Boyhood Homeand Museum in Hannibal. The
National Blues Museum in StLouis, or the Blues Museum in

(13:55):
Clarksdale. Take your choice.
The City Museum also in StLouis, should be at the top of
your list to visit when you'rein St Louis. St Genevieve
National Historical Park in StGenevieve, Missouri. The Stacks
Museum in Memphis. VicksburgNational Military Park. The
River Road African AmericanMuseum in Donaldsonville,
Louisiana. The WhitneyPlantation just south of Baton

(14:19):
Rouge and that World War TwoMuseum in New Orleans. Those
museums, collectively would giveyou a good sense of the cultural
and economic or industrialhistory along the Mississippi.
Well, as you're driving around,especially on the upper part of
the river, you'll notice thereare a lot of locks and dams,

(14:41):
virtually all of them haveviewing areas to watch boats
lock through. A few also offerpublic tours. You can check with
that individual lock if you'rethere to find out if they're
doing tours. Visiting one lockis probably enough for most
people. The locks on Arsenalisland in the Quad Cities which
are on the Rock Island ArsenalMilitary Base and require
passing through security, aswell as the Melvin Price Lock

(15:04):
and Dam in Alton, have exhibitsthat tout the value of river
shipping while also ignoring thesignificant costs of that river
shipping. But they're worthwhileto visit, if nothing else, to
get a good sense of the historyof shipping on the Mississippi
River.
Towns also throw some funfestivals. So check one out. If
you're in the area, you're notgoing to be disappointed. Here

(15:27):
are a few of my personalfavorites, and I feel like I'm
missing quite a few here in thislist, but, but this is what I
came up with, the St Paul WinterCarnival in January in St Paul,
there's nothing moreexhilarating than standing on a
city street when it's 10 degreesand watching floats pass you by.
Grumpy Old Men Days in Wabasha,Minnesota in February. Ice

(15:50):
fishing may not be the bestspectator sport, so you might
want to consider joining thecompetition, but it's a it's a
good way to pay homage to themovies that were set in Wabasha,
Mardi Gras. Well, you got to goto go to Mardi Gras at some
point in your life, you know.
And I really think the best wayto do that is to go earlier in
the period when Mardi Grasparades are going on, maybe go

(16:13):
in January, when theneighborhoods have their own
smaller, less touristy events.
Memphis In May, is a bigfestival featuring a lot of
barbecue and music and allthings Memphis, well worth going
to. Tug Fest is one of the moreunique festivals along the
Mississippi. It is a giant tugof war contest. A long rope is

(16:35):
strung across the Mississippibetween Port Byron, Illinois and
Le Claire, Iowa. And teams lineup and pull and it's
surprisingly entertaining to bepart of that. There's a county
fair atmosphere to the wholething. And then one of the big
festivals of the northern partof the river in the fall,
Oktoberfest in La Crosse,Wisconsin, which draws very big

(16:57):
crowds. And if you're going togo on a weekend late September,
early October, plan ahead,because rooms book early.
I'm a fan of lists. I just wentthrough a few lists. So every
now and then on my website, Ihave published a new list of the
best this or best that along theMississippi. If you go to the
show notes for this episode,you'll find my picks, for

(17:19):
example, for the best places toeat with a river view and my
favorite books about theMississippi.
While we don't have time tocover every community along the
Mississippi River in thesepodcast episodes. But don't
fret, because my websiteincludes profiles of every
Mississippi River community inMinnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa,
plus most of Illinois and thebigger communities in Missouri.

(17:43):
Go toMississippiValleyTraveler.com
and on the menu, click on theRiver Town section, and you'll
see the state by state listingsthere.
The Great River Road's prettyeasy to explore in an RV, if
that's your way of travelingaround. The US Army Corps of
Engineers maintains a lot of RVfriendly campgrounds along the
Mississippi, including some thatare right next to the river. In

(18:04):
addition, you'll find some stateand local governments also
maintain campgrounds along theMississippi that have room for
RVs. Many of these campgroundsaren't set up to offer full
hookups, but many will at leasthave power available. Roads can
be narrow in some places, alongthe Great River Road or just off
the Great River Road, and manydo not have a shoulder, and

(18:26):
there are still a few placeswith older bridges that you may
want to avoid. If you want toknow more about driving an RV
along the Great River Road, witha lot of tips about places to
visit and what you can expect, Isuggest you Check out the RV
World Podcast in March of 2025 Irecorded a two part podcast
interview with Patty hunt wherewe talk about that very topic.

(18:50):
In addition, she came on mypodcast in Episode 58 to talk
about the RV life in general. Soyou might want to check that one
out as well.
Now it's possible to tour theMississippi without driving. If
you prefer a bicycle, theMississippi River Trail follows
assigned route along the GreatRiver Road from Louisiana to
Minnesota. Some sections are onseparate paved paths, but many

(19:13):
follow highway shoulders. Thebest guide is Bob Robinson's
2008 book "Bicycling Guide tothe Mississippi River Trail," a
complete route guide along theMississippi River, although some
of it's a bit dated now, butthat's, to my knowledge, still
the only comprehensive guide tobicycling along the Mississippi
River.
Paddling on the Mississippianother great experience,

(19:34):
whether you're interested ingetting out for just a few hours
or a few days, outfitters nearthe river can set you up for a
day, for a day trip, or formultiple days. Some such as Big
Muddy Adventures in St Louiswill take people out on guided
tours. So check the show notesagain for a list of paddling out
feathers, and I'll also putthere a link to a list of water

(19:55):
trails, official water trails onthe Mississippi.
Now, if you prefer to letsomeone else do the work for
you, cruises on the MississippiRiver are quite popular. Most of
the cruises stick to the LowerMississippi River for much of
the year, then head north inlate summer and through the
fall. They aren't cheap, but allserve great food and include
lectures on the river's historyand culture. It's a relaxing way

(20:18):
to get to know the river and itsriver towns, and you get a never
ending sequence of gorgeousviews.
Unfortunately, it's not easy totravel the Great River Road with
public transit. Amtrak trainsfollow the river from La Crosse
to St Cloud, but nowhere else.
Some Burlington Trailways bussesserve river towns, but they
don't often follow the river. Sobasically, if you don't own a

(20:41):
car, I'd suggest renting one ifyou want to visit more than one
community along the Great RiverRoad.
Now, when should you visit?
Well, right now, of course,there isn't a bad time of year
to visit places along theMississippi. Each season
presents its own rewards and itsown challenges. The weather can
vary widely from northernMinnesota to Louisiana, as you

(21:04):
might guess, although thedifferences tend to be less
extreme in summer, some placesup north, museums and lodging,
for example, will close inwinter, but you won't have to
deal with mosquitoes either, sothere's that. Peak travel along
the Upper Mississippi is usuallyJuly, August and October. The
October part may surprise you,but October is in many places,

(21:25):
the busiest month for travelbetween the Quad Cities and Twin
Cities, because people aredriving along the river to take
in the fall colors. So if you'regoing to travel, then,
especially if you're going to beout on a weekend, I'd suggest
you book accommodations inadvance in October, otherwise,
you may be going quite a waysaway from the river to find a
room somewhere. Songbirds andsnowbirds migrate north along

(21:49):
the Mississippi River in springand a succession of wildflowers
begin to bloom. It's a pleasanttime of year for a hike with
very few bugs. Days can bepleasant and nights cool up
north with strong thunderstormspossible all along the
Mississippi Valley. Spring peaksearly down south, usually by
March, but it might not takehold until mid May in northern

(22:09):
Minnesota, the most active timeof year for wildlife, insects
and outdoor enthusiasts is, ofcourse, summer. In the southern
reaches, summer days are hot andhumid, sometimes downright
oppressive, and the nights don'talways provide relief, unless
you're right there next to theriver. Up north, days are
usually warm, but not hot, anddaylight can linger well past

(22:31):
10pm.
As I mentioned, autumn is theone of the busiest times of year
along certain parts of the UpperMississippi Valley, especially
north of the Quad Cities. Fallcolors can be quite dramatic,
and a layer of fog or mist oftendevelops over the river in the
morning, which adds a romantictouch to the scenery. Fresh farm

(22:52):
products are abundant,especially apples and gourds.
Waterfowl migrate south alongthe river, like the tundra swans
that stop along the Mississippifor a few weeks before it
freezes around Brownsville,Minnesota up to roughly Winona.
Days can be pleasant in thesouthern reaches, especially as
November begins, while northernMinnesota typically experiences

(23:14):
its first frost in midSeptember. Now, winter, let's
talk about that. You may thinkwinter is a bad time of year to
visit the Upper Mississippi.
You'd be wrong. Winter sportsare popular in the northern
reaches, places where you canlearn how to play broom ball or
perfect your ice skating orcross country skiing. St Paul's
Winter Carnival is reason enoughfor me to travel north in
winter. Besides that, baldeagles migrate south and put on

(23:37):
a heck of a show in places wherethere's open water, typically
just below dams. Manycommunities host festivals with
a bald eagle theme in January,in particular, sometimes into
February and along the southernreaches of the river, winter can
vary from pleasant to damp andcool, but you rarely have to
worry about snow or ice storms.

(23:58):
Now, I want to share with you alittle bit about my own approach
to travel, part of thephilosophy that drives my
personal decisions when Itravel, but also the things that
I highlight in my guidebooks. Ido all I can to make sure that I
spend my money at locally ownedbusinesses, period. So when I do
this, I know that most of everydollar I spend will stay in that

(24:21):
community, which makes the wholeplace better off, and I know
that many of those businessesare run by people who are
passionate about what they do,which often means they have a
depth of knowledge andcommitment to service that chain
stores can never match. Sure youcan find national brands along
the Great River Road, but whynot take a chance and try

(24:41):
something that hasn't been focusgrouped and mass marketed to the
lowest common denominator? Whynot sample some local flavor
with a handcrafted beer, ortreat yourself to the homey
atmosphere of a bed andbreakfast? Relax, slow down,
hang out, talk to people. That'smy prescription for enjoying
travel anywhere. And it will beespecially rewarding along the

(25:02):
Mississippi Valley. I also lovehistory, which you'll soon
discover if you read any of mybooks. I do my best to tell
stories that represent the broadswath of people who lived and
still live along the river. It'snot my job to be the publicity
department for localcommunities, so my approach is
to tell stories about thingsthat really happened to and to

(25:24):
present them as truthfully as Ican, given what we know. I'm not
there to fluff them up or makethem seem grander or to gloss
over the problems in the past.
Honest, complete histories thattell the stories of everybody.
That's what I try to do.
Now, I want to offer one quickfood tip before we get into our

(25:44):
trek from north to south. Thereare a lot of a lot of smaller
towns still support meat marketsand butcher shops. I love
stopping in one of those placesto pick up some freshly made
sausage or other locallyprocessed meats. A few shops
might even make sandwiches togo. It's a good way to get to
connect with the local communityand to spend your money at local

(26:07):
businesses, and then also to getsome fresh, tasty products that
you can take back and grillyourself or take home and enjoy
it back at home. All right.
Well, that's the overview. Solet's do the next part, let's
begin a trip down the river fromItasca State Park to the Gulf of
Mexico, and I will pick out somehighlights along the way.

(26:28):
A couple of things I just wantto highlight. I think it's
Well, let's begin our trek downthe Great River Road at Itasca
State Park, the logical startingpoint, since this is where we
identify as the beginning of theMississippi River. Now, if you
listened to episode 48 you know,I consider the idea that a river
begins at a single point to berather ridiculous. So if you

(26:52):
haven't heard that episode, goback to Episode 48 we're going
to go ahead and play along, andwe'll enjoy Itasca State Park as
the headwaters, as the beginningpoint of the Mississippi. But
we're also going to acknowledgethat it is just a fantastic park
really worthwhile serveoverall, and there's a lot more
to see at Itasca State Parkbeyond that point, identified as

(27:16):
where the Mississippi Riverwant to do so for Itasca State
Park.
trickles out of Lake Itasca andbecomes the Mississippi River. I
love Itasca State Park. I go asoften as I can. If I lived a
little closer, I'd go every year.

(29:12):
We're going to drive on toBemidji via a series of county
roads. It's pretty remote.
You're not really going to passthrough any populated areas
until you get to Bemidji andyou're driving through an area
that's the traditional homelandof the Ojibwe people, and much
of this land was old growth pineforest. Red and white pines

(29:32):
towered above this area beforeit was all logged in the end of
the 19th century to build citieslike Omaha and Des Moines and
Kansas City and other spots.
Bemidji itself grew in largepart because of that booming
logging industry, and it had arailroad connection fairly early

(29:55):
on that also fueled a lot ofgrowth. Bemidji kind of became
the outpost of civilization inthis part of northern Minnesota,
and it's one of my favoriteplaces to go. I've been to
Bemidji many, many times aswell, and I always look forward
to going there. It's got a smallcollege. There's a small but
vibrant art scene in thecommunity. The downtown area has

(30:17):
a lot to offer with differentshops and restaurants. I highly
recommend spending some timewalking around the old downtown
area. You can also cross thebusy highway to get to Lake
Bemidji and walk along thelakefront. Why we let highway
engineers build massive roadsbetween downtowns and our
beautiful waterways and lakes, Idon't understand, but that's the

(30:39):
case in Bemidji. It's the casein a lot of communities. So you
can walk across that busy roadand take a hike along Lake
Bemidji. There are festivals inthose parks during the various
times of year, including aDragon Boat Festival in August.
I believe that's a fun event towatch. Couple other notes about

(31:00):
Bemidji, you have to stop totake a picture in front of the
statues of Paul Bunyan and Babethe Blue Ox. And those just
happen to be webcams, orwebcammed as well. So if you
have friends back home, you'dlike to wave to tell them to
look up the Paul Bunyan webcamfor Bemidji, Minnesota. You can

(31:21):
stand there and wave. There's alittle bit of a delay, but I've
done that before, and it's kindof fun. And then Bemidji is home
to a really good craft brewery,the Bemidji Brewing Company, I
would highly recommend stoppingin there, at least for a
beverage. And before you leavetown, head up to Lake Bemidji
State Park and wander aroundthere a little bit. There's some

(31:42):
hiking trails. I highlyrecommend the bog walk. Is a
good place to explore. There isa vehicle admission fee to enter
the park.
As I mentioned, this part ofMinnesota is the traditional
homeland of the Ojibwe people.
There's a large Ojibwepopulation in the area, and a
couple of reservations nearby.

(32:03):
You'll notice in Bemidji, someof the signs on businesses are
both in English and in Ojibwe,something that's a fairly recent
change and a welcome one. Ifyou're looking to connect with
the Ojibwe folks in this region,I think probably the best way to
do that is at one of the PowWows. They tend to have Pow Wows

(32:23):
on major holidays, includingMemorial Day, July 4 and Labor
Day. And they are usually nearCass Lake. Depending upon how
much time you have to explore,you can take sort of the quick
route, which is just the Highway2 that connects Bemidji to Grand
Rapids, and you can do thatdrive in. Oh, well, it's an
hour, hour 15. If you're not ina rush, you've got some time to

(32:47):
explore, please do so there's alot to see in that area. Much of
it is part of Chippewa NationalForest, and there are dozens and
dozens of places to hike, tocamp. There are lots of lakes
you could stop and picnic, gofor a swim, if the weather's
cooperating. There's also aplace called the Lost 40 that I
think is worth a detour. It is abit off the beaten path. It's

(33:11):
about 45 minutes, I believe, toget there from Bemidji, but it's
an area of 40 acres that wasmistakenly left untouched by the
loggers. It was a surveyorserror, much to our benefit. So
you can go walk around the lost40 today and get a little sense
of what the old growth forestwas like.
But let's go on to Grand Rapidsfor the sake of time. There's

(33:32):
there are other sites along theway, but, but let's keep moving
along. Grand Rapids is a anotherreally interesting town up in
the Far North. I had the goodfortune of spending a few weeks
there many years ago, as I wasgetting to know this part of
Minnesota. Grand Rapids is alsoat the western end of the Mesabi
Iron Range. I think it's worth aday long detour to visit some of

(33:56):
the sites in the Iron Range, andif you have limited time, just
head toward Hibbing. There'squite a bit there, including
some of some sites associatedwith the young Bobby Zimmerman,
who later became better known asBob Dylan. If you just go to the
Hibbing Public Library, they cangive you a map, showing you how
to get around town to visit someof the sites that were

(34:19):
associated with Bob Dylan'syouth. There's also a fantastic
overlook of one of the largestopen pit iron mines in the world
on the outskirts of Hibbing.
Definitely worth a visit there.
And just down the road a piecein Chisholm, you should
definitely stop in and spendsome time visiting the Minnesota
Discovery Center, which isreally kind of a local history

(34:42):
museum, highlighting the historyof iron ore mining in the in the
in that area and just across thestreet, the giant iron ore miner
statue is quite a sight, andmakes for great photo op. But
let's get back to Grand Rapids.
This is a good place to base forfor a night and spend a couple
days poking around. Just withinthe Grand Rapids, immediate
Grand Rapids area there are acouple places I really like

(35:05):
quite a bit. One is the ForestHistory Center. I think it's a
great experience going there. Itoffers a nice mix of history of
logging. What it was like livingin a logging camp with a lot of
information about the forestitself, so that's definitely
worth a stop for something alittle bit different. You might
check out The Judy GarlandMuseum on the south part of

(35:28):
town. Judy Garland was born inGrand Rapids, and the museum
does a good job of presenting anoverview about her career and
her early life in Grand Rapids.
There's more to do. There arelots of outdoor activities in
the area. It's very close to thecenter of the summer cabin and
resort industry. So there arelots of places you could could

(35:51):
rent or camp on a lake not toofar from Grand Rapids, something
I highly recommend doing for anice little getaway. And Grand
Rapids has a couple of goodplaces to enjoy locally crafted
beverages too. If you're acoffee person, I really enjoy
Brewed Awakenings. It's a nicelittle coffee shop with some
good healthy options forbreakfast. And then Klockow

(36:13):
Brewing Company and RapidsBrewing Company are both local
craft breweries that I can'tchoose between. They both do a
good job, so maybe you shouldcheck them both out and let me
know if you have a preferencebetween the two.
And for something completelydifferent, you can get a taste

(36:55):
of the old life working in aniron ore mine by getting

(37:21):
yourself some pasties to snackon. Pasties are kind of like
Well, we're rolling on towardthe Twin Cities, and we're going

(37:49):
stuffed dumplings. They'rehearty, filled with different
to speed on toward Brainerd, butalong the way, you should detour
at Crosby. Crosby's an oldanother old mining town that was
one of the smaller ranges, theCuyuna Iron Range was near
Crosby. Those mines have longsince closed, and much of the
changes in the landscape wroughtby that mining industry are now

(38:11):
the backbone of an impressiverecreation area. So you have man
kinds of meat and vegetables andbaked there's a shop in the in
made hills, and you have manmade lakes that dot the area, a
lot of mountain biking trails,places to camp. And Crosby
itself is a neat littlecommunity. Even if you're not
going to pull out your mountainbike and go ride the trails, you
should at least stop for alittle bit in Crosby and walk

(38:35):
the main street. The Sioux LineDepot Museum in town, it's an
old railroad depot that capturesthe history of the area, that
has a really nice exhibit on theMilford Mine disaster, a tragedy
Grand Rapids called Pasties Plusthat sells them to go.
that took way too many lives.
And besides that, if you got alittle bit of time for a beer,
we've got another good craftbrewing town, the Cuyuna Brewing

(38:55):
Company. So when you'refinishing in Crosby, I highly
recommend a detour down to thearea around Mille Lac. You'll
know you're there when you see agiant casino. But just across
from the casino and next to theDefinitely worth the stop there.
And before we get too muchgiant lake is the Mill Lac
Indian Museum and Trading Post,and I think that's one of the

(39:16):
better places in this region toget a sense of Native American
cultural life and history innorthern Minnesota. So I highly
recommend that as a detour.
Hey, Dean Klinkenberg here,interrupting myself. Just wanted
to remind you that if you'd liketo know more about the

(39:37):
Mississippi River, check out mybooks. I write the Mississippi
further south, I just want toget in a quick plug again, going
Valley Traveler guide books forpeople who want to get to know
the Mississippi better. I alsowrite the Frank Dodge mystery
series that is set in placesalong the Mississippi. My newest
book, The Wild Mississippi, goesdeep into the world of Old Man
River. Learn about the variedand complex ecosystems supported

(39:59):
by the Mississippi, the plantand animal life that depends on
them, and where you can go toexperience it all. Find any of
these wherever books are sold.
up to these areas in winter, Iknow it requires several more
Well, let's roll on intoBrainerd. Now, Brainerd is
another old community that hasit's a nice little compact
downtown area. Won't take youlong to walk around, but I

(40:21):
recommend you doing so. There'sa good bakery down there. Maybe
you can find something sweet totake home with you. Brainerd,
biggest event is the race thathappens in August. They get
crazy busy when the races isgoing when the races are going
layers of clothing, perhaps morethan you're used to wearing, but
on. So if you're going to be inthe area, I highly recommend

(40:41):
booking your accommodations inadvance, or else you'll be
driving far afield to find aplace to stay. The Crow Wing
County Historical Society Museumalso is a good place to visit,
one of those small town museumsI enjoy that does a good job of
giving you an overview of howthe community developed, and
Brainerd has sort of this funlittle thing you can do where

(41:05):
they have multiple statues ofPaul Bunyan and Babe the Blue
it's a really interesting place,a really fun place to visit in
Hawk scattered around town, andyou could create your own bingo
game and go and take selfieswith all the different statues
around town. Just a little bitoutside of Brainerd, Crow Wing
State Park is right on theMississippi. It's partly a
historic site a community thatwould that grew up there, that

(41:28):
was later rendered irrelevantwhen the Mississippi River
Bridge went up in Brainerd. Butthe park itself has beautiful
river views, good river access,and good camping on my short
the wintertime. There's no suchthing as too cold, just the
list of places I enjoy visiting.
Rolling on down the Great RiverRoad. Our next stop is going to

(41:50):
be the Little Falls area. Ifyou're interested in military
history, you can take a detourto Camp Ripley, which has a
couple of museums on site.
You'll need to pass throughsecurity to go there. There's
also a military cemetery rightoutside of security. Little
Falls is another one of thosewrong clothes. You should go one
to one of the arenas wherecommunities that really owes its
origins to the logging industry.

(42:13):
There's some beautiful strollsin city parks right next to the
river right below the dam thatwas built to take advantage of
those falls for water power, butLittle Falls is probably best
known as the place where CharlesLindbergh grew up. His childhood
home is definitely a place worthvisiting. And there's a state
park across the street that ismostly just a campground and not

(42:34):
they're playing curling, and youcan learn how to do it yourself.
much else. There are also acouple of beautiful historic
homes in the area that you cantour. You might check the
visitor center when you're thereto see if Linden Hill Historic
Mansion or the Burton-RosenmeierHouse, if either one of those
would be open for a tour and acouple other quick plugs to
local businesses. They have acraft brewery as well that I've

(42:58):
enjoyed more than once, StarryEyed Brewing Company. And
Thielen Meats is one of thosesmall town butcher shops slash
You can watch, learn thesubtleties of the sport. Besides
meat shops I mentioned in theoverview. If you have time to
stop and sit down for a meal,A.T. The Black & White is one of
those places with a creativechef in a smaller community

(43:20):
trying to provide a new,creative sort of take on
familiar food.
St Cloud is up next, and amongthe industries that built this
that, though, there are lots ofoutdoor activities that people
community is the granite miningindustry. There are places
around town where you'll noticebeautiful blocks of granite or

(43:42):
tributes to that industry. It'sgot some beautiful spots along
the Mississippi, some welltended gardens, the Clemens and
Munsinger Gardens are right nextto the Mississippi River in the
middle of town. Several parksand places to hike the Beaver
Island Trail, River BluffsRegional Park. There are quite a
participate in. The wintertime,broom ball, there's snowmobile

(44:06):
few places to go for some goodhikes around around Saint Cloud
and another one of those museumsthat will give you a good
overview of the history of theregion is the Stearns County
History Center. They typicallyhave for what I recall, two or
three rooms, if not a little bitmore of exhibits displaying
different aspects of St Cloudhistory. If you've got time for

(44:31):
trails throughout the area. Alot of those snowmobile trails
a little bit of a detour, about20 minutes away, the campus of
St John's University has acouple of sites that I think are
really worth the detour. One ofthe attractions which I didn't
expect to like, but which Ifound myself really enthralled
with, is the St John'sBenedictine Abbey church, a

(44:52):
modern, modernist church, astyle of architecture I'm not
generally fond of, but I thinkthis is really executed well.
become bike trails in thesummertime, lots of cross
But in addition to that, there'san illuminated Bible, the St
John's Bible that that wascompleted in 2011 after 13 years

(45:16):
of work, reviving an art formthat goes back hundreds and
hundreds of years, usually thereare some pages of that on
display at the library. Ofcourse, there's going to be a
country skiing. So put asideyour your fears of cold weather,
brewery you have to visit,Beaver Island Brewing Company I
like, not just because they havepaddles and a river theme going

(45:39):
inside, but because they havereally good beer as well. So I
would recommend to stop thereand for something a little more
traditional. The old schoolAnton's restaurant in adjacent
Waite Park has been around fordecades, and they serve about
get that extra layer, get somegood clothing, and go up there
the kind of classic, upscalecuisine you'd expect in the

(45:59):
Midwest.
All right, now let's roll oninto the Twin Cities, to St Paul
in Minneapolis. They form thecenter of a dynamic metropolitan
area that's got over three and ahalf million people living there
now. And in spite of what thenickname applies the two cities,
I would say they're more likefraternal twins nurtured by the

(46:21):
same mother the MississippiRiver, but who grew up rather
for for a couple days in the wintertime.
independently. St Paul kind ofthe stereotype is it's the quiet
the responsible older sister,while maybe Minneapolis is the
rowdy and cocky younger brother.
Those stereotypes too kind ofhold up to some degree. I'll
say, as an outsider.

(46:43):
In spite of their differentdispositions, though, the
residents of both cities reallyshare a love for active living
and good food, and both citiesare in the midst of, probably
what will be decades longefforts to completely change
their riverfronts and make themmore accessible. When I did the

(47:05):
guidebook for the Twin Cities, Imade a conscious decision to
really restrict the content tothe River Corridor. The Twin
Cities are huge. There's so muchto see and do there. There are
other guidebooks that provide athorough coverage. There are
other guidebooks that providethorough coverage of the entire
region. I really just wanted tohighlight the River Corridor, so

(47:26):
that's mostly what I'm going todo in this podcast, too. So I
want to highlight a couple ofthings. First, about visiting
this area, both Minneapolis andSt Paul have ride share stations
where you can rent a bike andyou can just ride it to the next
station and return it. You don'thave to return it to where you

(47:47):
picked it up. So you can usethose to really get around town
pretty easily. There's so manybike trails, and Minneapolis and
St Paul are among the most bikefriendly cities in the United
States.
There's also, uniquely a paddleshare station. So there are a
couple of spots where you canrent a kayak and paddle down a

(48:09):
few miles of the Mississippi. Soif you check my website for
Minneapolis and St Paul, you'llfind links there, but it's or
you can look at the NationalPark Service site for the
National Mississippi RiverRecreation Area. So as an
overview for the Twin Cities,let's first just talk about the

(48:29):
fact that there is a very uniquenational park that runs right
through the heart of the TwinCities. The Mississippi National
River and Recreation Areastretches 72 miles from the
northern suburbs down toHastings. It's the only national
park specifically dedicated tothe Mississippi River, so that
makes it unique, but it's alsounique running through this
highly populated area. Theydon't own a lot of land

(48:52):
themselves, in some ways, arekind of an information
clearinghouse, but it is a greatsource of information for places
along the Mississippi River,through that corridor where you
can visit the river, learn aboutthe river's history. So I would
suggest just really going tothat website and pouring through
the information they have there,and using that as a guide to

(49:13):
help you figure out what to do.
Clearly, there are a couple ofthings you have to do that I
think are really mandatoryexperiences. I really like
walking across the Stone ArchBridge. There's a big
construction project underwayright now, which limits some
access. You can't walk all theway across, but even be able to
walk partially across, I thinkis worth it. There are just so
many sites along this stretch.

(49:37):
It's hard to pick, but youdefinitely need to stop in and
tour the Mill City Museum, whichgives a good background on the
history of milling that itreally Minneapolis was built on
further south in Minneapolis,you have to go to Minnehaha
Falls Park, the famous fallsmade famous by a poem from
William Henry WadsworthLongfellow. And if you have time

(50:01):
for a tour, the Guthrie Theatersits right on the Mississippi
river next to the Mill CityMuseum. It's another one of
those buildings I was prettyambivalent about, okay,
honestly, I didn't like it fromthe outside, but the inside is
really spectacular, and theInfinity Bridge that looks out
over the river is worth a visitunto itself.

(50:24):
Continuing further south ofthere, a little downriver from
there, the area around FortSnelling and the confluence of
the Minnesota Mississippi Riveris definitely worth a stop. Fort
Snelling itself is a historicfort that was built in the I
want to say 1820s primarily toprotect fur trade in the area,

(50:48):
and it became an outpost ofAmerican power in the West. The
fort was also the site of aninternment camp for Dakota
people who were rounded up afterthe Dakota conflict of 1862 just
down below the fort itself atriver level, Fort Snelling State

(51:10):
Park provides access to theconfluence of the Minnesota and
Mississippi Rivers, an area thatthe Dakota people call Bdote for
coming together the waters andthere's near the visitors
center, there's a very movingmemorial to the Dakota people
who died in that internment campon the other side of the river.

(51:32):
If you've got time to stop atthe Sibley House in Mendota, I
recommend that it's a good placeto get some insights into the
fur trade that shaped so much ofthe early economy of this area.
Minneapolis and St Paul have farmore breweries than I can
sample, much less recommend. ButI will recommend one craft

(51:53):
brewery in Minneapolis, Pryes,which is just north of downtown
and overlooks the river. Funplace, good beer. One of the
unique dishes in the area ishamburger called the Juicy Lucy.
I'll let you discover why it'scalled that, but there are a
couple of places you can getthat, including Matt's Bar and

(52:16):
the Blue Door Pub. ButMinneapolis, and I'll just make
this note for St Paul as well,are both incredible food towns.
There are great restaurants allover the place. The one place
that you should go out of yourway to make sure you eat at when
you're in the area is Owamni,which is Dakota Chef Sean

(52:37):
Sherman's brain child to createa restaurant that uses
ingredients only, ingredientsthat are indigenous to North
America. So you won't find dairyproducts, you won't find wheat
products. It's a great place toeat, a great experience. So
yeah, make sure you make timefor that.
Like Minneapolis, St Paul hassome terrific spaces right next

(52:59):
to the river. Harriet IslandPark is kind of the nexus of
summertime activity. It's wherea lot of summer festivals are
held and and where you mightwant to go if you just want to
grab some meat from a local deliand go have your own picnic
lunch. On the other side of theriver, the Vento Nature Center /

(53:20):
Wakan Tipi area is a restorationin progress and actually quite
fun and inspiring to watch as itevolves over time. It's an old
industrial area sandwichedbetween the bluffs and the some
railroad tracks, but it's a siteof an old, highly significant
spiritual area for the Dakotapeople, and now it's being

(53:44):
restored as riverside asbottomland prairie, so
definitely make time to hikearound there for a little while.
I'll just mention these briefly,but you know, Downtown St Paul
has a number of attractionsyou're going to want to visit,
almost certainly if you're inthe area, the Science Center is

(54:04):
one of the better sciencemuseums in the country.
Definitely worth a visit there,and they have some content
related to the MississippiRiver. The Minnesota History
Center does a really good job oftelling stories about Minnesota
history, and it's also a goodplace to research Minnesota
history or your own familyhistory. St Paul is the state

(54:26):
capital. So if you're intotouring the centers of
government, then you can wanderaround the marble halls of the
State Capitol. And the namesakeCathedral of St Paul is a
spectacular stone and marblestructure right that sits on a
hill above downtown, definitelyworth the time to walk around

(54:48):
Like Minneapolis, St Paul hasplenty of great places to eat,
there.
and you can choose from manydifferent cuisines. They have
especially good collection ofVietnamese restaurants in town.
As far as beer goes, they dohave some good beer, and you
might want to check out SummitBrewery. There are other good
places as well. I've had goodexperiences there at Summit.

(55:10):
As you are making your way outof the Twin Cities, there are a
couple places you should stop ifyou have the time. I really
enjoy hiking around Great CloudDunes. It's a very different
kind of ecosystem, sand prairie,but these rolling, tall, rolling
dunes next to the Mississippi.
Won't see many places like thatalong the river. And in South St
Paul, check out theCommemorative Air Force and

(55:34):
World War Two Museum. It's anentirely volunteer run effort
preserving a little slice ofAmerican aviation and World War
Two history and thecontributions of people from the
area. Check their website forwhen they are open, when you
might be able to take a guidedtour.
Well, goodness, I could go onand on, and I feel like I barely

(55:58):
did justice to all of thepossibilities in that stretch of
the river, particularly in theTwin Cities. Check out my
guidebooks. There's a lot moreinformation in there. A lot of
that same information is on mywebsite at
MississippiValleyTraveler.comand just select the River Towns
tab, and you can go, you candrill down deep into the river
towns and the states that youwant to visit. So let's continue

(56:21):
on next. Next up is Lake Pepin.
Lake Pepin is a natural lake inthe main channel of the
Mississippi. It's built up bysediment coming down the
Chippewa River. More than theMississippi can quickly wash
away, so it's formed a naturaldam. A lot of people drive the

(56:41):
perimeter of the lake, the 100mile circuit as a day trip. I
don't know why you'd want to dothat. I think you'll have a much
better experience if you giveyourself some time and go to
leisurely pace and spend atleast one night driving around
the lake and preferably acouple. Red Wing makes for a
good base at the upper end ofLake Pepin that's got a full

(57:01):
range of accommodations andplenty of places to eat as well.
So what can you expect fromdriving around Lake Pepin? Well,
certainly you can expect somebeautiful scenery, lots of
opportunities to get outdoorsand enjoy activities like hiking
and paddling, and some reallypicturesque, beautiful,
friendly, small towns. In RedWing proper, there are a couple

(57:26):
things I want to highlight. Youhave to go to Barn Bluff. It's
kind of a it's the tall, oddlyshaped bluff at the south end of
town. There is a trail you canwalk to the top of the bluff.
It's not the easiest hike, butit's not the most difficult
either, and the views at the topare pretty darn good. The
Goodhue County History Center isan expansive history museum that

(57:50):
presents the region's history inmultiple exhibits, and is
definitely worth some time towander through and then learn
about the area's history. Anddowntown, the Aliveo Military
Museum is one of those placesthat features the collection of
one person with a very specificcollection. This is all kinds of
military memorabilia acrossmultiple wars and battles. Red

(58:17):
Wing's got several Bed andBreakfast Inns to stay in as
If you continue on down theMinnesota side to the next stop
well.
is around Frontenac. I reallylike Frontenac State Park. It's
got some good hikes, and there'sa nice campground there. Some
really great overlooks of theMississippi. And in town in old

(58:37):
Frontenac, Christ EpiscopalChurch hasn't really changed
much since 1869. I find it's areally fascinating place to
visit for a peak into the past.
In Lake City, you can't go wronggoing for a stroll along the
lakefront. The Farmers Market isusually a good place to hang out
and meet some folks.

(58:59):
Continuing on down to Read'sLanding. The Wabasha County
Historical Museum is in an oldschool house and has some really
cool exhibits and a nicecollection of old farm
implements. And nearby theRead's Landing Brewing Company
is a good place to stop for abite to eat or to wet your
whistle. And then down inWabasha, you have the National

(59:21):
Eagle Center, which you have tostop and visit. It's a mandatory
stop. Otherwise, don't talk tome. And if you've got some time
and would like to get out on thewater, book a guided kayak trip
with the Broken Paddle GuidingCompany.
Now let's cross the Mississippionto the Wisconsin side, and

(59:42):
right across the bridge, you'llcome into the little town of
Nelson, which really has anabundance of surprisingly good
food for the given the size ofthe town. Two of my favorite
spots are J &J BBQ. I love mesome barbecue. And I'm kind of a
barbecue snob, and I reallyenjoy the barbecue at J&J. If
you've got time for pizza, theStone Barn Pizza is a fun

(01:00:05):
community place in a namesakeold barn sprawling over the
farmstead. It's a good place tohang out and chat with folks.
As you work your way north fromthere toward Pepin, you'll pass
over the Chippewa River Delta.
Much of that is public land andpart of the Nelson-Trevino
Bottoms and Tiffany WildlifeAreas you can paddle through
there. It's there's some placesyou can go for some hikes if you

(01:00:29):
really want to lose yourself inan old river delta. It's a good
place to do it in Pepin proper,the birthplace of the famed
writer Laura Ingalls Wilder, andthe town and the area has a
couple of ways they commemoratethat. There's a museum in town
that highlights her life, andthen the little ways out of

(01:00:51):
town, there's a replica of acabin that would have been
similar to what she would havebeen born in.
Continuing further up the road,we get to Stockholm, small town,
fewer than 100 residents at thelast census, but pretty famous
over the last few decades forthe colony of artists, or the
collection of artists that livein that area. You'll find a few

(01:01:15):
shops that feature their work,as well as other fun items. The
Riverfront Park is a beautifulspace to put your chair out or
lay down and enjoy a quick nap.
Great views of Lake Pepin, andsome places to walk out along a
dike to get really good view. Ifyou're getting hungry or if you
want to get something for later,you got to stop at the Stockholm

(01:01:37):
Pie Company. Obviously, pies arecenter stage, but there's a lot
more to them than that. Theymake sweet and savory pies. You
can have your food there, or youcan take it with you. And just
outside of town, the Maiden RockWinery and Cidery is one of the
few places I'm aware of alongthe Mississippi that grows

(01:01:57):
apples that they use to producetheir own ciders, some very good
stuff there. Right next to themis famed Maiden Rock Bluff. For
just a short 15 minute walk fromthe parking lot, you can be
standing on top of a goatprairie overlooking Lake Pepin.
I don't really know of manyplaces that have better views
than that. And then further upthe road yet, in Maiden Rock

(01:02:19):
proper, you'll find the MaidenRock Inn, which is a really
beautiful place to stay. It's anold school house converted into
upscale accommodations, and theyalso have a nice little city
park right next to the river.
And then Bay City will be ourlast stop as we round Lake

(01:02:41):
Pepin. And probably the placeyou got to stop there is the
Chef Shack Bay City, which is anunlikely place to find fine
dining, and yet you will, you'llfind excellent food without
pretense from two chefs whoopened it a few years ago. And
Bay City also has a cute littleRiverfront Park. Well, that

(01:03:05):
completes the tour for part one.
I think we'll stop it there.
I hope you're finding thisuseful. We will come back with
part two in a couple of weeksand see how much further
downriver we can get with that.
If you have questions orcomments about this episode,
head toMississippiValleyTraveler.com/podcast,
and you can leave a commentthere.

(01:03:28):
Thanks for listening. If youenjoyed this episode, subscribe
to the series on your favoritepodcast app so you don't miss
out on future episodes. I offerthe podcast for free, but when
you support the show with a fewbucks through Patreon to help
keep the program going. Just goto patreon.com/DeanKlinkenberg,
If you want to know more aboutthe Mississippi River, check out

(01:03:50):
my books. I write theMississippi Valley Traveler
guide books for people who wantto get to know the Mississippi
better. I also write the FrankDodge mystery series that's set
in places along the river. Findthem wherever books are sold.
The Mississippi Valley Travelerpodcast is written and produced
by me, Dean Klinkenberg.
Original Music by Noah Fence.

(01:04:10):
See you next time you.