11 Cutest Small Towns In Minnesota
The ‘most northerly’ among the Lower 48, Minnesota, an arresting Upper Midwest state, may be known for its big cities, specifically the ‘Twin Cities’ (Minneapolis-Saint Paul Metropolitan Area), which often steal the limelight, but it is the state’s small towns that attract vacationers with their magnetic appeal. These unnumbered cute towns dotting Minnesota’s incredibly diverse terrain of fertile prairies, rugged forests, bluff-lined rivers, and crystal-clear lakes establish the fact that here in this ‘Land of 10,000 Lakes,’ it is in the teeny communities where one can enjoy unforgettable experiences. Get your bags packed and venture out to these winsome towns, meeting friendly faces at every street corner and soaking in their simple pleasures in the closing month of 2025.
Stillwater
Heralded as “The Birthplace of Minnesota,” Stillwater is the administrative capital of Washington County, located roughly 20 miles northeast of Saint Paul, the state capital, on the western banks of the St. Croix River. Impeccably maintaining a convivial atmosphere, the town invites holidaymakers to take a stroll down its historic Main Street, perusing scrupulously maintained Victorian-era properties, including the Queen Anne-style Alexander & Ida Johnson House, aside from the numerous art galleries like the Bob Lyksett-owned Stillwater Art Guild Gallery, and favorite American restaurants like Brick & Bourbon serving tasty American eats, draft brews, and cocktails.
Out-of-towners must not miss viewing the emblematic Stillwater Lift Bridge, currently a pedestrian-only bridge, presenting postcard-worthy views of the St. Croix River between Stillwater and Houlton, Wisconsin. Nature lovers can hang out at the 3-acre waterfront Pioneer Park, replete with well-maintained walking trails, benches, picnic shelters, a band shell, BBQs, and playgrounds, and de-stress after a hectic day at the historic Aurora Staples Inn.
Excelsior
This western suburb of the Twin Cities is an exquisite Hennepin County community by Lake Minnetonka, around 16 miles southwest of Downtown Minneapolis. The National Register-listed Downtown Commercial District of Excelsior along Water Street is crammed with numerous late 19th-century to early 20th-century buildings, nowadays housing thoughtfully curated gift shops like Golden Rule Gallery, women’s boutique like Ooh La La Boutique, and chic eateries like Coalition Restaurant, where one can savor delectable New American dishes and specialty cocktails.
Additionally, enjoy a trolley trip aboard the Excelsior Streetcar Line along a half-mile track built on the quondam right-of-way of the Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway, which takes one to the Minnesota Streetcar Museum, traverse the fully-paved over 15-mile-long Lake Minnetonka Regional Trail between Hopkins and Carver Park Reserve, and partake in family-friendly activities on the banks of Lake Minnetonka in the 13-acre Excelsior Commons Park.
Lanesboro
Christened after the early landowner F. A. Lane, this placid Fillmore County town is distinguished for its timeless aura, dynamic creative scene, sparkling water bodies, conspicuous limestone bluffs, and a profusion of outdoor activities. Recreation enthusiasts flock to Lanesboro to travel across the 42-mile-long paved Root River State Trail that passes directly through the Historic Lanesboro Downtown District, offering inline skating, bicycling, and hiking activities during warm months and cross-country skiing during the colder months.
Addedly, watch musicals and contemporary plays every year from March to December by the Commonweal Theatre Company, take part in abundant leisure time activities at Sylvan Park, and peruse Main Street’s Essence of Lanesboro gift shop and the vibrant Pedal Pushers Café serving hearty meals, sandwiches, and burgers, besides vegetarian and gluten-free cuisine.
Grand Marais
Cook County’s center of administration, Grand Marais, is located on Lake Superior’s North Shore, approximately 38 miles southwest of the US-Canada international boundary line. Framed by the craggy Sawtooth Mountains, this lakeside town is a must-visit for passionate artists, adrenaline junkies, and nature-loving folks who wish to check out mind-blowing scenery besides accessing the Gunflint Trail, a 57-mile-long paved roadway that connects Grand Marais and Saganaga Lake in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. At Downtown Grand Marais, pay attention to the 1911-built Bally Blacksmith Shop, featuring an extraordinarily pristinely conserved interior plan and furnishings of a primeval 20th-century blacksmith shop, and the Cook County Historical Museum in the 1896-built Lightkeeper’s House, which has a comprehensive collection of artifacts, archives, and photographs related to the yesteryears of Cook County.
Furthermore, observe the displayed rotating art exhibits of local, regional, and national artists at the Johnson Heritage Post Art Gallery, and walk along the breakwater to reach the Grand Marais Lighthouse and the rocky stretch of Artist’s Point, a favorite spot for sunset watching and enjoying amazing Lake Superior views.
New Ulm
New Ulm, founded by the German Land Company of Chicago in 1854 and named for the city of Ulm in southern Germany’s Baden-Württemberg state, is the Brown County seat, positioned on a triangular land created by the meeting of the Minnesota River and its tributary, the Cottonwood River, nearly 90 miles southwest of Minneapolis. Tourists, while exploring this ‘most German town in America,’ should stop by some outstanding tourist magnets such as the Brown County Historical Society Museum, where three floors of exhibits tell tales of the days of yore of Brown County and its people, the 45-foot-tall Glockenspiel Clock Tower in Schonlau Park, and the New Ulm Turner Hall, an 1873 built two-story building currently used as a gymnasium, social club, and rathskeller, believed to be the oldest continuously operated gymnasium and bar in Minnesota.
Also, climb the staircase that leads to an observation platform at the base of the 102-foot-tall Hermann Heights Monument for unrestricted panoramas of New Ulm and the abutting Minnesota River valley, and engage in hiking, running, camping, fishing, picnicking, and swimming in the finest sand-bottomed, chlorinated swimming pool in the adjacent Flandrau State Park by the Cottonwood River.
Red Wing
An enchanting river town situated on the banks of the upper Mississippi River, approximately 45 miles southeast of Saint Paul, is Red Wing, the Goodhue County seat named after an early 19th-century Dakota Sioux chief. Vacationers are drawn here predominantly by the most famous He Mni Can-Barn Bluff, where a 2.9-mile hike to the top of the limestone bluff rewards one with breathtaking vistas of the Mississippi River.
Browse the thousands of vintage stoneware pieces and pottery products at the Pottery Museum of Red Wing, dine on wood-fired ribs, chicken & loin roasts at The Smokin’ Oak - Rotisserie & Grill, and sample lip-smacking homemade hand-dipped chocolates, bakery treats, ice cream, and coffee drinks at the celebrated Red Wing Confectionery.
Ely
Baptized for the Michigan miner Samuel B. Ely, this sublime Saint Louis County town is located on the eastern extremity of Vermilion Iron Range within northeastern Minnesota’s Superior National Forest, precisely 100 miles north of Duluth.
Apart from providing wilderness enthusiasts a trouble-free exploration of the unspoiled forests and waterways of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and Quetico Provincial Park, globetrotters sojourning in Ely should inspect the murals by the eminent painter Elsa Laubach Jemne in the town’s US Post Office. Stay for a while at the National Register-listed Listening Point, the personal retreat of American environmentalist Sigurd Ferdinand Olson by Burntside Lake, view ‘ambassador wolves’ in forested habitats through large windows, and learn more about wolves through myriad programs and exhibits at the International Wolf Center. Throughout the year, witness live performances, special community events, and classic and first-run movies at Ely’s Historic State Theater.
Henderson
A teeny Sibley County community in south-central Minnesota, Henderson, labeled after the maiden name of the town founder Joseph Renshaw Brown’s mother, sits in the Minnesota River Valley, almost 60 miles from the Twin Cities metropolitan area. While on a tour of this 960-resident town, scrutinize the riveting exhibits spotlighting the area’s pioneering spirit at the Joseph R. Brown Minnesota River Center, acquire knowledge about the history of Sibley County at the Sibley County Historical Museum in the wonderfully kept 1884-built August F. Poehler House, and create memories with friends and relatives at Allanson’s Park, which commands the picturesque Minnesota River Valley.
Grand Rapids
The seat of government of northeast Minnesota’s Itasca County, Grand Rapids, is a captivating uptown area named after the 3.5-mile-long rapids on the Mississippi River. Initially established as a logging town (making the most of its location by the shores of the Mississippi River) and circled by woodlands, lovely nature trails, and fishing lakes, Grand Rapids is a cozy escape for everyone who wants to spend quality time in one of the terminal towns of the Edge of the Wilderness Scenic Byway.
Discover the stories about the forests and the lumberjacks who called these woods home at the Forest History Center, and tour the restored 1920s childhood home and a whopping collection of pensively curated exhibits and artifacts on legendary entertainer Judy Garland in the Judy Garland Museum. Enjoy a variety of live national and international performances at the Reif Performing Arts Center, and shop from an assortment of small businesses in the historic 3-story Old Central School.
Lindstrom
Lindstrom, “America’s Little Sweden,” primarily settled by the Swedish immigrant Daniel Lindstöm in 1853, is a teeny Chisago County community constituting east-central Minnesota’s Chisago Lakes region, exactly 10 miles from the Minnesota-Wisconsin state boundary. Appearing like an island when viewed aerially, thanks to the circumambient lakes such as North Center Lake, North Lindstrom Lake, South Center Lake, South Lindstrom Lake, and Kroon Lake, Lindstrom is a preferred angling destination, flawlessly combining natural elegance, heritage, and small-town feel. Step back in time while on a guided tour of the restored Swedish immigrant home, the Karl Oskar House (aka Nya Duvemåla) in Ki-chi-saga Park, used by author Vilhelm Moberg as a model residence of the main characters of his novel “The Emigrants.”
Wander the downtown streets, observing the Karl Oskar & Kristina Monument, a fiberglass statue sculpted by Roger David honoring the town’s strong Swedish roots, and the emblematic ‘Coffee Pot Water Tower,’ adorned with Nordic floral designs, and the Swedish phrase “Välkommen till Lindström.” Outdoorsy types must head straight to the 125-acre Allemansrätt Park, the town’s Wilderness and Swedish heritage park, offering hiking trails, restrooms, campsites, a 1890 historical house kiosk, lakefront views, and wildlife viewing opportunities.
Bemidji
The government seat of north-central Minnesota’s Beltrami County, Bemidji, proudly endorsing the catchphrase “The First City on the Mississippi,” is an appealing town set on the southwestern shores of the glacially-formed Lake Bemidji about 150 miles northwest of Duluth. As the vastest commercial hub between the port city of Duluth on Lake Superior in Minnesota’s St. Louis County and the city of Grand Forks in North Dakota’s Grand Forks County, Bemidji’s perfect fusion of creative culture, fantastic history, tranquil settings, and small-town warmth draws visitors from across the globe. One of Bemidji’s most iconic and photographed attractions is the Paul Bunyan & Babe the Blue Ox, a pair of colossal statues dedicated to the giant lumberjack Paul Bunyan and his working animal, built in 1937 to attract the attention of passing motorists.
Sightseers must not miss touring the National Register-listed Bemidji Carnegie Library, a beautifully preserved neoclassical building that formerly housed the public library and is currently an event venue and office space, as well as the Downtown Watermark Art Center & Retail Shop, which has four galleries with rotating exhibits and hosts workshops, art classes, and cultural activities. Just 5 miles north of Bemidji, the Lake Bemidji State Park is ideal for partaking in ample open-air recreational activities all year round.
From Lindstrom’s rich Swedish heritage to New Ulm’s deep-rooted Germanism, each small town provides a sneak peek into the heart and soul of the North Star State. Far from the congested urban areas, these small settlements offer a sociable charm and a local sense of belonging, making them excellent getaways for the 2025 festive season. If you are interested in savory, locally made chocolates from the Red Wing Confectionery, meeting extended family members amidst visually attractive surroundings, wandering through historic streets lined with hypnotic Victorian-era properties, and participating in numerous recreational pursuits and seasonal gatherings, these Minnesota towns promise to leave an unforgettable impression on every visitor.
