8 Minnesota Towns With Unforgettable Main Streets
Snow still drifts off Lake Superior, grain barges idle on the Mississippi, and bikers coast the Root River trail, but the true pulse of Minnesota beats along eight modest ribbons of asphalt and cobblestone.
Each of these 8 main streets doubles as a time machine, and together, they form a pothole-free syllabus on lumber booms, immigrant enclaves, and the stubborn Midwestern urge to hang murals on every blank wall!
Treat this list as a choose-your-own road-trip playlist. Feel like sampling fry-bread tacos before paddling a glass-flat lake at dawn? Want to bike straight into a curated open-air art campus? The following eight towns deliver those experiences at walkable scale, with bookstores, breweries, and riverwalks packed shoulder-to-shoulder on streets seldom longer than a mile.
New Ulm
New Ulm’s Main Street stands apart for its unapologetically German identity, embedded since its 1854 founding by German immigrants and preserved through architecture, festivals, and even street music. The most striking landmark is the 45-foot glockenspiel tower at 327 N Minnesota Street, which plays polka melodies at scheduled intervals while life-sized figures rotate inside the clock. The street’s buildings are Bavarian in design, half-timbered facades, murals of Alpine scenes, and iron balconies filled with flower boxes, giving it a visual character not found elsewhere in the state.
Key stops along Minnesota Street include the Glockenspiel Park plaza, the Brown County Historical Society housed in a 1910 post office building, and the German-Bohemian Immigrant Monument. Veigel’s Kaiserhoff, open since the 1930s, serves sauerbraten and spaetzle in a wood-paneled setting. Across the street, Turner Hall’s Rathskeller offers house-made schnitzel and imported beer in the oldest bar in Minnesota. The Wanda Gág House honors the author of Millions of Cats. Gallery 512 Boutique and Domeier’s German Store sell German imports and regional crafts. During Oktoberfest, the street fills with brass bands and dancers in lederhosen.
Fergus Falls
Fergus Falls' Lincoln Avenue showcases early 20th-century architecture, including the former River Inn adorned with otter sculptures, reflecting the town's connection to the Otter Tail River. The Kaddatz Galleries, situated in the historic Kaddatz Hotel building, features works by local artist Charles Beck, emphasizing the community's commitment to the arts. A Center for the Arts, originally the 1921 Orpheum Theater, houses one of the Midwest's largest Wurlitzer pipe organs, serving as a hub for performing arts.
Dining options include The Viking Café, known for its breakfasts, and The Fabled Farmer, offering farm-to-table meals. Uncle Eddie's Ice Cream provides a nostalgic treat with its extensive gumball machine. Töast serves Scandinavian-inspired dishes like Swedish pancakes and smoked salmon toasts. For beverages, Fergus Brewing Company and Outstate Brewing Company offer local craft beers. Spies Riverfront Park, adjacent to downtown, features a farmers market pavilion and riverwalk, enhancing the area's appeal.
Northfield
Northfield’s Division Street is historically significant as the site of the failed 1876 bank robbery by the James-Younger Gang. The First National Bank, now housing the Northfield Historical Society, preserves artifacts from the event, including the original vault door and firearms used during the attempted heist. The annual Defeat of Jesse James Days commemorates this event with reenactments and community activities.
Visitors to Division Street can explore various establishments such as the Northfield Arts Guild, which offers galleries and performances, and the Northfield Historical Society Museum. Dining options include Reunion, known for its Parmesan-crusted walleye, and Little Joy Coffee, offering horchata lattes. Retail shops like The Rare Pair and Fine Fettle provide unique shopping experiences. Bridge Square serves as a communal space with a fountain and hosts events throughout the year. The Cannon Riverwalk offers scenic views and connects to the Mill Towns State Trail for biking and walking.
Lanesboro
Lanesboro’s downtown area is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, featuring preserved 19th-century architecture . The town's revitalization in the 1980s was propelled by the conversion of an abandoned railroad into the 60-mile Root River State Trail, attracting outdoor enthusiasts and fostering economic growth.
Key attractions along Parkway Avenue include the Commonweal Theatre Company, offering a rotating repertory of plays , and Lanesboro Arts, which manages galleries and the St. Mane Theatre . The Lanesboro Historical Museum presents exhibits on local history and genealogy. Dining options feature Pedal Pushers Café, known for its locally sourced menu, and Home Sweet Home Café & Cakery. Sylvan Brewing offers craft beers in a renovated 19th-century building. The Discover Sculpture Medallion Walking Tour showcases 20 iron medallions throughout the town, each narrating aspects of Lanesboro's heritage. The Coffee Street Walking Bridge provides access to the Root River State Trail, facilitating activities such as biking and fishing.
Grand Marais
Grand Marais faces Lake Superior with its main street, Wisconsin Street, just steps from the harbor, framed by the Sawtooth Mountains and a working lighthouse. The town’s placement along historic Anishinaabe trade routes and later as a commercial fishing hub gives it a layered past. Artists began arriving in the 1940s, followed by the founding of the Grand Marais Art Colony in 1947, Minnesota’s oldest art colony still in operation. The entire downtown lies within a designated Creative Economy Zone, and plein air painters are often seen working along the sidewalk.
North House Folk School anchors the western end of Wisconsin Street with traditional craft classes in timber framing and boatbuilding. Sivertson Gallery features Inuit and Sámi artwork alongside North Shore landscapes. The Grand Marais Art Colony hosts seasonal exhibits in the Johnson Heritage Post Art Gallery. World’s Best Donuts has sold sugar donuts from the same red shack since 1969. Nearby, Hungry Hippie Tacos serves fry bread tacos, and Java Moose overlooks the lake. Artists Point begins at the end of the street, leading to a rock causeway with views of the harbor and the 1885 Grand Marais Lighthouse.
Red Wing
Red Wing’s Main Street, officially Bush and Main Streets, is distinguished by its preserved 19th-century architecture and its strategic location along the Mississippi River. The downtown area is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, featuring buildings that date back to the 1800s. The city's history as a transportation hub via rail and water in the late 1890s is evident in its architecture and layout.
Key attractions along Main Street include the Red Wing Shoe Company Museum, which houses the world's largest boot, and the Pottery Museum of Red Wing, showcasing the city's rich pottery history. The Sheldon Theatre, built in 1904, offers performances and is one of the oldest operating theaters in Minnesota. Dining options feature Hanisch Bakery, known for its pastries, and the St. James Hotel, a historic hotel built in 1875 that also offers dining experiences.
Stillwater
Stillwater is another entry on our list with a downtown area listed on the National Register of Historic Places, featuring buildings that date back to the 1800s. The city's history as a transportation hub via rail and water in the late 1890s is evident in its architecture and layout.
Along Main Street, make sure to stop by the Warden's House Museum, which offers insights into the city's past, and the Stillwater Art Guild Gallery, showcasing works by local artists. Dining options feature the Mad Capper Saloon, a family-owned establishment since 1979, and the Water Street Inn, a historic hotel that also offers dining experiences.
Ely
Ely’s Sheridan Street runs parallel to the edge of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, making it the last commercial main street before nearly 1.1 million acres of protected lakes and forest. Logging and mining shaped the early town, but the street today reflects a transition to outfitting, conservation, and local arts. In winter, Sheridan becomes part of the Ely Winter Festival Art Walk, with storefronts transformed into temporary galleries for northern Minnesota artists.
The International Wolf Center is located just north of downtown, but the main street itself holds the Dorothy Molter Museum, dedicated to the “Root Beer Lady” of Knife Lake. Piragis Northwoods Company operates a full-service outfitter and bookstore. Northern Grounds combines a wine bar, coffeehouse, and local art gallery. Insula Restaurant serves wild rice bowls and smoked lake trout. Front Porch Coffee & Tea Co. roasts in-house and offers seating beside a rotating local art display. Zup’s Grocery, an Ely institution, still carries smoked fish, venison sausage, and homemade pasties. The murals on the Ely Folk School building and Veterans Memorial Plaza document the town’s industrial, military, and wilderness legacy.
Plot your map and keep the trunk light; every mile between these eight streets rewrites the Minnesota you thought you knew. Beer brewed beside sawmills, tacos served within sight of glacial cliffs, polka timed by a clockwork chime—each town offers an elective in history disguised as lunch and a walk. Finish the loop and your souvenirs will be stories, frost-tipped and river-polished, ready to retell on the next winter evening.
