9 Most Breathtaking Towns In Minnesota
Minnesota’s most photogenic towns rose from railroads, river trade, and immigrant ambition. Stillwater stacked lumber barons’ mansions above the St. Croix while New Ulm raised a 37-bell Glockenspiel over its German streets. Two Harbors keeps its old depot within reach of Lake Superior waterfalls. Winona put Tiffany glass near the Mississippi, and Bemidji is home to an 18-foot Paul Bunyan beside the lake, which is a top photo op. Across these towns, the camera rarely stays packed.
Stillwater
Established in the mid-1800s, Stillwater is one of the oldest towns in the state and still attracts visitors from all over. Although Stillwater once thrived as a lumber town, today tourists flock to its historic downtown, packed with art, historic architecture, and photogenic natural preserves.
The impact of the lumber industry can be seen throughout the town, especially when taking a tour on the Stillwater Trolley. The trolley takes guests past the still-standing mansions of lumber barons who once resided on Stillwater's hillside, while it describes the town's folklore. On foot, a stroll through Union Art Alley showcases walls adorned with murals by local and regional artists. The annual Rivertown Fall Art Festival is held in Lowell Park each October. Destinations in town can be just as striking on the inside as they appear on the outside, with the Warden's House Museum standing as a shining example. Constructed of limestone in 1853, the 14-room home, once a prison, features 19th-century artifacts from the lumber industry, pioneers, and more.
Nature is not too far from the town for recreationists on the hunt for something a little more adventurous. Stretching to 5.9 miles on a former railroad, Brown's Creek State Trail is where hikers can see Brown's Creek and forest scenery. Walking or biking the trail will also bring travelers close to Stillwater's animal life, including a trout stream and possible horseback riders trotting past.
Lanesboro
Like Stillwater, the town of Lanesboro offers a mix of downtown art and surrounding natural views. Platted in 1868 and built up with Victorian-style homes and Scandinavian heritage, the neighborhood offers modern-day visitors an active arts scene that enhances the historic architecture around it.
The Commonweal Theatre Company is one location in town where visitors will find entertainment and a building entrenched with history. The award-winning company has been producing community-oriented work since 1989, including the works of Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen as a nod to the town's Norwegian-American community. The theater incorporates elements tied to the region's landscape and history, including concrete floors reflecting the building's former life as a cheese factory and seats reclaimed from the original Guthrie Theater.
Part of what makes the town worth photographing is its public art displays, with fixtures like the colorful murals on building sides and in parks. Discovering the downtown murals lets visitors encounter local history through works such as the Theatre District Mural, whose design reflects Lanesboro's arts, nature, agriculture, and cultural diversity.
Visitors can experience the Root River up close on the Root River State Trail. The 42-mile trail follows an abandoned railroad grade through Lanesboro and the Root River Valley. While bikers can spot wildlife like hawks and bald eagles, they'll also pass by farmland, forests, and limestone bluffs.
Grand Marais
Grand Marais doesn't have views of any natural marshes like its French name invokes, but it does have a thriving arts scene and a nearby state park that inspires visitors to take out their cameras. Visitors looking to escape into nature can head to Judge C.R. Magney State Park, where hikers can follow the Devil's Kettle Trail or continue along the Superior Hiking Trail. In the park, visitors will also get a full view of the waterfalls.
The art scene in town is just as appealing to look at, with galleries and live entertainment being readily available from local artists and preservationists. The long legacy left behind by regional artists is on display at the Johnson Heritage Post Art Gallery, which hosts changing art exhibits from US and Canadian artists. The gallery's crowning jewel is its collection of work by artist Anna C. Johnson, who created her art in the early 1900s. Tourists looking for art that is a little more dynamic in movement will want to purchase a ticket to a production staged by the Grand Marais Playhouse. The theater company has been putting on shows for the community since it was established in 1971.
Ely
Ely attracts history enthusiasts seeking great photographs of the town's 20th-century architecture, and the nature just beyond its borders calls to recreationists. In downtown Ely, the architecture is worth stopping to photograph. Visitors will want to see the town's landmarks, including Tanner Hospital, which was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. The structure has been in the town since being built in 1901 and features unique turret windows. Other landmarks remain in active use, including Ely's Historic State Theater, an Art Deco building constructed between 1935 and 1936 that opened with its 36-foot neon marquee in October 1936. Today, it operates as a movie theater and venue for the annual Ely Film Festival, which showcases independent films.
Away from downtown, there are plenty of photogenic opportunities featuring wildlife and natural formations. The nonprofit North American Bear Center sits a mile away from the town and offers guests a unique learning experience, where they can safely watch black bears up close. Along with its resident bears in a forest habitat, the center has interpretive trails for guests to walk. Hikers not ready to lace up their walking boots just yet can also head to Bass Lake Trail, which offers several trail loops to choose from. Here, visitors will get a view of Bass Lake and small waterfalls.
Red Wing
Museums on the city's industry heritage and views of the waters of the Mississippi River give the town of Red Wing plenty to photograph along the Wisconsin border. The town became known for its stoneware production, a legacy that's on full display in the Pottery Museum of Red Wing. Exhibits in the museum show off an over 6,000-piece collection of clay industry and pottery memorabilia from local stoneware makers and artists to mark the importance of the town's pottery factories. Downtown, the Red Wing Shoe Company Museum protects and showcases the history of the local Red Wing Shoes company, which contains photo-ops like the World's Largest Boot and rare artifacts from the company's leather shoemaking history.
Outside of museums, Red Wing's greatest sights include diverse landscapes such as the Cannon Valley Trail. The 19.7-mile trail, built on a former Chicago Great Western Railway line, passes through Minnesota wetlands and prairies alongside the Cannon River. The trail is packed with hikers and bikers.
Winona
Winona has a reputation as a college town on the banks of the Mississippi River, rich in the arts. Beloved institutions have been staples of the arts scene for decades, including the Minnesota Marine Art Museum, which opened in 2006. On the banks of the river, the museum's six galleries house a collection of marine-themed and local folk art that reflects the area's natural landscape.
Besides marine art, Winona has become closely associated with art, and its stained-glass windows have earned it the title of "the Stained Glass Capital of the United States." The city's long history of commissioning and displaying glass runs through its churches, banks, and public buildings, and that history is evident in the way visitors are encouraged to take a self-guided tour of installations across the town. A stop at WNB Financial's historic downtown office reveals its Tiffany windows, while Levee Park's entrance gateway carries nature-themed stained glass donated by a local studio.
Visitors searching for a serene place to stop and rest will want to check out Lake Park, which surrounds Lake Winona. The park features quiet lounging spots like a rose garden and the docks over the water, along with a five-mile walking path to stroll down in good weather.
New Ulm
New Ulm is steeped in German heritage, a nod to the original settlers who arrived in the region to build communities before the town was incorporated in 1857. This cultural influence has endured into the modern day, with visitors being able to snap pictures next to distinctly German monuments right in the heart of town.
Sightseeing in downtown New Ulm includes visiting landmarks created to celebrate the community's German identity. One of the most famous places to stop at is the Glockenspiel tower, a 45-foot-tall freestanding instrument called a carillon. Throughout the day, visitors can hear the music produced by Glockenspiel's 37 bells chime as twelve figurines representing townsfolk rotate around a stage. Much like the instrument, the town's captivating Heritage Tree monument is a colorful reflection of New Ulm's long-held traditions and people.
More mesmerizing elements of the town are found in local businesses and festivals, where the locals get to proudly show off their culture. In Schell's Brewery, visitors step into the August Schell Brewing Company's family operation that was established in 1860. A tour of the brewery will bring guests around the grounds of Minnesota's oldest brewery, where German-style lagers are brewed, as well as the property's gardens and preserved legacy in the Museum of Brewing. German cuisine is also found in abundance during New Ulm's Oktoberfest celebrations that take over the downtown area in October. Alongside food, beer, and parades, the festival has also been tapped to host the US Steinholding Association Minnesota State Championship Finals.
Two Harbors
With a location on the shore of Lake Superior, Two Harbors has undeniable appeal to recreationists. Visitors looking to submerge themselves in the waters of the lake should look to head to Split Rock Lighthouse State Park, which features access to the Lake Superior shoreline at the stone-covered Pebble Beach. A paved segment of the Gitchi-Gami State Trail runs through the park as well, with overlooks along the way that will have recreationists pulling out their cameras. The trail also links the park to Gooseberry Falls State Park, where the Gooseberry River drops over its Middle and Lower Falls.
Another place for visitors to use their hiking abilities is at Gooseberry Falls State Park. Here, visitors can access a section of the Superior Hiking Trail that rests between the Split Rock River and Gooseberry Falls. Much like Split Rock Lighthouse State Park, the location is a prime spot to stand by waterfalls and stone structures that have been present for years.
There's more to Two Harbors than the state parks with varied terrain. Two Harbors Depot has been a staple in town since it opened to the public in 1907, and today it operates as the Duluth & Iron Range Depot Museum. While the last train serving passengers ran in 1961, the Depot Museum today tells the story of the cultures that make up Lake County.
Bemidji
Also along the Mississippi River, Bemidji's dedication to the arts has flourished thanks to its long-held inspiration from the folk tale of lumberjack Paul Bunyan. Visitors won't have to look very hard to find art in town due to attractions like the Bemidji Sculpture Walk, which has supported downtown installations reflecting Minnesota life and landscapes since 1999. Those returning will find that new works are added every year, with over 25 sculptures to discover on the art trail. Another famous work of art that stands prominently displayed is the statues of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox by Lake Bemidji. The massive, 18-foot-tall statue of Paul was originally created for the 1937 Winter Carnival and now welcomes guests to the tourist center.
The tributes to the folk hero don't stop there. Inside the Historic Chief Theatre in downtown Bemidji, the Paul Bunyan Playhouse has been putting on theater productions in Minnesota since it was established in 1951. While the live shows are the main draw, the building itself retains its Art Deco-style designs inside and structural elements that reflect its history as a movie theater.
A Hiker's Dream
Whether hikers have a walk down winding paved trails along rivers or a trip to see scenic waterfalls up close on their agenda, Minnesota's breathtaking towns are great for novices and experienced hikers alike. Unique views along paths and in parks are just as alluring as the art installations in busy downtowns, promising a memorable trek.
