
9 Quirkiest Minnesota Towns To Visit In 2025
While most people seek the standard tourist experience of lounging on a sandy beach, touring a museum, or attending a festival, others don't necessarily go by the books. For them, the ideal vacation involves visiting haunted places, trying out weird foods, and posing for a photo beside roadside oddities. If you're the kind of traveler who packs curiosity along with your suitcase and incorporates the unusual into your itinerary, Minnesota has some truly offbeat gems waiting for you.
From towns that celebrate UFOs and gnomes to places where the statues are larger than life, these wonderfully weird destinations embrace their quirks and display their eccentricities with no apologies to make. Whether you plan to attend Wayzata's weird winter hockey tournament or face your fears of hauntings in Anoka, here are some of the strangest Minnesota towns to visit in 2025.
North St. Paul

This charming suburb just east of Saint Paul offers a break from the busy scene and choking crowds of one of the Twin Cities. While impressing visitors with its relaxed atmosphere and kind residents, it also stuns them with the World's Largest Snowman. The North Saint Paul Snowman is a crowd favorite among locals and visitors. This frosty fixture rises to a height of 44 feet and weighs a whopping 20 tons, with a 16-foot-wide grin guaranteed to melt your heart. A mainstay for almost half a century, this welcoming sight is the first thing that grabs your attention as you enter the town, calling for a photo opportunity.
When you're not cozying up to the community's gentle giant, you can explore its great outdoors at Southwood Nature Preserve, where 28 acres of diverse ecosystems allow you to hike, picnic, and watch local wildlife. Alternatively, you can learn about the area's past at the North Saint Paul Historical Society.
Jordan

Bringing the kids along is an excellent idea when visiting this Scott County village's biggest quirk, 40 minutes from Minneapolis. This is because Jordan is home to Minnesota's Largest Candy Store, which promises a once-in-a-lifetime sugar rush high for children and adults alike. The massive yellow barn packs a vast collection of snacks, candies, and treats from every corner of the world, from jelly beans and gummy bears to chocolate crickets. With 27,000 square feet of display space, there is no better opportunity to indulge your sweet tooth in the North Star State.
Meanwhile, you can take your family to Grassmann Park for fun in the open. It features several ball fields, picnic areas, and an impressive Ninja Warrior course. The Jordan Brewery Ruins offers a unique perspective into the town's history, using the remains of a 19th-century brewery with a series of mysterious caves.
Hinckley

Hinckley hosts one of the quirkiest festivals in the state, 75 miles from Duluth. This Pine County attracts thousands of Native American tribe members from across North America every June for a unique gathering that pays tribute to their rich culture. The annual Grand Celebration Powwow is an immersive cultural experience, where participants showcase the colors and characters of Indian heritage. Hundreds of singers, dancers, and drummers entertain spectators with well-choreographed routines, and participants get to sample various traditional cuisines and handmade crafts.
Historians will be interested in the fascinating tale told by the Hinckley Fire Museum. The venue chronicles a past firestorm disaster in the town that claimed at least 400 casualties. Elsewhere, the Grand National Golf Club invites guests to challenge themselves on an 18-hole course with spectacular natural views.
Anoka

This idyllic riverfront community proclaimed itself the "Halloween Capital of the World," due to its vibrant and community-wide Halloween celebration. However, the trick-or-treating and scary costumes take a different twist for anyone visiting the Anoka State Hospital. This deserted mental hospital for the incurably insane has long been associated with paranormal activities and ghostly sightings. The facility operated as an asylum in the early 1900s, where patients were subjected to inhumane treatments and other horrors that led to suicide and death. Today, the disturbed spirits of the departed still haunt the eerie hallways.
There is no better way to recover from fright than watching a family-friendly concert or comedy show at the Lyric Arts Main Street Stage, which unites the community through theatrical performances. Alternatively, you can take a picnic or a lazy walk to breathe the fresh air at Riverfront Memorial Park.
Walker

Walker is a waterfront community in Cass County that lies along the banks of Leech Lake. While it is known for its excellent fishing opportunities, its annual tradition makes it one of the quirkiest Minnesota towns to visit in 2025. The Walker Annual Ethnic Fest, set for September 13, brings the world’s flavors, rhythms, and crafts to a small town, with a lively parade, multicultural performances, and booths filled with global cuisine and handmade art.
The surrounding lake waters are a popular playground for tourists in Walker, cultivating easygoing sunrise and sunset cruises courtesy of local outfitters like Sailing Daze. Meanwhile, nature lovers can be in their element at Walker City Park, taking a stroll while admiring terrific lake views stretching into the horizon.
Bemidji

This vibrant small city in Beltrami County is on the shores of Lake Bemidji and enchants tourists with a range of fun attractions. But for any first-timer in the area, the first thing that grabs their attention is the gigantic silhouettes of the Paul Bunyan & Babe the Blue Ox Statues. Installed by the community to honor an American folk hero, the staggering roadside oddities are an instant head turner and one of the country's most photographed sculptures. You will often find tourists taking a selfie and motorists stopping to take in the sight.
Diamond Point Park is the gathering place for outdoor enthusiasts in Bemidji, offering serene picnic spaces, gentle walking paths, and a boat launch for those looking to get on the lake. On the other hand, art connoisseurs love congregating at the Paul Bunyan Playhouse and watching everything from comedies and dramas to musicals.
Wayzata

Wayzata is a shorefront suburb of the Twin Cities bordering Lake Minnetonka, known for its eccentric winter festivals. Every year in February, when the winter temperatures dip to their lowest and the lake freezes over, the community hosts the Wayzata Chilly Open. Thousands of locals and visitors mark the occasion through a series of events, including live music, a chilli cook-off, and snowga. However, what stands out among them is the quirky version of golf that involves hitting a tennis ball with a hockey stick, played on the frozen lake surface.
During the summer, Wayzata Beach becomes a go-to for tourists in the town, providing a sandy beach where you can go for a dip to cool off. Also, those who wish to reconnect with nature can visit the Wood-Rill Scientific and Natural Area, where a diverse array of native flora and fauna thrive in a 150-acre sanctuary.
Red Wing

This Mississippi River village in Goodhue County boasts a rich shoe-making and pottery heritage that lives on through a variety of local landmarks. At the Red Wing Shoe Company Museum, tourists not only visit to discover Red Wing's cobbling past, but also marvel at the World's Largest Boot. The enormous installation measures 20 feet high and is a size 638 1/2 D, listed in the Guinness Book of World Records. It was created by the company to mark its one-century anniversary, using 80 hides of leather and almost 80 lbs of brass for the boot's eyelets.
Another essential location for historians is the Pottery Museum of Red Wing, home to an extensive collection of clay products produced in the 19th century. Finally, a trip to Memorial Park allows you to escape the crowds and embrace alone moments with nature by biking, picnicking, and hiking.
Alexandria

Alexandria is a small city in Douglas County whose claim to fame is that it is home to America's largest Viking. The 28-foot-high and 8,000-pound Big Ole statue was erected by the residents as a tribute to local folklore. They believe Viking explorers came to the region in the 1300s and left proof of their visit behind. Today, the humongous sculpture rises over the cityscape as an intimate reminder of the early days, doubling as the ideal backdrop for tourists seeking a photo opportunity.
The Runestone Museum is a popular stop for history explorers since it harbors the controversial Kensington Runestone. This historic stone slab was discovered by a Swedish immigrant in the 19th century and offers proof of the Norsemen's presence in Alexandria. For some fresh air in a cool natural setting, vacationers can head to Alexandria City Park and enjoy a picnic.
Final Thoughts
From the Big Ole statue in Alexandria to the massive candy store in Jordan, these peculiar Minnesota towns to visit in 2025 demonstrate that the Land of 10,000 Lakes harbors just as many quirks. Beyond its heavenly natural beauty, the state is packed with personalities that may throw off a standard visitor in the United States. Whether chasing legends, sampling bizarre treats, or snapping selfies with oversized objects, each stop offers a delightfully odd adventure, unlike your average tourist experience.