Minnesota's 6 Unsung Small Towns
Think you know Minnesota? Its small towns might surprise you. Hidden along rivers, lakes, and rolling hills are communities full of history, culture, and scenic charm. In Lanesboro, you will find unmatched scenery, as breathtaking as the shores of Grand Marais and as bright as the wilderness of Ely. Walkable downtowns, local cuisine, and distinctive attractions make each stop a destination in its own right. Whether you’re drawn to dramatic shorelines, historic bridges, or vibrant arts and outdoor experiences, these towns tell stories you can see, taste, and feel.
Ely
Ely’s identity is inseparable from the wilderness that surrounds it, and the town offers several ways to relish the landscape. The International Wolf Center provides close insight into wolf behavior and conservation through observation windows and interactive exhibits that explain the species’ role in northern Minnesota ecosystems. Nearby, the North American Bear Center continues that story by showcasing live bears in naturalistic habitats, with detailed displays on bear biology and human-wildlife coexistence.
Ely’s history is rooted just as deeply in the backcountry, which becomes clear at the Dorothy Molter Museum, where the preserved cabin of the “Root Beer Lady” illustrates what daily life looked like in the remote Boundary Waters during the 20th century. From there, the experience extends naturally outdoors, as Ely serves as a primary gateway to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, connecting the town’s cultural heritage directly to canoe routes, forest trails, and quiet, undeveloped lakes.
Grand Marais
The heart of Grand Marais’s harbor is the beloved Artist’s Point. You can stroll along the breakwater and watch waves crash into Lake Superior while anglers cast lines into often turbulent waters. The area offers unobstructed views of the iconic lighthouse and is especially striking at sunrise and sunset, making it a photographer’s dream. The Grand Marais Lighthouse itself is a small, historic structure that marks the harbor entrance. Visitors often pause here to take in the sweeping lake views and snap photos framed by the rugged shoreline. Its red-and-white exterior contrasts beautifully with the lake’s deep blue and seasonal foliage, providing a vivid sense of place.
For outdoor recreation, the Pincushion Mountain Trails offer miles of hiking routes through the boreal forest and rocky outcrops. The trails culminate at lookouts where you can survey both Lake Superior and inland valleys, making the effort to climb them well worth it, especially for a lunch at a picnic table with a sublime view. Alternatively, if you enjoy creative work indoors, the North House Folk School hosts craft workshops and exhibits in traditional woodworking, boatbuilding, and weaving. You can participate in classes or simply observe artisans at work, gaining a hands-on appreciation for the region’s cultural heritage.
Lanesboro
Through Lanesboro’s downtown threads the Root River State Trail. The trail rises and dips with the surrounding bluffs, winding through hillside towns, open farm fields, and former milling districts shaped by the railroad era. Along the way, you pass lush river valleys and wooded stretches where wildlife sightings are common, including deer, wild turkeys, hawks, and turkey vultures. Historic buildings and small communities line the route, giving you access to campgrounds, bed-and-breakfasts, restaurants, museums, outfitters, and locally owned shops directly from the trail.
Beyond the trail, make sure to catch a performance at the Commonweal Theatre Company, which has anchored Lanesboro’s arts scene since 1989 with professional productions ranging from comedies to musicals. Another must is the Bluffscape Amish Tours, extending the experience into the surrounding countryside. You can observe traditional farming, baking, and woodworking practices that reflect a slower-paced way of life still closely tied to the land.
Stillwater
Stillwater’s historic character is most visible at the Stillwater Lift Bridge, the town’s defining landmark spanning the St. Croix River. Its steel trusses reflect the area’s industrial past, and the pedestrian walkway offers broad views of river traffic, wooded bluffs, and the historic downtown below. Just uphill, the Warden’s House Museum, once part of the Minnesota Territorial Prison complex, provides a grounded look at 19th-century prison life through preserved rooms, period furnishings, and detailed exhibits that place Stillwater’s early development in a wider regional context.
Along the riverfront, Lowell Park softens the town’s industrial edges with tree-lined paths, seasonal flowerbeds, and open green space overlooking the water, creating a natural gathering place steps from Main Street. That blend of history and modern energy ripples over to Lift Bridge Brewing, where a former industrial building now houses one of Minnesota’s best-known craft breweries. The taproom pairs locally brewed beer with a relaxed, communal atmosphere, reinforcing Stillwater’s ability to adapt its historic spaces into vibrant contemporary destinations.
Two Harbors
Two Harbors is defined by its long relationship with Lake Superior, where maritime history and natural scenery shape the town’s identity. Just outside the center, Split Rock Lighthouse rises above the rocky shoreline, offering access to the lighthouse tower, keeper’s quarters, and interpretive exhibits that explain the dangers of early Great Lakes shipping and the role of navigational aids in protecting vessels. That story unfolds also at the Two Harbors Lighthouse Museum, where artifacts, photographs, and restored spaces trace the region’s iron ore transport industry and the daily lives of lighthouse keepers who maintained critical safety infrastructure along the coast.
Aside from its maritime heritage, the area’s natural power is on full display at Gooseberry Falls State Park, where a network of trails leads past a series of waterfalls cascading over basalt cliffs toward Lake Superior, especially striking during spring runoff and fall color season. Back in town, Judy’s Café offers a classic North Shore dining experience, known for hearty breakfasts like their specialty pizza omelette, house-made soups, and comfort food such as raspberry-rhubarb pie served in an unpretentious setting that reflects Two Harbors’ working-town character.
Zumbrota
Zumbrota packs all its charm into a small footprint, offering experiences that feel lively and compelling for an out-of-city stay. Start at Nature’s Grind Coffee Co., where high-quality espresso drinks, rich iced lattes, and freshly baked pastries or croissants are made with locally-sourced ingredients. Guests can enjoy the cozy indoor seating or grab their favorites on the go via the drive-thru before heading to the only remaining original of its kind, the Historic Zumbrota Covered Bridge. This landmark anchors Covered Bridge Park, where wooden trusses, riverside trails, and scenic picnic areas offer both history and outdoor beauty.
For evening entertainment, The Guilty Goose is Zumbrota’s go‑to gathering spot, known for its lively atmosphere with draft beer, cocktails, pub fare, darts, bean bag games, and live music nights that include music bingo, trivia, and weekend performers. As for a delicious bite, Taqueria Los Aguacates is a local favorite for authentic tacos and Mexican street food, serving freshly seasoned meats, bright salsas, and flavorful tacos that reflect traditional preparation and bold, fresh flavors best enjoyed with an agua fresca or house drink.
Although you may not have heard of some of Minnesota’s best hidden towns, any name on this list is sure to mark itself in your memory. Whether it’s Zumbrota, with its riverside trails and flavorful food, or Two Harbors, with its towering cliffs and cascading waterfalls, or Stillwater’s riverside parks, you are guaranteed to have a wonderful time. From a quick glimpse at these unusual destinations across the state, it’s clear that Minnesota’s towns offer history, culture, scenic beauty, and unique local flair for the eyes and senses to witness at every turn.
