This Minnesota Downtown Is Made For Strolling

Right alongside the St. Croix River are a few short blocks filled with antique malls, bars, and a notable assortment of locally owned boutiques. Without a doubt, Stillwater has one of Minnesota's best and most walkable downtown cores. As one of Minnesota’s oldest communities and the site of the 1848 territorial convention that set the statehood process in motion, Stillwater is rich with history that’s reflected in the Victorian-era architecture lining Main Street. Sidewalks here are busy, buildings are low, and the river remains a constant point of reference, ensuring everything is navigable and easy to find. But it's not just the history or the design that makes downtown Stillwater so easy to stroll through; it's what's found there.

A Brief History Of Stillwater

In August 1848, delegates gathered at the corner of Myrtle and Main streets to hold the territorial convention that set Minnesota on the path to statehood. That meeting, staged right in the heart of downtown, earned Stillwater its enduring title as the "Birthplace of Minnesota." A decade later, in 1858, Minnesota officially became a state. By then, Stillwater was already thriving.

Founded by John McKusick along a calm stretch of the St. Croix River — its name inspired both by the still waters of the river and by McKusick’s memories of Stillwater, Maine — Stillwater had many of the natural advantages that fueled the rise of 19th-century river towns. McKusick, a future state senator, recognized the value of its high riverbanks, natural channels, and steady currents. This led to the development of a major lumber industry, and by the mid-1800s, Stillwater had become one of the largest lumber centers in the Midwest, with the Stillwater Lumber Company among the country’s largest mills.

Downtown Main Street was the nerve center of that boom. Steamboats docked along the river, logs jammed the waterway, and rail cars loaded with white and Norway pine rolled out by the thousands. The arrival of the St. Croix Boom Company in 1856 only amplified the action, turning Stillwater into a sorting hub for logs destined for mills across the Midwest and beyond. This era reshaped the town physically and economically, leaving behind the Victorian commercial buildings and hillside mansions that still give the town its distinct look and feel today.

A Walkable Downtown

Because of its rich history and architecture, downtown Stillwater is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Stillwater Commercial Historic District, spanning roughly 11 blocks and encompassing dozens of preserved structures. Anchoring it all is the Stillwater Lift Bridge, completed in 1931. Now reserved for pedestrians and cyclists, it remains one of the few operational vertical-lift bridges of its kind. Not only does it stretch across the St. Croix River to the state of Wisconsin, but it also rests alongside Stillwater's highly walkable downtown core.

Main Street (otherwise known as the St. Croix Scenic Byway) runs parallel to the river, just two blocks southwest of the bridge and its St. Croix River Crossing Loop Trail. Most of the commercial core sits within roughly five river-facing blocks, with storefronts pressed close to the sidewalks and buildings rarely rising above three stories. This keeps distances short and sightlines open, allowing you to orient yourself by the river almost anywhere downtown.

Public staircases and short cross streets connect Main Street directly to riverfront paths, docks, and overlooks, while Lowell Park stretches along the water beside the bridge. Main Street, Water Street, and cross streets like Myrtle, Mulberry, and Chestnut are lined with red-brick Victorian and Italianate-style storefronts, many of them locally owned boutiques, restaurants, and bars.

Boutique Hopping

Downtown Stillwater is a walker's paradise for anyone who loves discovering unique, independently owned boutiques. Within a compact five-block stretch along Main Street and its adjacent side streets, more than 50 shops sit just a block from the St. Croix River. Start your stroll at the intersection of Nelson and Main, near the iconic Stillwater Stairs and Betty June's Boutique.

Heading north along Main Street, you’ll pass Midwest Witchery & Healing, a shop offering candles, books, and other mystical items, as well as Midtown Antique Mall, widely promoted as the largest antique mall in the Upper Midwest, with more than 80 dealers across three floors. Next up are Smith + Trade Mercantile, Lakebound Clothing Co., Whatnot Boutique, and ToxyFree, a toxin-free lifestyle store specializing in eco-friendly products for home, bath, and office. Crossing Chestnut Street brings you to Locale Makers Market, a cooperative of 50+ local artisans under one roof.

Bar Hopping In Stillwater

Downtown Stillwater is the perfect playground for a walking bar crawl. If you're at Lowell Park at the base of the Stillwater Lift Bridge, head down Chestnut Street past Water Street to Ziggy's On Main, a lively club-like experience with a rotating street-food menu, weekend live music, and even bubble hockey. Heading southeast on Main will bring you to Brick & Bourbon, an elevated eatery serving craft cocktails, vintage bourbon, and chef's table dining, with a rooftop option for river views. Within a block or two, you'll also find Brian's Bar & Grill, Lolito Cantina, Howard's Bar, Portside, and Tilted Tiki.

Venture to adjacent Water Street for more options like Charlie's Restaurant and Irish Pub and 45th Parallel Distillery, which is a grain-to-glass operation featuring vodka, whiskey, and gin. For a final stop, the Freight House Restaurant features one of the largest patios downtown, local beers on tap, craft burgers, and games like bocce ball and Skee-Ball.

Parks In Downtown Stillwater

Downtown Stillwater's parks offer some of the town's most scenic escapes within a couple of blocks of Main Street. Lowell Park, framing Minnesota's entrance to the Lift Bridge, features grassy banks, walking paths, benches, and a charming gazebo, all with postcard-perfect views of the St. Croix River. Stroll across the pedestrian-only Lift Bridge for sweeping river vistas and a taste of historic engineering. Just minutes north of downtown, between Main Street and Second Street, Pioneer Park rewards visitors with wide green spaces, picnic tables, and arguably the best lookout in Stillwater.

Minnesota's Other Walkable Downtowns

While Stillwater is a standout, Minnesota is full of small towns with compact, walkable downtowns. In Excelsior, Water Street stretches along the lakefront, lined with Victorian-era storefronts just like Stillwater. Family-owned bakeries like Red Bench Bakery and boutiques including Ooh La La and Martin's also welcome guests not far from a 13-acre lakeside park and the Excelsior Bay Bridge. Red Wing's downtown sits along the Mississippi River, where Main Street is flanked by historic hotels, bars, and the iconic Red Wing Shoe Company. Levee Park offers riverside walking trails and shaded spots between stops at cafes like Mandy's Coffee & Cafe and historic bars like The Barrel House.

Stillwater Is Made For Leisurely Walks

From strolling the five-block Main Street corridor past Midtown Antique Mall, Locale Makers Market, and ToxyFree to hopping between Brick & Bourbon, Tilted Tiki, and Ziggy's, everything is close at hand, making downtown Stillwater perfect for strolling. The St. Croix River and Lowell Park provide scenic touchpoints, while the pedestrian Lift Bridge connects downtown to unforgettable river views. With compact streets, historic storefronts, and a mix of shops, restaurants, and outdoor spaces, exploring Stillwater on foot is effortless, engaging, and endlessly rewarding.