Stuff to do outside the Twin Cities? (Duluth, Moorhead: house, college)

[Anneee]

Does anyone have any ideas for a road trip through the less populated areas of Minnesota? It'd be great to include some small towns with interesting main streets or unusual museums, maybe a walking trail or scenic drive.
Thanks!

[golfgal]

Stillwater for their main street, Hwy 61 in the fall, north and south of the Twin Cities, the area around LaCrosse, WI is amazing. There are so many cute little towns in outstate MN. If you are Little House on the Prairie fan you could go out to Walnut Grove for their pageant. The towns around Brainerd are fun, usually with a cute downtown area and some fun shops.

Scenic trails, pretty much anything north of Duluth, especially around Lutsen. Any of the state parks will have some nice hiking trails.

[Norsky1]

New Ulm, German Heritage, cool downtown and, nice parks (Flandrau State Park), and of course the historic Schells Brewery.

[Anneee]

Thank you both ---these are great!

[StPaulEastSider]

Red Wing, Minnesota - In 2008 National Geographic named Red Wing one of the top 25 HISTORICAL DESTINATIONS in the United States

http://www.redwing.org/

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Or you may want to go to Bemidji to visit Paul Bunyon & Babe http://www.bemidji.org/



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Not Minnesota, but Wisconsin Dells is nearby - http://wisdells.com/

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Has anyone said DULUTH ?? That should be near the top of your list. http://www.visitduluth.com/

Quite a few museums to choose from in Duluth, beautiful parks on the North Shore. You could easily spend a week vacationing in Duluth.

[The Picture is of Leif Erickson Park Rose Garden]



[Fall color & Duluth Harbor from Enger Park]





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To experience Minnesota's Boundary Water's Canoe Area - visit Ely, Minnesota

http://www.ely.org/discover_ely/

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Fargo-Moorhead Area.... http://www.fargomoorhead.org/thingst...?l=attractions

If you like quirky, small museums, check out the Hjemkomst Viking Ship Museum

[Aylalou]

Going en route on Highway 10, the Kelley Farm near Elk River.

[MplsTodd]

A few ideas:

SE Minn: I agree with Golfgal and SPEastsider. One of my favorite drives through MN is Hwy 61, from Red Wing to Winona (or LaCrosse). Red Wing is a great little town, with a nice downtown and cool bluffs along the river. Lake Pepin is also very scenic. Wabash, Winona and LaCrosse are also well worth visits.

SW Minn: I agree with Norsky about New Ulm, plus I'd add St Peter (which has a decent downtown, though its along busy Hwy 169, and Gustavous Adolphus College) and the scenic Minnesota River valley

Western MN: I've always liked Lake Minnewaska (neat Starbuck/Glenwood), plus Galcial Lakes State Park, with its eskers and drumlins. Alexandria is also not too far, with a nice little downtown and the Kensington Runestone.

NorthWestern MN: Brainerd Lakes area is tough to beat, along with all the lakes and resorts to the north. I also like Detroit Lakes.

Northeastern MN: Duluth hardly qualifies a "less populated", but its a must see-city and a great starting point for the North Shore drive, which is probably outranks Hwy 61 from Red Wing as my favorite drive in the state.