Kristen Glazer of Expedition Kristen 2021-12-16 06:20:45
“A great place to visit any time of year, southeast Minnesota’s Bluff Country is most breathtaking in the fall, when bursts of yellow and orange trees surround wide sections of the deep blue Mississippi River. Take Highway 61 south from the Twin Cities and begin your adventure at Frontenac State Park, just past Red Wing. Park in the picnic area and walk to the overlook for beautiful views of Lake Pepin, then continue along the half-mile Riverview Trail, keeping an eye out for bald eagles. Continue your journey to Lake City, “Minnesota’s South Shore,” where you can get out on the water after lunch at Heidi’s Huggamug Café, a new spot near the marina. If you don’t have your own boat, consider taking a guided tour with Pearl of the Lake. We have friends who keep their boat at Lake Pepin, and we’ve been lucky enough to join them for a cruise. It’s such a beautiful area. After an afternoon on the water, head to the charming river town of Winona for an Italian dinner at Sapori di Sicilia, owned by a chef who trained in Italy. The restaurant makes fresh bread daily, offers wine from Italian vineyards and even streams music from a Sicilian radio station. Home to two universities and several popular festivals (a summer Shakespeare festival, the Frozen River Film Festival in February and others), Winona has loads of lodging options, ranging from the Victorian-era Alexander Mansion Bed & Breakfast to the new Fairfield Inn & Suites, where we enjoyed a pleasant stay. Kick off Day Two with a cappuccino, latte, breakfast burrito or bagel at Blooming Grounds Coffee House. After the caffeine kicks in, take the trail up Sugar Loaf Bluff, Winona’s most recognizable landmark. The scenic hike takes about 45 minutes round trip, including time for taking photos of the expansive views. Hungry as you may be, don’t eat until you get to Wabasha and have lunch at Slippery’s, a waterfront restaurant made famous in the movie Grumpy Old Men. It serves tasty burgers and other classic pub fare. From Slippery’s, it’s a short walk to the National Eagle Center, where you can see live eagles and explore two floors of interactive exhibits. Walk into a life-size eagle’s nest, for example, or test your eyes to see how your vision compares with an eagle’s. Eagle-viewing field trips and river cruises are available, too. Look closely and you’re bound to see a few bald eagles in the trees as you bid farewell to Bluff Country and drive back to the Twin Cities. EXTEND YOUR TRIP VAN GOGH & CO. While you’re in Winona, be sure to visit the Minnesota Marine Art Museum, a gorgeous building next to the Mississippi River with stunning wildflower gardens and an incredible collection of art inspired by water, including masterpieces by world-famous artists. A temporary exhibit when I visited featured a chair from the Titanic with handwritten letters from a survivor. Also on temporary display were fascinating underwater photographs of alligators, sharks and whales by 2014 Wildlife Photographer of the Year Christian Vizl. What I loved most, though, was the room with paintings by Picasso, Matisse, Renoir, Degas, Monet and Van Gogh, all part of the museum’s permanent collection. I highly recommend this museum, which also has a very cute gift shop with Minnesota-themed items. MEET KRISTEN Kristen Glazer of Expedition Kristen is a Minnesota travel writer and digital content creator with a passion for adventure and spending time outdoors. FOLLOW You can follow Kristen on Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram: @expeditionkristen EXPLORE SOUTHERN MN Check out profiles of places mentioned here and plan your trip today! ExploreMinnesota.com/Southern
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