ITINERARIES Changsha — St. Paul’s Chinese sister city — received fi ve Peanuts statues in return for the pavillion, including a version of Lucy in Hmong clothing and Snoopy on a doghouse adorned with two of Minnesota’s favorite things: loons and trees. St. Joseph JOURNEY TO BOURBON STREET (IN SPIRIT, AT LEAST) In the central Minnesota town of St. Joseph, the family recipes of Chef Mateo Mackbee make his St. Joseph restaurant Krewe feel like it was airlifted from the streets of New Orleans. Start with cast-iron cornbread and creative house cocktails, then indulge in NOLA favorites like crusty po’boys stuffed with Creole-fried catfi sh or Gulf shrimp, smothered collard greens and comforting bowls of gumbo. Swing by at lunch to avoid the dinner rush and load up on fresh-baked pastries and pies at Flour & Flower , the small-but-mighty bakery of Krewe co-owner Erin Rae. Matcha chess pie with blueberry bursts, anyone? Motley SAVOR ICE CREAM & VINTAGE VIBES About an hour’s drive north of Krewe is the lofty horse statue that beckons road trippers to Old Thyme Trading Post in Motley. A blast from the past, it doubles as a destination for dusted-off vintage discoveries and classic ice cream sundaes, malts, cones and shakes. Highly recommended for everyone from families to “Antiques Roadshow” fans. Park Rapids VISIT THE BIRTHPLACE OF THE MIGHTY MISSISSIPPI Hundreds of thousands of people travel to Itasca State Park every year so they can stand in the humble spot where the Mississippi River begins its 2,552-mile journey to the Gulf of Mexico. Minnesota contains more of the Mississippi than any other state, including the river’s most wild stretches. The park’s Mary Gibbs Visitor Center features exhibits on the river’s history right next to the headwaters. Old Thyme Trading Post antiques Bemidji SNAP A SELFIE WITH PAUL BUNYAN & BABE Kodak once declared the iconic statues within Paul Bunyan Park among the country’s most photographed roadside attractions. From the fi rst season of “Fargo” to the opening sequence of “National Lampoon’s Vacation,” the beloved Bemidji attraction has made its mark on TV shows and movies over the decades. Lake of the Woods CATCH A COLOSSAL WALLEYE The open water fi shing on Lake of the Woods is out of this world all year long — even in winter, when ice fi shing reigns supreme — but it really hits its stride in the summer. That’s when resorts like Arnesen’s Rocky Point offer guided 82 | EXPLORE MINNESOTA .COM Paul Bunyan Park
Explore Minnesota Travel Guide 2025 Explore Minnesota Travel Guide: Page 82
