As the thaw begins and the first sniffs of spring awaken your wanderlust, you may be lured by our state’s endless outdoor adventures, scenic byways, and natural attractions—but don’t overlook the quaint communities nestled among them. Mpls.St.Paul Magazine rounded up 12 towns of all shapes and sizes with one thing in common: They have lots to offer! Explore their unique shops, bakeries, breweries, B&Bs, and everything in between. They call it a town haul!
Winona
The city of Winona—named for the daughter of a Dakota chief—was originally the village of Keoxa. After European immigrants settled in 1851, industrial development boomed, resulting in the opulent interiors of its downtown businesses; stained-glass windows made by famous studios, including Tiffany; and its striking basilicas—notably the Basilica of St. Stanislaus Kostka, which pays tribute to the population’s Polish-Catholic heritage. Winona has more than 100 sites on the National Register of Historic Places but looks to the future with a robust downtown development plan. Its picturesque parks (including Great River Bluffs State Park and the Levee Park boulders) and its niche music hot spots (including No Name Bar) assert Winona as a must-see stop in Minnesota.
Stay
Photo courtesy of Video Vision
Winona’s Video Vision was both the first and last video store in town, operating from 1987 until 2019. It’s also perhaps the first video store in Minnesota to transform into a swanky, cinematic-centered Airbnb rental. Sarah Johnson, Winona’s first creative laureate, created signature art pieces to convey the theme of “fictional moments in Winona history” in each of the four boutique-style rooms: 1958 NASA Code Name Video Vision, 1928 Giant Squid Discovery, 2078 Alien Robots Invasion Room, and 1974 Bigfoot Devours Bloedow’s. Each pays tribute to some of owner Michael Onstad’s favorite parts of town: Bloedow Bakery’s donuts, Sugar Loaf Bluff, the lakes, and—of course—the iconic video store itself.
Taste
Do
Mid West Music Fest—an annual music festival in the Driftless region of Minnesota that has featured regional artists for more than a decade—on Friday, May 12, and Saturday, May 13, including regionally popular Humbird, Sleeping Jesus, Beet Root Stew, Sheep for Wheat, The People Brothers Band, Texas Toast, Clay Fulton and The Lost Forty, The Lavender Project, Clams, and—making their MWMF debut—The Reach Outs. Plus, jam out to big-name headliners UltraBomb, Your Smith, and NNAMDÏ.
Don’t Miss:
Photo courtesy of the Minnesota Marine Art Museum
• Rural Heritage Museum, Winona Historical Society
• Watkins Heritage Museum and Store
(original post on Mpls.St.Paul Magazine)