National Minnesota Day: Great Stops Across the State for Your Next Road Trip to Minnesota

Mar 1, 2024

It’s National Minnesota day, and we thought we’d bring you another fun road trip guide to celebrate the occasion. From waterfalls and state parks to zoos and museums, we’ve got some great destinations to add to your next itinerary!

The state has a plethora of fantastic Scenic Byways to explore if you’re looking to do some joyriding and enjoy a scenic tour of the state. Scenic byways are public roads and highways that provide a unique roadside view to scenic areas, natural landscapes, and other areas of cultural and historical significance. There are more than 2,900 miles worth of incredible scenic byways throughout the state, so there’s plenty of opportunity to add a few to your next drive! Let’s check it out four incredible byways to get you started:

Minneapolis Grand Rounds Scenic Byway is the road you’ll want to take if you’re short on time, but want to make sure to see a little bit of everything Minnesota has to offer! You’ll find plenty of spectacular scenic views and vista points, perfect for snapping a family photo or having a little picnic. There are lots of stops to stretch your legs and enjoy the great outdoors with hiking and other outdoor recreational activities. Explore the Chain of Lakes, featuring Nokomis, Harriet, Maka Ska, and Lake of the Isles. Walk along the downtown riverfront area along the Mississippi River. Explore spectacular botanical gardens like the wildflower garden at Theodore Wirth Park and a Rose Garden at Lake Harriet. Observe some beautiful artwork at the Weisman Art Museum or Minneapolis Institute of the Arts or the Minneapolis Sculpture garden. Catch a show or a performance at Orchestra Hall or the Guthrie Theatre! Plus, numerous historic sites, shops, stores to peruse, and plenty of places to stop for a bite to eat.

Glacial Ridge Trail Scenic Byway is a 220 mile route winding through stunning lakes, majestic woods, and sprawling farmlands. As the massive glaciers that once covered this area began to melt away, they left behind a series of sparkling lakes dotting the hills and ridges of central Minnesota. This route also winds through three different state parks: Sibley, Monsoon, and Glacial Lake, perfect for a nature lover’s day trip with lots of hiking, birding, wildlife spotting, and even fishing.

Otter Trail Scenic Byway features over 1,000 glistening lakes along ,impressive wetlands chock full of local wildlife, scenic trails for hiking and biking, historic sites and roadside sculpture attractions. The area is also a prime spot for outdoor recreation including fishing, hunting, boating and watersports, snowmobiling, cross country skiing, and more. It’s a wonderful year-round destination!

Lake Country Scenic Byway encompasses 88 miles of scenic drive connecting Walker, Park Rapids, and Detroit Lakes, as well as a segment of the Pine to Prairie Birding Trail. This region is one of the area’s top spots for birding, with Itasca and the Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge being two places of note. There are numerous lakes offering plenty of hiking, biking, camping, and lakeside resort stays. If you’re interested in exploring local arts and culture, there are numerous art galleries and historic sites.

There are more than 20 incredible byways located all around and across the state, and we encourage you to explore each of them and experience a wide variety of opportunities to experience the state in a new light. Here’s a full list of Minnesota’s byways so you can plot out your next road trip to include one or more!

If you want to add some unique and unexpected experiences to your memory books, you’ll love these four suggestions on our list of wild, weird, and strange places to explore in Minnesota.

The Runestone Museum is located in downtown Alexandria, and it houses an impressive collection of both Nordic and Native American artifacts and exhibits, and gives visitors a chance to learn about the local history of the area as well as explore its wildlife and environment. Be sure to check out the mysterious Kensington Runestone while you’re there. They also have a family friendly Scavenger Hunt that’s sure to please everyone in your travel party.

The Spam Museum is located in Austin and worth a stop especially since it’s a $0 admission destination! This quirky little roadside museum features the world-famous canned pre-cooked meat product, chronicling its history and exploring its culinary significance around the globe. You’ll find an extensive collection of pork products, try your hand at the mock assembly line, or pose for some goofy photos. It’s a silly but worthwhile stop on your next trip through the area.

The Franconia Sculpture Park features 100 sculptures in its rotating collection spread across 50 sprawling acres, and is home to a rotating cast of residency artists. Each year the sculpture park hosts numerous public and educational events and special arts programming. Open from 8Am to 8PM daily, it’s free and open to the public, making it a wonderful place for budget friendly vacation fun. This everchanging exhibit of large scale artwork blends into the landscape and each piece looks uniquely fresh in its environment depending on the weather and the seasons, making it a great place to return to again and again for a fresh new experience each time!

House of Balls is sure to bring the giggles with its eccentric exhibits designed to be touched and interacted with! The inventive exhibit has no set hours, making it a perfect plot on your map to stop whenever you need a break on your travel schedule. These whimsical pieces are created with the hopes that visitors will tap into their sense of wonder, play, and imagination. Artist and sculptor Allen Christian has been working on his vision since the late 1980s, and his pieces explore the connection between humans and the inanimate world around them. Most of the materials in the sculptures are sourced from found objects, and created in the image of the human figure. A visit to the House of Balls will undoubtedly leave you feeling creative, curious, and cheerful!

If you’re craving some time in the great outdoors so you can get back in touch with nature, here are four fantastic spaces to explore and get back to your roots with green grass, tall trees, and beautiful botanicals.

The Boundary Waters Canoe Wilderness Area boasts more than 1,200 miles of majestic canoe routes, over 12 different hiking trails, and over 2,000 different campsite areas. It’s considered one of America’s most beautiful and remote places, and it’s easy to see why. With more than one million rugged acres of wilderness and nature trails, it’ll take your breath away! Take a trek through the pristine forest regions, paddle across the glacial lakes, wade through the sparkling streams, and bask in the fresh air and sunshine of the Superior National Forest. It’s unparalleled beauty and natural wonder.

The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum is a 1,200 acre curated horticultural garden and arboreum established by the University of Minnesota. Enjoy seasonal demonstrations such as the Maple Fest where more than 350 trees are tapped for sap to make syrup. Attend the annual Spring Flower Show and view some spectacular species of plants and flowers. Check out what’s blooming in the weekly Garden Highlights section to find out what to look forward to on your visit with each seasonal change. Check out the local artist panels and works inspired by nature such as the “Mosaics and Mirrors Artist Talk”. Learn about local plants and wildflowers with a walk through the garden, and stop in for some light reading about gardening and horticulture at the Andersen Horticultural Library.

Niagara Cave is a local wonder offering visitors a chance to hike below the earth’s surface, as well as getting up close and personal with some pretty impressive stalactites, stalagmites, and other natural wonders. The natural limestone cave is around 200 feet below ground, and houses impressive formations such as the Elephant’s Head and the Wishing Well! There’s also a magnificent 60 foot underground waterfall that can’t be missed. Book a Guided Cave tour, learn about the history of the Vikre family, and explore what it’s like to live as a professional geologist. It’s a must-see natural park area, and it’s in the Top Ten highly rated caves in the US!

Gooseberry Falls is one of the top waterfalls in the state, and worthy of a visit no matter the season. In the autumn, the area looks like an artist’s paint palette with vivid ruby reds, burnt oranges, sunshine yellows, and mossy greens. In the winter, the falls freeze over and the area becomes a veritable winter wonderland and ice palace. In the spring, the waterfalls are at their strongest as the ice and snow melt and feed the rushing waters. In the summer, the area is a verdant paradise of lush greenery and wildlife. You absolutely have to add this to your road trip bucket list!