Minnesota
Small-Town Weekend Getaways from Minneapolis
Bluff-country river towns, glacier-carved gorges, and a historic lift-bridge main street, all within two hours of the Twin Cities.
At a glance
Minneapolis has 3 small-town weekend escapes, each with a full 48-hour guide to where to stay, what to do, and where to eat. Drives run from 30 min to Stillwater and 2 hr to Lanesboro. The headline draws: Stillwater Lift Bridge loop, Interstate State Park potholes & hikes, Root River State Trail. Most of these towns are at their best May-October or September-October (fall color).
- Escapes
- 3 towns
- Drive range
- 30 minutes to 2 hours
- Closest
- Stillwater, 30 min
- Best months
- May-October or September-October (fall color)
Pick your trip
Three ways to start planning a weekend from Minneapolis.
Shortest drive
Stillwater
Stillwater is 30 min from Minneapolis. A 19th-century lumber town on the St. Croix with a working lift bridge and a Main Street that hasn't changed in a century.
Worth the drive
Lanesboro
Lanesboro is the longest haul at 2 hr. The bed-and-breakfast capital of Minnesota, tucked in a limestone river valley with a 60-mile paved bike trail.
The short version
Small towns near Minneapolis worth a 48-hour trip
Minneapolis weekend trips run along the St. Croix and Mississippi river valleys and into the bluff country of southeast Minnesota. Within two hours you reach a river town with a brick main street, a historic biking and theater village, and a glacial river-gorge town. These are weekend trips from Minneapolis built on rivers, bluffs, and Minnesota small towns.
Stillwater (40 minutes east) is the closest escape, a St. Croix river town with a brick main street climbing the bluff and a lift bridge. Lanesboro (2 hours southeast) is the bluff-country biking and arts town, with the Root River State Trail and a historic theater. Taylors Falls (1 hour northeast) is the glacial river-gorge town on the St. Croix, with pothole rock formations and interstate state park.
Compare the Minneapolis escapes
Drive time, character, best season, and the one thing to do first, for every town within reach of Minneapolis.
| Town | Drive | Character | Best time | Do first |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stillwater | 30 min | Like a Galena, without the four-hour drive | May-October or September-October (fall color) | Stillwater Lift Bridge loop |
| Taylors Falls | 1 hr | Like a mini Boundary Waters, an hour from downtown | May-October or September-October (fall color) | Interstate State Park potholes & hikes |
| Lanesboro | 2 hr | Like a Midwestern Marfa, with trout instead of art | May-September or October (fall color) | Root River State Trail |
On the calendar
Coming up in the Minneapolis escapes
Events happening in the small towns themselves, not the city.
Refreshed weekly
Nov 7
Stillwater Fall Craft & Vendor Show
Stillwater · Stillwater Armory
Browse handcrafted gifts, seasonal decor, and local specialty goods from over 100 regional makers. It offers a lively autumn shopping escape in the heart of historic Stillwater.
Nov 28
Experience the Magic of Lanesboro
Lanesboro · Downtown Lanesboro
Celebrate the kickoff of the winter holiday season with small-town festivities and shopping throughout the Root River valley. It makes for an enchanting late-autumn weekend getaway in Minnesota's bluff country.
Dec 1 to 6
Legion Lights Holiday Display
Lanesboro · 202 Parkway Ave S
Stroll past illuminated community light arrangements that transform downtown Lanesboro for the festive season. Visitors can pair the evening glow with a cozy weekend stay at a local bed and breakfast.
All Minneapolis escapes
3 weekend trip ideas from Minneapolis, sorted by how far you have to drive. Vibes covered: river, food, nature, mountains.
Under 1 hour
2 escapes from Minneapolis
1 to 2 hours
1 escape from Minneapolis
What to do
The top attraction in each Minneapolis escape town, pulled straight from the 48-hour guides.
Stillwater
Stillwater Lift Bridge loop
Free. Walk the 1931 lift bridge (pedestrian-only since 2017) and the new St. Croix Crossing loop trail, 4.8 miles round trip over the river and back. Best at sunrise.
Lanesboro
Root River State Trail
Free. 60 miles of paved trail on an old railbed along the Root River. Lanesboro to Whalan is 8 miles round trip. Bike rentals at Blue Pelican, $25/day. Best May-October.
Taylors Falls
Interstate State Park potholes & hikes
$10 park entry. Self-guided tour of glacial potholes, 70 feet deep, plus the Sandstone Bluffs Trail, 1.5 miles round trip. Cross the footbridge into the Wisconsin side of the park.
Questions & Answers
Minneapolis weekend FAQ
Stillwater (40 minutes), Taylors Falls (1 hour), and Lanesboro (2 hours) are the strongest small-town escapes from Minneapolis, covering a St. Croix river town, a glacial gorge, and a bluff-country biking village.
Stillwater, about 40 minutes east of Minneapolis, is the closest escape, a St. Croix river town with a brick main street climbing the bluff and a historic lift bridge.
Lanesboro, about 2 hours southeast of Minneapolis, is the trailhead for the Root River State Trail, a paved bike path through southeast Minnesota bluff country, plus a historic downtown theater.
Stillwater (40 minutes, a St. Croix river town), Taylors Falls (1 hour, a glacial river gorge), and Lanesboro (2 hours, a bluff-country biking village) are the best weekend getaways from Minneapolis, covering river, gorge, and bluff country.
Stillwater is 30 min from Minneapolis; Taylors Falls is 1 hr from Minneapolis; Lanesboro is 2 hr from Minneapolis.
Stillwater: May-October or September-October (fall color); Taylors Falls: May-October or September-October (fall color); Lanesboro: May-September or October (fall color).
The escapes split by mood: river (Stillwater); food (Stillwater, Lanesboro); nature (Taylors Falls, Lanesboro); mountains (Taylors Falls). Every one is a 48-hour trip with specific places to stay, visit, and eat.