Like a Midwestern Marfa, with trout instead of art
Lanesboro: 48-Hour Escape from Minneapolis
The bed-and-breakfast capital of Minnesota, tucked in a limestone river valley with a 60-mile paved bike trail.
Lanesboro: The bed-and-breakfast capital of Minnesota, tucked in a limestone river valley with a 60-mile paved bike trail.
At a glance
Lanesboro, Minnesota is a 2 hr drive from Minneapolis, best visited May-September or October (fall color). Like a Midwestern Marfa, with trout instead of art. Top things to do: Root River State Trail, Trout fishing on the Root River, Commonweal Theatre. Where to eat: Pedal Pushers Cafe, Riverside on the Root, High Court Pub. Stay at Stone Mill Hotel & Suites or Habberstad House B&B.
68
of 100
Escape score
A solid 48 hours
A modest weekend: reasonable rooms, plenty to do.
- Drive
- 2 hr from Minneapolis
- Best window
- May-September or October (fall color)
- Typical stay
- ~$150/night
Escape score: what there is to do and eat (40%), typical weekend lodging cost (30%), drive time (25%), rounding (5%). Computed from our own guide data, never from paid placement.
Why here
Lanesboro is a town of 750 in the bluff country of southeast Minnesota, 120 miles southeast of Minneapolis. It sits on the Root River, a designated trout stream, with limestone bluffs rising 300 feet on both sides. The 60-mile Root River State Trail, paved and flat on an old railbed, runs right through town. Lanesboro bills itself as the B&B capital of Minnesota and has a 30-year-old professional theater, the Commonweal. The population hasn't changed since 1900.
Lanesboro is the bluff-country biking town, and the trail is the whole story. The Root River State Trail, 60 miles of paved, flat rail-trail along the Root River, runs right through town, and Lanesboro is the mid-point trailhead, which is why it became the bed-and-breakfast capital of Minnesota. The Root River is a designated trout stream, with brown trout in the limestone stretches, and the bluffs, 300 feet of Paleozoic dolomite on both sides, are why the scenery is what it is. The Commonweal Theatre, a 30-year-old professional equity company in a 90-seat space, is the surprise, a serious theater in a town of 750. The population has not changed since 1900, which is the point.
A weekend in Lanesboro is a bike-and-trout weekend. Bike the Root River Trail, fish for brown trout, catch a show at the Commonweal, and eat at Pedal Pushers. Come May through September, or October for the fall color. Two nights lets you add the bluff-country drives and the town of Preston, 15 minutes west.
The plan
48 hours in Lanesboro
Same town, two different weekends. Pick the arrival that matches your Friday.
Friday, on arrival
Check inStone Mill Hotel & Suites
From ~$160/night
1885 limestone-flour-mill conversion, 14 rooms on the river, breakfast included, and bikes on site. Walking distance to the trail and theater.
Leave Minneapolis after work: the 2 hr drive lands you here in the evening.
Friday night
Dinner, then the main streetPedal Pushers Cafe
Farm-to-table on Parkway. The walnut burger, the seasonal soup, and the rhubarb pie are the moves. Closes at 2pm.
Eat first and walk it off after. Most small-town kitchens stop seating by 9.
Saturday morning
First stopRoot 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...
Saturday midday
LunchRiverside on the Root
Seasonal American with a deck over the river. The trout and the pork chop are the orders. Open April-October.
Saturday afternoon
Second stopTrout fishing on the Root River
A designated trout stream. Brown trout, catch-and-release in town. MN fishing license required, $25. Waders and flies at the local shop. Best April-Ju...
Saturday night
DinnerHigh Court Pub
Burgers and beer in the old stone courthouse building. The Court Burger and the local Iowa taps. Open evenings only.
Sunday morning
Last stop, then homeCommonweal Theatre
$25-40. Professional equity theater in a 90-seat space, April-December. New American plays and classics. Book the dinner-and-show package.
2 hr back to Minneapolis still leaves you the afternoon.
Timings are a suggestion, not a schedule. Shift the whole plan by how late you leave.
The Basecamp
Where to stay in Lanesboro
Stone Mill Hotel & Suites
1885 limestone-flour-mill conversion, 14 rooms on the river, breakfast included, and bikes on site. Walking distance to the trail and theater.
Habberstad House B&B
1890 Victorian, 4 rooms, full breakfast, and a porch swing. Walking distance to the trail and the Commonweal Theatre.
Cedar Valley Lodge
A bluff-country lodge with cabins on the river, a short walk to the trailhead. The quiet, river-valley base for biking.
What to do
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.
Learn more ↗
Trout fishing on the Root River
A designated trout stream. Brown trout, catch-and-release in town. MN fishing license required, $25. Waders and flies at the local shop. Best April-June.
Learn more ↗
Commonweal Theatre
$25-40. Professional equity theater in a 90-seat space, April-December. New American plays and classics. Book the dinner-and-show package.
Learn more ↗Pack for Lanesboro
Trail & waterfall kit
Curated for waterfalls, trails, and summit days in Lanesboro.
Lightweight hiking daypack
Room for layers, snacks, and the camera, without weighing you down.
See price on Amazon →Insulated water bottle
Cold water past the last switchback, hot coffee at the overlook.
See price on Amazon →Waterproof hiking boots
Grippy and dry through creek crossings and muddy gorge trails.
See price on Amazon →Rechargeable headlamp
For early trailheads and that one hike that ran long.
See price on Amazon →As an Amazon Associate, book2escape earns from qualifying purchases.
Where to eat
Pedal Pushers Cafe
Farm-to-table on Parkway. The walnut burger, the seasonal soup, and the rhubarb pie are the moves. Closes at 2pm.
Riverside on the Root
Seasonal American with a deck over the river. The trout and the pork chop are the orders. Open April-October.
High Court Pub
Burgers and beer in the old stone courthouse building. The Court Burger and the local Iowa taps. Open evenings only.
Most reviewed on Yelp
The most-reviewed restaurants in Lanesboro. A solid indicator of where locals actually eat.
Root River Unwined
American
Pedal Pushers Cafe
Cafe
High Court Pub
Pub
Review counts and ratings are curated from Yelp and may change over time.
Go even deeper
Side trips near Lanesboro
Once you've settled into Lanesboro, these nearby towns are close enough to fold into the same weekend without moving your basecamp.
5 min from Lanesboro
Whalan
5 minutes east, a 60-person village with a famous pie-coffee-stop (Aroma's Pie Shop), the friendliest rest halt on the Root River bike trail.
15 min from Lanesboro
Preston
15 minutes west, the trout-fishing capital of Minnesota, with a walkable downtown and the National Trout Center on the South Branch Root River.
On the calendar
Coming up in Lanesboro
Events happening in town, refreshed weekly.
Refreshed weekly
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.
Getting there
Drive logistics
From Minneapolis, take US-52 South to Rochester, then MN-16 East. ~120 miles, about 2 hours. Cell service drops in the valley. The trail is the main attraction, bring a bike or rent one in town.
Drive time
2 hr
Best time
May-September or October (fall color)
Questions & Answers
Lanesboro weekend FAQ
About 120 miles southeast of Minneapolis, roughly 2 hours via US-52 South and MN-16 East.
Yes, all 60 miles are paved on an old rail grade, flat and suitable for any bike. Lanesboro is the mid-point trailhead.
Year-round catch-and-release in the town section. General trout season mid-April through September. MN fishing license required.
Yes. At 2 hours, Lanesboro is the best bluff-country bike-and-theater weekend from Minneapolis, with the Root River State Trail and a historic downtown Commonweal Theatre.
About 42 miles of paved trail through southeast Minnesota bluff country, with Lanesboro at the central hub. Most people ride a 10-20 mile section out and back from downtown.
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