The Mississippi River is the highlight of one of the best road trips in the USA – The Great River Road. This National Scenic Byway begins in Minnesota, where the river starts, and ends in the Gulf of Mexico, where the river ends. While driving the whole of the Great River road is a huge time commitment, this short Minnesota Mississippi road trip makes a great day trip from the twin cities and is BEAUTIFUL. We love this Mississippi road trip and we try to drive it every fall during the color change. Keep reading for all of our best tips.
When To Go On A Minnesota Mississippi Road Trip
Fall, Fall and Fall. This hilly, winding drive is perfect for a fall color tour. To check the best estimate of when this will happen, check the Wisconsin Fall color change page. Wisconsin is just across the river so it’s a good estimate and their website is easy to use and accurate.
Minnesota Mississippi Road Trip Stops
We’re highlighting stops from north to south – you can also do this in the opposite direction. We’ve done this trip in both directions and we don’t have a preference.
Red Wing
Red Wing is one of the best stops on this Mississippi road trip. The historic downtown makes a great place to just wander and shop. Don’t forget to stop at the Red Wing Shoe Store to see the world’s largest boot!
After visiting town, consider heading to the outskirts of town to hike up Barn Bluff. This is a moderately challenging hike that will give you great views of the Mississippi bluffs from the tops of the cliff. Pro tip: If you plan to do this hike on a nice Saturday, you can walk up to an extra 2 miles if you get a bad parking spot. Consider doing this hike first thing in the morning or at the end of the day to have a better chance at finding a good parking spot.
If you’re looking for somewhere to eat, we love the Red Wing Brewery – they have some of the best pizza in the country. They use the breweries spent grains in the crust and the beer in the sauce!
Frontenac State Park
Just south of Red Wing is Frontenac State Park. This park is another great place to take in the views of the Mississippi bluffs. There also are hiking trails in the park but if you’re exploring as part of a Mississippi road trip, you won’t have much time to explore.
Lake City
Lake City, on the shores of Lake Pepin, is a great place to get out and enjoy the mighty Mississippi from the water. You can take a sailing tour or a speedboat tour on the lake. The shops along the river are also cute and worth a stroll. One of our favorite stops is at the Lake Pepin Winery, just north of town. This Midwest Winery is a great place to stop and try the Midwest varietals from a winemaker who was one of the first to grow them. The tasting room is open on weekends.
Wabasha
Wabasha is home to the National Eagle Center. If you’ve never seen one of these majestic birds, your chances of spotting one are good from their viewing platforms as this is the Eagle Capital of America. The center also has some injured birds inside that you can see year round if you don’t spot one outside.
Winona
Winona is the last stop on this Minnesota Mississippi road trip. It is another historic riverfront town. Don’t miss a stop to the Minnesota Marine Art Museum for a great display of water related art, including indigenous art displays. We also really like the view of the newly renovated bridge in Winona.
We hope this has helped you to plan your own Great River Road day trip. For more nearby road trips, check out our related posts here.
