Day Tripping: St. Peter, Minn.

There are weeks of potential day trips on the stops south along Highway 169 from the Twin Cities.

by

The small college town of St. Peter, Minn. is just an hour southwest of downtown Minneapolis, but the journey down brings plenty to do and see. The town almost became Minnesota’s state capitol, but has been home to Gustavus Adolphus College since 1876. Before you know it on the drive, the city buildings give way to farmland and the bucolic hills of the Minnesota River Valley, where if you’re lucky, you might catch a glimpse of a bald eagle soaring above one of the state’s scenic byways.

First things first: Wake up early for a sunrise hike at one of the many trails at the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge by Carver, Minn.

No drive down is complete without a stop at Minnesota’s Largest Candy store. The Big Yellow Barn can’t be missed as you pass through Jordan, like a mirage on the side of the road during the sweltering summer heat. The parking lot is rarely not packed to brim, and the large selection of sodas, imported candy, and pies truly has something for anyone with a sweet tooth.

There’s a certain energy here, something that Prince may have picked up on—pivotal scenes of him cruising on his motorcycle on the roads around Henderson made the cut for Purple Rain (as did the infamous quote, where he tells his girlfriend Apollonia in the movie to “purify yourself in the waters of Lake Minnetonka,” which would in reality be the Minnesota River). The town’s annual Prince festival commemorates its Hollywood history. Stop by the main street, pay a visit to the Prince statue that watches over the town, and sign the guestbook. On Tuesdays in summer, Henderson also hosts a Classic Car Roll-In for auto-enthusiasts.

When you do get to St. Peter’s main street, try a flaky breakfast hand pie or a slice of quiche with one of the specialty lattes at the ever-charming River Rock Coffee. The Treaty Site History Center is the headquarters of the Nicollet County Historical Society, with exhibits on the stories that shaped Nicollet County, including the Indigenous people, explorers, and settlers of the area. End it all with a nightcap at Chankaska Creek Ranch and Winery, minutes away, with a thin-crust, brick-oven pizza to cheers away the evening.

More To-Dos:

  • If you’re feeling adventurous, the Kerfoot Canopy Tour in Henderson boasts Minnesota’s best zip-line (yes, there’s zip-lining in Minnesota). 
  • You’ll know you’re close when you see the Jolly Green Giant sign waving at you (the Green Giant plant in Le Sueur, pivotal to the town's development, closed in 1995).
  • Bring out your inner Scandinavian at Swedish Kontur Imports, a family-owned store with clothes, jewelry, and housewares. A number of other gift shops pepper St. Peter too, including Refinery Boutique and Generation Boutique.
  • In the mood for art? Try the Hillstrom Museum of Art at Gustavus with its rotating exhibits.
  • St. Peter is home to structures that appear on the National Register of Historic Places, such as the Gothic-style E. St. Julien Cox House and the Church of the Holy Communion. If you’re an architecture buff, the chapel on the hill at Gustavus is also worth your time. 
  • If in St. Peter during the school year, you may be pitted against some Gusties on trivia nights at Patrick’s on Third. The Third Street Tavern is the epicenter of the town’s barbecue, and attached to the boutique Konsbruck Hotel for an overnight stay. There’s also El Agave for a margarita and some Mexican food on the edge of town.
  • Depending on your timing, you might even be able to catch the Minnesota Renaissance Festival, Sever's Fall Festival, or double dip apple orchards between Minnesota Harvest and Emma Krumbee's.