Photographs by Caitlin Abrams
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Hope is the thing with otters, who dwell in this gorgeous place of escape—a place that may also harbor answers for how to save the planet.
Peering down into a little creek, just steps from where it joined the St. Croix River, I contemplated a corgi-sized critter, black, sleek, and wet in the low light of evening. First, it ate a black clump of…river mussels? Then it toyed with a branch, spinning it like a kid might rotate a pool noodle. Beaver—or river otter? I watched for 10 minutes, hoping it would show its tail and settle the question. Nope. It outlasted me. I put a snippet of video up on Instagram, where the world answered: Beaver! I later put the question to Deb Ryun, the director of the Wild Rivers Conservancy, who directs the nonprofit, which protects the St. Croix and Namekagon Rivers in partnership with the National Park Service. Ryun speculated: Eating mussels and idly playing for a long time? Otter.
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Call It a 36-Hour Getaway!
Yes, you can feel fully transported by heading to the eastern edge of the state. Travel the whole nearly 40-mile route from St. Croix Falls to Hudson, or day-trip and explore one town at a time.
Either way, she quickly cautioned, the most important thing I could do with this story is tell all of you: Do not dig up mussels yourself. Forty species live in the ultraclean St. Croix, and the very reason it is clean is because these mussels are filter feeding out pollutants. All river mussels look identical to nonscientists; five species are endangered; all will die if moved. It seems my reputation as someone who enjoys mussels in white wine with a crusty baguette precedes me! Please know: Restaurant mussels are farmed, in the ocean. They’re farmed because humans have been terrible stewards of the oceans and coasts, and mussels cannot exist in the wild at a scale that also satisfies human appetites. With farming, we can both eat mussels and leave wild mussels to filter where they’re meant to be.
This whole mussel and otter-or-beaver situation neatly encapsulates what is truly important about the St. Croix Valley, protected as a National Wild and Scenic River since 1968. Mainly, it’s hard to know, as a human on human time, what you’re really looking at when you look at the St. Croix: ancient pristine wilderness or scrub a mere 50-odd years along on a journey recovering from near environmental death?
Environmental death, of course, is the dread shadowing us all these days. We’ve lost three billion birds, one in four, in North America since 1970, reports the Audubon Society. We’ve lost 90 percent of top predator fish in the ocean, and by 2050 all fish in the ocean will be in complete population collapse, reports the journal Science. You can try to avoid the news, but as you do, you’ll be forced to shut all your windows to block the wildfire smoke.
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Taylors Falls Scenic Boat Tours
The human response to this human-made disaster has been very human. When faced with what seems like a fatal diagnosis, half of us go straight to anger and denial; some attack the messengers; others seek funding to build a magic solution and be the hero! Still others simply collapse in a helpless puddle of tears and despair. Thankfully, there are also people who are level-headed and clear-sighted and actually have an actionable plan for real healing. Two of those people? Jane Goodall and Walter Mondale.
Jane Goodall, the famed biologist, pulled me back from the brink of my own environmental despair with her book Hope. It’s a Socratic-style Q&A led by journalist Douglas Abrams, who pedantically peppers her with one question: Why is there any reason for hope? Over 272 pages, she provides a complex and compelling answer, which I’ll distill as: If you save nature, save the land and the animals on it, nature will build back entirely. Every time. And Walter Mondale, another visionary, pushed through the national Wild and Scenic Rivers Act in 1968, which, in 1973, helped our legislature draw a line around the destroyed environment of the St. Croix and say, In the future, this will be saved.
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Gondola Romantica
Every season is lovely in this special slice of the state, but autumn is especially appealing, when many crave lingering warm days, fall colors, and a connection to nature and the water. Escape to this region, less than an hour from the Cities, and feel worlds away.
The degree to which pillaging and plundering of trees destroyed the pineries of Minnesota and Wisconsin cannot be overstated. It was swift and brutal. In 1837, the so-called White Pine Treaty ceded the St. Croix pineries from Indigenous tribes to the United States. The day after ratification, wagons and boats with lumbering equipment headed out to cut down 500-year-old pines and every other tree big enough to make a board. Millions of trees were branded, hauled to the St. Croix, and floated down to every town that had a waterwheel to power a sawmill, like Franconia, Marine on St. Croix, and Stillwater. Chains strung across the river, called log booms, caught the logs, allowing them to be removed and sorted. It was not an orderly process. Logjams 200 feet high piled up repeatedly, some of which were cleared by dynamite.
Lumber barons were minted, and a guesstimated million U.S. houses were built. By 1900, most of the trees were gone, and by 1912, the whole timber rush was done, a classic boom-and-bust, in which the profits of the boom were privatized and the public was left to handle the bust. By the 1950s, the community along the St. Croix was dealing with depopulation and failing infrastructure—like the Nevers Dam, which was built in 1889 and collapsed in 1954—as well as a denuded landscape known as a cutover. The potential in this raked-over land was what Walter Mondale had the wisdom to protect.
Photo by Emily Gonzalez
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Grand Fête
And guess what? The 30-year-old, Christmas-tree-sized pines the lumberjacks left behind in 1912? They’re now more than a century old. River otters, which were nearly extirpated (extinct in a certain range) in this part of Minnesota in 1900, are back. Beavers, also nearly extirpated by 1900, are back as well, along with sage grouse, turtles, 40 species of mussels, and Vladimir Nabokov’s favorite butterfly: the endangered Karner blue. Save the land, and you save everyone: every butterfly, every critter, and even ourselves.
The protected St. Croix and Namekagon is what saving the world looks like. Go and see it. Discover its wild side in William O’Brien State Park, St. Croix State Park, or Interstate State Park. Go to Taylors Falls and ride the paddleboat through an ancient basalt canyon. Rent a canoe or kayak. Visit the pottery studios. Find a new place for lunch. Wander historic small-town streets. Watch as the river widens as it heads south to meet the Mighty Mississippi. But all the while, remember: The protected St. Croix you see is the opposite of what giving up looks like. It takes time, but not that much time. Our elders passed it down to us. As Ben Franklin said of our democracy: “a republic, if you can keep it.” Here in the St. Croix, we have saved the world a little, if we can keep it.
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The Looking Glass
As to the question of beaver or otter? I’ll never know, and that’s fine.
What’s important is: I got my chance to wonder. The humans of 1900 never got to ponder such questions because they had no beavers, no otters, just devastation. The humans of 1968 made it possible for the humans of today to contemplate and live within a world a little bit saved. Widen the frame. What was I really looking at when I gazed at that maybe-otter? Nothing less than the solution to saving the world, the answer to all our prayers, and the wet and wild, pure, mussel-eating incarnation of hope.
—Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl, Senior Writer
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glacial-pothole
Explore cauldron-like glacial potholes, the highest concentration in the world, along both sides of the river. These deep pits, with names like Bake Oven and Devil’s Parlor, were carved 10,000 years ago during the glacial retreat.
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If you’re catching the train in Osceola, make time to see nearby Cascade Falls. It’s within walking distance, but be prepared to descend many stairs to get to the water’s edge.
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North of Stillwater, on Hwy. 95, find the St. Croix Boom Site State Wayside, a historic site where logs were once gathered and sorted. Less than a half mile south of here, a scenic overlook affords sweeping views of the river valley.
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lift-bridge
Meander along the historic Stillwater Lift Bridge, one of only six vertical lift bridges ever built in this region. Now a bicycle and pedestrian bridge, it affords unique river views and access to the Wisconsin shore.
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shell-gas
Built in 1918, this historic and charming shell of a Shell gas station in Bayport (which now houses a small repair company) is a blast from the past that is just begging for a selfie shot!
Places of Note
- Journey between the two sides of Interstate Park and get a north and south view of the river gorge by venturing out on the pedestrian walkway of the US-8 Bridge between Taylors Falls and neighboring St. Croix Falls.
- Another notable, otherworldly gem in this region, for kids and adults alike, is Franconia Sculpture Park.
- North of Marine on St. Croix, William O’Brien State Park’s 1,600-plus acres along the river offer 12 miles of trails for hiking and biking; canoe, kayak, and paddleboard rental options; and access to great fishing and camping spots.
- Make time for a 45-minute Stillwater Trolley tour to enjoy picturesque views of this busy community, learn about its early days as a lumber town, and hear the stories behind some of its historic mansions and the lift bridge.
- Wander through Lowell Park, along the river’s edge: Explore the new pavilion, watch the boats (and sometimes hot-air balloons) go by, and grab some photos of this scenic stretch.
- Hike or pedal the 4.7-mile St. Croix River Crossing Loop Trail, complete with beautiful overlooks and a tunnel, that takes you over the lift bridge to Wisconsin and then back to Minnesota via the St. Croix Crossing bridge.
- Stretch your legs and explore Hudson’s Lakefront Park, which runs along the shore of the St. Croix and offers paths, picnic spots, a playground, and a band shell, not to mention great views of the busy river.
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rock-climbing
Hands-On Fun: The St. Croix has many faces, including ones sheer enough to challenge climbers. In this stretch, you get a sense of its raw beginnings as the river corridor shows off its plunging granite and volcanic basalt walls. Interstate State Park, so called because it includes parkland in two states, straddles the river and lets adventurers gain access to the best of the river’s assets along rigorous trails that also afford treetop views. While a beauty in all seasons, this park is exceptional for fall colors.
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Local Eats: The Drive In in Taylors Falls is iconic for the drive-in ordering but legendary for crafting big, juicy burgers; thick malts; and house root beer from scratch. Get the Duke Western Burger. 572 Bench St.
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scandia
Step Back in Time: If you’re looking for a little change of pace, Scandia’s Gammelgården takes you on a journey back to the life of early Swedish immigrants. Tour several historic log homes and buildings from the region, learn about life in the 1850s, discover artifacts from those early days, and find gifts with a Nordic twist in the museum’s shop. Don’t forget to grab a pic by the colorful Dala horse that stands guard. Open Wed.–Sun., May 4–Dec. 23. Admission/tours start at $10. Times and more at gammelgardenmuseum.org.
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train
All Aboard! One of the best ways to go all in on autumn is to journey through the St. Croix River Valley via train. The Minnesota Transportation Museum offers several themed 20-mile round-trip train tours May–October, including a series focused on fall colors that originates in Osceola, Wisconsin; travels along the river; and returns in the span of a couple hours. Passengers can move about the train—taking pictures, enjoying snacks, exploring different historic cars, and learning a little about local rail history—as it chugs along the bluffs, over bridges, and through the color-drenched route.
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watershed
Local Eats: Osceola’s Watershed Café (99 N. Cascade St.) serves up small-town home cooking made with the best produce and ingredients from local farms and growers, putting it a notch above the average café. Farther downriver, locals have flocked to Meister’s in Scandia (14808 Oakhill Rd. N.) since 1959 for the German Meisterburger: a beefy patty topped with ham, swiss cheese, and sauerkraut on a pretzel bun. And for a cool treat, The Looking Glass in Osceola (99 N. Cascade St.) serves up not only a host of vintage and antique finds but also a mean and mighty scoop of ice cream.
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annas-bistro
Local Eats: Marine on St. Croix resident Änna Hagstrom opened Änna’s Bistro (11 Judd St.), a charming eatery with a daily fresh menu, a brief but stellar wine list, and true owner-operated hospitality. The Brookside Bar and Grill (140 Judd St.) is another option for local eats. The patio bumps with live music, the beer list is killer, fried bluegills are on the menu, and it all comes together in an old creamery that became a bar in 1939.
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Sweet Treats: One of the best chocolate shops in the state, St. Croix Chocolate Company (261 Parker St.) should clearly be a pin in your map. Make a weekend visit a priority, because this small-town confectionary will stun you with vibrant chocolates; creative bonbon flavors, like cherry limeade; and treats such as bourbon pecan toffee.
The Start of Your River Story
Take advantage of the river’s wild side, from rugged rocks and rapids to breathless vistas and comfortable campsites—plus twin riverside towns Taylors Falls and St. Croix Falls.
Charm along the Way
Ride the rails through scarlet autumn corridors, and build in time to explore the history and character of the area.
More to Explore
These sights, sounds, tastes, and connections add to a layered experience.
Hidden Gems
Part of the fun of exploring this region is checking out the little shops that pop up along the way in the small towns, like Garden Gate at Crabtree’s (19713 Quinnell Ave. N.), a whimsical spot with things for home and garden, gifts, and more, just north of Marine on St. Croix.
Get Out & Explore
Hiking/Biking
This region harbors dozens of biking and hiking trails—St. Croix Falls is actually known as the City of Trails, including access to the Gandy Dancer Trail (which stretches up to Superior) and the western portion of the Ice Age Trail (which traces the edge of Wisconsin’s glacial zones). Trails in Interstate Park on either side of the river take you deep into the gorge and also afford spectacular skyline views of the valley.
Camping
State parks, like Willow River, William O’Brien, and Interstate, along with other camping options, are sprinkled along this region of the river. With access to so many recreational opportunities, like fishing, boating, disc golf, climbing, and so much to explore in the area, it may take a few days to try it all.
Canoeing/Kayaking
An ideal way to appreciate this cavernous stretch of river is from the water. Bring your own canoe or kayak for a day on the water, or take advantage of Taylors Falls Canoe and Kayak Rental, which lets you put in at Taylors Falls and paddle south to Osceola or William O’Brien State Park, where a shuttle waits to bring you back.
Birding
Cradled by forests, prairies, and wetlands, the St. Croix River is a four-season birding destination, but because it’s also in the midst of the Mississippi Flyway, it’s especially active during the spring and fall migrations. Find bird checklists for Minnesota state parks at dnr.state.mn.us.
Get on the Water
Boat Tours
Leisurely take in the change of season while enjoying a river cruise. Taylors Falls Scenic Boat Tours (taylorsfallsboat.com) journeys through the picturesque rock formations and lush landscape of Interstate Park and beyond and offers a range of options, including daily excursions, sundown cruises, history cruises, and musical cruises. Stillwater River Boats (stillwaterriverboats.com) offers two-hour daytime and evening public cruises with meals throughout the week and special jazz and brunch options on the weekend aboard paddle wheel boats. St. Croix River Cruises (stcroixrivercruises.com) offers public cruises with meal and beverage options and themes including brunch, fall colors, wine tasting, and Oktoberfest, departing out of Hudson.
Gondola
Looking for something a little more intimate? Try a romantic gondola ride along the St. Croix in Stillwater. Gondola Romantica (gondolaromantica.com) has daytime and evening cruises that are perfect for a special occasion but are also simply a unique way to take in the fall colors along the river. Pack a picnic and a bottle of wine and enjoy a 45-minute getaway.
Hot-Air Balloons
Or see the river from a new perspective by booking a hot-air balloon ride. Stillwater Balloons (stillwaterballoons.com) takes groups of up to 14 people on a one-hour sunrise or sunset flight over the river valley that ends with a champagne toast.
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stillwater
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lora
Hotel-it! Two chic boutique hotels bookend Main Street and make prime Stillwater staycation base camps. Nordic-inspired Lora packs a Scandi design punch, with a historic construction into the natural limestone caves along the river (plus pup-friendly perks, a coffee shop, and foodie-forward restaurant and bar Feller). Hotel Crosby provides a rooftop plunge pool, spa, and ground-level farm-to-table restaurant, Matchstick, which boasts a selection of more than 2,000 unique spirits. Those really wanting to leave the Cities behind lean into old-town charm and opt for a room at one of Stillwater’s OG hotels, Water Street Inn and Lowell Inn.
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Photo by Lizzie Bellman, Forge and Foundry Distillery
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Don’t Miss: Forge and Foundry is a small-batch distillery with a great cocktail room and a lovely second-floor deck open (weather permitting!) on Saturdays. 223 N. Main St.
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Shopping Destination: This town’s scene of elevated and carefully curated boutiques continues to explode, with many to lead your day-tripping list. Notables include homewares (and interior designer–approved) shop Brick and Linen, Scandinavian North (goods and gifts from Scandi artists and designers), art gallery Galeria Saro, and Enchanté and Garçon, a brother-sister shop fit for the fashion-forward set.
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melt-pizza
Local Eats: Main-street dining spots do a great job covering most cravings, from Lolito for fresh Mexican to Freight House for on-the-water bar food or Leo’s Grill and Malt Shop for all-American burgers and shakes. But if you’re looking for something new, try Melt Pizza Company (112 N. Main St.). Recently opened, it already feels like it has been here for decades. Detroit-style pizza is the main game, but quality and freshness are the mission. Don’t miss the other wonders on the menu: Thai brussels sprouts, Filipino spring rolls known as lumpias, and dan dan noodles with pork belly.
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sawmill
Treasures of Old: While many flock to this charming riverside town for its river views and good eats, it’s also an antique hound’s dream come true. Home to more than a dozen antiques stores, from multilevel malls like Midtown Antique (the largest in the Midwest), Staples Mill Antiques, and Stillwater Antiques to smaller boutiques—American Gothic Antiques, Rose Mille, and Let There Be Light Antiques—with many on Main Street, consider this stretch a gold mine for scoring collectibles and interesting curiosities. And be sure to bookmark Black Letter Books and Valley Bookseller—Stillwater is also home to some of the biggest selections of rare and used reads.
The Hub of it All
Known as the birthplace of Minnesota, Stillwater is poised to enter its modern-day prime as an idyllic setting for a little stay-and-play action.
5 Places to Wet the Whistle
A serious dedication to locally distilled spirits and a chef’s approach to cocktail creation make this bar a must. 227 S. Main St.
Skee-Ball, pull-tabs, and near ridiculous yet awesome Bloody Marys. 231 E. Myrtle St.
A restaurant, wine bar, and wine shop perched above the fray. The wines by the glass are a journey. 102 S. 2nd St.
Matchstick
In the Hotel Crosby, the lounge seating is meant for whiskey tasting. 232 N. Main St.
Steps off the river, find a patio and a brewery that pays homage to what water can become. 225 N. Main St.
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hudson
River City: A trek to Hudson is easier—and more fruitful—than you might imagine, and the added bonus is the charm of a very walkable town with noteworthy shops and eateries. Spend an afternoon here, or consider this a jumping-off point as you head less than 10 miles north to Minnesota’s Stillwater.
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nova
Local Eats: Hudson’s main street hosts a range of eateries for quick bites or extended celebrations. The old Nova (236 Coulee Rd.) was a wine bar, but under Brett Splinter’s watchful eye, it has become the Wisconsin dive bar of dreams. Never taking itself too seriously, Nova offers a Disco Nap (shot of Fernet and espresso with a High Life) to help lure you across the river, and then it feeds you with Boomin Barbecue or cult-favorite Private Sector smash burgers, depending on the day.
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Photo courtesy of La Rue Marche
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Shopping Destination: Hudson’s quaint, compact downtown abounds with plenty of shop ops. Abigail Paige Antiques, one of the first retail institutions to open in the town, is something of a Hudson rite of passage with its consortium of furniture and home décor dealers. Then, hit up kitchen store Grand Fête for specialty teas, olive oils, textiles, and other functional homewares and cooking inspiration. Maker enthusiasts are sure to get lost in Seasons Gallery and its selection of pottery, glass, jewelry, art, and metalwork from more than 100 artists. Don’t miss La Rue Marché, a long-standing women’s fashion and gift boutique framed in vintage décor.
More to Discover
Our river appeal doesn’t play state favorites, and Wisconsin’s Hudson can serve as a day-trip destination all its own or a launching point for a journey up the river.
Don’t Miss
Slip into the nearby, quieter small town of Bayport, across the river and just north of Hudson, and find this perfect date-night spot. One of the only places in the area with a reserve wine list, Manger (320 5th Ave. N.) offers elegant plates without the stuffiness of finer dining. Find a Wagyu steak frites, but also an amped-up burger.
5 Patios to Try
The best rooftop bar in town. You’ll find 270-degree views of the river nearly year-round. 609 2nd St.
Flavors of the Caribbean with a chill vibe on the tucked-away back patio. 426 2nd St.
It’s a double-decker party at this good-time bar that gets dancy on weekends. 601 2nd St.
Order a Puppaccino off the special Yappy Hour menu on this dog-friendly patio. 520 2nd St.
Live bands, live wrestling, pinball, great beer, fencing—it all goes down on this patio. 310 2nd St.
Find Scoops in the Valley
Valley Sweets in St. Croix Falls
Find 20+ flavors and handmade waffle cones. 133 N. Washington St.
’Nita Mae’s in Marine on St. Croix
Banana split is the move here. 101 Judd St.
MN Nice Cream in Stillwater
Soft serve gilded with all the toppings you want. 308 E. Chestnut St.
Gloria’s To Go at Leo’s in Stillwater
Nostalgic ice cream stand with Dole Whip on Leo’s patio. 314 E. Chestnut St.
Mabel’s in Bayport
A huge rotating list of local Cedar Crest Ice Cream. 293 N. 3rd St.
Lotus Creamery in Hudson
Fresh, unique flavors made in-house. 502 2nd St.
Discover Franconia Sculpture Park's Whimsical Art
Franconia Sculpture Park—all 50 acres of it, filled with dozens of sculptures and countless artful moments—has been putting outdoor art in perspective since it sprang from a cornfield in 1996. Read More
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Photo courtesy of Chateau St. Croix
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Photo courtesy of Osceola Community Fair
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Photo courtesy of R Vincent
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trolly-tour
Mark Your Calendar
Build your St. Croix River Valley excursion around one of the many happenings—big and small—that are scattered along the region and throughout the year. Here are a few to tempt your travel plans.
St. Croix Falls
Chateau St. Croix Winery Harvest Festival
September 16
Drink in the scenic views while you enjoy regional wines at this annual festival, featuring vendor booths, live music, and winery tours. chateaustcroix.com
Oktoberfest
September 30, October 14
Toast the season at Chateau St. Croix Winery with German cuisine, a game of Nagelbalken, and music. chateaustcroix.com
Don’t Miss
The 32nd annual St. Croix Valley Pottery Tour—featuring several regional studios showing off rustic, refined, and whimsical works—gathers potters and clay enthusiasts from around the region. May 10–12, 2024, minnesotapotters.com
Osceola
Osceola Community Fair
September 8–10
One year shy of a centenary celebration, this fall-time fair features all the trademarks of big-time small-town fun, including a sawdust pile, a tractor pull, a pop-up arcade, a grand parade, live music, rides, and—of course—fair food. osceolacommunityfair.com
Wheels and Wings
September 9
Rev your engines for hundreds of classic cars and motorcycles, plus incredible vintage planes (and an air show!) and mechanical art at the 42nd annual rendition of this event. L.O. Simenstad Municipal Airport, wheelsandwings.org
Scandia
Tomte Community Art Show
August 28–September 10
Local community members, from infants to senior citizens, were given a blank slate—er, a wooden Swedish tomte—they could paint any way they liked. See the creativity instilled on these gnomelike figures at the Barton Johnson Memorial Park, adjacent to the Gammelgården Museum of Scandia. gammelgardenmuseum.org
Taco Daze
September 9
Now in its 48th year, this fest by the Scandia-Marine Lions Club gives you something to taco-bout, with kids’ games, a pickleball tourney, arts and craft vendors, an antique car and tractor show, and a parade. facebook.com/TacoDazeinScandia
Annie’s Swedish Coffee Parties
Select Saturdays, October through December
A traditional Swedish three-course coffee party, complete with Swedish-themed eats. Gammelgården Museum of Scandia, gammelgardenmuseum.org
Marine on St. Croix
Marine Mills Folk School Marine Fall Festival
September 16
This annual Scandi fest features art demonstrations, dog sheep-herding with local family-owned Koru Farm, living history costumes, family-friendly activities, and traditional skills classes for all generations. marinemillsfolkschool.org
Stillwater
Cruisin’ on the Croix
September 6 and 20
Check out more than 100 vintage and classic cars, street rods, hot rods, and “any crazy motorized creation”—which seems subject to interpretation—at this annual car show. Lowell Park, cruisinonthecroix.com
St. Croix Vineyards’ Grape Stomp
September 9–10
Stomp, squish, and squelch on some of the juiciest grapes in Minnesota at one of the region’s premier wineries. Minnesota’s OG stomp features live music, food trucks, and prizes for the best stomp style. 6428 Manning Ave. N., scvwines.com
Rivertown Fall Art Festival
October 7–8
This annual riverfront fest features up to 150 artisans with handcrafted items, including ceramics, clay, culinary arts, fiber work, glass, jewelry, metal, painting, photography, and wood. Now in its 46th year, Rivertown attracts more than 10,000 people from Minnesota and western Wisconsin, steps away from Stillwater’s bustling main street. Plus: Catch a ride on the Stillwater Trolley for free! Lowell Park, greaterstillwaterchamber.com
Stillwater Harvest Fest
October 14–15
You won’t want to miss some seriously jacked pumpkins at one of the Midwest’s largest fall fests, featuring the best pumpkin weigh-off in the world, plus live music, a chili cook-off, a vendor market, and kids’ activities. You’ll have a smashing time—literally: There’s a pumpkin drop from a 100-foot crane. harvestfeststillwater.com
Warden’s House Museum Tours
Through October 29
History meets peak spooky season at autumnal tours of the Warden’s House Museum, built in 1853. The museum’s 14 rooms showcase pieces of Washington County history, from the lumber industry to the 1965 St. Croix Valley flood, and historical photos of the old Stillwater prison. 602 N. Main St., wchsmn.org
Historic Trolley Tours
Throughout Autumn
Hear that bell? That’s one of many historic trolley tours that depart throughout this historic town in 45-minute increments. Climb aboard and get a glimpse of old Victorian mansions, the stunning St. Croix River, and Stillwater’s iconic lift bridge, constructed in 1931. stillwatertrolley.com
Hudson
Spirit of the St. Croix Art Festival
September 23–24
Breathe in the essence of the local art scene in at this annual art fair presented in partnership with The Phipps Center for the Arts. Check out more than 80 juried artists, hands-on demonstrations, local music, and an aerial silks performance (!), plus plenty of fall-flavored foods. Lakefront Park, thephipps.org
Hudson Hot Air Affair
February 2–4, 2024
Don your cutest snow boots for this annual hot-air balloon rally and winter fest with the theme “Rockin’ with the Coldies,” when more than 30 balloonists from five-plus states will travel to Hudson and soar over the St. Croix River Valley. hudsonhotairaffair.com
Originally published in the September 2023 issue.
