Family Weekend on the Mississippi in Red Wing, Minnesota

I have quite a few childhood memories of my grandparents taking us to amble along the Mississippi River in Minnesota. We would cross near La Crosse, Wisconsin and travel up to Hastings. So many spectacular views!  We had a free weekend and I thought a visit along the Mississippi River in Minnesota would be the perfect place for a little relaxation. I chose Red Wing so we could learn about Red Wing Shoes and Red Wing Pottery which are both still made in Red Wing.


The Views:

Immediately, we fell in love with the views of the Mississippi River from downtown Red Wing. We spent a healthy amount of our weekend trip walking along the river.

The downtown is entirely charming and is full of small businesses including restaurants, a bakery, a coffee shop, a bookstore and more. There is even a Scandinavian shop with an array of treasures from Scandinavia including intricate woodwork. Really worth a gander! While strolling through the downtown, we enjoyed admiring the architecture and learning about the history of the town.

For over 25 years, Red Wing has had the tradition of beautifying with flower baskets throughout town. The square next to the historic St. James Hotel is particularly picturesque with a fountain and brilliant blooms in baskets.

Decorative boots throughout the town are fun to find.

In addition to having magnificent river views from town, bluffs in the area afford incredible forest scenery and river panoramas. Our hike was the perfect serenity for our vacation!


Interesting Made in USA History:

Red Wing Shoe Store and Museum display on history of their shoes.

Travel Tip: River towns along the Mississippi River are full of charm, history and fun. For another weekend getaway, consider Hannibal, Missouri to walk in the footsteps of Mark Twain and the "Unsinkable" Molly Brown, sail on a steamboat, explore a cave and savor quaint shops. Check out Gypsy with a Day Job's Hannibal Missouri Weekend Getaway for more.

When in Red Wing, you must visit the Red Wing Shoe Store and Museum and the Red Wing Pottery Museum. We learned a lot about the history of manufacturing both products in Red Wing. I will write more in depth about each soon, but I was particularly impressed by how the Red Wing Shoe Store and Museum was able to show how their boots evolved including a detailed display on how a boot is constructed.

Adorable Chickadee Cottage Cafe in Lake City, Minnesota

In close proximity to Red Wing are quite a few other quaint river towns. We enjoyed some time exploring other towns along the river. Plenty of interesting small businesses, hiking opportunities and history to explore. Red Wing is such a fun weekend getaway location -- plus, you get to see the World's Largest Boot!

Follow along as I introduce our Red Wing discoveries including:

• Barn Bluff
• Red Wing Shoe Store and Museum
• Pottery Museum of Red Wing
• Anderson Center Sculpture Walk & Nature Center
• Red Wing Eats
• Lake City
• National Eagle Center in Wabasha