Gunflint Lake Live Cam

Day trips are a great way to travel without the hassle of finding a hotel. Day trips around Minnesota are an opportunity to get away from the daily stress, and require no planning. All that is necessary is to to pack some snacks, grab a map, fill up the car with a tank of gas, get everyone in the car and off you go.

Taylors Falls makes a excellent day trip; it’s especially beautiful in the summer and fall. Taylors Falls Recreation offers plenty of activities from waterpark rides, canoe rentals to scenic boat tours. One of the best things is that it’s only a hour from the Twin Cities. Another nice park about an hour away is the William O’Brien State Park. In fact you can hit both parks in one day, starting from Taylors Falls, it’s a 17 mile canoe trip on the St. Croix to William O’Brien (there are shorter trips too). If you rent canoes from Taylors Falls, there’s a bus that will bring you back.The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has all the listings for the 10,000 plus lakes in Minnesota and parks. Pack a picnic and pick a park!

Take a trip back in time, and visit historic Stillwater, the birthplace of Minnesota. Hundred-year-old brick and limestone buildings that once housed merchants of the old logging town now are home to a host of antique shops, rare book dealers, world-class restaurants, bed & breakfast inns, historic trains, trolleys, and paddlewheel boats.

Another scenic rivertown steeped in tradition is Hastings. Hastings is at the junction of the Mississippi, St. Croix and Vermillion Rivers. To go a little farther away, visit Red Wing. Red Wing named after a famous Dakota Indian Chief, is a quaint, historic rivertown nestled along the banks of the Mississippi River. With its entire downtown restored to its original turn-of-the century grandeur, Red Wing is a year-round visitor destination.

Hit the road, and enjoy a fun day-trip around Minnesota.