5 Reasons to Visit Stillwater, Minnesota

Stillwater, Minnesota, is about as far east as you can go without hitting our friendly neighbor Wisconsin. Located right in the St. Croix River Valley, this town of 20,000 has been a popular day trip destination for Twin Cities residents for decades, and with its riverfront parks, restaurant patios, historic main street and more, it’s easy to see why. Here are five reasons to visit Stillwater this summer.

A Little Minnesota History

Did you know that Stillwater is considered the birthplace of Minnesota?

In 1848, the first territorial convention to establish Minnesota as a state took place on the downtown corner of Myrtle and Main Street. The city, officially incorporated in 1854, precedes Minneapolis as one of Minnesota’s oldest towns, but what made it famous was its lumber industry. Stillwater Lumber Co. was one of the largest lumber mills in the country in the late 1800s, making Minnesota one of the biggest lumber markets in the world. This is all thanks to the town’s river connections to pine lands in northern Minnesota and Wisconsin, water power, and exceptionally still waters, perfect for assembling rafts.

Today, 21 buildings in Stillwater are on the National Register of Historic Places, and the town is a Preserve America community. Perhaps the most iconic symbol of Stillwater is the Historic Lift Bridge, one of the last three of its kind in the country. Recently renovated, the bridge is now open for pedestrian and cycling use.

Nature & Recreational Activities

Stillwater is a hotspot for recreational activities. During your time downtown, make sure to visit Pioneer Park and Lowell Park for some of the prettiest views of the river. If you really want to impress your little ones, head to Teddy Bear Park, an award-winning park with—you guessed it—lots of teddy bears. Kids can climb on the giant teddy bears and treehouse- and train-themed playground equipment.

For a bit more exercise, try biking along the St. Croix Loop Trail, which runs 4.7 miles across the Historic Lift Bridge into Wisconsin and back via the new St. Croix Crossing bridge. If you don’t want to worry about lugging around your own bikes, make sure to check out Diro Outdoors bike rentals, stationed at the Water Street Inn, right on the river. Bikers can use their smartphone to rent and pay for a bike (although riders must be 18 years or older). Another option is the Brown’s Creek Trail, a 6.4-mile path that juts off of the Gateway Trail and leads to Stillwater before winding along the St. Croix River.

For a particularly unique traveling experience, look into one of the St. Croix Segway tours—they’ll teach you how to ride before you explore the views, food and history Stillwater has to offer.

Culinary Excellence

If Stillwater is known for anything, it’s for the restaurants and boutiques that line Main Street. If you’re hoping for a patio (who isn’t in the warm summer months?), LoLo American Kitchen & Craft Bar is a good bet with American small plates and hand-crafted cocktails. Lion’s Tavern has a large outdoor patio that boasts a fire pit and live music Thursday through Sunday. Oasis Café is a classic diner with an award-winning burger and a reputation for being a longtime Stillwater favorite. It expanded in 2018 to include a full bar and an outdoor patio, too. If you’re looking for a bit of a tropical paradise, head over to the Tilted Tiki for fun, fruity (and strong) cocktails and an impressive number of vegetarian and vegan menu items. Of course we’d be remiss to leave out Leo’s Grill & Malt Shop, a retro ‘50s diner featuring a walkup counter if you’re hoping to take your shake or malt to go.

Shopping

If there’s ever a place to go for unique finds, and one-of-a-kind antiques, Stillwater is it. In fact, Stillwater is ranked as one of the top 10 best antiquing towns in the U.S. according to Fodor’s Travel. It’s also the biggest antique shopping destination in a five-state area, and it has the Upper Midwest’s largest antique and collectible mall, the Midtown Antique Mall. Visitors can spend an afternoon strolling along Main Street and pop into other antique shops like American Gothic Antiques, clothing boutiques like Betty June’s or Enchanté, or creative shops like Darn Knit Anyway, Cooks of Crocus Hill and Art N Soul. With over 50 shops to choose from, you’re sure to find something you’ll want to take home.

Accommodations

Stillwater is a convenient distance from the Twin Cities, but that doesn’t mean you should keep your visit capped at one day. Staying the weekend has become even more tempting, thanks to two new beautiful boutique hotels that nicely bookend Main Street. Lora is located on top of the Old Joseph Wolf Brewery, which, after a fire shut it down, became known as Empire Brewery. Open since 2018, Lora kept the brewery’s original foundation and even retained the original stone walls, vaulted ceilings and cave entrances. Feller, the hotel’s in-house restaurant, serves brunch, lunch and dinner made with Midwest-sourced ingredients and can be considered the cherry on top to an already special experience.

On the other side of Main Street is Hotel Crosby. If Lora is light, elegant and historical, Hotel Crosby is luxurious, cozy and rustic with most rooms featuring reclaimed stained barn wood beams, a barn style door to the bathroom and an exposed brick wall. The ambiance continues with the hotel’s restaurant, Matchstick, with farm-to-table small plates and a selection of over 700 unique spirits, wines and beers.

For more information about Stillwater, visit discoverstillwater.com.