Weekend Getaways from Minneapolis (And How to Get There)
TL;DR: The best weekend getaways within 2-3 hours of Minneapolis. Covers Stillwater, Red Wing, Duluth, the North Shore, Lanesboro, and the Apostle Islands, with driving logistics for each.
You don't have to fly somewhere to take a real trip. Some of the best weekend destinations in the Midwest are 2-3 hours from Minneapolis by road. The drive is part of the experience - if it's a good drive.
Here are the getaways worth your weekend, with honest assessments of the drive and what you'll find when you arrive.
Under 2 Hours
Stillwater - 35 minutes east. The oldest city in Minnesota, sitting on the bluffs above the St. Croix River. Antique shops, restaurants, a riverfront park, and the Lift Bridge connecting Minnesota to Wisconsin. The drive on I-94 East to Hwy 36 is easy and scenic once you hit the river valley.
What to do: Walk Main Street, eat at Lora (the rooftop bar has river views), browse the bookshops, kayak or paddle the St. Croix in summer. In fall, the river bluffs turn gold and red.
Why a car service works: Stillwater has a wine scene. Couple that with dinner and drinks on Main Street, and someone has to drive home. From Stillwater back to the south or west metro is 40-50 minutes.
Red Wing - 1 hour south. Mississippi River town with stunning bluffs, Red Wing Shoes headquarters, and the St. James Hotel. Quieter than Stillwater, more rugged.
What to do: Hike Barn Bluff (short but steep, incredible river views), tour the pottery (Red Wing Stoneware), eat at the St. James Hotel, drive through Frontenac State Park.
Taylors Falls / Interstate State Park - 1 hour north. The Dalles of the St. Croix - dramatic rock formations carved by glacial meltwater. One of the most underrated natural attractions in the state.
What to do: Hike the Pothole Trail (glacial potholes as deep as 60 feet), kayak the St. Croix, take an excursion boat through the Dalles. In fall, the foliage along the river is peak Midwest.
2-3 Hours
Duluth - 2.5 hours north on I-35. The jewel of northern Minnesota. Lake Superior, Canal Park, craft beer, and a vibe that feels more Pacific Northwest than Midwest.
What to do: Walk the Lakewalk along Superior, watch the ships come under the Aerial Lift Bridge, eat at Northern Waters Smokehaus (get the smoked fish), explore Park Point Beach, hit Bent Paddle Brewing. In winter, the ice formations along the North Shore are otherworldly.
The drive: I-35 North is flat and uneventful until you hit the last 20 minutes, where you drop into the city with Lake Superior suddenly spread out below you. That entrance never gets old.
North Shore (Duluth to Grand Marais) - 3-4 hours for the full run. Highway 61 along Lake Superior is one of the great American road trips. Gooseberry Falls, Split Rock Lighthouse, Temperance River, Lutsen Mountains, and Grand Marais at the end.
What to do: Stop at every state park. Seriously. Gooseberry Falls alone is worth the trip. In Grand Marais, eat at the Angry Trout, walk the harbor, stay at a cabin. In winter, Lutsen has the best skiing in Minnesota.
This is the premier "let someone else drive" trip. Highway 61 is beautiful but demanding - two lanes, winding, with Lake Superior cliffs on one side. After a full day of hiking and exploring, the 4-hour drive home is brutal. A car service turns the drive itself into part of the relaxation.
Lanesboro - 2 hours south. Minnesota's bed-and-breakfast capital, tucked into the Root River valley bluffs. The town has 700 residents and more charm per capita than anywhere in the state.
What to do: Bike the Root River Trail (60+ miles of paved trail through the valley), eat at the Pedal Pushers Cafe, see a show at the Commonweal Theatre, canoe the Root River. The town is small enough to walk end to end in 10 minutes.
Bayfield / Apostle Islands - 3.5 hours northeast (technically Wisconsin). The base for exploring the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore on Lake Superior. Sea caves, kayaking, sailing, and the quaintest small town on the Great Lakes.
What to do: Take the ferry to Madeline Island, kayak the sea caves (summer only - weather dependent), sail with Apostle Islands Cruises, eat at the Old Rittenhouse Inn. In winter, if the ice is thick enough, you can walk to the ice caves. It doesn't happen every year.
Planning the Trip
The drive matters. A 2.5-hour drive to Duluth with your partner, friends, or family can be one of two things: a relaxed start to the weekend, or a stressful slog through highway traffic with someone navigating from their phone.
For couples, a car service to Duluth means you're both in the back seat. You can nap, talk, watch the scenery, have a drink. The weekend starts at pickup, not when you finally find parking in Canal Park.
For groups (4-6 people heading to a cabin on the North Shore, for example), a Suburban or Navigator fits everyone plus luggage. One vehicle, one cost split, nobody drives, nobody gets stuck being sober for the cabin weekend's first night.
The return trip is the real sell. You spent two days in Duluth. You hiked, you ate, you stayed up too late. Now you have a 2.5-hour drive home on a Sunday afternoon, tired, possibly hungover, sharing the road with everyone else coming back from the North Shore. The I-35 merge south of Duluth is notoriously slow on Sunday afternoons.
Or: your driver picks you up at the hotel, you sleep in the back seat, and you're home.
NS Limo provides long-distance car service across Minnesota - Duluth, Rochester, North Shore, Stillwater, and anywhere in between. Book online or call (320) 223-8146.