LOWER ST. CROIX

Stillwater is the central attraction on the lower part of the St. Croix Valley. Calling itself the Birthplace of Minnesota, it’s one of the oldest cities in the state, built by lumber barons and transplanted New Englanders. Like any town that suffers the loss of its primary industry, Stillwater went through its slump in the early 20th century. But the natural beauty surrounding the area combined with the charm of the downtown streets and buildings drove a renaissance that has created thriving shops and galleries and a busy tourist trade, particularly on summer weekends, when driving down Main Street can require patience and time.

But the payoff is in the ability to stop, shop, wander along the river and watch the Stillwater Lift Bridge operate, see the sailboats and yachts dotting the water, and have almost more choices of places to dine than seems reasonable. Whether wandering on your own for a private retreat, as part of a couple’s romantic getaway, or with a family, Stillwater is a lovely place to spend a day or two. Add in the recreation and dining options south of Stillwater, and the stay could be longer.

HISTORIC STILLWATER

To See and Do

Warden’s House Museum (651-439-5956; wchsmn.org/museums/wardens-house-museum), 602 Main Street N., Stillwater. Open Thurs.–Sun. from May–Oct. Adults $5; children 17 and younger $1; Washington County Historical Society members free. The Warden’s House was built in 1853 and used as a residence for prison wardens and superintendents until 1941, when the building was sold to the Washington County Historical Society. Several of the rooms are furnished as they would have been in the late 19th century, while a few rooms are reserved for displays relevant to the region’s overall history, including the lumber industry and children’s items.

ST. CROIX RIVER AT INTERSTATE STATE PARK

Green Space and Outdoor Activities

PARKS Afton State Park (651-436-5391; dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/afton/index.html), Afton. Open daily. $7 day pass ($35 for an annual parks pass). A beautiful nature preserve that provides a strenuous workout for visitors. There are 20 miles of hiking trails, most of which have some sharply steep inclines. However, the views of the St. Croix River make it worth the effort. One area allows horseback riders, and several miles of trail are open for cross-country skiers in the winter. Year-round camping is available.

SKIING Afton Alps (651-436-1320; aftonalps.com), 6600 Peller Avenue S., Hastings. This is one of the biggest Minnesota ski resorts, with 40 trails and 18 lifts, a snowboard park, and a tubing hill. During the summer, the resort is open for mountain bikers, and an 18-hole course is available for golfers.

TOURS St. Croix Boat & Packet Company (651-430-1234; stillwaterriverboats.com), 525 Main Street S., Stillwater. Open May–mid-Oct. Cruise the St. Croix River on your choice of a lunch, dinner, brunch, or live-music cruise. Boats are also available for private charter. Reservations are recommended.

Stillwater Trolley Co. (651-430-0352; stillwatertrolley.com), 400 Nelson Street E., Stillwater. The historic Stillwater trolleys take visitors on tours through the beautiful river city Jun.–Oct. The base historic tour is $13.50 for adults; $12.50 for military members and seniors over 62; and $7.50 for children 4–17. Note that the tours are not recommended for ages 3 and under. There’s also a weekly storytime trolley running from The Valley Bookseller, and the company also books kayak tours.

HOT-AIR BALLOONING

Given the beautiful scenery and the charming small towns, it’s only logical that hot-air balloon rides would be a popular pastime in the lower St. Croix Valley. The following companies all offer hot-air balloon service daily May to October, weather permitting. Contact the individual companies for off-season possibilities.

Stillwater Balloons (651-439-1800; stillwaterballoons.com), 135 N. St. Croix Trail, Lakeland. Morning or late-afternoon departures are offered during the summer, but balloon rides (dependent on weather) can be done all year long, and all flights conclude with a champagne celebration. Private rides can be arranged. Rides start at $245 per person.

Wiederkehr Balloons (651-436-8172; angelfire.com/nm/flyballoons/main.html), 130 N. St. Croix Trail, Lakeland. Morning and afternoon departures are available, with a maximum of eight passengers at a time. Champagne is served at the conclusion of the ride. Rates start at $250 for the first person and $200 for subsequent guests in the same party. Private balloon rides are available.

Aamodt’s Hot Air Balloon Rides (651-351-0101; aamodtsballoons.com), 6428 N. Manning Avenue, Stillwater. Aamodt’s offers hot-air balloon rides with departures from their apple orchard in Stillwater. Rides are reserved for eight people only and include a champagne toast. Private rides can be arranged. Rates start at $500 per couple, $800 for a private excursion.

Gondola Romantica (651-439-1783; gondolaromantica.com), 425 Nelson Street E., Stillwater. Open daily May–Oct., weather permitting. Who needs Venice? This entrepreneurial effort brings romantic gondola rides to the St. Croix River. Options include everything from 20-minute sightseeing cruises to a five-course dinner cruise. The company offers customized cruises as well. Gondolas hold six people, but if you’d like a private excursion, reserve ahead.

St. Croix Valley Segway Tours (651-508-1448; stcroixvalleysegway.com), 8312 Neal Avenue N., Stillwater. This tour provider has numerous Segway tours around Stillwater, several of which include stops at eateries and breweries. Training and helmets are provided. Tours frequently sell out in advance, so reserving ahead is strongly recommended. Note that all riders must be 14 or older (14–17 must be accompanied by an adult), and there are weight restrictions; riders must be at least 90 pounds, but not more than 300 pounds. Custom and private tours can be arranged. Rates start at $40, with discounts available for military members.

WINERIES/BREWERIES Saint Croix Vineyards (651-430-3310; scvwines.com), 6428 Manning Avenue N., Stillwater. Open daily. This vineyard has won more than 100 national and international awards with their wines, which include Frontenac, Marquette, and fruit wines. On beautiful weather days, bring a picnic to enjoy on the vineyard’s deck or on a blanket out in the vineyard.

Lift Bridge Brewery (1-888-430-2337; liftbridgebrewer.com), 1900 Tower Drive W., Stillwater. Open daily with brewery tours offered Sat.–Sun. The taproom has a full line of Lift Bridge beers and ales, including the popular Farm Girl Saison, and hard seltzers.

Maple Island Brewing (651-430-0044; mapleislandbrewing.com), 225 Main Street N., Stillwater. Open daily. Maple Island brews a wide variety of beers, including kolsch, IPA, bock, lager, hefeweizen, and imperial stout, along with root beer (including a maple-flavored root beer).

Lodging

Stillwater is blessed with a number of historic—and romantic—inns for visitors, as well as bed-and-breakfasts.

BED-AND-BREAKFASTS The Ann Bean Mansion (651-430-0355; annbeanmansion.com), 319 Pine Street W., Stillwater. This whimsical home has a colorful history, complete with riches and scandal, and today it has five lovely rooms, all with fireplaces and private baths. The Tower Room is a particularly cozy choice. Rooms come with plush robes, and rates include an afternoon glass of wine and full breakfast daily. Children 10 and older are welcome. Rates start at $175.

Rivertown Inn (651-430-2955; rivertowninn.com), 306 Olive Street W., Stillwater. Sitting on a hillside above Stillwater, the Rivertown provides beautiful views along with four rooms and five suites, all elaborately decorated and named after literary heavyweights (Lord Byron, Longfellow). The inn is open year-round, but summer visitors will enjoy the use of the private gardens and screened gazebo. All accommodations have luxurious bedding, Bose sound systems, plush robes, full breakfast, and evening social hour with wine and hors d’oeuvres. Rates start at $325. Packages are available.

Lady Goodwood (651-439-3771; ladygoodwood.com), 704 1st Street S., Stillwater. This lovingly restored 1895 Queen Anne home has several original details, including a parlor fireplace. The three guest rooms are all lavishly decorated in Victorian style and have private baths; the St. Croix Suite comes with a round king-sized bed. Rates start at $109. Packages are available.

Aurora Staples Inn (651-351-1187 or 1-800-580-3092; aurorastaplesinn.com), 303 4th Street N., Stillwater. This Victorian home has rooms and suites in period décor, all with private baths. Some rooms have gas fireplaces and whirlpool tubs. The Carriage House suites has a private covered parking spot. Rates start at $169.

INNS AND HOTELS Lowell Inn (651-439-1100; lowellinn.com), 102 2nd Street N., Stillwater. The Lowell Inn is the granddaddy of historic hotels in Stillwater. Built in 1927 on the site of a former lumberjack hotel, this stately building has 23 impeccably decorated rooms, some with stained-glass windows, antique furnishings, and fireplaces, but all with modern conveniences. Several rooms have Jacuzzis. The romance factor here is high. The hotel also has two highly regarded restaurants on-site (see Where to Eat). Rates start at $155. Packages and specials are available.

Water Street Inn (651-439-6000; waterstreetinn.us), 101 Water Street S., Stillwater. A small luxury inn right on the river with rooms and suites, most with gas fireplaces. The rooms are decorated as befitting the upscale visitors of the lumber boom days. A well-regarded restaurant and pub round out the amenities. Rates start at $189. Packages and specials are available.

Afton House Inn (651-436-8883; aftonhouseinn.com), 3291 St. Croix Trail S., Afton. Afton House has 46 rooms, most with canopy or four-poster beds, and deluxe rooms have balconies overlooking the St. Croix River. The location near Afton Alps (see Green Space and Outdoor Activities) makes this a good choice for a ski weekend, with a warm, romantic hideaway to return to at the end of the day. The inn has a restaurant and bar on-site. Rates start at $185. Packages are available.

Lora Hotel (651-571-3500 or 1-833-287-8155; lorahotel.com), 402 S. Main Street, Stillwater. Stillwater’s newest lodging is this upscale boutique hotel, with sleekly sophisticated rooms and suites (some of which do not have windows). Several rooms have exposed stone walls, showing the hotel’s historic origins. Bicycles and helmets are available for guests. The hotel is inclusive to the point where it has not only Bibles for guests, but the Book of Mormon, the Bhagavad Gita, and the Torah, among others. The hotel’s restaurant, Feller, is a destination on its own (see Dining Out). Rates start at $221.

Where to Eat

The lower St. Croix Valley enjoys an affluent resident population and close proximity to the Twin Cities, giving it an abundance of notable dining options, even off-season.

DINING OUT Feller (651-571-3501; lorahotel.com), 402 S. Main Street, Stillwater. Open daily for all three meals. Located inside Stillwater’s newest lodging option, the Lora Hotel (see Where to Stay), Feller has become a destination on its own. The restaurant describes itself as a modern-day homage to hunters and gatherers, by which they mean they’re proud to serve as many locally grown and harvest ingredients as possible. For dinner, look at the Tatanka (bison hanger steak with beurre noisette and parsley root puree) or the Rooster in the Grain (brined pheasant breast with barley and gooseberry lacquer). Vegetarians have not been ignored, and there’s an extensive wine list. Expensive/very expensive.

Lowell Inn (651-439-1100; lowellinn.com), 102 N. 2nd Street, Stillwater. Open daily for lunch and dinner. Within the historic Lowell Inn (see Lodging) are two restaurants worth noting. The formal restaurant, in the elegant George Washington Room, serves classic dinner entrées such as duck à l’orange and beef Wellington, while the Matterhorn Room serves a four-course Swiss dinner fondue each evening. Expensive.

Lake Elmo Inn (651-777-8495; lakeelmoinn.com), 3442 Lake Elmo Avenue N., Lake Elmo. Open daily for lunch and dinner. Housed in a former stagecoach stop, the Lake Elmo Inn serves upscale fare in a “come as you are” ambience. Seafood (local and saltwater), pork, and pasta are the specialties, but be sure to save room for the Sin of the Inn dessert (if it’s still on the periodically changing menu). Kids are welcome to check out the “young adult” menu. Expensive/very expensive.

Patriot’s Tavern (651-342-1472; patriots-tavern.com), 145 New England Place, Stillwater. Open daily for lunch and dinner. An American-themed tavern right down to its architecture, Patriot’s offers up an upscale take on bar and grill food, including wood-fired pizzas, lobster mac and cheese, and ale-cooked pot roast. Moderate/expensive.

Phil’s Tara Hideaway (651-439-9850; tarahideaway.com), 15021 N. 60th Street, Oak Park Heights. Open Tues.–Fri. for lunch and dinner, Sat.–Sun. for dinner. This highly regarded restaurant offers a combination of Mediterranean and American cuisine in a log-cabin-themed building. The food tastes high-end, but prices are reasonable given the quality. Look for the various sous vide options, or the pan-roasted stuffed trout or seared duck and potato gnocchi. Moderate/expensive.

Domaćin Restaurant and Wine Bar (651-439-1352; domacinwinebar.com), 102 S. 2nd Street, Stillwater. Open daily for dinner. Fine dining with a limited, seasonally changing menu. The restaurant also has an extensive wine list, and staff is very knowledgeable about the list and pairing with menu items. Entrées could include braised pork with white cheddar grits, spicy tomato confit and chimichurri, or braised rabbit pappardelle. Expensive.

EATING OUT Dock Café (651-430-3770; dockcafe.com), 425 E. Nelson Street, Stillwater. Open daily for lunch and dinner. It’s open year-round, but this is the place to be during the warm weather months. Situated right on the banks of the St. Croix, the Dock Café has outdoor seating that gives diners full views of river life. Not surprisingly, the outdoor patio is popular—plan to arrive early, or wait. However, the indoor ambience is attractive as well, with a fireplace and wide windows.Menu items run heavily to meats and seafood. Moderate.

Chilkoot Café & Cyclery (651-342-0429; chilkootcc.com), 826 4th Street S., Stillwater. Open daily for breakfast and lunch, Tues.–Sat. for dinner. This cozy eatery and bike shop has more upscale food than might be expected by the name. Try the seafood cioppino or bacon-wrapped meatloaf. Moderate.

LoLo American Kitchen (651-342-2461; loloamericankitchen.com), 233 Main Street S., Stillwater. Open daily for lunch and dinner. This cozy bistro plays with American foods in unexpected ways, with great results. There are duck or falafel tacos, pork Cubano tacos, and smoked salt and rosemary fries. Moderate.

Brick & Bourbon (651-342-0777; brickandbourbon.com), 215 Main Street S., Stillwater. Open daily for lunch and dinner, Sat.–Sun. for brunch. Neighborhood bar and grill with cast-iron-grilled burgers, short rib ravioli, and several variations on mac and cheese. Moderate.

Leo’s Grill & Malt Shop (651-351-3943; leosgrill.com), 131 Main Street S., Stillwater. Open daily for lunch and dinner. Everything you’d want a ’50s throwback diner to be: full of burgers, Reubens, tuna melts, and pulled pork sandwiches, and all things ice cream. Inexpensive.

The Tilted Tiki Tropical Bar & Restaurant (651-342-2545; thetiltedtiki.com), 324 Main Street S., Stillwater. Open daily for lunch and dinner. The tropical theme carries over into the menu, giving its bar and grill options an unusual twist. Look for the tropical pineapple cheeseburger and coconut shrimp and steak kabobs. Inexpensive/moderate.

Ziggy’s (651-342-1773; ziggysmn.com), 132 Main Street S., Stillwater. Open daily for lunch and dinner. Ziggy’s is a major provider of live music in Stillwater, and it has a street food menu format (and sometimes brings in food trucks). Hot dogs, tacos, and Tennessee hot chicken sandwiches. Inexpensive.

Selective Shopping

Stillwater’s main city center, along the riverfront, has developed into a visitor’s shopping haven full of small, charming shops, with hardly any chain stores to be seen. Antiques enthusiasts flock to this community for its large concentration of antiques stores and dealers, but there are plenty of other kinds of retail as well.

ANTIQUES Staples Mill Antiques (651-430-1816; staplesmillantiques.com), 410 Main Street N., Stillwater. Open daily. Located in a historic mill, Staples Mill Antiques is comprised of nearly 80 antiques and collectibles dealers spread over 10,000 square feet and three floors. A great spot for serious antiquing or window shopping.

ST. CROIX CHOCOLATE CO.

Midtown Antique Mall (651-430-0808; midtownantiques.com), 301 Main Street S., Stillwater. Open daily. A good source for antiques enthusiasts, the Midtown Antique Mall has more than 100 dealers, including several furniture dealers.

ARTS AND CRAFTS North Main Studio (651-351-1379), 402 Main Street N., Stillwater. Open only by appointment. Local resident and artist Carl Erickson displays and sells the pottery he creates here. Visitors are welcome to watch him at work.

Art ’n’ Soul/Stillwater Beads (651-275-0255; facebook.com/ArtNSoul.StillwaterBeads), 202 Main Street S., Stillwater. Open daily. There are upscale and humorous gifts at Art ’n’ Soul, while Stillwater Beads sells a wide variety of beads, including some unusual and hard-to-find items.

Darn Knit Anyway (651-342-1386; darnknitanyway.com), 423 Main Street S., Stillwater. Darn Knit Anyway offers a vast and wide-ranging selection of knitting and crochet items, as well as fabric for the sewing enthusiast.

BOOKS Valley Bookseller (651-430-3385; valleybookseller.com), 217 Main Street S., Stillwater. Open daily. A full-service bookseller, along with gift items.

COOKS OF CROCUS HILL

GIFTS Cooks of Crocus Hill (651-351-1144; thechefs gallery.com), 324 Main Street S., Stillwater (other locations in Minneapolis and St. Paul). Open daily. The store for all things cookery, Chef’s Gallery has a wide selection of cooking tools and gadgets. The shop also offers an extensive list of cooking classes.

TREATS St. Croix Chocolate Co. (651-433-1400; stcroixchocolateco.com), 11 Judd Street, Marine on St. Croix. Open Wed.–Sun. Handcrafted, beautiful, decadent chocolates, made with chocolate from Belgium, Switzerland, and Venezuela, in combination with locally sourced cream and honey from the store owner’s own honeybees. On weekends, house-made pizzas are offered along with a selection of Minnesota wines, and a monthly chef dinner is available. Check for added hours around major holidays—and decreased hours right after those same holidays.

Special Events

July: Lumberjack Days (lumberjackdays.com), Stillwater. A summer tradition, Lumberjack Days is held in Lowell Park on the St. Croix in mid-July and offers three days of historically themed fun and frolic. Among the events is the Lumberjack Sports Camp (see Green Space and Outdoor Activities), a chess tournament, massive parade, an 1860 vintage “base ball” exhibition, treasure hunt, 5K and 10K races, and lumberjack skills championships.

September: Rivertown Fall Art Festival (651-439-4001), Stillwater. Held each year in early September, the Rivertown Art Festival takes place on the banks of the St. Croix River and brings dozens of artists in various mediums, some local and some national, to display their work. Food and kids’ activities are available.