Historic Rochester, home to the internationally renowned Mayo Clinic, also has a wide variety of dining options, driven by the diversity of foreign visitors.
To See and Do
MUSEUMS AND HISTORIC SITES 
Historic Mayowood Mansion (507-282-9447; olmstedhistory.com), 3720 Mayowood Road SW. Open Wed., Sat.–Sun. late Mar.–late Oct.; call for additional days during the year. Adults $17; children 2–12 $5; under 2 free. The 38-room mansion was home to Mayo Clinic founders and family members, and much of the architecture was designed by Dr. Charles H. Mayo himself. The home is filled with antiques from all over Europe and remains decorated as it was when occupied by the Mayos. The surrounding gardens are breathtaking, overlooking the Zumbro River with a complex plan of paths, ponds, sculptures, a pergola, teahouse, and limestone walls.
Olmsted County History Center (507-282-9447; olmstedhistory.com), 1195 W. Circle Drive SW. Open Tues.–Sat. Adults $5; children $2; center members free. More information about the Mayo family and the Mayo Clinic can be found at this small historical site, as well as information about another prominent Rochester community member, IBM. A hands-on pioneer cabin exhibit for kids and a display of artifacts from the 1883 tornado that ravaged the city are the must-sees here.
Plummer House of the Arts (507-328-2525; rochestermn.gov), 1091 Plummer Lane SW. Tours offered on Wed., Jun.–Aug. Private group tours can be arranged. Admission is $10 for adults; $5 for youth. Henry Plummer, a Mayo physician and engineer, poured his design talents and money into this 49-room Tudor mansion surrounded by 11 acres of gardens and forests. House tours focus on the history and spotlight the all-original furniture. The grounds are open daily and can be visited for free if no special events are in progress.
Heritage House (507-286-9208; heritagehousevictorianmuseum.com), 225 1st Avenue NW. Open Tues.–Thurs. and Sun. Jun.–Aug. Admission is $5 for adults; $3 for students. Built in 1875, this home is one of the few that survived the devastating 1883 tornado, and today it provides insight into what life was like for residents who were not blessed with the wealth of the Mayos and the Plummers. Much of the furniture and decorations on display is original.
TOURS Mayo Clinic (507-538-0440; mayoclinic.org/becomingpat-rst/tours.html), 200 1st Street SW. Tours are free. Mayo Clinic is Rochester’s biggest claim to fame, with medical experts in nearly every category drawing patients from all over the world. Several different tours are offered for visitors, some self-guided: the General Tour (Mon.–Fri. at 10 a.m.) presents a short film about the history of the clinic, which is followed by a 90-minute guided tour ofthe campus. Art and Architecture (Mon.–Fri. at 1:30 p.m.) is a 60-minute guided tour examining the priceless art owned by the Mayo. Heritage Hall (open Mon.–Fri.) is a self-guided tour of displays that detail the Mayo Clinic’s history and future. The Patients and Guests Self-Guided Tour is an audio-enabled tour that visits the artwork, St. Mary’s Hospital, or the Mayo Historical Suites (used by the Mayo family). Finally, the High School/College Career Tour (by request by calling 507-284-1496) is for students; it is designed to give them more insight into a career in medicine.
Green Space and Outdoor Activities
Quarry Hill Park and Nature Center (507-328-3950; qhnc.org), 701 NE Silver Creek Road. Open daily. An urban park with extensive grounds and an active nature center offering year-round programs. Fishing ponds, paved biking trails, sandstone caves, and classes at the nature center are among the many amenities.
Silver Lake Park (507-328-2525; experiencerochestermn.com), 840 NE 7th Street. A haven for Canada geese, this lake and park just outside of downtown has ample recreational opportunities in the form of bike trails, and canoeing, kayaking, and paddleboating on the lake. Silver Lake Rentals (507-261-9049; silverlakefun.com) rents bikes and boats during the warmer months.
Lodging
Kahler Grand Hotel (507-280-6200 or 1-800-533-1655; thekahlerhotel.com), 20 2nd Avenue SW. Across the street from the Mayo Clinic, to which it’s connected by skyway, the grand dame of Rochester hotels has nearly 700 rooms and suites ranging from basic economy rooms to lavishly appointed suites. The hotel’s recreation center, with pool and whirlpool, is domed to allow sky views. On-site there are several sit-down dining options, room service, a martini bar, and Starbucks coffee shop. Rates start at $125. Packages are available.
Kahler Inn & Suites (507-285-9200 or 1-800-533-1655; kahlerinnsuites.com), 9 3rd Avenue NW. The Kahler Grand’s sister hotel is just down the street. It’s smaller and less opulent, but still a good choice. The inn is connected to the Mayo Clinic via a pedestrian subway. An indoor pool and whirlpool are available for guests. Lodging includes free parking and daily continental breakfast. Onsite dining includes a casual pub. Rates start at $110. Packages are available.
Rochester Marriott Mayo Clinic Area (507-280-6000; marriott.com), 101 1st Avenue SW. Also connected to the Mayo Clinic via skyway, the Marriott has bright, up-to-date rooms with upgraded technology. There’s an indoor pool and whirlpool, and a restaurant and bar. Rates start at $264. Packages are available.
Hilton Garden Inn (507-285-1234; hilton.com), 225 S. Broadway. The Hilton has an indoor pool and on-site restaurant, and all rooms have either one king or two double beds. Full breakfast is included. Rates start at $200. Packages are available.
Aspen Select Hotel (507-288-2671; fiksdalhotel.com), 1215 2nd Street SW. This modest hotel has spacious rooms, recently renovated, and offers free shuttles to Mayo. Rates start at $135.
Hampton Inn (507-287-9050; hamptoninn3.hilton.com), 1755 S. Broadway. This attractive chain hotel offers comfortable, spacious rooms and suites, as well as full breakfast daily. There is an indoor swimming pool and whirlpool, and complimentary shuttle service to Mayo Clinic and downtown Rochester. Rates start at $103. Packages are available.
Where to Eat
DINING OUT Lord Essex the Steakhouse (507-285-2722; cccrmg.com/broadstreet.htm), 20 2nd Avenue SW. Open daily for dinner. Located in the Kahler Grand Hotel (see Where to Stay), this restaurant has an extensive steak menu and also features lamb, duck, ribs, salmon, and lobster. Preparations tend to the classic versions. Expensive/very expensive.
Pescara (507-280-6900; pescarafresh.com), 150 S. Broadway. Open daily for all three meals. A seafood-focused restaurant, this restaurant has an extensive set of seafood choices (oysters, shrimp, lobster, ahi tuna, Arctic char, striped bass, swordfish, among others) and a variety of preparations, including pan-seared, blackened, and baked. For the non-seafood eater, meats including steak, pork, lamb, and duck are available. Expensive/very expensive.
Bleu Duck Kitchen (507-258-4663; bleuduckkitchen.com), 14 4th Street SW. Open Mon.–Sat. for dinner, Sat. for brunch. Thought be many to be Rochester’s best restaurant, Bleu Duck has a straightforward menu of starters, seconds, and mains. Features include steak tartare, scallops with cheesy grits and Andouille gravy, and duck with Dan Dan noodles. Expensive.
Cameo at the Castle (507-361-2070; cameoatthecastle.com), 121 N. Broadway. Open daily for lunch and dinner, Sun. for brunch. Fusion flavors with carefully curated ingredients. Try the chicken schnitzel with white truffle spaetzliand Jaegar sauce, bouillabaisse with mussels, blue crab, salmon, shrimp, and scallops, or—if you’re in the mood for spendy—the long bone rib eye (portioned for two). Expensive/very expensive.
300 First (507-281-2451; live2dine.com/300-first), 300 1st Avenue NW. Open daily for dinner. Steak, seafood, and specialties including Cordon Bleu Wellington, Maple Roasted Airline chicken, and house-made Butternut Squash Ravioli. Expensive.
EATING OUT Marrow (507-292-8936; facebook.com/marrowmn), 4 3rd Street SW. Open Mon.–Wed. for dinner. A chef-driven restaurant with a changing menu. Recently featured dishes were smoked pork jowl, celery root schnitzel, chicken liver terrine, and grilled lamb saddle. Moderate/expensive.
Jenpachi Japanese Steak House (507-292-1688; jenpachi.com), 3160 Wellner Drive NE. Open daily for lunch and dinner. Sushi or the drama of tabletop hibachi cooking. Moderate/expensive.
Victoria’s Ristorante (507-280-6232; victoriasmn.com), 7 1st Avenue SW. Open daily for lunch and dinner. Victoria’s prides itself, rightfully so, on making quality Italian foods from fresh ingredients (local when possible). The menu is extensive and reasonably priced, and there are a number of gluten-free offerings. Moderate.
True Smoke BBQ (507-258-1088; truesmokebbq.net), 2040 Viking Drive NW. Open Tues.–Sun. for lunch and dinner. All things barbecue, whether in individual plates or in large batches to share. Try the spicy sausage and the baby back ribs. Inexpensive/moderate.
FORT RIDGELY STATE PARK
ANTIQUES
Rochester is an antiques shopper’s paradise, with numerous shops and dealers.
Old Rooster Antique Mall (507-287-6228; facebook.com/Old-Rooster-Antiques-139053279493340), 106 N. Broadway Avenue. Open daily.
Peterson’s Antiques & Stripping (507-282-9100; petersonantiquesandstripping.com), 111 NE 11th Avenue. Open Mon.–Fri. and by appointment.
John Kruesel’s General Merchandise (507-289-8049; kruesel.com), 22 SW 3rd Street. Open Tues.–Sat.
Fiesta Café Bar (507-288-1116; fiestacafebar.com), 1645 N. Broadway Avenue. Open daily for lunch and dinner. Mexican food in both Americanized and authentic incarnations. Staff is very friendly. Moderate.
Lettuce Unite (507-206-4560; lettuce-unite.com), 100 1st Avenue SW. Open Mon.–Fri. for breakfast and lunch. Taking salads to new highs, this café has several already-created salads, such as the United in Vegetables with kale and broccoli, beets, sweet potato, cucumber, jalapeno, and many other veggies in a spicy orange vinaigrette. But diners have several options to create their own salads as well. Soups available. Inexpensive.
Selective Shopping
Grand Shops of Kahler (507-280-6200; thegrandshopsofkahler.com), 20 SW 2nd Avenue. Adjacent to the Kahler Grand Hotel (see Lodging) is this retail complex with several shops, including art galleries (Gallery on First), Hanny’s Couture, Baby Baby Inc., Rhea’s Scarves and More, Peacock’s Books, and Mayo Clinic retailers.
Apache Mall (507-288-8056; apachemall.com), 52 US 14. The area’s largest shopping mall has 100 shops, including most of the usual chain stores: Barnes & Noble, J.Jill, American Eagle Outfitters, Champs Sports, Victoria’s Secret, JC Penney, and Macy’s.
Special Events
June: Rochesterfest (507-285-8769; rochesterfest.com), Rochester. Rochesterfest, held for a week in late June, is devoted to celebrating Rochester past and present. The festival packs a lot into a week: disc dog Frisbee championships, block party, hot-air balloon race, Drum and Bugle Corps show, vintage baseball, Dachshund dash, and a fishing tournament, among many other events.