Fast Facts
- Population
- ~311,527 (2020 census)
- Typical visiting season
- Late May–early Oct or late Jan (Carnival)
- One Unusual Stat
- Cathedral dome 186 ft high; seats ~3,000
- Miles from Minneapolis
- ~10 mi · ~20 min
- All-American Road
- Great River Road, 2,069 miles
What to Know Before You Arrive
St. Paul is the capital of Minnesota and the state's second-most populous city. It sits on the east bank of the Mississippi River across a series of steep bluffs; the Mississippi River forms a municipal boundary on part of the city's west, southwest and southeast sides, which is how the neighborhoods ended up on hills. The city works as a distinctly separate place from Minneapolis — different feel, different downtown, older bones. Locals defend the distinction with real energy; a Minneapolis person will not send you to Summit Avenue, and a St. Paul person will not send you to the North Loop.
The two anchors are the Cass Gilbert capitol on the hill (1905) and the 1915 Cathedral of Saint Paul on Cathedral Hill overlooking downtown. Gilbert designed the capitol before he did the U.S. Supreme Court and the Woolworth Building; the marble dome is the second-largest self-supported marble dome in the world, behind Saint Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. The Cathedral, designed by Emmanuel Louis Masqueray (chief architect of the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair), has a 186-foot dome and seats about 3,000; the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops named it the National Shrine of the Apostle Paul on March 25, 2009.
The city has a serious literary and cultural spine. F. Scott Fitzgerald was born in St. Paul, according to the Minnesota Historical Society and the Saint Paul Public Library. Summit Avenue, the 4.5-mile boulevard of Victorian-era houses between downtown and the Mississippi River, was named one of the American Planning Association’s 10 Great Streets for 2008; the association describes it as the country’s best-preserved avenue from that period, with more than 370 mansions and other residences still standing. Cartoonist Charles M. Schulz lived in the Merriam Park neighborhood from infancy until 1960. The Winter Carnival, started in 1886, is one of the oldest winter festivals in the United States and remains a genuine 10-day event in late January, ice palace and all.
The Road Trip Stop
The Minnesota State Capitol is the anchor for a summer visit, and it is free. Cass Gilbert's design was chosen from 41 submissions and the building opened its doors to the public for the first time on January 2, 1905. The marble dome is the second-largest self-supported marble dome in the world, behind only Saint Peter's Basilica. Outside, above the entrance, is The Progress of the State — the four gilded horses and chariot most people call the Quadriga, inspired by the Columbus Quadriga at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Free guided tours take in the chambers where government decisions are made and, weather permitting, a walk out to the Quadriga on the roof.
Budget the time
- 90 minutes covers a self-guided walk-through of the Capitol, including the rotunda, the chambers, and the memorial hall.
- Add half an hour to walk to the Cathedral, ten minutes on foot down Cathedral Hill; the two anchors sit within sight of each other.
- Guided tours are free and run Monday through Saturday, leaving at the top of the hour and lasting 45 minutes; departures run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekdays and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. The Minnesota Historical Society suggests a donation of $5* per person for guided tours, and a holiday schedule applies, so check the Capitol’s hours page before you go.
- The roof walk depends on the weather. The Minnesota Historical Society says that, weather permitting, guided tours walk out to the Quadriga, the golden horses on the roof.
*Fees subject to change, please check mnhs.org for updated information.
Neighborhoods
Downtown & Rice Park
The compact government-and-culture core, wrapped around Rice Park — the Landmark Center, Grand Casino Arena, and the Central Library within a two-block walk.
Cathedral Hill & Summit Avenue
The hill west of downtown crowned by the Cathedral, and Summit Avenue running west; the American Planning Association describes it as the country’s best-preserved avenue from the Victorian era. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s family lived at 593 Summit Avenue from about 1914 and then at 599, a National Historic Landmark house in the same brownstone row.
Grand Avenue & Crocus Hill
The residential-shopping spine south of Summit, running west from downtown through small blocks of shops, restaurants and 1890s houses.
West 7th & Highland Park
The older neighborhoods along West 7th toward the Mississippi bluffs and the Highland Park water tower — more residential than downtown, and where a lot of St. Paul's food scene actually lives.
The Food Stop
St. Paul's food scene is less concentrated than Minneapolis's — it lives on the neighborhood strips. Grand Avenue, West 7th, Selby (near Cathedral Hill), and University Avenue in the Frogtown/Little Mekong stretch are the four to know. Little Mekong on University Avenue, between MacKubin and Galtier streets, describes itself as Saint Paul’s Asian business and cultural corridor, with small shops, creative studios, professional services and cultural spaces shaped by Southeast Asian heritage.
Been here a while
Places that have been serving a long time. All were still trading when we last checked. Each name links to its source.
- 1939Mickey's DinerPrefabricated dining-car diner listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983
37 breweries within 10 miles of St. Paul, 10 of them brewpubs with a kitchen.
See all 37
- Barley Johns Brewpub781 Old Highway 8 SW, New Brighton
- Clockwerks Brewing25 N 4th St, Minneapolis
- Day Block Brewing Company1105 Washington Ave S, Minneapolis
- Granite City Food & Brewery (#10)3330 Pilot Knob Rd, Eagan
- Great Waters Brewing Company426 Saint Peter St, Saint Paul
- Herkimer Pub and Brewery2922 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis
- Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery1430 Washington Ave S, Minneapolis
- Northbound Smokehouse Brewpub2716 E 38th St, Minneapolis
- Rock Bottom Brewery - Minneapolis800 Lasalle Ave, Minneapolis
- Urban Growler Brewing Co2325 Endicott St, Saint Paul
- 612 Brew945 Broadway St NE, Minneapolisproduction site*
- Able Seedhouse and Brewery1121 Quincy St NE, Minneapolisproduction site*
- Bad Weather Brewing LLC414 7th St W, Saint Paulproduction site*
- Barrel Theory Beer Company248 7th St E, Saint Paulproduction site*
- Bauhaus Brew Labs1315 Tyler St NE, Minneapolisproduction site*
- Bent Brewstillery1744 Terrace Dr, Rosevilleproduction site*
- Boom Island Brewing Company2014 Washington Ave North #300, Minneapolisproduction site*
- Dual Citizen Brewing Co.725 Raymond Ave, Saint Paulproduction site*
- Fair State Brewing Cooperative2506A Central Ave NE, Minneapolisproduction site*
- Fair State Brewing Cooperative - St. Paul2075 Ellis Ave, Saint Paulproduction site*
- Falling Knife Brewing Company783 Harding St NE, Minneapolisproduction site*
- Flat Earth Brewing Co688 Minnehaha Ave E, Saint Paulproduction site*
- Fulton Beer414 6th Ave N, Minneapolisproduction site*
- HeadFlyer Brewing861 E Hennepin Ave, Minneapolisproduction site*
- Inbound Brewco701 N 5th St, Minneapolisproduction site*
- Insight Brewing Company2821 E Hennepin Ave, Minneapolisproduction site*
- Lake Monster Brewing550 Vandalia St Ste 160, Saint Paulproduction site*
- Lakes & Legends Brewing Company1368 Lasalle Ave, Minneapolisproduction site*
- LynLake Brewery2934 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolisproduction site*
- Modist Brewing Company505 N 3rd St, Minneapolisproduction site*
- Pryes Brewing Company1401 W River Rd # N, Minneapolisproduction site*
- Sisyphus Brewing712 Ontario Ave W, Minneapolisproduction site*
- Sociable Cider Werks1500 Fillmore St NE, Minneapolisproduction site*
- Summit Brewing Co910 Montreal Cir, Saint Paulproduction site*
- Vine Park Brewing Co1254 7th St W, Saint Paulproduction site*
- Wabasha Brewing Company429 Wabasha St S, Saint Paulproduction site*
- Wild Mind Artisan Ales6031 Pillsbury Ave S, Minneapolisproduction site*
*Check before you go. This list says what the source records as open and where it is — nothing more. Opening hours, whether a kitchen is serving, and whether anywhere suits your family are not in this data and change without notice. A production site may have no public room at all. Please confirm with the venue.
Brewpub locations from Open Brewery DB (MIT)
The Home Teams
Minnesota Wild
NHL · Central DivisionNHL hockey at Grand Casino Arena (the old Xcel Energy Center, renamed in 2025) near Rice Park, right in downtown. The arena’s event calendar lists Minnesota Wild home games from October into April; check it for dates and tickets before planning around a game.
St. Paul Saints
AAA (Twins affiliate)Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins since 2021. The Saints have played at CHS Field, in the historic Lowertown District of Saint Paul, since 2015; check the team’s schedule and ticket pages on milb.com/st-paul for dates and prices.
Minnesota United FC (MLS)
MLS · Western ConferenceMajor League Soccer at Allianz Field in the Midway neighborhood between the two downtowns. The club’s 2026 home schedule runs from a February 28 home opener to Decision Day on November 7. MLS moves to a summer-to-spring calendar in 2027, so check mnufc.com/schedule for current home dates.
Minnesota Golden Gophers (St. Paul campus events)
NCAA Division I · Big TenThe UMN St. Paul campus hosts agricultural, forestry and veterinary programs; game-day the football is on the Minneapolis side.
Day Trips
| Destination | Time | Distance | How we got it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolisguide | 17 min | 10 mi | routed |
| 20 minutes across the Mississippi: Saint Anthony Falls, the Guthrie, the Walker and the Chain of Lakes. | |||
| Stillwater on the St. Croix | 30 min | 20 mi | routed |
| About 16 miles north-east in a straight line: a historic river town on the St. Croix. The city says its lift bridge has crossed the river since 1931 and, reopened in 2020, is now used by pedestrians and bicycles; it also publishes a downtown walking tour of 14 sites. | |||
| Fort Snelling Historic Site | 16 min | 7 mi | routed |
| About 5 miles south-west in a straight line, on the bluffs where the Minnesota and Mississippi rivers meet: Historic Fort Snelling, a National Historic Landmark operated by the Minnesota Historical Society, whose fort was completed in 1825. From September 7 to December 31, 2026 the site is open Thursday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the fort is visited on guided walking tours included with admission. Hours change by season, so check mnhs.org/fortsnelling before you go. | |||
| Red Wing on the Mississippi | 1 hr 5 min | 46 mi | routed |
| About 38 miles south-east in a straight line: Red Wing, along the upper Mississippi. The Visit Red Wing site lists a He Mni Can–Barn Bluff trail map and the Pottery Museum of Red Wing, and the Sheldon Theatre opened in 1904. | |||
1 of these is a place the Hub has its own guide to — marked guide and linked from the name.
Routed figures are computed over map data at free-flowing speeds, between map points rather than street addresses, so a real drive runs longer.
Distances routed by OSRM and places geocoded by Nominatim, over map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
Wineries Nearby
1 producer we have checked near here. These are the ones from our research we could check against their own site — not every producer there is.
Cannon River Winery
Downtown Cannon Falls winery with an in-house kitchen.
- HoursSun 12-6pm; Mon-Wed 11:30am-7pm; Thu 11:30am-8pm; Fri-Sat 11:30am-9pm
- Reservationsrecommended
- Foodyes - sandwiches, flatbreads, charcuterie
421 Mill Street West, Cannon Falls, MN
*Check before you go. Every producer here links to its own site, which is where we read these details on the date we checked. Opening hours, tour times, tasting fees and who may come in change without notice and belong to the producer. A blank is something we did not confirm, not something they lack. None of these say anything about children, so do not plan around it without asking them.
Zoos and Wildlife Parks Nearby
Within 60 miles of St. Paul, nearest first.
Como Park Zoo and ConservatoryAZA-accreditedSaint Paul
- Hours
- Daily 10am-4pm
- Season
- year-round
- Admission
- Free
Free admission; donations invited
Minnesota ZooAZA-accreditedApple Valley
- Hours
- 10am-4pm (current listing)
- Season
- year-round
- Admission
- Adult from $25.95 (ages 13-64) · Child $19.95 (ages 3-12)
- Reservations
- Required
- Parking
- fee
Online tickets required in advance; parking $10 per car
FAWN-DOE-ROSA Wildlife Educational Park — some details below are unconfirmedSt. Croix Falls
- Season
- seasonal
* We could not confirm: hours/admission on separate pages not read. Check their site before you go.
Reptile and Amphibian Discovery Zoo — some details below are unconfirmedOwatonna
* We could not confirm: official site blocked automated reading; details not checked; hours/admission not checked. Check their site before you go.
This is a list of what is near you, not a recommendation of any of it. 2 of these carry an accreditation we confirmed against the accrediting body’s own register. Where there is no badge we did not confirm one — that is not a judgement on the place, and a good many municipal, state and university sites belong to no register we check. 2 entries are marked with an asterisk: we could not confirm part of what is listed, and the note under it says which part. Opening times, prices and seasons change without notice, so check the operator’s own site — every name above links to it.
Venues and Annual Events Nearby
Within 60 miles of St. Paul, nearest first.
Where to see something
Fitzgerald TheatertheaterSaint Paul
- Address
- 10 E. Exchange St.
- Capacity
- 1,058
Built as Shubert Theater; renamed for F. Scott Fitzgerald 1994.
What is on, and when
Saint Paul Winter Carnivalcultural festivalSaint Paul
- Usually
- January, over several days
- Held at
- Multiple downtown sites
- Since
- First held 1886
Rice County Fair — some details below are unconfirmedfairFaribault
- Usually
- Late July, over several days
- Held at
- Rice County Fairgrounds
* We could not confirm: the details beyond the month it usually runs. Check their site before you go.
This is a list of what is near you, not a recommendation of any of it. Events are listed by the month they usually fall in, because that is what we hold — we do not publish dates, and a month is not a promise. Check the organiser before you plan around one. One entry is marked with an asterisk: we could not confirm part of what is listed, and the note under it says which part. Opening times, line-ups and ticketing change without notice, so check the venue’s or organiser’s own site — every name above links to it.
Practical Road Trip Info
Two days covers the Capitol, the Cathedral, downtown, Summit Avenue and the Science Museum — and leaves time for Rice Park and Grand Avenue at dinner.
Winter Carnival traditionally begins on the fourth Thursday of January; its organizer, the Saint Paul Festival & Heritage Foundation, lists the 2027 Carnival as January 28–February 7, 2027, so check wintercarnival.com for the schedule.
Capitol tours are free. Cathedral admission is free; a donation is suggested. Science Museum of Minnesota lists adult (ages 18 and up) tickets at $34.95* and youth (ages 4–17) tickets at $24.95*; visitors under age 4 are free, and admission includes one Omnitheater show. Rates change, so check smm.org before you go.
Downtown parking meters are enforced Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., except for City holidays, and the City of Saint Paul sets separate event meter rates in the event area on listed dates around the arena and CHS Field. Grand Casino Arena names the RiverCentre and Kellogg parking ramps as directly connected to the arena complex and asks guests to plan extra time for traffic and parking.
*Fees subject to change, please check smm.org for updated information.
The Local Debate
Family-Friendly
Science Museum of Minnesota
Dinosaur hall, human-body gallery, Mississippi River exhibit, and an Omnitheater. Easy half day for younger kids; older kids will read every panel.
Capitol tour
The free walk-through of the Cass Gilbert building holds up for kids old enough to look up — the rotunda ceiling, the murals and the chambers are the payoff.
Como Park & the Como Zoo
Zoo and conservatory in Como Park, about 3 miles north-west of downtown in a straight line. Como’s visitor page lists admission as free, with a voluntary donation appreciated, and the zoo open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.
Saints game at CHS Field
Triple-A baseball at CHS Field in Lowertown. The team’s FAQ describes a HealthPartners PowerUp Play Zone with a 12-foot-high climbing wall behind centerfield, and says children under 2 do not need a ticket if they sit on a lap.
Plan Your Visit
Minnesota State Capitol
- Address
- 75 Rev Dr Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, St. Paul, MN 55155
- Hours
- Guided tours Monday through Saturday (9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday); check the Capitol’s hours page for building hours
- Price
- Free (self-guided and guided tours)
- Link
- mnhs.org/capitol
We checked fees, operating status, opening hours and seasonal opening on 2026-10-15. These change without notice — confirm with comozooconservatory.org, mnhs.org, landmarkcenter.org, smm.org, sppl.org, stillwatermn.gov, redwing.org, stpaul.gov, grandcasinoarena.com, milb.com, mnufc.com and wintercarnival.com the week you travel.
Sources — 50 claims, 47 checked against the source on 2026-09-22
| Claim | Source | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Saint Paul is the capital city of Minnesota, second-most populous with 311,527 (2020); began as Pig's Eye Landing; renamed after chapel to Saint Paul built 1841 by missionary Lucien Galtier; Mississippi River forms part of west, southwest and southeast city boundary | Saint Paul, Minnesota — Wikipedia | Checked |
| Notable residents include F. Scott Fitzgerald and Charles M. Schulz (Merriam Park, infancy to 1960); Saint Paul hosts the Saint Paul Winter Carnival each January (started 1886) | Saint Paul, Minnesota — Wikipedia | Checked |
| Landmark Center, Science Museum of Minnesota, Minnesota State Capitol, Cathedral of Saint Paul are core downtown/Cathedral Hill attractions | Saint Paul, Minnesota — Wikipedia | Checked |
| Minnesota State Capitol designed by Cass Gilbert (selected from 41 submissions); completed 1905; opened to the public January 2, 1905; second-largest self-supported marble dome in the world (behind Saint Peter's Basilica); topped by The Progress of the State quadriga inspired by Columbus Quadriga at 1893 World's Columbian Exposition; gold-leaf finial globe on the lantern | Minnesota State Capitol — Wikipedia | Checked |
| Cathedral of Saint Paul: sits on Cathedral Hill overlooking downtown; designed by Emmanuel Louis Masqueray (chief architect, 1904 St. Louis World's Fair); Beaux-Arts; opened 1915 as the fourth cathedral of the archdiocese; dome 186 ft high; length 307 ft; seats 3,000; third-largest Catholic cathedral in the United States; National Shrine of the Apostle Paul (March 25, 2009) | Cathedral of Saint Paul (Minnesota) — Wikipedia | Checked |
| Saint Paul Winter Carnival began 1886 after a New York reporter called Saint Paul ‘another Siberia, unfit for human habitation’; 43 ice palaces built to date; the 1986 palace was 128 ft 9 in high | Saint Paul Winter Carnival — Wikipedia | Checked |
| Science Museum of Minnesota galleries include Mississippi River Gallery, Dinosaurs & Fossils Gallery (T. rex, Triceratops), and Human Body Gallery; opened current facility 1999 | Science Museum of Minnesota — Wikipedia | Checked |
| Grand Casino Arena (formerly Xcel Energy Center, renamed September 3, 2025) is home of the Minnesota Wild (NHL); on Rice Park in downtown St. Paul | Grand Casino Arena — Wikipedia | Not confirmed |
| The St. Paul Saints are the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins and have played at CHS Field since 2015; they became MLB-affiliated beginning with the 2021 season (checked 2026-10-15) | St. Paul Saints — Wikipedia | Checked |
| Minnesota United completed construction of Allianz Field, a stadium in St. Paul's Midway neighborhood, in early 2019 (checked 2026-10-15) | Minnesota United FC — Wikipedia | Checked |
| Fort Snelling is a National Historic Landmark on the bluffs overlooking the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi rivers; published coordinates used for the straight-line distance from Saint Paul (checked 2026-10-15) | Fort Snelling — Wikipedia | Checked |
| Landmark Center is the former Federal Courts Building on Rice Park in downtown St. Paul; Richardsonian Romanesque; opened 1902; now a cultural center | Landmark Center — Wikipedia | Not confirmed |
| Summit Terrace, a row of eight Victorian residences built in 1889 with brownstone facades; the Fitzgerald family lived at 593 Summit Avenue from about 1914 and then at 599; in July 1919 Fitzgerald returned to 599 and created This Side of Paradise (checked 2026-10-15) | National Park Service — National Register nomination, F. Scott Fitzgerald House (599 Summit Avenue) | Checked |
| Admission is free; a voluntary donation is appreciated (checked 2026-10-15) | Como Park Zoo & Conservatory — Visitor Map & Hours (admission) | Checked monitored · 2026-10-15 |
| Admission to the State Capitol is free, with a suggested $5 donation per person for guided tours; the Capitol is at 75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd, St. Paul (checked 2026-10-15) | Minnesota State Capitol — Hours and Admission (Minnesota Historical Society) | Checked monitored · 2026-10-15 |
| Cathedral tour hours | No source accepted yet | Not confirmed |
| APA named Summit Avenue (4.5 miles, downtown St. Paul to the Mississippi River) one of 10 Great Streets for 2008; describes it as the best-preserved avenue of the Victorian era, with more than 370 mansions and other residences remaining (checked 2026-10-15) | American Planning Association — Great Streets: Summit Avenue | Checked |
| MNopedia entry: Fitzgerald was born September 24, 1896, in St. Paul (checked 2026-10-15) | Fitzgerald, F. Scott — MNopedia (Minnesota Historical Society) | Checked |
| Library page: Fitzgerald born in Saint Paul in 1896; the Reading Alcove is in the Magazine Room on the 3rd floor of the George Latimer Central Library (checked 2026-10-15) | Saint Paul Public Library — F. Scott Fitzgerald Reading Alcove | Checked monitored · 2026-10-15 |
| Guided tours leave at the top of the hour, 45 minutes; Monday-Friday 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, Saturday 10:00 am to 2:00 pm; weather permitting the tour walks to the Quadriga on the roof (checked 2026-10-15) | Minnesota State Capitol — Free Guided Tours (Minnesota Historical Society) | Checked monitored · 2026-10-15 |
| Fitzgerald, F. Scott, House (St. Paul, Ramsey County) is listed among Minnesota’s National Historic Landmarks, dated 11/11/71 (checked 2026-10-15) | National Park Service — National Historic Landmarks by State | Checked |
| Landmark Center says its permanent art collection is on display for public viewing at no cost to visitors (checked 2026-10-15) | Landmark Center — Museums and Exhibits | Checked monitored · 2026-10-15 |
| Free public building tours every Sunday afternoon at 12:30 pm, about 45 minutes, no reservation required (checked 2026-10-15) | Landmark Center — Public Building Tours | Checked monitored · 2026-10-15 |
| The district site describes Little Mekong as Saint Paul's Asian business and cultural corridor with small shops, creative studios, professional services and cultural spaces shaped by Southeast Asian heritage (checked 2026-10-15) | Little Mekong — district site (Asian Economic Development Association) | Checked |
| Little Mekong is a business and cultural district located between MacKubin and Galtier streets along University Avenue, predominantly Southeast Asian-run businesses (checked 2026-10-15) | Saint Paul Historical — Little Mekong | Checked |
| The arena's event calendar lists Minnesota Wild home games from October 15 through April 6 (checked 2026-10-15) | Grand Casino Arena — event calendar | Checked monitored · 2026-10-15 |
| CHS Field is located in the historic Lowertown District of Saint Paul (checked 2026-10-15) | CHS Field — Wikipedia | Checked |
| The club's 2026 home opener at Allianz Field was February 28; the club hosts San Jose on Decision Day, November 7, at Allianz Field (checked 2026-10-15) | Minnesota United FC — 2026 schedule announcement | Checked monitored · 2026-10-15 |
| MLS transitions to a summer-to-spring competition calendar beginning in 2027 (checked 2026-10-15) | Minnesota United FC — What Fans Should Know About the MLS Schedule Change | Checked monitored · 2026-10-15 |
| The College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences is located on the St. Paul campus, with food science labs, animal barns and greenhouses (checked 2026-10-15) | University of Minnesota CFANS — The CFANS Difference | Checked |
| The forest and natural resource management major is based on the St. Paul campus (checked 2026-10-15) | University of Minnesota — B.S. in Forest and Natural Resource Management | Checked |
| The College of Veterinary Medicine is at 1365 Gortner Avenue, St. Paul (checked 2026-10-15) | University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine | Checked |
| Huntington Bank Stadium, the on-campus Gopher football stadium, is on the northeast side of the Minneapolis campus (checked 2026-10-15) | University of Minnesota Athletics — Huntington Bank Stadium | Checked |
| The Stillwater Lift Bridge has crossed the river since 1931; reopened in 2020 and now used for pedestrians and bicycles (checked 2026-10-15) | City of Stillwater — Historic Lift Bridge | Checked monitored · 2026-10-15 |
| The city's Downtown Walking Tour guides viewers to 14 sites in the downtown core and onto the south hill (checked 2026-10-15) | City of Stillwater — Historic Walking Tours | Checked monitored · 2026-10-15 |
| Stillwater lies on the west bank of the St. Croix River; published coordinates used for the straight-line distance from Saint Paul (checked 2026-10-15) | Stillwater, Minnesota — Wikipedia | Checked |
| Historic Fort Snelling is open Thursday through Saturday, 10:00am-4:00pm, September 7 - December 31, 2026; the fort is accessible via guided walking tours included with admission (checked 2026-10-15) | Historic Fort Snelling — Daily Experience (Minnesota Historical Society) | Checked monitored · 2026-10-15 |
| Fort St. Anthony was completed in 1825 and renamed Fort Snelling; the site became a National Historic Landmark in 1960 (checked 2026-10-15) | Historic Fort Snelling — Timeline (Minnesota Historical Society) | Checked |
| The visitors bureau lists a He Mni Can - Barn Bluff trail map (checked 2026-10-15) | Visit Red Wing — Hike | Checked monitored · 2026-10-15 |
| The visitors bureau lists the Pottery Museum of Red Wing at 240 Harrison Street (checked 2026-10-15) | Visit Red Wing — Museums & Memorials | Checked monitored · 2026-10-15 |
| The Sheldon Theatre of Performing Arts in Red Wing has welcomed audiences since its opening in 1904 (checked 2026-10-15) | Sheldon Theatre — official site | Checked |
| Red Wing is a city along the upper Mississippi River; published coordinates used for the straight-line distance from Saint Paul (checked 2026-10-15) | Red Wing, Minnesota — Wikipedia | Checked |
| Winter Carnival traditionally begins on the 4th Thursday of January; 2027 dates are January 28-February 7, 2027 (checked 2026-10-15) | Saint Paul Festival & Heritage Foundation — Future Winter Carnival Dates | Checked monitored · 2026-10-15 |
| Tickets: adult (18+) $34.95; youth (4-17) $24.95; under 4 free; admission includes one Omnitheater show (checked 2026-10-15) | Science Museum of Minnesota — Plan Your Visit | Checked monitored · 2026-10-15 |
| Downtown meters are enforced Monday through Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., except City holidays; event meter rates apply in the event area on listed dates for Grand Casino Arena and CHS Field events (checked 2026-10-15) | City of Saint Paul — Hourly & Event Parking Meter Rates | Checked monitored · 2026-10-15 |
| The arena names the RiverCentre and Kellogg parking ramps as directly connected to the arena complex and encourages guests to plan extra time for traffic and parking (checked 2026-10-15) | Grand Casino Arena — plan your visit (parking) | Checked monitored · 2026-10-15 |
| The zoo is open 10AM-4PM daily (checked 2026-10-15) | Como Park Zoo & Conservatory — Visitor Map & Hours | Checked monitored · 2026-10-15 |
| Published coordinates of Como Park used for the straight-line distance from Saint Paul (checked 2026-10-15) | Como Park, Saint Paul — Wikipedia | Checked |
| FAQ: HealthPartners PowerUp Play Zone with a 12-foot high climbing wall behind centerfield; tickets are not required for visitors under 2 who sit on a lap (checked 2026-10-15) | St. Paul Saints — FAQ | Checked monitored · 2026-10-15 |
| Designated an All-American Road by the U.S. Secretary of Transportation; 2,069 miles in AR, IL, IA, KY, LA, MN, MS, MO, TN, WI; FHWA suggests: Allow six days to drive or ten days to enjoy the entire byway. Distance from this stop to the route measured against the published byway centreline on the U.S. Department of Transportation map service (geo.dot.gov), which carries no stated licence and predates the 2021 designations; the measurement is ours, the line is theirs and is not reproduced here. 0.1 miles (checked 2026-10-29) | Federal Highway Administration: Great River Road | Checked |
Road Trippin’ with the Harts
The Highway Heads books turn the miles between stops into a game the whole car can play.
See the booksLive Conditions
Wildlife Spotted Nearby
Nearest Airports
Straight-line distance from St. Paul, not drive time.
- Saint Paul Downtown Holman Field (STP) — 2 miles
- Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field (MSP) — 8 miles
- New Richmond Regional (RNH) — 31 miles
Also in
A stop on this page turns up in other Highway Heads collections.
On these trips
This guide sits on a road we have written up end to end, with the stops we publish along the way.
Explore the Full Road Trip
Return to the Highway Heads map and discover the next family-ready stop.
Explore the Map