Winona, MN and the Upper Mississippi Valley

The View

After spending the first part of the day exploring the work of Frank Lloyd Wright (see Destination 2), we drove the remaining 2.5 hours to Winona, MN, situated on the Upper Mississippi River, and, thankfully, off the interstate. Winona, named after the legendary daughter of a Dakota Sioux Chief, is a former center of logging and trade, and retains an industrial feel along with an emerging artsy vibe.

While in Winona, we spent a morning at the Great River Bluffs State Park, (above) where we enjoyed tremendous views of the Upper Mississippi River and its delta. We walked several of the trails there, including King's Bluff, which overlooks the river and surrounding area.

Also Check Out

We thoroughly enjoyed 90 minutes spent on the Winona Tour Boat, during which we learned about barges as a means of transporting goods, the river boat house communities, and had amazing, close up views of bald eagles. This tour was very "mom and pop," very affordable, and well worth it. Before the tour, we grabbed a sandwich at the Acoustic Cafe, and afterwards enjoyed ice cream at Nate and Ally's, both in downtown Winona.

We beat the afternoon heat by spending an hour or so at the small but impressive Minnesota Marine Art Museum, which features water-inspired works by both local and acclaimed artists, such as Leutze's Washington Crossing the Delaware and works by Frederic Church and Edward Hopper.