Any time an adventure ends, or comes to a close, it’s a little bittersweet. As though you are closing a chapter on a string of incredible, beautiful, sometimes irritating and often exhausting, moments that you can only relive through photographs. It is as such because, although you see the places I go through the bucket […]
While I am always one to explore and roam about, I figured that the last night of the #mnbucketlist road trip should be filled with relaxation, my best friends and a whole basin of really, really good wine. So, we headed to Whispering Oaks Winery in Melrose and made a night of it. Ever go […]
When I travel, my first instinct is to search for history, after finding food of course. The legacy and lives that we lived in these places I go. The last stop on my road trip is Sauk Center, the perfect place for someone enticed by roots and stories. Birthplace and childhood home of Sinclair Lewis, […]
When it comes to beer, I go for the unique, funky, borderline bizarre. The more colorful, bold, aptly named, the better. This is where Junkyard Brewing Company in Moorhead comes in. The nanobrewery, founded in 2012, specializes in experimental beer styles and offers favorite brews such as Hatchet Jack, Whistle Wetter and Coal Miner’s Daughter. That, […]
Anywhere that has deep fried oreos, Candy Crush Martini’s, and 1919 Root Beer Float’s is a winner in my book so when we were deciding where to go, Drafts Sports Bar and Grill became the destination for the night. An off sale sports bar on one side and a restaurant on the other, it has […]
The very minute I announced I’d be heading to Crookston, I was flooded with messages about Widman’s Chippers. Anybody whose anybody (in a 50 mile radius) knows about them. The chocolate-covered potato chips,”Chippers”, are the most well-known of all their hand-dipped, done-the-old-fashioned-way sweets but they also have caramels, taffy, fudge, turtles, toffee, almond bark, peanut […]
As soon as my friends got to town, we set out to find the place where the most people were. It didn’t take long – we followed the music and the neon lights – until we arrived at Crooks Club Bar & Bottle Shop. A liquor store and an open-pit speak easy all in one. […]
My favorite time to drive in northern Minnesota is the mid-morning. I get the best light and there isn’t any traffic. I can stop a hundred times on a 10 mile stretch and there is no one there to contest or complain. Knowing that, I decided to drive through the White Earth Indian Reservation (or […]
Last night in Wadena means I had to make sure I stopped at The Uptown per my informants suggestion. And by informant, I mean the Manager on Duty at the hotel… Just off Jefferson, they are locally known for their Memphis Pulled Pork, Rib Stroganoff AND their killer murals that start on the side of […]
That view! Seriously, look at it! It’s part of Sunnybrook Park; a campground, fishing spot, photo op, recreation area and pseudo petting zoo – I’ll show you that next. I couldn’t believe how beautiful it was when I drove up! Sunnybrook has way more to offer than just pretty landscapes. It is also home to […]
Good morning and welcome to Wadena! When I started out, Wadena bound, I went hunting for sweets. Lo and behold, I found Wadena’s Original Fresh Freeze Ice Cream. It’s never too early for frozen desserts, or at least that’s my opinion. Small town charm with small town prices (super affordable), Fresh Freeze is a summer […]
The second place my brother and his wife suggested was the Zimmerman Bar Bowl. They both raved about the food and how great the staff is and they were so right. The whole venue looks like a scene from Top Gear, complete with leather bar seating and steel plated walls. A fun place that fits […]
Whenever I’m on a road trip, mostly because I’m only in Minnesota, I try to connect and go bucket listing with people who live in the area. For Princeton, I called my brother and sister in law, who lives in Zimmerman which is just a few miles from Princeton and they suggested two places. The […]
I’ve passed by the Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge dozens of times without stopping. I finally decided to check it out on this road trip. The refuge, established to protect and restore the habitats associated with the St. Francis River Valley, is about 9 miles northwest of Zimmerman. It’s 30,700 acres of Federal land that showcases […]
It’s hot. Like sweaty, sunny, sticky, melty hot. The kind of hot that requires ice cream, and a lot of it. Welcome to Santa Lucia’s Ice Cream. With two locations, one in Princeton off 1st Street and the second in Zimmerman off Fremont, Lucia’s is a hit. It opened in 2010 and has something called […]
I don’t know about you but I can always use a good cup of coffee. It’s become something I seek out whenever I’m in a new town. Where can I get the best cookie, the best ice cream, the best grilled cheese, the best cold press. When I got to Princeton, I asked the concierge […]
In Princeton, 5 minutes off Highway 169, there is a hidden photographer oasis. Young Park, right on the southeast corner of County Road 38 and County Road 19 in Sherburne County, part of Baldwin Township. Seriously, how amazing is this! This is the kind of stuff you’d only see if you took a road trip […]
Getting into town, after checking into the hotel, the only place I want to go for lunch is K-Bob Cafe. Why, might you ask, well let me tell you. It’s a community staple and it’s been around forever. You know, if forever equates to 50 years, give or take. Previously known as the K-Bob Soda […]
Since the first and second road trip stops follow along the Rum River, I thought I would touch on it a little. The Rum River flows south, about 151 miles in total. Starting in Lake Mille Lacs and leading all the way down to its confluence with the Mississippi River in Anoka, the slow, meandering […]
I have a tendency to take the scenic route, much to the dismay of anyone traveling with me. Ahem, to my credit, it’s how I always find the best hidden places, like this one. Rendezvous Coffee is just off Hwy 65 in Isanti and I have to say, I could just move in here. Even […]
