Rochester, Minnesota is just a stone’s throw from beautiful natural areas, charming small towns, and fascinating attractions where you could easily spend a day or more. When you’re looking for a fun way to spend the day, try exploring the Rochester metro area to learn about the area’s history, taste local flavors, and see some of Minnesota’s natural wonders. Here are six amazing day trips to take in Rochester for couples, families, or solo adventurers.
Explore the Caverns at Mystery Cave State Park
Forestville Mystery Cave State Park, a preserved natural area where you can hike or ride horses along wooded streams or explore underground through a massive 13-mile-long cave, is just under an hour’s drive from Rochester. Trained guides will tell you the history of Mystery Cave, which was discovered in 1937, while pointing out fascinating geological formations like stalagmites, stalactites, fossils, and crystal-clear pools.
You can take a relaxed walk on the scenic tour or sign up for a more intense, hands-on experience, like the four-hour wild caving tour where you will load up with protective gear then crawl and climb through undeveloped areas of the cavern. Adult prices for a cave tour range from $15 to $80, in addition to the $7 parking permit that gives you easy access to the campgrounds, picnic areas, and trails. Once you’re done spelunking, stop by Historic Forestville for a tour of buildings from the 19th century, including a quaint general store and a barn.
Looking to stay closer to Rochester? No worries: we’ve written a comprehensive guide to the best public parks in the area.
Visit Amish Country in Harmony
Also an hour away from Rochester is the small Amish town of Harmony, Minnesota, where you can spend a day immersed in Amish culture. Over 1,000 Old Order Amish live in the countryside of Harmony, where they live largely separated from modern technology. You can explore on your own or register for a full-fledged tour with knowledgeable guides. Guided tours start at $28 per person or $60 per car.
You’ll see old-fashioned horse-drawn buggies, visit family farms, and learn about the community’s simple and devout way of life. While you’re there, you can buy unique handcrafted wares like woven baskets, intricate quilts, leather goods, and custom furniture. Fresh-baked bread, jams, and a sweet snack called cashew crunch are all popular among locals.
Visit Nerstrand Big Woods State Park
Nerstrand Big Woods State Park is a 2,800-acre wooded area where visitors can hike along scenic trails, find hidden waterfalls, and admire the lush oak trees and rolling prairie. Wildflowers blanket the Big Woods every spring, making the area a popular destination for picnics and camping. When snow blankets the park each winter, you can take a snowmobile for a ride through the hills or strap on a pair of snowshoes and take a leisurely walk through the wintry landscape. Parking is $7 and camping costs extra, but you can explore the state park for free during the day.
Sightsee on a Trolley Tour
For a fun and relaxing day trip right in Rochester, visit the Rochester Trolley and Tour Company and see the city from the inside of a vintage trolley. Tickets are $22 for adults and $10 for kids, which give you all-day access to the trolley. You can hop on and off the trolley at your leisure to visit dozens of historic sites, shops, and parks.
The in-depth sightseeing tours come in a few different themes and can be as short as 75 minutes or take up the full day. Popular tours include the Bluff Country Wine Trail Trolley Tour, where you can enjoy the scenic landscape while traveling to picturesque vineyards and wineries. On the Rochester Microbrewery Trolley Tour, your guide will take you to four microbrewery pubs where you can sample craft beers from local brewers.
Go Shopping at the Mall of America
You can easily spend all day at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota, a massive shopping mall built on the previous home of the Metropolitan Stadium. As the largest mall in the United States, it houses hundreds of shops, dozens of restaurants, a movie theater, an interactive aquarium, and the Nickelodeon Universe amusement park. Across its four levels, you’ll find everything from large department stores to small boutiques, so you can get your regular shopping done and find one-of-a-kind gifts in the same trip.
The Mall of America has entertainment options for everyone, from casual shoppers to thrill-seekers who want to take a ride on the indoor rollercoaster. You can stroll around the mall for free for some window shopping, but most of the attractions have an entrance fee.
Float Down the Zumbro River
The Zumbro River is an offshoot of the mighty Mississippi, flowing through about 65 miles of rocky cliffs, pastoral farmland, quiet marshes, and wooded groves of elm, willow, and pine. It’s a great fishing spot for bass and catfish, but most people flock to the Zumbro to get in the water themselves. Depending on the rain levels, the Zumbro can be still and shallow or deep and rapid, making canoeing, kayaking, and paddle-boating popular pastimes.
On calmer days, you can rent inner tubes and coolers for $20 and spend hours floating on the wide river bed. To ride the river, lather up with sunscreen and find a parking space, then look for one of the convenient free shuttle buses for a quick ride upstream. You’ll then hop in your tube and follow the current back down to your car, enjoying a relaxing ride on gentle waves as you soak up the sun and enjoy the beauty of the landscape.
These are only a few of the fun and interesting destinations within a short drive of Rochester, but they’re all great places to start when you want to find a one-of-a-kind adventure close to home. Next time you’re looking for a way to spend your day off, give one of these day trips a try and stop at Tom Kadlec Kia to make sure your vehicle is trustworthy. Let us know what you thought of your destination, or send in suggestions on your favorite places to spend a day with friends and family and what makes them so great.
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