The Rochester Trolley & Tour Co. offers the opportunity to explore Rochester, Minnesota, in classic red and green trolleys. This trolley company provides a variety of year-round and seasonal tours that cover all your interests, whether you’re a history buff, self-proclaimed foodie, or lover of rural scenery. Discover tours throughout the metropolitan area as well as surrounding cities and the countryside. Call up your friends and family and take them on one of the following can’t-miss trolley adventures.
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City Tours
Image via Flickr by Gail Frederick.
The Rochester City and Mayo Historical Trolley Tour is available seven days a week for private groups. Tickets are $22 for adults and $10 for children ages 1 to 12. This 90-minute signature tour is narrated by Med City’s storyteller who will keep you entertained and informed while you’re checking out Rochester’s top attractions. The trolley will pass by more than a dozen historic sites including the Mayo Clinic campus, Silver Lake Park, and the Mayowood Historic Corridor.
Beer and Wine Tours
The Rochester Microbrewery Trolley Tour is available on select Saturdays; tickets are $59 per person. This 4 1/2-hour tour stops at three local microbrewery pubs. A pint of craft beer, tax, and gratuity are included in the ticket price.
The rise of craft beer in Rochester is celebrated with a fun afternoon of riding the trolley through historic southwest Rochester, knowledgeable staff sharing information about signature and seasonal beers, and taste-testing the best that Rochester microbreweries have to offer. The tour rotates through six different breweries, and each trip is a different combination of three breweries.
The Great River Road “North,” “South,” and Bluff Country Wine Trail Trolley Tours are available on select Sundays; tickets are $89 per person. This eight-hour tour stops by family-run wineries along the Mississippi River Valley, Lake Pepin Wine Country, and Bluff Country. Your tour ticket includes wine tastings at each stop but does not include lunch. The southern Mississippi River Valley tour visits three wineries on every tour: Whitewater Wines in Kellogg, Minnesota; Elmaro Vineyard in Trempealeau, Wisconsin; and Garvin Heights Vineyards in Winona, Minnesota.
The northern Lake Pepin Wine Country tour visits three wineries, rotating through four of them. Each trip offers a different combination of the following wineries: Whitewater Wines; Villa Bellezza in Pepin, Wisconsin; Maiden Rock Winery & Cidery in Stockholm, Wisconsin; and Falconer Vineyards in Red Wing, Minnesota. The Bluff Country tour visits two wineries on each trip: Salem Glen Winery in Rochester and Four Daughters Vineyard & Winery in Spring Valley, Minnesota.
Countryside Tours
The Old Order Amish Country Tour is available on Saturdays or by appointment Monday through Saturday. Tickets are $89 per person. This 5 1/2-hour tour takes place in a 14-passenger luxury turtle top mini-coach. On this tour, you’ll immerse yourself in the Amish culture and learn about their simple life, strong faith, and hard work. You’ll get a firsthand view of an Amish town, visit with Amish families, and have the opportunity to shop their handcrafted wares. The tour ends in scenic Bluff Country where you can grab lunch and explore Lanesboro, Minnesota.
The Scenic Mississippi River Valley and National Eagle Center Tour is available on Sundays; tickets are $89 per person. This seven-hour tour takes place in a 14-passenger luxury turtle top mini-coach and explores the beautiful Upper Mississippi River Valley. Relax and enjoy the scenery on your way to visiting Whitewater State Park’s visitor center, an apple house, a winery, the largest toy shop in the country, historic river towns, and the National Eagle Center. You’ll also enjoy spectacular views of Lake Pepin with its massive sailboat marina and the river valley teeming with seasonal flocks of migrating water birds.
Themed Tours
The Ladies Night Out on the Trolley Tour is available on select Wednesdays of each month; tickets are $28 per person. This 3 1/2-hour tour visits the Cooke Park Design District as well as Downtown and Uptown Rochester. You’ll be treated to complimentary hors d’oeuvres, beverages, water, chocolate, and more along the way. Grab your girlfriends and escape for an evening of downtown shopping, food and drink, and promotional gifts at local retailers. Relax, unwind, and celebrate friendship in the open-air trolley, which takes a scenic cruise before your first stop and ends with a tour of the Five West Restaurant & Bar.
The Kids and Family Trolley Tour offering is available during certain seasons of the year. The most recent Kids and Family Trolley Tour is a three-hour trip that visits the Red Barn Learning Farm for an annual Easter egg hunt on Saturday, April 11. Celebrate spring at this interactive and family-friendly farm where you’ll hunt for eggs, enjoy arts and crafts, explore the petting zoo, and have free time to do your own sightseeing. Bring your own picnic lunch to enjoy at the barn or the pavilion.
Seasonal Tours
The Haunted Rochester Trolley Tour is available on selected Fridays of each month from April through November; tickets are $33 per person. This three-hour tour seeks the strange and frightful after dark by exploring more than 20 destinations. On this eerie ride, you’ll hear ghost stories, visit graveyards, pass by haunted buildings, and discover Rochester’s darker side. Your Ghost Host guide will narrate the city’s macabre past and perform a live ghost-hunting demonstration. Be prepared for some scary and sinister fun when you book this tour. Note that this tour may not be suitable for very young children.
The Jolly Trolley Holiday Light Tour is available during November and December. Choose from among the 60-minute, 90-minute, or two-hour tour options. This tour is perfect for bringing holiday joy to your friends, family, or coworkers. Experience some of the most creative and amazing light displays the city has to offer. On this tour, you’ll find your trolley is heated, decorated, and filled with classic holiday music. Experience a holiday tradition in Rochester.
No matter the season, your personal interests, or which group of friends you’re traveling with, Rochester Trolley & Tour Co. has an experience that will fulfill your desire for exploration and adventure. What do you think? Is there more fun to be had in Rochester that we don’t know about? Drop us a line and tell us about your favorite Rochester activity so that we can feature it next on our blog.
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