Minnesota is a big state; almost 87,000 square miles. There’s a lot to see, but also a lot of farmland in between cities and towns.
Stationed in a Minneapolis suburb for seven weeks of my recent 15-week deployment, I was determined to get away from the Twin Cities and see some of the other things Minnesota had to offer.
One of my first stops was the town of Hastings. Situated right on the Mississippi River, it has a charming downtown, lots of places to rent watercraft and play on the river, and a decent restaurant or two. Being of German heritage, when I spotted the sign that said, “Bierstube,” I knew that I was home!
Taking a seat at the bar, I ordered a local brew to sip as I looked over the menu. At mid-afternoon, and with a 45-minute drive still ahead of me, I wanted something lighter than the Wienerschnitzel (which was probably quite good) or the full Sauerbratten dinner. I asked if they had just a brat with a side and, of course, they did. Perfect!
Minnesota is home to 22 scenic byways, including two All-American Roads, six national scenic byways, and 16 state scenic byways. One of the two All-American Roads is The Great River Road National Scenic Byway. It follows the course of the Mississippi River for 3,000 miles from northern Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico, passing through 10 states and hundreds of river towns, including Hastings.
If you’re inclined to drive it, the National Park Service says to allow six to 10 days.
Having spent about eight years in, then writing about, the wholesale electric industry, I headed south from Hastings to see the Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant. The “wholesale” side of the industry comprises companies that generate high-voltage electricity which they then sell to utilities, either directly or through energy markets, depending largely on the part of the country they’re in. The utilities then step down the voltage before distributing it to its retail customers. While most homes and businesses don’t use anything higher than 220 volts, many businesses in the industrial, scientific, medical and imaging fields require higher voltage.
The Prairie Island plant is a pressurized water nuclear reactor that is considered a “baseload” plant, which means its output is kept at a certain level and not intended to vary much, if at all. “Peaking” generators ramp up or down quickly to handle the increases and decreases in demand that occur throughout the operating day.
The Prairie Island plant generates up to 1,677 megawatts of electricity. One megawatt is generally considered enough to power up to 1,000 homes, depending on the season and other factors.
Southern Minnesota has dozens, if not hundreds, of small town and each has its charms. The town of St. Peter, for example, has the St. Peter Area Veterans Memorial. Constructed in 2018, the memorial has two focal points: the “Peace and Freedom” statue and two black granite slab called the “Service Wall” and the “Honor Wall.” America flags line the side of Minnesota Square Park, where the memorial is located.
Almost to the state’s southern border is the town of Austin. If it sounds familiar, it’s because Austin is home to Hormel Foods, the maker of SPAM®, and one of the main attractions in Austin is the Spam Museum. It offers a quirky, fun and free look at history of the Hormel company, the origin of Spam, and its place in world culture.
About 25 minutes west of Austin is the town of Albert Lea. This small town of about 18,000 people features the Freeborn County Historical Museum, Library and Village. A nice way to get a bit of a history fix.
Looking south, I realized I was not far from Clear Lake, Iowa, the site of the 1959 crash that claimed the lives of Buddy Holly, J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson, and Ritchie Valens.
A drive of about 35 minutes and I arrived at the memorial at the crash site – which is still in the middle of a corn field and requires driving over about a half-mile of dirt road. The memorial evokes Buddy Holly’s trademark glasses.
Near the northern border of Minnesota is one of only two places in the United States that visitors have to cross into Canada to reach. Called the Northwest Angle, it shares land borders with Manitoba and Ontario, and is separated from the rest of Minnesota by Lake of the Woods. It was created by surveying errors that date back to the time of the American Revolution.
Stationed in a Minneapolis suburb for seven weeks of my recent 15-week deployment, I was determined to get away from the Twin Cities and see some of the other things Minnesota had to offer.
One of my first stops was the town of Hastings. Situated right on the Mississippi River, it has a charming downtown, lots of places to rent watercraft and play on the river, and a decent restaurant or two. Being of German heritage, when I spotted the sign that said, “Bierstube,” I knew that I was home!
 |
| The Mighty Mississippi at Hastings, MN |
Taking a seat at the bar, I ordered a local brew to sip as I looked over the menu. At mid-afternoon, and with a 45-minute drive still ahead of me, I wanted something lighter than the Wienerschnitzel (which was probably quite good) or the full Sauerbratten dinner. I asked if they had just a brat with a side and, of course, they did. Perfect!
 |
| Brat with kraut and a beer at the Bierstube at Hastings |
Minnesota is home to 22 scenic byways, including two All-American Roads, six national scenic byways, and 16 state scenic byways. One of the two All-American Roads is The Great River Road National Scenic Byway. It follows the course of the Mississippi River for 3,000 miles from northern Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico, passing through 10 states and hundreds of river towns, including Hastings.
 |
| The Great River Road starts in northern Minnesota |
If you’re inclined to drive it, the National Park Service says to allow six to 10 days.
Having spent about eight years in, then writing about, the wholesale electric industry, I headed south from Hastings to see the Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant. The “wholesale” side of the industry comprises companies that generate high-voltage electricity which they then sell to utilities, either directly or through energy markets, depending largely on the part of the country they’re in. The utilities then step down the voltage before distributing it to its retail customers. While most homes and businesses don’t use anything higher than 220 volts, many businesses in the industrial, scientific, medical and imaging fields require higher voltage.
 |
| Prairie Island Nuclear Plant |
The Prairie Island plant is a pressurized water nuclear reactor that is considered a “baseload” plant, which means its output is kept at a certain level and not intended to vary much, if at all. “Peaking” generators ramp up or down quickly to handle the increases and decreases in demand that occur throughout the operating day.
The Prairie Island plant generates up to 1,677 megawatts of electricity. One megawatt is generally considered enough to power up to 1,000 homes, depending on the season and other factors.
Southern Minnesota has dozens, if not hundreds, of small town and each has its charms. The town of St. Peter, for example, has the St. Peter Area Veterans Memorial. Constructed in 2018, the memorial has two focal points: the “Peace and Freedom” statue and two black granite slab called the “Service Wall” and the “Honor Wall.” America flags line the side of Minnesota Square Park, where the memorial is located.
Almost to the state’s southern border is the town of Austin. If it sounds familiar, it’s because Austin is home to Hormel Foods, the maker of SPAM®, and one of the main attractions in Austin is the Spam Museum. It offers a quirky, fun and free look at history of the Hormel company, the origin of Spam, and its place in world culture.
 |
| The Spam Museum is a "must-see"! |
About 25 minutes west of Austin is the town of Albert Lea. This small town of about 18,000 people features the Freeborn County Historical Museum, Library and Village. A nice way to get a bit of a history fix.
Looking south, I realized I was not far from Clear Lake, Iowa, the site of the 1959 crash that claimed the lives of Buddy Holly, J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson, and Ritchie Valens.
A drive of about 35 minutes and I arrived at the memorial at the crash site – which is still in the middle of a corn field and requires driving over about a half-mile of dirt road. The memorial evokes Buddy Holly’s trademark glasses.
 |
| The site of the 1959 plane crash; "The Day the Music Died." |
Near the northern border of Minnesota is one of only two places in the United States that visitors have to cross into Canada to reach. Called the Northwest Angle, it shares land borders with Manitoba and Ontario, and is separated from the rest of Minnesota by Lake of the Woods. It was created by surveying errors that date back to the time of the American Revolution.
The other such place in the U.S. is Point Roberts, Washington. This 4.9 square mile peninsula extends from the Canadian mainland into the Strait of Georgia and was created when the 49th Parallel was chosen as the boundary between the two countries in the 19th century. No allowance was made for Point Roberts, whose southernmost tip extends to 48.97146 degrees of latitude (per Google Maps).
To get to the Northwest Angle, visitors must drive through Canada for about 40 miles and then re-enter the United States. About 60 Americans live in the Northwest Angle full-time, mostly working at lodges that cater to tourists.
The moral of this story is that there is always a lot to see. Maybe some things are more exciting than others but if you don’t open your eyes, look around, and maybe drive around, you won’t see any of it!
Photos by Carl Dombek
Click on photos to view larger images
To get to the Northwest Angle, visitors must drive through Canada for about 40 miles and then re-enter the United States. About 60 Americans live in the Northwest Angle full-time, mostly working at lodges that cater to tourists.
The moral of this story is that there is always a lot to see. Maybe some things are more exciting than others but if you don’t open your eyes, look around, and maybe drive around, you won’t see any of it!
Visit my main page at TheTravelPro.us for more news, reviews, and personal observations on the world of upmarket travel.
Photos by Carl Dombek
Click on photos to view larger images
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