Southern Minnesota

Essential Destinations

Rochester

Photo: Michael Hicks, CC BY 2.0.

Rochester, Minnesota, about 80 miles southeast of Minneapolis/St. Paul, is home to the Mayo Clinic. Rochester is cold in the winter and warm, and many times hot, in the summer.

Mankato

Photo: Bobak, CC BY 3.0.

Mankato is a city in Minnesota, USA, that exudes a college presence with several centers of higher learning, including Minnesota State University. A somewhat colorful community, it was home to Sinclair Lewis and the literary characters Betsy and Tacy, and such public figures as Ron Johnson and Mike Lindell, though his pillow store is no longer there.

Winona

Photo: Jonathunder, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Winona, known as the Island City, is a historic river and college town in Southeastern Minnesota, located on a large sandbar among the bluffs along the Mississippi River. It is about 110 miles southeast of the Twin Cities.

Destinations to Discover

New Ulm

Photo: Iulus Ascanius, Public domain.

New Ulm is a prosperous small city in Southern Minnesota. It is the seat of Brown County, and had population of 14,000 in 2020. The people of New Ulm are very proud of their German heritage, and commemorate it year round with parades, parties, and holiday celebrations.

Austin

Photo: Dtomlins, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Austin is a city in and the county seat of Mower County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 26,174 at the 2020 census. The town was originally settled along the Cedar River and has two artificial lakes, East Side Lake and Mill Pond.

Owatonna

Photo: AlexiusHoratius, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Owatonna is a city in and the county seat of Steele County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 26,420 at the 2020 census. Owatonna is home to the Steele County Fairgrounds, which hosts the Steele County Free Fair in August.

Albert Lea

Photo: Bohao Zhao, CC BY 3.0.

Albert Lea is a city in Freeborn County, in southern Minnesota. It is the county seat. Its population was 18,492 at the 2020 census. The city is at the junction of Interstates 35 and 90, about 90 miles south of the Twin Cities.

Northfield

Photo: 123dieinafire, CC BY 3.0.

Northfield is a city in Minnesota. Its major historical claim to fame is the "Defeat of Jesse James." It's also one of the best-smelling towns in America due to the local Malt-O-Meal factory.

Red Wing

Photo: Elkman, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Red Wing is a beautiful little town in Minnesota, set among the bluffs along the Mississippi River, about 50 miles southeast of the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul.

Faribault

Photo: AlexiusHoratius, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Faribault is a city in Southern Minnesota. It is the county seat of Rice County and located at the confluence of the Cannon and Straight rivers.

Willmar

Photo: Wikimedia, CC BY 2.0.

Willmar is a city in, and the county seat of, Kandiyohi County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 21,015 at the 2020 census.

Montevideo

Photo: McGhiever, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Montevideo is a city in and the county seat of Chippewa County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 5,398 at the 2020 census. The area around Montevideo was populated by Native Americans and fur traders during the first half of the 19th century.

Marshall

Photo: AlexiusHoratius, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Marshall is a city in Lyon County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 13,628 at the 2020 census, and 13,906 as of 2023 estimates. Marshall is a regional center in southwest Minnesota, and the county seat of Lyon County.

Jackson

Photo: Jonathunder, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Jackson is a city in and the county seat of Jackson County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 3,323 at the 2020 census.

Worthington

Photo: Malepheasant, CC BY-SA 2.5.

Worthington is a city in and the county seat of Nobles County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 13,947 at the time of the 2020 census.

Pipestone

Photo: Glorioussandwich, CC0.

Pipestone is a city in southwestern Minnesota. It is the seat of Pipestone County and has a population of 4554. Pipestone is home to the famous Indian quarry at Pipestone National Monument.

Blue Earth

Photo: Jonathunder, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Blue Earth is a city in Faribault County. Situated in the corn belt, Blue Earth is a small community with a population of under 4,000 residents and home to the 56 ft tall statue of the Jolly Green Giant.

Redwood Falls

Photo: AlexiusHoratius, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Redwood Falls is a city in Redwood County, located along the Redwood River near its confluence with the Minnesota River, in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The population was 5,102 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat.

Madison

Photo: Jet Lowe, Public domain.

Madison is a city in and the county seat of Lac qui Parle County, Minnesota, United States, along the 45th parallel. The population was 1,518 at the 2020 census. It proclaims itself to be the "lutefisk capital of the USA."…

Luverne

Photo: Jonathunder, GFDL.

Luverne is a city in and the county seat of Rock County, Minnesota, United States, along the Rock River. The population was 4,946 as of the 2020 census.

Fairmont

Photo: Jon Platek, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Fairmont, also known as "the City of Lakes", is a small city in Martin County, Southern Minnesota. Fairmont is the county seat and there were about 10,000 people residing in the city in 2019.

Litchfield

Photo: John2690, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Litchfield is a city of about 6,600 people in Southern Minnesota. Litchfield is among the largest of a series of "whistle stop" towns built along a railroad extending west from Minneapolis in the 19th century.

Ortonville

Photo: McGhiever, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Ortonville is in Southern Minnesota. It lies on Big Stone Lake, and is across the lake from Big Stone City, South Dakota.

Wabasha

Photo: AlexiusHoratius, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Wabasha is a city and the county seat of Wabasha County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 2,559 at the time of the 2020 census. It is on the Mississippi River, near its confluence with the Zumbro River.

St. James

Photo: Jatakuck, CC BY-SA 3.0.

St. James or Saint James is a city in and the county seat of Watonwan County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 4,793 at the 2020 census. Minnesota State Highways 4, 30, and 60 are three of the main routes in the city.

Cannon Falls

Photo: AlexiusHoratius, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Cannon Falls is a city of 4,100 people in Minnesota. Cannon Falls sits in the scenic Cannon Valley, at the junction of the Big and Little Cannon Rivers. It is the resting place of Colonel William J. Colvill, a hero of the Battle of Gettysburg.

Zumbrota

Photo: Jayesh Naithani, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Zumbrota is a city in Goodhue County, Minnesota, United States, along the North Fork of the Zumbro River. The population was 3,252 at the 2010 census. It promotes itself as "the only Zumbrota in the world."…

Darwin

Photo: Wikimedia, Public domain.

Darwin is a city in Meeker County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 348 at the 2020 census. It is one of several places claiming to be home of the largest ball of twine in the world.

Spring Grove

Photo: Jonathunder, GFDL.

Spring Grove is a city in Houston County, Southern Minnesota. Located in the very South-East corner of Minnesota, it is a 25 min. drive from Decorah, Iowa a 30 min. drive from Lacrosse, Wisoncosin a 1 hour drive from Winona, Minnesota and a 1.5 hour drive from Rochester, Minnesota.

Lanesboro

Photo: Bobak, CC BY 3.0.

Lanesboro is a quaint tourist destination in Southern Minnesota nestled in a deep valley of the Root River.

Sherburn

Photo: Runner1928, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Sherburn is a small city in Martin County in Southern Minnesota. As of the 2000 Census 1036 people resided in Sherburn. The rich farm country has many recreational activities to enjoy year round.

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