Amish Tours of Harmony – Harmony

The Amish around Harmony are “Old Order” Amish which means they are very private and have strong Christian convictions that bind their community together, enabling them to resist the ways of modern society. They began to move into the Harmony area in 1974 and have grown to about 150 families.

Bluffscape Amish Tours – Lanesboro

Welcome to Bluffscape Amish Tours of Lanesboro located in the beautiful bluff country of Southeast Minnesota! Please click the link to learn more about. This is your chance to experience a unique Christian community life-style as you step back in time while munching on sweet, buttery cashew crunch!

I Love Antiques – Harmony

I LOVE Antiques is located in an 1892 building that was home to the local daily newspaper, theHarmony News, from 1896 until the mid-1980s. Many of the buildings charming, old-fashioned details have been left intact, including a rare tin ceiling and original wood floors. An antique cash register serves both as part of the decor and as a way to ring up customer sales.

Preston Apple & Berry Farm – Preston

Along with fresh fruits and vegetables, their small store has jams & jellies, honey, sorghum, cheese, frozen apple pies, and Watkins products. In early spring they have bedding plants, hanging flowering baskets, potted plants, and seeds in their greenhouse attached to the store. Then in the fall and holiday season, they havve Christmas trees and poinsettias in the greenhouse. Inside the store, you can buy fresh fruit baskets or fruit boxes. 

Minnesota Bike Trails

It doesn’t matter why you hit the trails or how you ride, there’s a place for you in southern Minnesota. Whether you take the kids for a spin around the lake or set off on a multi-day tour, these bike trails are worth exploring.
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The Glacial Lakes State Trail

is located on a former Burlington Northern railroad grade, and is generally level and wheelchair accessible. The trail is paved for 22 miles between Willmar, Spicer, New London, Hawick, and the Kandiyohi/Stearns County line, and a five mile stretch from Richmond to Roscoe is also paved. The many lakes make this area a popular tourist destination. The towns along the trail provide access points, rest stops, and other services to trail users. Root River Trail System Welcome to the website of the Root River Trail System, an online guide to Southeast Minnesota’s premier recreational trail system, The Root River and Harmony-Preston Valley Trails. This 60-mile paved trail network meanders along the Root River amid 300-foot bluffs, attracting thousands of outdoor enthusiasts each season.
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Niagara Cave – Harmony

Niagara Cave is one of the most fascinating and unique geological attractions in the United States. In fact, it has been rated one of the top ten caves in the United States by many outdoor activity rating sites! During the one hour, one mile, guided tour visitors will witness an underground stream leading to a waterfall nearly 60 feet high, stalactites both delicate and massive, calcite flowstone, several fossils that have been dated to over 400 million years.

River Oaks Golf Course – Austin

This well-kept 160-acre course, that originated in 1938, sits on the Cedar River and is well-known for the inviting beauty of mature trees and a challenging 18-hole, par 71 (men) and par 72 (women) layout.  Open to the public, River Oaks offers open golf, organized leagues for men, women, and couples with gold tees for seniors.  Personal and corporate memberships are available – feel free to contact the course management for more information.  Electric carts and cart sheds are available for rent. 

Historic Pickwick Mill – Winona

The Pickwick Mill was built from 1856 to 1858 by Thomas Grant and Wilson Davis and is one of the oldest water powered gristmills found in southeast Minnesota. The mill was constructed as a sawmill then converted to a flour, grist mill, on the banks of Big Trout Creek located in Pickwick Minnesota. The mill ran 24 hours a day during the Civil War and produced 100 barrels daily for the Union Army. After the war, the mill became a flour-milling center for most of southern Minnesota and portions of Iowa and Wisconsin. [/su_column] [/su_row]

Historic Mayowood Mansion – Rochester

Dr. Charles H. Mayo, co-founder of the Mayo Clinic, built Mayowood in 1911.  He lived in it until 1939.  The estate features gardens and Dr. Mayo’s decorative arts collection. Over 40 rooms are furnished in French, English, Spanish, German and American antiques. Since undertaking ownership, the Olmsted County Historical Society has operated Mayowood Mansion as a historic house museum. The mansion has been maintained as it was when last occupied by Doctor and Mrs. Charles W. Mayo and is used to interpret the lives of this famous medical family.  

History Acres

An agricultural interpretive center designed to tell the ongoing story of farming. We became a vision in 1976 when we realized how quickly an historic way of life was disappearing from the landscape. Now we are a rapidly growing reality as we create a living rural experience for people of all ages to see, touch and explore. Located on forty acres of rich Martin County prairie overlooking Fairmont’s beautiful Lake Sisseton, we invite you to discover the many reasons the upper Midwest is called America’s Breadbasket. Providing food and fiber for the world family is an essential and vital industry deserving of recognition and preservation.

Eagle Bluff Environmental Center – Lanesboro

Nestled amid the hardwood forests and river bluffs of southeast Minnesota, Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center strives to provide inspiring environmental education experiences which connect people of all ages to each other and the natural world. Whether you are a student in our K-12 overnight program, a family hitting the High Ropes Course on a summer day or an adult trying a new outdoor skill, there is learning and discovery to be had!

Commonweal Theater Company – Lanesboro

The Commonweal Theatre is located in the historic town of Lanesboro in the heart of southeastern Minnesota’s beautiful bluff country. Nestled in a deep valley on the Root River, Lanesboro offers visitors a wide variety of outdoor activities, first-rate theater, rich artistic experiences, unique shopping, a local winery and fine dining and lodging to fit every taste and budget. Visit Lanesboro and discover the ideal indoor/outdoor getaway!

Deer Creek Speedway – Spring Valley

Deer Creek is a family run facility that takes pride in family values and business ethics.  The small details create the big picture.  The race season runs from April to October.  Deer Creek is a 60+ acre facility with one of the Midwest’s most state of the art racing complexes.  This high banked 3/8 dirt-clay race track puts on an average of 30 events a year.  We are proud to employee 56 employees per event with over 100 part-time employees on call.  With 24 VIP Suites, 36 VIP Decks and a total seating capacity of up to 8,000 Deer Creek is set to host some of the biggest events in the country.

August Shell Brewing Co. – New Ulm

The brewery sat along the banks of the Cottonwood River, where it’s been for over a century. A picturesque, practical location. The river was transportation. It was also refrigeration. The Schells harvested ice from the Cottonwood and hauled it to underground caverns beneath the brewery. The beer aged and fermented there in the spring and early summer. Unless the gnomes got to it first. Throughout the years, the Schell’s family faced adversity. The light beer craze. Disco. Low-carb diets. Their brewing tradition persevered. As the brewery evolved, so did the beer. True in American pioneer spirit, Schell’s challenged traditional German brewing ideals while simultaneously paying homage to its roots.
Morgan Creek Vineyards – New Ulm Established in 1993, enjoyed its first vintage season the fall of 1998 and the opening of Minnesota’s only underground winery. The underground earth shelter provides perfect cellar temperature for wine production and aging, and creates an inviting atmosphere for tasting room and gift shop visitors. Specializing in growing and producing German, French, and American style wines, including Minnesota cold-hardy varietals, Morgan Creek Vineyards offers a cycle of seasonal events that celebrate the joy of living and the art of fine winemaking.

Garvin Heights Vineyard – Winona

We offer continuous wine tasting whenever the winery is open. The charge is $5 for any five wines from our current selection of a dozen or more wines. We will guide your selection of wines to tasting based on your wine preferences. We take pride in finding the right wine for nearly any taste. I you choose to purchase a bottle of wine we’ll refund your $5. That’s a money back guarantee. We offer additional discounts for the purchase of 3, 6, or 12 bottles at a time.

Zollman Zoo – Rochester

The Dr. Paul E. Zollman Zoo house’s over 30 species of wild animals native to Minnesota.  Many of the zoo creatures have physical injuries that have rendered them non-releasable, while others are surplus zoo animals from other facilities. In some cases, animals are purchased from licensed animal farms with donation funds set aside for such purposes.  The zoo is named after Dr. Paul Zollman, DVM, in recognition of his dedication to Olmsted County Parks and for his steadfast belief in compassionate animal care and environmental education.