Things to do in Red Wing Minnesota

One of my best friends got married in Red Wing MN on Saturday, and with the big April snowstorm looming, we left a day early to get ahead of it. We weren’t able to hike any bluffs because of the snow (which was in the original plan) but we found some fun indoor spots to spend the day. Keep reading for things to do in Red Wing Minnesota!

Hanisch Bakery & Coffee Shop

 

 

There’s no better way to start the day than with donuts and coffee! Hanisch Bakery and Coffee Shop is located in downtown Red Wing and offers an assortment of cookies, donuts, and all kinds of other sweets. We decided to try one of the candy topped donuts (wondering how to make donuts even more unhealthy? Put candy bars on top! Ha!) along with a traditional raised sugar donut. Amazing!

Red Wing shoes store

 

 

Red Wing is an old river town that has so much history and hometown pride. You will see the Red Wing logo used by businesses all over town, but make sure to stop in for a little shopping at the Red Wing shoes store to learn more about the boot company that put this town on the map.

The shop has the most friendly staff with the main store on the main level, an outlet store in the basement, and a Red Wing Shoe Museum on the second floor. The wall of honor on the museum has so many cool stories – make sure to read through a few! And don’t forget to take a picture with the world’s largest boot!! We spent much more time here than we thought and also discovered that Red Wing shoes make more than just work boots. How cute are these black booties?!

17 Street

Also located in downtown Red Wing is 17 Street, a super fun boutique with home goods and both men’s and women’s clothes. My friend who was getting married told me to stop here and we weren’t disappointed! A great place for trendy clothes (I wanted to buy so much, but only let myself get one top) and cute gifts.

Red Wing Brewery

 

 

We worked up an appetite from our shopping, so we stopped in at Red Wing Brewery for some lunch and beer while we watched the snow fall. We ordered the Seoul food pizza with chicken and Korean spice, but I think the crust was the best part! We also tried the brewery sticks which had an Alfredo dipping sauce. The food AND the beer were delicious. Give this spot a try!

St. James Hotel 

We didn’t stay at the St. James Hotel being we waited too long to book in the hotel block (oops!) but this is where the wedding was held. Walking into this place is like taking a step back in time. It was established in 1875 and gives you a feel of what life was like on the Mississippi back in the day. We stopped up at Jimmy’s pub on the 5th floor of the hotel before the wedding, which felt like we were in an old smoker’s lounge. So cool! You don’t have to be a hotel guest to have a drink here. The wedding reception spot was also amazing…give this place a visit if you’re in the market!

Staghead

  

 

Full disclaimer, we didn’t do all of this in one day. We actually drove down a night before the wedding because of the snowstorm, so the next few spots are from our first night. We went to Staghead for dinner and the ambiance of the place fit in so well with the old feel of Red Wing! Right downtown, this small restaurant had live acoustic music, a drink menu full of specialty cocktails, and food to die for. We built our own charcuterie board and tried the club and the rueben. And our friends loved the pot roast sandwiches they ordered!

Oliver’s wine bar

 

Oliver’s wine bar is a perfect spot for a night cap, right next to Staghead. After 9:00 they only serve drinks, apps, and dessert, but also have a full menu before then. We ordered some prosecco and wine while we chatted at the bar, but were SO tempted by the desserts!

That’s a wrap for some fun things to do in Red Wing Minnesota if you’re only there for a day! Next time, we’ll have to stay longer and do some hiking!

Visit my Minnesota page for more ideas for day trips around Minnesota!