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Rochester Local

Day Trip: Lake City, Minnesota

Last updated June 2023

When my husband and I married 10 years ago, we made our home in his hometown – Lake City. This jewel of a town is just 40 minutes north of Rochester up Hwy 63 and a great destination for a day away.  I would love to show you around the town I now call home!

Take a little trip to Lake City!

If you’re like me, a great day starts with a great cup of coffee. If you can make the drive before your first cup, make sure to stop at the Coffee Depot.  This shop serves great coffee, baked goods, and even a full breakfast if you want to sit and stay.  They also have smoothies, hot chocolate, and great cookies for the kids!  Sit by the window, and you’ll have a front-row seat to the trains that pass through town every hour.

Once you’ve had your caffeine fix, head out to one of the great parks in town to let the kids run off some energy! Underwood Park and McCahill Park are two of my children’s favorites.

Lake City’s Main Street and Washington Street are full of great small family-friendly shops with everything from antiques to fabric to candy. There are also several great kid-friendly restaurants in town.  Our family favorite is Fiesta Jalisco – they have made-fresh guacamole and won’t give you dirty looks when your kids are obnoxious!  (We know this from experience).

Of course, Lake Pepin is really the star of the show in Lake City.  Lake Pepin is the widest section of the Mississippi River and is a great place to fish, boat, waterski, tube, and swim.  There are two public swimming beaches – one near the marina at Ohuta Park and one at Hok-si-la Park.  Hok-si-la also has public camping and great picnic sites.  If you want to get out on the water, but don’t have a boat, hop on the Pearl of the Lake paddleboat for a tour around Lake Pepin.  We took the tour last summer, and my girls enjoyed learning more about the birthplace of waterskiing and keeping an eye out for Pepie, the Lake Pepin monster!

If you’re in town on a Thursday in the summer, be sure to stick around for the Market By The Lake Farmers Market at Ohuta Park, open 5 -8 pm. In addition to great local produce, eggs, meat, and flowers, there is live music, food trucks, and don’t miss the ice cream sandwiches!

If your family enjoys time in the great outdoors, head to Frontenac State Park. Camping, hiking, wildflowers, and birdwatching are abundant in this lesser-known Minnesota State Park.  It’s also a great place to watch bald eagles hunting on the river.

Come back to Lake City when the weather turns cool for the amazing Fall colors along the bluffs and sink your teeth into some of the best apples in Minnesota.

Lake City is a great place to live and visit! I invite your family to come and explore everything this river town has to offer!

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