A Day in Stillwater

For as long as I can remember, Stillwater has been my favorite city in Minnesota. When I was younger, I would visit with my family for dinner or a day trip. During college, it was the halfway point for my boyfriend and me to meet up. And now, it is perfect for date nights, family outings, bike rides, river views, patio happy hours, ice cream stops, boutique shopping, and pretty much anything else. This city is always growing and there is always something new to see. Stillwater is known as the birthplace of Minnesota so there is quite a bit of history behind it. Having spent many days and nights in this town, I’m going to compile a list of where to eat, where to stay, and things to do for a perfect day in Stillwater, Minnesota. 

Where to Eat

LoLo American Kitchen

My favorite restaurant in Stillwater is Lolo American Kitchen! We love this place so much that we had dinner there one night, and then met my parents there for lunch the next day. You cannot go wrong with their menu whether you get the tacos, the burgers, the rosemary salt fries, the cocktails...it will not disappoint. It isn't a very big place,  so I suggest joining the Yelp waiting list, then you can head upstairs and get a drink at the bar until your table opens up. 

River Market Community Co-op

the River Market Community Co-op is the perfect place to get a fresh picnic to-go, which we have done many times. You can have your picnic by the river or at a winery to accompany your wine. It’s also nice to be able to get a baguette and some cheese to go with our champagne in our hotel room (bring or try to find a real knife to slice it with because a plastic one does not work very well, ha ha).

Nacho Mama’s

If you like margaritas, get a carafe at Nacho Mama’s, but be prepared to stay overnight or get a designated driver, trust me ha ha. This place has amazing Mexican food and their patio is a nice spot in the summer. 

Matchstick Restaurant and Spirits

Matchstick Restaurant and Spirits, located in Hotel Crosby and is a good spot for happy hour or a fancy date night. It is a bit more pricey, but everything we’ve tried here is very good!

Minnesota Nice Cream

If you like soft-serve ice cream, a huge variety of toppings, or are gluten-free, this is the place for you! They have limited hours, but their ice cream is SO good and Instagram-worthy. MN Nice Cream also has a location in Minneapolis.

Where to Stay

The Lora Hotel

We stayed here shortly after it opened and so they were still working out some of their kinks but it was a very nice place to stay. The Lora Hotel is on the very south end of Main street. The rooms are pretty small but very nicely decorated. They also have a restaurant and a coffee shop.

Downtown Airbnb

There are a few Airbnbs downtown, and more outside of the downtown area too. If you’re looking for more space or coming with a bigger group, this is a good option since most of the hotels downtown don’t have very big rooms. You will definitely want to reserve these in advance. An Airbnb or VRBO would be perfect for a bachelor/bachelorette party in Stillwater!

Hotel Crosby

We’ve only stayed at Hotel Crosby once, but we never want to stay anywhere else in Stillwater. The ramp parking behind the hotel, rooftop hot tub, only downtown hotel with a gym, Matchstick Restaurant, and the spacious beautiful rooms, are all reasons why it has become our favorite. But it also comes with a higher price tag, so you’ll want to either book in advance or stay on a weeknight to get the best deal. 

What to Do

Aamodt’s Apple Farm (fall)

In the fall, Aamodt’s Apple Farm is probably one of the busiest places in Stillwater. Their many rows of apple trees turn into packed rows of parked cars because they clear out the regular parking lot for games, picnic tables, and food and drink tents. They have hayrides, cider flights, apple food items, a petting zoo, games, and St. Croix Vineyards wine.

St. Croix Vineyards

St. Croix Vineyards is open even when Aamodt’s Apple Farm is not, even though they share the property. St. Croix vineyards offer tastings and bottles for purchase that you can enjoy with their packaged meats and cheeses, or bring your own picnic lunch!

Lift Bridge Brewing Company

Before I started liking beer, I still loved this brewery because they had their own hard seltzers. Although Lift Bridge is outside of downtown, it is well worth the drive. They have many beers on tap, hard seltzers, pretzels, and games, and it is a fun hangout spot.

Rent Bikes

With many trails in Stillwater, renting bikes is the perfect activity on a nice day. You can bring your own, or rent them from Mike’s Bikes or Big River LTD. Both places offer road bikes and electric bikes for rent.

Shop

Main street is home to quite a few clothing boutiques for your shopping needs. Some of my favorites are 45 Degrees, Apricot Lane, Collaborations Boutique, Enchante, and Minnesota Made. You could definitely do some damage with all the cute, unique stuff that these boutiques offer, so enter at your own risk!

Listen to live music

If you enjoy listening to live music, you can find live music in Stillwater almost any night of the week (maybe not during a pandemic). You can find most live music schedules on the Facebook pages of each bar or restaurant. On the weekends, you'll have quite a few places to choose from.

Climb the historic stairs

These stairs are a lot harder than they look, which you will realize about halfway up. Almost every time we walk these steps, there is someone climbing up and down repeatedly for exercise. It tires me out just thinking about it! The reward is the view once you get to the top, where you can see all of main street, the lift bridge, and the St. Croix River.