7 Reasons Why You Should Visit Stillwater Minnesota This Winter

2/13/2024

Located right on the banks of the St. Croix River, Stillwater is one of the best places to visit in the midwest - whether you're coming from Minnesota, Wisconsin, or beyond! Stillwater's charming downtown has an incredibly cozy feel, especially in the winter, and has even been named to have one of the best food scenes in the entire US by USA Today! If you're looking into planning a trip to Stillwater this winter, we've gone ahead and created this list with some of the best winter things to do in the area!

Our Essential Travel Resources :
There are a lot of travel companies out there, but some are better than others. These are our favorite websites and resources to help you plan an incredible trip.

For flights, we recommend using WayAway or Hopper to compare the cheapest dates to travel to your destination.

Car rentals comparisons are best through Discover Cars - just make sure to bring your international driver's permit with you if you're heading somewhere international!

We always use AGODA for hotels. They have an easy-to-use platform where you can compare the best rates.

To keep cell phone service if you're traveling internationally, we always use Airalo’s easy to purchase eSIM’s (no installation required).

For fun things to do, we always recommend Viator to find the best tours in the area, otherwise Klook also does the trick, especially for tours in Asia.

Just in case, Safetywing is the insurance I always use for travel insurance.

Lastly, my packing list for your international or domestic travels.

Getting to Stillwater & Where to Stay

Stillwater is less than an hour away from the Twin Cities, making it an easy destination for those near Minneapolis or St. Paul & the surrounding suburbs. Although you could just take a day trip, we highly recommend staying in town to make the most of your trip and be able to fully take advantage of all the incredible things to do!

On our most recent visit we stayed at the Hotel Crosby, which is conveniently located downtown and within walking distance of just about everything on our list! Not only do they have an amazing rooftop hot tub (super cozy for a winter date night) but their downstairs restaurant, Matchsticks, is one of the best restaurants in town. If you're able to, try to book the "Suite Premium 1 Bedroom" - which has a full kitchen, private balcony, and super fun giant bean bag chair!

Our Favorite Tours near Stillwater :
- Murder Mystery Experience
- Ghost Walking Tour

7 Best Things to Do in Stillwater this Winter

1. St. Croix Sauna
Having just opened a few years ago, the St. Croix Sauna is hands down the best way to unwind and relax while visiting Stillwater in the winter. Located at Aamodt's Apple Farm, this 75 minute experience includes your own sauna experience along with a cold cycle of either jumping in the snow or using their fun "dump bucket" or "Russian shower" - the option we recommend for maximum fun!

2. Weekly BINGO
Every Tuesday night at 6 pm you can head over to River Siren Brewing for a fun night of Bingo! Not only do they have a great selection of local brews to choose from, but they also offer food deliveries from Victoriano's right to your table! If you choose to play all 10 rounds and the cover-all/blackout round then it'll cost at least $22 per person for all your cards - but you could win upwards of $1,000!

3. FREE Walking Tours
If you're new to the Stillwater area, then you might not realize that there's actually a lot of history in this small town, and it's often considered the "Birthplace of Minnesota." If you want to learn more about this charming riverfront city, then the best way to do that is by heading to the Lens Flare Stillwater website. They have multiple free self-guided tours you can follow that take you through Stillwater while teaching you about the history of the area. If you're itching to explore on your own, make sure to stop by the hidden Union Art Alley (start on Commercial Street in the alley between Main St. and 2nd Street) and the awesome views from the Carnegie Public Library Rooftop!

4. Afternoon Tea at the Lowell Inn
One of our favorite activities in Stillwater is having afternoon tea at the historic Lowell Inn. Built in 1927 and nearing it's 100 year mark, for just $24 a person you can experience a 4 course proper afternoon tea! When we went we had endless tea and were served warm scones, their signature cream of mushroom soup (the best we've ever had), yummy miniature sandwiches, a variety of desserts, and of course an unending supply of teas. This is the perfect activity for group trips or fun date ideas - just make sure to make your reservations in advance!

5. Explore Adorable Downtown
Downtown Stillwater is one of our favorite downtown areas to visit in the entire state of Minnesota. With plenty of boutiques and antique stores for shopping and an amazing amount of local restaurants and places to eat - you really could spend an entire day here just walking the Stillwater Main Street!

6. Walk the Riverfront
In addition to an adorable downtown to explore, Stillwater has a beautiful riverfront area just one street over! Not only is there an excellent walking path, but there's also a gazebo and is a great spot to have a picnic as long as the weather's nice enough. They also often host fun winter events here like the World Snow Sculpting Championships! Our favorite thing to do is walk the infamous green lift-bridge over to Wisconsin - it also gives you some of the best river views and views of Stillwater!

7. Try the Local Food Scene
Named one of the best food scenes by USA Today, one of the best things to do in Stillwater is to try out some of the local places to eat! If you're basing in downtown Stillwater, then most of the places are even within walking distance - and we've gone ahead and listed our favorites below!

Matchsticks : Located on the first floor of Hotel Crosby, this is one of the nicest restaurants in town. They're known for their "tapa style" dinners and their incredible selection of whiskey. We recommend trying their cauliflower fritters and lobster mac and cheese!
Melt Pizza : Known throughout the state as one of the best pizza places in Minnesota - their Detroit style pizza is truly one of the best we've had. We recommend trying the "Mr. Stillwater."
Leo's : A Stillwater classic. Typically you'll find that you can hardly get a seat inside, but in the winter months you can find some hours in the day that is a bit quieter. Tyler always gets a classic hamburger and you can't go wrong with their shakes and malts!
Lolitas : This pricey cantina has delicious chips & salsa, tacos, and quesadillas - you really can't go wrong! Plus they're located right downtown and we've heard they have some great drinks too!
Lowell Inn : Although they have an excellent afternoon tea, you can also just stop here for a nice lunch or dinner! We highly encourage you to try their signature cream of mushroom soup!

8. Visit the Heritage Center Museum
If you're visiting with the family or just want to learn more about the Stillwater's history, then we recommend visiting the Heritage Center Museum! They have free parking onsite and inside you can learn all about the huge logging industry that boomed here and how that shaped and influenced Stillwater to be what it's become today. The exhibits are fun and interactive too! Admission is $8 per adult.

9. Winterfest Fun
This annual winter event is one of the most fun times of the year to visit Stillwater, and if you're able to time your visit to line up with this weekend in February then we highly recommend participating in the many fun events that the city organizes - you can even win some awesome prizes! The goal is to encourage the community atmosphere all while supporting local charities and businesses, so it's really a win-win for everyone!

For more fun ideas, try heading to Discover Stillwater!

Watch our Adventures in Stillwater here!