Cottage Grove is a small township and a southeast suburb of the Minneapolis St Paul metropolitan area, so it’s perfect for the Minnesota road trip. You can check out Twin City, and while you’re in the Cottage Grove, explore some of the town’s attractions. The top things to see are excellent public parks, Rock Island Swing Bridge, and nearby St. Paul Cathedral.
The best time to visit Minnesota and Cottage Grove, a town with more lands by the Mississippi River than any other place in the state, is between late March and October. The Winter season can be harsh, and the peak season is summer when it can get hot.
If you’re coming from abroad, you will need travel authorization. The easiest path to a travel permit is with ESTA application US, a simple online procedure for visitors from countries in the Visa Waiver Program. After three days, you will know the results of the application. With ESTA, you can travel unlimited times to the US with the most extended stay of 90 days.
Cottage Grove attractions
The main appeal of Cottage Grove comes from small-town vibes, closeness to the Mississippi River, and still being a part of the vast Twin City area.
You can find some interesting historical places like Cordenio Severance House, built-in 1917 on the foundation of an older post Civil War farmhouse. With two Neoclassical columned porticos, ballroom, rose garden and other amenities, the house is on the National Register of Historic Places list.
Another significant historical landmark is Schilling Archeological District that has prehistoric Native American habitation sites dating to the late prehistoric period. In addition, numerous artefacts and mound groups speak of cultures in Middle Mississippian cultures.
Oakwood Park is an excellent spot in Cottage Grove for outdoor enthusiasts. You can find the piece of solitude in a natural environment within the green park spaces, hiking trails, or you can go on a disc golf course and play some golf.
Woodridge Park is the best place to hang out with kids because of the enormous playground. This public park is among the largest in the state and has rubber mat ground cover, modern amenities like bathrooms and water fountains, and an enormous playing area.
Close to the city, you can also find Grey Cloud Dunes Scientific and Natural Area. The best-preserved prairie landscape in the area has a recognizable sea of grass and two high crests 60 and 110 feet above the river. You can find many prairie plant species, as well as numerous animals typical of this ecosystem.
Things to do in Forest Lake MN
Forest Lake is a city in the same Washington County as Cottage Grove but in the northern part of Minneapolis- St. Paul metropolitan area. Since the early 20th century Forest Lake has become a popular tourist hotspot for the Midwest area with numerous lakeside hotels. In addition, the city was a famous summer home for several US presidents like Grover Cleveland and William Howard Taft and gangsters like Bugs Moran.
You can find Wildlife Science Center, Carlos Avery Wildlife Management Area, and Running Aces Harness Park if you like outdoor activities outside the Lake. Town also has several beaches, and you can engage in numerous water sports.
Things to do in Tower MN
If your Minnesota road trip takes you north, Tower is a small town on Lake Vermilion, relatively close to Canada. Since its founding, Tower was a small town and stayed under 1000 population throughout history. Aside from closeness to the popular tourist attraction of Lake Vermilion, you can check Tower Train Museum with an old steam locomotive. In addition, you can find American Indian artefacts, historical documents, pioneer mining equipment, and other exhibits in the Depot.
Closet to the town, you can find Soudan Underground Mine, State Park. Hop in the cage to 2341 feet descend where you can listen to the stories about mining days in the area. You can see a crusher house, engine house, dry house, and drill shop above the ground, as well as a boardwalk near one of the deepest open mine pits.
Lake Vermilion has numerous attractions that include fishing, water sports on the Lake, golf courses and other activities and interests.
Getting to Minnesota or other parts of the Midwest isn’t complicated, but foreign visitors will need ESTA or other Visa to enter the US. One of the things to have in mind is ESTA criminal record past, where you can get travel authorization, but in most cases with a confirmed criminal record, you will be rejected. Aside from a clean record, ESTA asks for your social media accounts and other information on the application form.
Bottom line
Minnesota has unfavourable winters, but it’s often overlooked as a destination in the warmer part of the year. Twin Cities have an incredible number of attractions. Small towns like Cottage Grove or Forrest Lake are great for a day visit to experience authentic America with its rich history and exciting attractions.
