We took a nice little road trip to Red Wing today, a pretty little town on the Mississippi River that apparently thrives by appealing equally to Big Ag and Big Service: the ADM grain mill is the most prominent feature on the riverfront, but the entire downtown is a temple to the tourist’s disposable income. We worshiped at various shops’ windows, and even paid obeisance at the Red Wing shoe museum (home of the “World’s Largest Boot” – crazy and cool) but we only tithed at the farmer’s market and at the incredible Hanisch Bakery, where the girls had massive, heavily frosted cookies; Shannon had a donut; and I had both a delicious caramel roll and a maple-bacon donut. We later went to a playground where the girls burned off their cookies and I tried to resist the soporific effect of bacon.
The Jenny Lind Bakery & cafe (Old Main St across from old pottery mall) is also quite good. Norton’s restaurant downtown is wonderful (more of a date place , but I have seen people there with young kids).
In July/August cross the river to go to Rush River Produce to pick your own blueberries. On Fri/Sat/Sun mornings between Easter & Christmas, don’t miss the phenomenal Smiling Pelican Bakery in tiny downtown Maiden Rock (I dream about that place in Jan/Feb!).
Or head a bit farther south to the pie shop in itty-bitty Stockholm, WI to sample some of the best sweet or savory pies you’ve ever tasted.
Then, a bit past that is the cheese shop (and super-high butterfat ice cream!) in Nelson, WI…
As is evident, I loooove food, and I adore Red Wing. Driving the Wisconsin side of the Mississippi River Road is lovely any time of year.
We’ve done this trip (and variations) several times and always enjoy it. Lake City would be great with kids, and we like driving the Wisconsin side of Lake Pepin. It’s closed for the season now, but we had a great lunch (and pie!!) at the Homemade Cafe in Pepin, Wis. Everything was homemade, fresh and really pretty cheap.
I’ve never seen a donut with bacon on it, but it looks good.