We'll be travelling through Minnesota this summer on our way to the Badlands. Our children are 13, 11 and 7. We like to get out of the truck and do something/see something in each state that we are travelling through, even if it's not our primary destination. We won't have more than a couple of hours to check out anything interesting, so we're looking for a quick stop by.I've looked at roadtrippers and I've used Google, but I'm still having a difficult time finding anything of interest near I90 in Minnesota. Any suggestions?

Corn Palace in Mitchell and Wall Drug in Wall are fun stops.

There aren't many lakes, rivers or towns in this part of the state. Spend your couple of hours at the Mississippi river crossing, and don't focus on doing something in Minnesota. Though I have seen something called 'pipestone' on maps. In SD there's a Lewis & Clark stop at the Missouri river crossing. And a Coe campground. Mitchel and Wall are tourist traps - if you like that kind of thing.

Did you check Roadside America?

About an hour north of I90 from say, Fairmont MN, is Jeffers Petroglyphs. Then a bit west of there is the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum in Walnut Grove. Both great for kids. But no, in a couple hours, there's nothing. That's maybe the ONE route you could choose through MN with not much to see. Well, since the Spam Museum closed...

paulj wrote: Spend your couple of hours at the Mississippi river crossing, and don't focus on doing something in Minnesota. That's a great idea. Believe it or not, we've never been to the Mississippi. Any suggestions? Are there turn outs or anything specific we should do?

I90 through Minnesota, points of interest? | Good Sam Community

11 Replies

Alabama_Jim
Explorer
Jan 09, 2016
If you are traveling west, not far into the state of MN. you can see the home of the Jolly Green Giant food processing. There is a tall statue just off I-90 near Blue Earth, MN.
avan
Explorer
Jan 08, 2016
janstey58 wrote:
Corn Palace in Mitchell and Wall Drug in Wall are fun stops.
While true,both of these locations, the last time I looked, were in SD, not MN.
dewey02
Explorer II
Jan 08, 2016
Barbilou and Fujimo wrote:
About an hour north of I90 from say, Fairmont MN, is Jeffers Petroglyphs. Then a bit west of there is the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum in Walnut Grove. Both great for kids. But no, in a couple hours, there's nothing. That's maybe the ONE route you could choose through MN with not much to see. Well, since the Spam Museum closed...

It was just closed to be completely renovated. Scheduled to be re-opened this spring, and the OP is travelling this summer.
frizzen
Explorer
Jan 08, 2016
Just remember that in Minnesota you can't have anything hanging from your rearview mirror.
Mfan
Explorer
Jan 08, 2016
Spam museum in austin, mn
DrewE
Explorer II
Jan 08, 2016
Niagara cave looks interesting to me, though somewhat out of the way from I-90 (Harmony, MN, just north of the Iowa border). I haven't been there myself, but I think 7, 11, or 13 year old me would have thoroughly enjoyed it--and probably present day me would too.
michigansandzil
Explorer
Jan 08, 2016
paulj wrote:
Spend your couple of hours at the Mississippi river crossing, and don't focus on doing something in Minnesota.

That's a great idea. Believe it or not, we've never been to the Mississippi. Any suggestions? Are there turn outs or anything specific we should do?
Barbilou_and_Fu
Explorer
Jan 08, 2016
About an hour north of I90 from say, Fairmont MN, is Jeffers Petroglyphs. Then a bit west of there is the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum in Walnut Grove. Both great for kids. But no, in a couple hours, there's nothing. That's maybe the ONE route you could choose through MN with not much to see. Well, since the Spam Museum closed...
gbopp
Explorer
Jan 08, 2016
Did you check Roadside America?
paulj
Explorer II
Jan 08, 2016
There aren't many lakes, rivers or towns in this part of the state. Spend your couple of hours at the Mississippi river crossing, and don't focus on doing something in Minnesota. Though I have seen something called 'pipestone' on maps.

In SD there's a Lewis & Clark stop at the Missouri river crossing. And a Coe campground. Mitchel and Wall are tourist traps - if you like that kind of thing.