When the air turns nippy, Minnesotans grab the car keys — time for a fall drive! We want to soak up the last warmth of the season, before snow settles over fallen leaves.
After reading Travel's recent story in which Minnesota innkeepers told us about their favorite autumn drives, Star Tribune reader Earl Steen wanted to tell me about his own.
"Another nice trip is to go from Minneapolis to Prescott, Wis., then take Hwy. 35 [the Great River Road] all the way down to the Winona area, where you cross back over to the Minnesota side." The drive winds through pretty towns like Pepin, Wis., where Laura Ingalls Wilder was born, Alma, Wis., and Stockhholm, Wis. "It's just a beautiful time to go down there when the leaves are turning because you are right up against the bluff. Some of these towns are perched right beneath the bluff," Steen said.
I'm so glad Mr. Steen called. I can only agree: Yes, go, the scenery is astounding. Last autumn I hugged the Minnesota side of the river, stopped at the National Eagle Center in Wabasha, got lost on some back roads and marveled at the beauty at every turn.
Share your own favorite fall drive ideas here.
