Weekend Away: Small town's simple sweetness isn't a pose

After a lifetime of visiting my grandparents in Granite Falls, I know to count on certain town occurrences. Each winter, the lutefisk and lefse will arrive at Willie's Korner Store, and all the houses along the main drag will stake oversized, personalized wooden holiday cards in their front yards. Come spring, a four- sided cone proclaiming "Baseball Tonite" will pop up, with regularity, at the heart of the central-most intersection. Then there's my favorite --the teeny downtown popcorn stand will open on warm summer evenings, while nearby, pelicans lounge on boulder outcroppings at the foot of the pretty little falls.

Newer town developments do lean toward the tourism-friendly, such as a coffee/gift shop and stores selling antiques. Still, to me, Granite's appeal is that being a sweet small town hasn't yet evolved into a pose for outsiders. It's simply how life is lived.

That, thankfully, you can count on.

What to do

Check out downtown's falls. Watch the Minnesota River drop over the dam and churn white, misting the pelicans that congregate on shiny islands of river rock.

To do it properly, bring bread crumbs. Head a couple blocks downriver, cross the adorable footbridge to the other riverbank, then feed the pushy ducks that hang out here. If you're lucky, you'll catch a glimpse of an eagle soaring overhead, thus scoring the Granite birding trifecta.

Don't miss

Our little secret

It would be easy to hit the well-organized Prairie Mercantile antique store (1-320-564-9094) on high-profile Hwy. 212, then miss the Treasure Stop (1-320-564-9206), accessed via a stairway tucked into the Dollar Stop downtown. It's a smaller, more cluttered spot, but one at which I consistently score.

Go fish

Birds aren't the only ones angling in the Minnesota River around here. Throw in a line from any riverside spot -- 100-acre Memorial Park off Hwy. 67 is a beaut -- or ask a local to give up an area fishing hole. Get bait at Willie's Korner Store on Granite Street (1-320-564-3637), a buzzing longtime mom-and-pop community hub offering everything under the sun, including fresh-frozen fish -- a good backup if nothing's biting, though you won't fool anyone with lobster tails.

Best souvenir

Older than the hills - literally

Three words for kitsch lovers: World's Oldest Rock. The exposed granite's been right on the outskirts of town, at Hwys. 67 and 23, for 3.8 billion years and counting.

Looking ahead

The Upper Minnesota River Art Crawl (1-866-866-5432, www.artsmeander.com), known simply as "The Meander," grows more popular each year. Nearly 50 rosemalers, potters, silversmiths and artisans open their studios to guests the first weekend in October.

Checking in

Jump farther back in area native history -- camp in the only two rentable tepees in the Minnesota State Park system at Upper Sioux Agency (1-320-564-4777), southeast of town off Hwy. 67 (aka the Minnesota River Valley Scenic Byway). Each costs $25 a night.

Eating out

High end: The congressman behind Prohibition, Andrew Volstead, hailed from Granite. That's why John Berends played up the history of his supper club -- formerly a speakeasy -- by naming it Bootlegger's (1-320-564-4003, www.bootleggerssupper club.com). It offers from-scratch cooking, including a locally sourced special every Thursday. Look here for local music, too.

Low end: Nab one of the four window-front tables at the 40-year-old Carl's Bakery (1-320-564-2531) downtown. Or, use the drive-through window to pick up an easy picnic.

Low low end: The casino hosts 99-cent meal specials three days a week.

From the Twin Cities, take Hwy. 212 west about 130 miles. The trip takes just under three hours.

Traveler's info

Granite Falls Area Chamber of Commerce, 1-320-564-4039, www. granitefallschamber.com.