Minnesota Road Trip Ideas: 11 Best Road Trips + Itinerary

If you're looking for some year-round Minnesota road trip ideas, you're in the right place. The North Star State, with its large cities and charming small towns, abundant natural beauty, and several landmarks and sites of national significance - with plenty of room for driving between them all - has got to be one of the best states for road trips in the entire country. In fact, in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, road trips through Minnesota are practically annual rites of passage! So, be sure to pack all your road trip essentials - and don't forget the snacks - as you navigate through 11 of the best road trips in Minnesota.

For a Minnesota road trip map that you can use to navigate on your smartphone, just tap the "Route" link at the beginning of any of our 11 Minnesota road trips.

1-Day Road Trip in Minnesota

• ​​Route: Grand Marais > Five Mile Rock > Kadunce River State Wayside > Naniboujou Lodge and Restaurant > Judge C.R. Magney State Park > Grand Portage National Monument > Mt. Josephine Overlook > Grand Portage State Park
• Distance: 43 miles
• Trip Time: 1 hour driving time

Although this may be the shortest Minnesota road trip itinerary on this list, quick road trips in Minnesota can be breathtaking. This day trip along MN-61 may well be the most ​​scenic one-day road trip in Minnesota you will find. Not only will you experience some of the most dramatic shoreline on the Great Lakes, you’ll have the opportunity to hit some lesser-traveled hiking trails, explore the shore, and delve into some of the state’s most fascinating history at places like Naniboujou Lodge and Grand Portage National Monument. This is definitely one of the weekend trips in Minnesota that should go on your bucket list!

3-Day Weekend Road Trip in Minnesota

• Route: Illgen City > Illgen Falls > Ely > Bear Head Lake State Park > Scenic State Park > Lost 40 SNA > Lady Slipper Scenic Byway > Big Bog State Recreation Area > Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge > Oslo
• Distance: 490 miles
• Trip Time: 9.5 hours driving time

You could complete this road trip traversing Minnesota’s ​​longest state highway in as little as three days. However, adding another day or two to this northern Minnesota itinerary would allow you to explore a little longer in places like Big Bog State Recreation Area and Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge. As you skirt the southern edge of Red Lake, you’ll pass within about an hour of Itasca State Park, where you’ll find the headwaters of the Mississippi River. It would make an excellent add-on to one of our favorite weekend road trips in Minnesota.

Western Minnesota Road Trip

• ​​Route: Iowa Minnesota South Dakota Marker > Blue Mounds State Park > Pipestone National Monument > Lac Qui Parle State Park > Kensington Runestone Park > Red River State Recreation Area > John Kurz Memorial Park > Lake Bronson State Park > Warroad
• Distance: 575 miles
• Trip Time: 10.5 hours driving time

This Minnesota road trip, for the most part, follows ​​Highway 75 King of Trails Scenic Byway will take you from the corner that the Land of 10,000 Lakes shares with Iowa and South Dakota all the way to Lake of the Woods and the Canadian border. Along the way, you'll pass through towns like Luverne, Pipestone, Argyle, and Warroad, visiting fantastic state parks, national monuments, stunning natural areas, and beloved local landmarks. It's an awesome way to see one of the lesser-traveled parts of the state and the Upper Midwest at their most beautiful - the summer.

Minnesota Bluff Country Road Trip

• Route: Four Daughters Vineyard and Winery > Hop and Barrel Brewing > Sugar Creek Vineyard and Meadery > Karst Brewing > Trout City Brewing > Sylvan Brewing > Union Valley Vineyard and Winery
• Distance: 79 miles
• Trip Time: 1.75 hours driving time

Start this road trip along the Historic Bluff Country Scenic Byway just south of Rochester in Spring Valley. Road trips through this part of the state - the “driftless” area - offer some of the most scenic and, if you ask me, best drives in Minnesota. This particular road trip goes a step further and combines all the quaint charm and rustic beauty of the Bluff Country with visits to several local breweries and wineries along the way. It’s an ideal road trip for a weekend getaway, combined with a stay at a bed-and-breakfast in Lanesboro, Rushford, or Preston.

Best Minnesota Road Trip For Spring

• ​​Route: Minnehaha Falls > Vermillion Falls > Cannon Falls > Nerstrand Big Woods State Park > Minneopa State Park > Ramsey Falls > Pipestone National Monument
• Distance: 281 miles
• Trip Time: 5.5 hours driving time

​​Spring is waterfall season, and this drive to the best waterfalls in southern Minnesota is a perfect way to spend a spring weekend. You’ll start in Minneapolis, at the iconic Minnehaha Falls, then leave the Twin Cities to visit several of southeastern Minnesota’s lovely cascades. From there, you’ll head west to Minneopa State Park, near Mankato. Since the charming town of New Ulm is directly on the route, it makes a perfect stopping point before you head to far western Minnesota to finish off the road trip. This is the perfect time for a break or an overnight stop. We recommend reserving your stay ahead of time.

Best Summer Road Trip in Minnesota

• ​​Route: Rainy Lake Visitor's Center, Voyageurs National Park > International Falls > Franz Jevne State Park > Wheelers Point > Zippel Bay State Park
• Distance: 103 miles
• Trip Time: 2 hours driving time

You can make this ​​northern Minnesota road trip along the Rainy River and the Canadian border as long or as short as you like. There are plenty of things to do and places to explore on the drive from Voyageurs National Park on Rainy Lake to International Falls, Franz Jevne State Park - the smallest in the state - and Zippel Bay State Park on the south shore of the gargantuan Lake of the Woods. It’s a perfect way to spend a summer afternoon, weekend, or week. Bring your passport for a stretch goal of the Northwest Angle - the northernmost point in the Lower 48 United States - because you have to travel through Canada to get there by land.

Best Minnesota Road Trip For Fall

• Route: St. Croix State Park> Wild River State Park > Interstate State Park > William O'Brien State Park > St. Croix Boom Site State Wayside > Stillwater > Afton State Park
• Distance: 118 miles
• Trip Time: 2.3 hours driving time

​​This one or two-day itinerary tracks the St. Croix River through the St. Croix National Scenic River Way, which makes it perfect for fall road trip in Minnesota. The forested river valley explodes with fall colors, and because you can see the bluffs on the Wisconsin side, as well, you get double the foliage. Moreover, you'll visit five state parks and a national park service unit, and you can stop along the way to explore the charming historic towns of Taylors Falls, Marine on St. Croix, Stillwater, Bayport, and Afton.

Best Winter Road Trip in Minnesota

• ​​Route: Grand Marais > Pincushion Mountain Overlook > Bearskin Lodge > White Pine Lodge > Magnetic Rock Trail > Poplar Haus > Gunflint Lodge
• Distance: 67 miles
• Trip Time: 1.75 hours driving time

A winter trip ​​up the Gunflint Trail is an ideal way to embrace the long cold season in the Bold North. On this short driving itinerary, you’ll drive through the Superior National Forest, skirting the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCA), while stopping for views across frozen lakes and vast expanses of forest, or to cross-country ski and enjoy a winter hike or snowshoe. This is also the best time of year for spotting moose along the trail, so be alert as you drive the narrow, winding road. When you hit your final stop for the night, ​​the Gunflint Lodge, be sure to keep an eye on the sky for splendid dark sky stargazing and dancing northern lights.

Family Friendly Minnesota Road Trip

• Route: The Uptowner Cafe > Twin City Model Railroad Museum > Blue Sun Soda Shop > Cedar Park > Lindström Bakery > Franconia Sculpture Park > Taylors Falls Scenic Boat Tours > The Drive In Restaurant
• Distance: 59 miles
• Trip Time: 1.5 hours driving time

With less than two hours of driving time and plenty of fun stops, this ​​family-friendly road trip is a great way to spend a weekend day during the summer in the Twin Cities area. Better still, this is one of the best Minnesota road trip ideas for offering plenty of stops that adults and kids (of any age!) will both enjoy. Importantly, you'll start with breakfast and find plenty of opportunities for snacks and meals along the way - nobody needs to be hangry!

Road Trip to Minnesota Landmarks and Natural Wonders

• Route: Blue Mounds State Park > Minnehaha Falls > Interstate State Park > Jay Cooke State Park > Gooseberry Falls State Park > Tettegouche State Park > Ely > Eagle Mountain > Judge C.R. Magney State Park > Grand Portage State Park
• Distance: 688 miles
• Trip Time: 13 hours driving time

This road trip to many of the ​​landmarks and natural wonders of Minnesota will take you from the Sioux quartzite upwellings of southwestern Minnesota, across the farm fields and prairies that characterize the southern part of the North Star State, to the Twin Cities, then up the St. Croix River valley and on toward Duluth and points north. Although it's not on the itinerary, when you pass through Duluth, you should definitely stop in Canal Park to see the iconic aerial lift bridge or take some time to explore the splendid Glensheen mansion before heading up the of North Shore of Lake Superior. In addition to numerous state parks and their natural beauty - including Minnesota’s highest waterfalls - along the way, you’ll pass through charming small towns like Two Harbors, Beaver Bay, Tofte, Lutsen, and Grand Marais, where you can stop for lunch or ice cream on the shore of world's largest lake. Between Gooseberry Falls and Tettegouche, you’ll see the amazing Split Rock Lighthouse where you can explore the site’s fascinating history and hike or go biking in the park or along the paved Gitchi Gami State Trail. Use AllTrails Plus to navigate along the way.

Road Trip to Best Small Towns in Minnesota

• Route: Ely > Nisswa > Fergus Falls > Pipestone > Saint Peter > Winona > Stillwater > Taylors Falls > Cambridge > Avon
• Distance: 980 miles
• Trip Time: 18 hours driving time

This marathon of a road trip to some of ​​Minnesota's most charming small towns could easily be broken into segments. For example, you could include Nisswa in an excursion to several small towns in the Brainerd Lakes area. Or you could do a trip along the Great River Road that would include Winona, as well as Wabasha and Red Wing, and then extend up the St. Croix River valley to Stillwater and Taylors Falls. But you could also, pack the car, hit the road, and see some of the state’s most charming small towns - and some of its most amazing scenery - by following this itinerary over the course of several days.

What are your thoughts about the best road trips in Minnesota? We'd love to hear about them! And along your scenic trips in Minnesota, be sure to stop for a cabin getaway or two in one of our favorite cabin rentals in Minnesota.