Skip Europe This Summer: This Town in Minnesota Is Just as Charming as Sweden

Don't you sometimes wish you could go somewhere that feels like someplace else? Yes, of course, you could just hop on a plane and fly to Europe. With direct flights from Minneapolis to places like Copenhagen and Reykjavik, you could, in a matter of hours, be getting your hygge on in Scandinavia or one of the other Nordic countries whose cultures have so strongly influenced our state. But who has time for that? Not to mention, a trip to Europe requires a bunch of planning plus hassles like airports, customs, and jet lag. Fortunately, there is a place right here, just outside of the Twin Cities, where you can go for a day or a weekend and feel a bit like you're in Scandinavia. So, this summer, skip Europe and head to Lindström, a Minnesota town as charming as Sweden.

Lindström was founded by Swedish immigrants in the late nineteenth century, and to this day, continues to lean into its heritage. The town's water tower, for instance, is shaped to resemble a Swedish coffee pot, or kaffe kanna, and reads "Välkommen till Lindström." It was just a run-of-the-mill water tower until 1993, after a local businesswoman campaigned—and paid—to have it converted into the "World's Largest Swedish Coffee Pot." It's now the centerpiece of Kaffe Kanna Park. As of June 21, 2025, the coffee pot emits steam twice daily (during summer months), at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., signaling morning and afternoon fika, traditional Swedish coffee breaks with friends or family.

Lindström, "America's Little Sweden," maintains close relations with the old country through its sister city connection to Tingsryd, Sweden. Signs of the town's heritage are evident throughout the community, through murals, dala horses, and frequent use of the Swedish flag's blue and yellow color combination. Many businesses bear Swedish translations of their wares beneath their signs. For example, you may see signs advertising the sale of alkohol or bageri products, or services like brandstation or turistinformation. In terms of bageri goods, Lindström Bakery is regionally beloved for its Swedish breads and scones, but it's renowned far and wide for its Scandinavian donuts. Crispy on the outside and oh-so-soft on the inside, they're widely considered some of the best donuts in Minnesota—and they're the perfect fika snack.

Journals kept by one of Lindström's founders served as the basis for a series of novels written by Swedish author Vilhelm Moberg, known collectively as The Emigrants, which chronicle the experiences of a group of emigrants as they leave Sweden in the mid-nineteenth century and settle in the Minnesota territory. A statue depicting the novels' main characters, Karl Oskar and Kristina Nilsson, stands on the west end of Lindström, and each July, the town hosts Karl Oskar Days to celebrate its Swedish heritage.

The area's Swedish heritage extends beyond the town of Lindström and encompasses the entire Chisago Lakes region, so you'll find plenty to do and explore while you're visiting, like the whimsical Franconia Sculpture Park.

While a trip to Lindström, Minnesota, may not be exactly like visiting Sweden, you're sure to find it charming and, with a little imagination, may feel like you're in Scandinavia—but with no jet lag or use of vacation time.