Have you tried dining in an igloo before? I loved my first experience and I think everyone should experience it before is over! It’s a perfect way to experience winter in a nice warm igloo. No matter which area of Minnesota you live in, this guide has igloo dining options from central to southeast Minnesota and one in Wisconsin. There are different options from wineries, breweries and restaurants, so hopefully you can find an igloo to dine in this winter! The igloo dining guide is also available on my Instagram Guides, here. Next Chapter Winery Located in New Prague, Next Chapter Winery is 1 ..read more

I’m so excited to share with you the charming town of Decorah! I was in need of a quick getaway and a weekend trip to Decorah was perfect. Decorah is only 1.5 hours away from Rochester and under 3 hour drive from Minneapolis. While it’s been difficult to travel, I feel more comfortable traveling to places close to home and where social distancing is easy. Decorah is part of the Driftless  – an area of northeast Iowa, southeast Minnesota and southwest Wisconsin. These areas combined were covered by glaciers which shifted overtime. These glaciers have shaped the upper Midwest, flatten the ..read more

My favorite lodging option while traveling is booking through airbnb. I prefer airbnb for several reasons. 1. Unique lodging options 2. Different experiences 3. Variety of different price ranges 4. Connections with airbnb hosts 5. Perfect option to socially distance! I’m sharing my favorite airbnb experiences and places that I would love to stay! Check out these options before you plan your adventures for 2021. Minnesota Stays Cabin/Shack in Ely, Minnesota Details on this cabin are in my Ely, Minnesota trip- here. It was the best option for cabin lodging on a budget and still felt like camping ..read more

First, I want to say THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart! I was incredibly touched by everyone who checked out my first holiday gift guide. All the sweet messages filled me up with joy and confirmed all the reasons why I started blogging including the opportunity to connect with people around Rochester. It was the first time I stepped out of my comfort zone and introduced myself and my blog to the Rochester Community and I am so grateful for all the businesses that I was able to connect with. As Black Friday and Small Business Saturday approaching, please continue to support our local smal ..read more

My second Rochester, Minnesota Guide Series is just in time for the holiday season, Holiday Gift Guide! As we enter gifting season, I want to highlight local small businesses as this year has been especially difficult on them. Downton Rochester Minnesota is hosting Small Business Saturdays to support our local small businesses and I recommend visiting their website for a complete list of participating small businesses. This guide will not feature all small businesses in Rochester, but the ones I enjoy shopping at or have recently discovered.  Whatever gift you are looking for, I hope thi ..read more

You know there are some places that you pass by all the time but never really stop by to check it out? That place for me is Cannon Falls. Located on Highway 52, it’s between the Twin Cities and Rochester. With the unexpected warm weather we had in November, we explored Cannon Falls for the first time. Cannon Falls named after the falls along Cannon River and well known for the Cannon Valley Trail. Fun fact about Cannon Falls is that many famous musicians have recorded at the Pachyderm Studio, including Nirvana (In Utero album in 1993). Cannon Valley Trail The Cannon Valley Trail follows an aba ..read more

One of the main reasons why I started blogging was to share my experience living in Rochester. My family and I moved to Rochester 4 years ago for our jobs. Previously, I was working in my hometown, a suburb of the Twin Cities and perfectly happy to be back after being away for 8 years. When we made the decision to move, I was sad to leave my friends and family but also excited to have a new start (the feeling everyone gets, right?). Once we settled in, we were excited to explore the new city. But it wasn’t as easy as I thought it’d be. In a brand new city, I didn’t know where to go or what to ..read more

I am beyond excited to share my first ever Rochester Guide Series, featuring Rochester breweries! (Learn more about Rochester Guide Series here) I love visiting breweries wherever I am traveling- first and foremost, I love trying new beer, it also shows character and a chance to chat with the locals. So when I first started exploring Rochester, breweries were high on my list. Rochester has 5 breweries- that’s about one brewery per 11 square miles of the city    Each brewery is so full of their own characteristics and different styles of beer. Discover for yourself which brewery has ..read more

Are you familiar with the Great River Road National Scenic Byway following Mississippi River? We were traveling back to Rochester from the Cities and took the best detour! Starting from Prescott, Wisconsin follow WI-35 South passes through Hager City (right across from Red Wing),  Maiden Rock, Pepin and cross back into Minnesota for last stop at Reads Landing. You could add and subtract different places along the road to make your own road trip! First Stop: Maiden Rock Bluff Maiden Rock Bluff is a short 0.8 mile hike that leads to incredible views of the Mississippi and Minnesota. We par ..read more

I think everyone would agree this year has thrown enough curve balls at us. It became even a little more crazy when temperatures dropped to low 30s mid-October. We had so many fun things planned to enjoy fall in Minnesota after our trip to the Grand Tetons National Park in Wyoming (coming soon!) But when the temperatures dropped, a lot of campsites closed and outdoor activities were limited. I didn’t expect the temperatures to drop so drastically but also didn’t want the cold weather to stop us from taking an adventure. So we headed to Owatonna for a half day adventure. Owatonna is 50 minute d ..read more