St. Cloud

St. Cloud, despite being one of Minnesota’s fastest growing metropolitan areas, isn’t short on open spaces. Just south of the city, a diverse collection of native plants and animals thrive in the prairies, wetlands and forests of the 700-acre Sand Prairie Wildlife Management Area. To the northwest, 580-acre Quarry Park and Nature Preserve contains 25 limestone quarries, scenic overlooks and hiking trails. Several of St. Cloud’s 91 parks and public gardens, with activities as diverse as Frisbee golf and paddle boating, are located along the Mississippi River. Among them, the Munsinger Gardens and adjacent Clemens Gardens contain more than ...

St. Cloud, despite being one of Minnesota’s fastest growing metropolitan areas, isn’t short on open spaces. Just south of the city, a diverse collection of native plants and animals thrive in the prairies, wetlands and forests of the 700-acre Sand Prairie Wildlife Management Area. To the northwest, 580-acre Quarry Park and Nature Preserve contains 25 limestone quarries, scenic overlooks and hiking trails. Several of St. Cloud’s 91 parks and public gardens, with activities as diverse as Frisbee golf and paddle boating, are located along the Mississippi River. Among them, the Munsinger Gardens and adjacent Clemens Gardens contain more than 200,000 plants and flowers. Even the Stearns County Heritage Center is located in a flower-bedecked park. The two-story museum’s exhibits include a replica of the area in the 1850s and a visual history of granite production. Prints, paintings, photographs and other works by regional artists are on display at Gallery 702, but the city’s most public work of art is “The Granite Trio,” a three-piece granite sculpture by Anthony Caponi on W. Saint Germain St., two blocks from Courthouse Square. St. Cloud’s central Minnesota location also makes it a natural base for travelers who want a variety of experiences. Minneapolis is only an hour’s drive away. The state’s second largest lake, Mille Lacs, with its Ojibwe Indian Museum and Grand Casino Mille Lacs, is 50 miles to the north and Charles Lingbergh State Memorial Park at Little Falls lies about 30 miles northwest.

About the Expert

Connie Emerson is the author of more than a dozen books, including The Cheapskate's Guide to Branson, Missouri and Eyewitness Top Ten Travel Guide – Las Vegas.