Great Places to Explore in MN Without Driving Far

There are many great places to visit in Minnesota without having to drive too far away from the St. Cloud area.  Amy Barrett from Explore Minnesota joined me on WJON this week. Among the events and places to visit that Amy highlighted she talked about Clemens and Munsinger Gardens in St. Cloud where the annual art fair is taking place starting today.  The location also features a Sunday concert series called Music in the Gardens.  The next show is this Sunday starting at 3 p.m.

Get our free mobile app

Other locations to visit in Minnesota include visiting the Spam Museum in Austin along with other activities along the way including a large ice cream cone at a place called S'Cream.  Barrett says it has the biggest ice cream cone she has ever seen.

Barrett says it is blueberry picking season in Minnesota.  She says a good location to do this is in Stillwater where people can pick blueberries.  Barrett says this weekend on the Gunflint trail in northern Minnesota starting Friday is the biggest blueberry contest in Cook County.  She says blueberries in that area are just beginning to ripen and tend to peak late July or early August.  Barrett says through August 14 if you think you found a big one area resorts can measure and weigh it for you with the possibility of winning a $100 cash prize.  Last year's winner had a blueberry weighing .41 grams.

Other things to do in Minnesota that Barrett highlighted today include disc golf.  She says there are more than 200 disc golf courses in the state.  The St. Cloud area has many courses which includes Calvary Hill Park Disc Golf Course and Riverside Park in St. Cloud, Mayhew Creek Park in Sauk Rapids, Hidden Lake Disc Golf Course in St. Augusta, Sportsman Park and Airborn Disc Golf Reserve in Clearwater, Rivers Edge Park in Waite Park, and Osprey Disc Golf Course in Rice.

If you'd like to listen to my conversation with Amy Barrett it is available below.