The pressure of planning the perfect summer for kids can be overwhelming and take the fun out of it all. Sometimes all you need is a road trip that’s less than an hour away from home. And some of the best road trip memories happen along the way — like a giant steaming Swedish coffee pot (but more on that later.)
If you’re looking for a local summer day trip, steal my itinerary to Lindstrom, Schafer, and Taylors Falls in the St. Croix River Valley to find the best Swedish pastries, larger-than-life sculptures, a classic drive-in, ancient potholes, and maple syrup milkshakes.
— Caitlin Hannah
We arrived at the charming Lindström Bakery shortly after 9 a.m. on a weekday, and it was already packed with locals catching up over donuts and coffee — their mid-morning “fika,” as the Swedes say.
The Scandi-inspired space is filled with natural light and warm woods. The pastry cases were filled with rows of delicious-looking donuts, including a popular Scandinavian-style (slightly crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside) that Food & Wine named Minnesota’s best.
They don’t stop at donuts, either. Lindström also specializes in several kinds of fruit-flavored scones, cookies, cupcakes, and Swedish-inspired goods like cardamom and cinnamon buns with pearl sugar. It was hard to choose; I wish we had a table with more friends so we could have a smorgasbord of sweets.
I took it as a sign of good luck that I got the last lingonberry bismarck filled with Holland vanilla cream, dusted with powdered sugar, and topped with a large dollop of lingonberry jam. My toddler obviously picked the vanilla donut with rainbow sprinkles. We snagged a table in the corner with a view of the vibrant mural outside.
Once the morning rush cleared, the warm and friendly staff visited with us and mentioned there are five hot dogs hidden throughout the mural — a nod to the giant hot dog on the roof of Deutschland Meats across the street. The mural also includes tributes to the area, such as the Karl Oskar House, a cup of coffee, several water elements celebrating the area’s love of lake life, Ojibwe beadwork, and cyclists.
Address: 12830 Lake Blvd, Lindstrom, MN 55045
Hours: Open Tuesday-Friday, 6:30 a.m.-3 p.m.; Saturday, 7 a.m.-3 p.m.; and Sunday, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Closed Mondays.
Good to Know: Some of the most popular items will sell out. If your heart is set on something in particular, get there early or call on your way to reserve your treats.
After we devoured our donuts, we stepped outside to admire the mural and try to find the hot dogs hidden throughout. Before we knew it, it was 10 a.m., and the charming Lindstrom water tower that’s shaped like a coffee pot and adorned with colorful rosemaling was all steamed up and ready to pour out to the delight of my kiddo. The steam appears every day at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. during the summer months after the community hit their fundraising goal to keep it running in 2025. You can read the full story of the coffee pot here on the city’s website.
As we walked down the street to see the giant Dala horse — another recommendation from our friends at the bakery — she kept asking to go back and see the coffee pot. Lindstrom was becoming my toddler’s new favorite town.
Our next stop was nearby Bruyere Books and Tea, as we always like to stop into bookstores on our adventures; it’s an easy souvenir I know we will use. The shop opened early that day, and we were greeted by Jessica, the friendly owner and Sir Wiggelsworth, an adorable boxer dog.
This recently opened LGBTQ+- and Indigenous-owned shop was so cozy, with moody lighting and plush reading chairs. The shelves were stocked and had a special focus on queer and neurodivergent voices and local authors.
I appreciated the wide aisles, especially while wrangling a toddler who loves books. Once we finally decided on a book, the owner helped my daughter ring it up, which made her feel so special.
Address: 12814 Lake Blvd, Lindstrom, MN 55045
Hours: Open Wednesday-Thursday, noon-6 p.m.; Friday, noon-7 p.m.; and Saturday-Sunday, noon-6 p.m. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
Good to Know: Free street parking is available in the front, and there’s a free parking lot behind the building.
Downtown Lindstrom is filled with locally owned shops and dotted with large hanging baskets filled with pink petunias that look like giant gumballs. There’s the Tackle Box (ice cream, not live bait), Deutschland Meats, The Flower Shop, Ghosts in the Attic (not a jump scare, just antiques), The Oven Mitt kitchen and specialty foods store, and more.
Of course, we had to stop into the Swedish Gift Store with its cheery bright blue and yellow exterior. The shop was filled with art, home goods, clothing, books, artwork, and dozens of colorful Swedish dishcloths. They had a great selection of the popular Swedish candies, too. Swedish candy has gained enormous popularity in recent years due to its ingredients, textures, and adoration on social media.
As we drove through the area, we noticed colorful barn quilts that adorned the sides of shops, buildings, businesses, and farms. Barn quilts are large and colorful pieces of wood or metal that are designed to look like a single fabric quilt block. We picked up a guide at the bakery that lists all 73 spots. (You can also view the list online.) The goal of the trail is to celebrate the area’s Swedish heritage, showcase talents of local artists, and add a splash of color to area businesses, attractions, and historical sites.
Throughout our day, we made a game out of spotting them all. I especially loved the quilts that leaned into a theme, like the quilt with the colorful houses outside the local realty office. If you’re a mural hunter, we found several photo-worthy spots, including a Swedish flag and a mural depicting the history of the town.
Address: 12734 Lake Blvd, Lindstrom, MN 55045
Hours: Open Monday-Friday and Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Good to know: Free street parking is available, and pedestrian crosswalks are easy to navigate.
I could have spent more time in downtown Lindstrom, but it was time to head over to nearby Schafer to explore Franconia Sculpture Park. The park is about 10-minutes down Highway 8, and passes through Center City, home of Nordic Harbor, another Scandi-inspired spot that’s been named one of the best spots to dine by the water in Minnesota.
Franconia Sculpture Park sits on 60 acres and features more than 100 larger-than-life sculptures and public art pieces that can be viewed year-round. They also offer a robust artist-in-residence program. We saw two artists busy at work welding various metal pieces during our visit. The park is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2026. Franconia is a donation-based park, and they make it very easy to donate with a QR code upon arrival and cash boxes throughout the park.
Start at Franconia Commons, the visitors center, to pick up a map and other info about the art, including scavenger hunts and eye-spy sheets for the kids. They also had a top-notch gift shop, ice-cold water, and a large and clean family restroom.
Surrounded by lush prairies, we saw many wildflowers in bloom and dozens of butterflies and other pollinators. With toddler legs, we barely scratched the surface of their impressive collection, but some of our highlights were climbing to the top of the Fannie May Salter Salute by Dane Winkler, with a birds-eye view of the park and exploring the Playstation by Bridget Beck, a colorful wood and steel structure filled with tunnels, mini slides, and swings.
As we were getting ready to leave, we saw many families enjoying lunch on the picnic tables.
Address: 29836 St. Croix Trail, Shafer, MN 55074
Hours: Grounds open daily, 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Franconia Commons open daily, May 4-Nov. 14, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Friday-Sunday, Nov. 15-May 3, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Closed on national holidays.
Good to know: There is no admission fee to explore Franconia Sculpture Park. Visitors are encouraged to make a donation through a QR code on display, in orange cash boxes throughout the park, or inside the Franconia Commons building.
We had a late lunch, but The Drive In restaurant in Taylors Falls was still buzzing, especially for a Wednesday afternoon. The staff is young and friendly, with many servers donning colorful 50’s-style poodle skirts and some of the best French and bubble braids I have ever seen.
We scored a spot near the cheery mural of a root beer mug, with views of the popular car-hop service. Our server was still friendly and attentive even though it was busy.
My daughter requested cheese curds (smart kid) and a corn dog, and I was impressed that the kids’ meal came with fruit or fries, a cookie, a drink, and a 2-for-1 coupon for mini golf for just 6.99. I ordered the All-American burger basket because I can’t pass up burger sauce and a frosty mug of homemade root beer. The hand-packed patty came neatly wrapped in parchment paper with crinkle fries and a crispy pickle spear.
We both happily ate our lunches and enjoyed the gorgeous sunny summer day after our recent 90°+ heatwave. We didn’t have time for mini golf, but I hope to come back this fall to use our coupon and soak up the fall colors in the area.
Address: 572 Bench Street, Taylors Falls, MN 55084
Hours: Open seasonally Monday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
Good to know: Free street parking is available on Bench Street near the restaurant. Plan ahead if you want to go mini golfing, as it can get busy.
Just over a mile away is Interstate State Park on the St. Croix River, one of Minnesota’s most distinctive state parks due to its geology. Park-goers can climb the trails to see the impressive potholes carved into the rocks by swirling sand and water thousands of years ago. Some trails offer built-in railings for extra stability. Over 200 potholes of various sizes are found at the park, including the 60-foot deep “Bottomless Pit”, the world’s deepest explored pothole.
Once we arrived, we applied another layer of sunscreen, filled our water bottles, and grabbed my daughter’s magnifying glass. A purchase from the Como Zoo gift shop this winter, it has quickly become the best way to keep her engaged on hikes.
10/10 recommend.
We ventured down the paved trail and were greeted by a large group of kids of all ages, rock climbing, which stopped my toddler in her tracks. The cheerful instructors introduced themselves from Big River Climbing Guides out of Winona and said that when she’s old enough, she can join the fun, which immediately made her day.
We eventually made our way down to the river, just in time to see the iconic Taylors Falls Scenic Boat Tours paddleboat passing by. We admired the rocky cliffs and the river, waved hello to Wisconsin, and with her new boost of confidence, we went “rock climbing” on the rocky trails, explored the rock formations or “caves” as she would call them, and examined the large rock formations with her magnifying glass.
On our way out, we stopped to watch the climbers and say goodbye to our new friends. Before we left, she said, “Sign me up next time!” so I think I need to plan our next adventure.
Address: 29836 St. Croix Trail, Shafer, MN 55074
Hours: Open daily, 8 a.m.-10 p.m. Ranger Station open Monday-Wednesday, noon-4 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; and Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Visitor Center open Thursday-Monday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Admission: $7 parking / $35 for a year (valid for all State Parks)
Good to know: If you’re a member of the Minnesota State Parks Hiking Club, there’s a trail in the park for you to check off your list.
Before we headed home, we needed a little sweet treat. Just outside Interstate State Park is downtown Taylors Falls, lined with antique shops, coffee shops, restaurants, and gift shops. Schoony’s Malt Shop and Pizzeria was the spot.
Once we walked in the door, we were surrounded by vintage decor, signs, gumball and trinket machines, mechanical rides for kids, and a classic soda shop vibe. As we were admiring the space, a motorcyclist decked out in full motorcycle gear said to us, “I feel like I just stepped back in time — in a good way!”
The chalkboard menu sign listed a variety of floats, malts, shakes, and more.
The frozen case had rows of Kemps ice cream, including Mackinaw Fudge, M&Ms, Oreo, and more. If you were craving scooped ice cream, it may be tough to decide on one of their many flavors, but a toddler cannot resist the technicolor vibes of the classic Superman ice cream. I ordered a maple syrup shake, something I have never tried. It was sweet in just the right way and was topped with whipped cream and a bright red maraschino cherry.
We could have spent much more time exploring this place, or playing a few rounds of pinball, and it would be a great spot to bring the grandparents for a dose of nostalgia.
Address: 384 Bench St, Taylors Falls, MN 55084
Hours: Open daily, 11 a.m.-8 p.m.
Good to know: Bring cash to avoid a credit card fee and quarters for pinball and trinket machines.
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