A Fabulous Fall Escape in Minnesota’s Sweet Spot

Searching for an unbe-leaf-able escape that keeps you near everything while still feeling wonderfully out of the ordinary? Bring your friends and make the most of the area, from distillery tastings and mountain biking to late night karaoke. You’ll fall for Minnesota’s Sweet Spot!

Plan Your Getaway by Day

• Friday
• Saturday
• Sunday

This Itinerary Includes

• Food
• Outdoor Activities
• Shopping
• Drinks

Friday

Afternoon

Begin with lunch at Nong’s Thai Cuisine in Golden Valley. Chef Nong grew up in Thailand and continues to prepare recipes handed down through her grandmother and mother. Sample the Pad Thai or drunken noodles, with your choice of chicken, beef, pork, shrimp, calamari, tofu or mock dock added to the dish.

Brookview Golf & Lawn Bowling

Head to the course for an afternoon at Broovkiew Golf and Lawn Bowling. Brookview’s regulation course features mature landscaping, moderate bunkering, and carefully maintained greens and fairways. Bassett Creek passes through the property and crosses six holes over several small bridges, making the water hazards worth watching. Golf not your game? Brookview also features the largest lawn bowling green in the state. Rent a rink, bowl, and take in the broad views.

Evening

Dinner at Hazelwood Food + Drink brings you to a St. Louis Park restaurant focused on fresh, delicious modern comfort food in an atmosphere that feels both polished and welcoming. Their specialties include black angus steaks, rotisserie chicken, and wood-fired pizzas. Keep some appetite for Grandma Betty’s chocolate cake, prepared with Callebaut chocolate and cocoa cream frosting.

Return to your hotel afterward for a soothing hot tub session or a little time gathered around a comfortable fire pit.

Saturday

Morning

Westwood Hills Nature Center

Reconnect with the outdoors at Westwood Hills Nature Center, where more than 160 acres encompass marsh, woods and restored prairie. Its more than 3 miles of trails and walkways are ideal for viewing fall foliage. You can also see live animals, including raptors, at the net zero-energy designed Interpretive Center.

For brunch or lunch, settle in at JJ’s Clubhouse, a neighborhood gathering place for over 25 years. Choose fluffy Belgian waffles with strawberries and whipped cream or an old-fashioned egg sandwich. Pair the meal with their signature big ole bloody mary and watch the game across one of 23 screens.

Afternoon

Wander through the Historic Walker Lake district and shop for made-in-Minnesota finds at sota clothing company. The collection includes cleanly designed soft t-shirts, comfortable sweatshirts and classic state hats. For a quintessential Minnesota selfie, use the mural station to pose with Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox, then share your enthusiasm for being here.

A short trip south of Historic Walker Lake leads to the area’s unofficial distillery district. At Dampfwerk Distillery, take a tour and enjoy a tasting from this family-owned producer of German-style fruit brandies and liqueurs, along with gin and aquavit. Continue across the parking lot to Copperwing Distillery and try Vodskey, their signature hybrid liquor. It begins with bourbon mash but is distilled like vodka, creating greater depth and character. Finish with a craft cocktail on the patio.

Another option is one of the area’s many events, including Under Pressure Brewing’s OctoBeerMeatFeast. The event brings together German music and games, brisket and pulled pork from Big Daddy’s Rockin Q, plus a meterwurst eating competition.

Evening

Make Punch Bowl Social your destination for real-world funning and serious “foodertainment.” The kitchen prepares every dish from scratch, including the A La Bama chicken sandwich with house made pickles and rosemary fries. Order a signature punch with or without alcohol, then choose from bowling, ping pong, billiards, bocce ball, karaoke, giant Scrabble, giant Jenga, and a vintage arcade. Since Punch Bowl stays open until 2 am on the weekend, the evening can keep going late.

Sunday

Morning

Sleep in, then begin the day—or afternoon—at Angel Food Bakery & Coffee Bar. Everything is made from scratch in small batches. Enjoy a hot fresh donut, cookie or another pastry alongside a cup of Joe.

Afternoon

Theodore Wirth Regional Park

For an active afternoon, rent some bikes and explore the trails at Theodore Wirth Regional Park. Theodore Wirth ranks among the premier mountain biking locations in the in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metro area, with more than 12 miles of single-track trails. Area 36 is a good choice for beginner and intermediate riders, combining a physically demanding route with technically easy riding. Experienced riders can take on the Brownie Lake Loop, with steep rock climbs, descents and drops that deliver an adrenaline rush. The Trailhead offers convenient parking and can serve as the starting point for your ride.

If a slower pace sounds better, visit the park’s southern end and explore the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird Sanctuary, home to more than 500 plant species and 130 bird species. You can also see the Quaking Bog, a 5-acre, 3,700-year-old acid bog set among the park’s wooded hills.

This itinerary offers only a taste of the things to do in Minnesota’s Sweet Spot. The source page also points travelers toward Experiences for additional trip-planning ideas.