The mini-van is packed; the camper is hooked up and loaded down. Your kids are supplied with enough snacks, drinks, activities and electronics to hopefully last them the 18 hours it will take to get to “Faraway” National Park. You’ve spent weeks getting ready for this family vacation, gone over the check list and finally it’s time to pull out and hit the road! And then, not 30 miles from home, you hear the first of many questions from your children in the back seat that will probably be repeated throughout the next 2 days of driving… One of which is the dreaded, “Are we there yet?”
Many of us have done this with our kids and maybe we’ve had momentary thoughts of “why?” My husband and I have road tripped with our three children to the western mountains of Wyoming and Montana, and driven as far as the southern beaches of Florida. Sure, the mountains are grand, the sea is timeless and theme parks are sensational. But I wonder if folks in the Twin Cities area know that spectacular landscapes, grandeur and adventure awaits with less than an hour’s worth of driving? They could avoid those long, torturous road trips filled with expensive pit stops, detours and boredom by heading north to the St. Croix River Valley areas of Eastern Minnesota and Western Wisconsin. The opportunity for unforgettable family vacation memories abound!
This area is mostly famous for its outdoor recreational opportunities such as biking, canoeing, hiking, fishing, and camping throughout its many lakes and, of course, the St. Croix River. Interstate parks and trails boast impressive rock formations, cliffs and rapids to fill your camera and create a lovely scrapbook.
All four seasons have unique beauty to please and entertain, but WCCO viewers have a particular crush on Autumn and voted Taylors Falls the 2014 Choice for Minnesota’s Best Place to See Fall Colors. And with a number of ways to catch a glimpse or take a photo of them, everyone will find their fit- no matter the weather.
Take your family on a cruise down river on a Wild Mountain Scenic Boat Tour. Top deck space aboard the Taylor’s Falls Queen- an authentic paddle wheel river boat, gives you a grand view of the colors and cliffs. But if you’d prefer to remain indoors, seating and dining is available on the main level of the paddleboat.
Or try a different mode of transportation as you explore the area aboard the historic Osceola and St. Croix Valley Railway. Catering to the young and old, this excursion will give you a unique opportunity to see the river and its entire splendor as you ride in comfort and style. The railway operates every weekend through mid-October with their famous brunch, pizza or dinner train rides.
Another family favorite is the Fawn-Doe Rosa Wildlife Educational Park in St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin, offering special opportunities to see up close, touch and even feed the beautiful wildlife which are native to this area and beyond. Fall hours remain Friday through Sunday 10:00am-5:00pm through the month of October.
When you’re done, hit the popular new Valley Sweet’s Ice Cream and Old Fashioned Candy shop in downtown St. Croix Falls. Their signature Pure Maple Syrup Sundae with old fashion vanilla ice cream topped with warm (locally made) pure maple syrup and toasted, salted pecans will become a new addiction for you.
If you’re an on-the-go family seeking a thrill, try the Trollhaugen Ariel Adventure Park or Wild Mountain Resort’s Waterpark, Go-kart and Alpine slide. And when weather turns cold and the expected snow season returns, these same facilities offer tubing, downhill skiing and snowboarding for all ages and abilities.
Live theater, museums, wineries, orchards and more are all within the vicinity and a short distance from the Twin Cities; which means less time driving and more time vacationing! With so much to do, your trip deserves a comfortable place to lodge in one of the area’s bed and breakfasts or hotels- all of which have indoor pools.
And when your PTO runs out you'll have a quick trip home leaving you refreshed and well. No feelings of needing a vacation after the vacation. No thick coating of dead bugs to scrape off the grill of your vehicle. The trip isn’t even long enough to complete an entire Disney movie in the overhead DVD player. And best of all, you won't have to hear, "Are we there yet?” Although you may hear instead, “When can we go back?”