What to do in Taylor’s Falls, MN? That is a question we often get from friends in the Twin Cities that are looking for a fun excursion close to home.
Taylor’s Falls is home to multiple state parks, country parks, an impressive water park, ski hill, amazing restaurants, and so much more. There are activities for adults and plenty to do if you are bringing your kids with.
We are impartial to Interstate State Park, Lindstrom Bakery (mmm… donuts), and The Drive In. We make that trip at least once every year.
Regardless of your tastes, we think you’ll find plenty of unique things to do in Taylor’s Falls, MN.
Things to Do in Taylors Falls, MN – Visit a State Park
Taylor’s Falls is home to three state parks, two in Minnesota and one in Wisconsin. All three sit on the beautiful St. Croix River, and all three offer excellent canoeing and kayaking opportunities.
Read More: 20 Breathtaking State Parks Near Rochester, MN
Interstate State Park (Minnesota)
Interstate State Park, as the name suggests, Taylor’s Falls is split between Minnesota on the west side of the St. Croix River and Wisconsin on the east side. Pre-kids, we were avid rock climbers and visited the area often. Now that we are older, we’ve moved on to less risky, and more kid friendly, activities.
The park offers beautiful views of the St. Croix River and surrounding bluffs. A highlight is the Glacial Potholes Area, which is home to potholes of all sizes, including the “Bottomless Pit.”
There is a ton of great hiking, camping and canoeing.
Interstate State Park (Wisconsin)
The Wisconsin side of the park offers a similar experience. You are all but guaranteed to see folks rock climbing throughout the park. It is located along the picturesque St. Croix National Scenic Riverway.
A favorite hike is up Summit Rock Trail, which takes you to the top of Old Man of the Dalles, one of many unique rock formations at the park.
William O’Brien State Park (Minnesota)
William O’Brien State Park is located about 20 miles outside of Taylor’s Falls on the St. Croix River. It is a great park for camping, hiking, and bird watching. You can learn all about a life Oak savanna restoration and enjoy phenomenal cross-country skiing in the winter.
Things to Do in Taylors Falls, MN – Water-based Activities
Canoeing is one of our favorite family activities, and the St. Croix River offers an unforgettable experience. Not a canoist? You can kayak or take a scenic paddle wheel riverboat tour.
Read More: How to Choose the Best Family Canoe
Taylor’s Falls Scenic Boat Tours
Taylor’s Falls Scenic Boat Tours offers daily paddle wheel riverboat tours up and down the St. Croix River, starting in Interstate State Park on the Minnesota side.
The daily excursions are either 45 or 80 minutes long and are offered 7 days per week. The real highlight is the 80-minute-long Sundown Cruise.
Taylors Falls Canoe and Kayak Rental
Taylor’s Falls Canoe and Kayak Rental is family owned and operated and offers full-service canoe and kayak rentals. You can choose a one-way rental, or a rental with a shuttle included. Shuttle service is offered from Osceola on the Wisconsin border or William O’Brien State Park.
Another option is to bring your own. We love to canoe and often bring our canoe with us so we can paddle and fish at our own pace.
Wild Mountain
Wild Mountain is a year-round adventure destination. In the winter, they offer skiing and snowboarding. In the summer they have Wild Adventure Island Waterpark, Avalanche Alley Waterslides, Arctic Rush Alpine Slide, Go-Karts at the Tall Timbers Raceway, FreeFall XP (yikes!), and a great restaurant.
Honestly, you could spend a whole day here without hitting anything else on this list.
Read More: 20 Unforgettable Hotels with Water Parks in Minnesota
Public Parks
There are a ton of lakes and beaches in the Taylor Falls area. Paradise Park, Beach Park, South Twin Lake Beach, and the beach at Interstate Park in Wisconsin on Lake of the Dalles are all great options.
Things to Do in Taylor’s Falls, MN – Tours and Gardens
There are a couple of fun tours and historical spots in the area. Folsom House and Franconia Sculpture Park and great adult-oriented options. If you have kids, then you can’t miss Fawn-Doe-Rosa Park and Pleasant Valley Orchard.
Fawn-Doe-Rosa Wildlife Educational Park
Fawn-Doe-Rosa is a wildlife education park located just outside of Taylor’s Falls on the Wisconsin side of the river. The park is home to countless animals, including rehabilitated white-tailed deer that will eat out of the palm of your hands.
Our kids absolutely loved our stop, and we’d recommend it to anyone with small children.
Franconia Sculpture Park
Franconia Sculpture Park is a 50-acre full of unique sculptures and art. The display is ever-changing, and they offer artist residency programs and community arts programming. It provides fun for all ages.
Folsom House Tour
Folsom House is the 19th-century home of lumber baron W.H.C. Folsom. The family lived in the home for five generations and had a large influence on the development of the area around Taylor’s Falls.
You can also check out Marine Mill, the site of Minnesota’s first commercial sawmill, built in 1839.
Pleasant Valley Orchard
Pleasant Valley Orchard overlooks the scenic St. Croix River valley and offers fresh fruit and an on-farm family friendly experience. We love pick-your-own strawberries and theirs are the best in the area. They also offer amazing Minnesota grown apples.
It is a great way to introduce your kids to farming and start teaching them where our food comes from.
What to Do in Taylor Falls, MN – Coffee, Food, and Wine
Taylors Falls has a surprising number of cute restaurants and coffee shops. Lindstrom Bakery is a classic and we love the fresh-roasted coffee at Northwoods Roasterie.
Read More: 25 Fun Things to Do in Northfield, Minnesota
Northwoods Roasterie & Café
Northwoods Roasterie and Coffee Shop is technically in Lindstrom, MN. It has a cozy north woods atmosphere with delicious treats. We always grab a bag of freshly roasted coffee on our way out of town.
Juneberry Cafe
Juneberry Cafe is a cute café right in Taylor Falls. Their breakfasts are to die for, as are their hot pressed sandwiches. They also have a nice outdoor patio.
Coffee Talk
Coffee Talk is a small coffee shop housed in an old house in Taylors Falls. We love the quaint atmosphere and excellent croissants.
Lindstrom Bakery
There is nothing better than a fresh bakery made the old-fashioned way. They only take cash, and the donuts are the real reason to visit.
Interested in Scandinavian baked goods? Then be sure to read all about our stop at a bakery at the end of the world in Lofoten, Norway.
The Drive-In Restaurant & Mini Golf
The Drive-In Restaurant has been in operation for over 50 years! They serve up excellent burgers and fries, milkshakes, and more. You can pull up for their car hop service or enjoy their expansive patio.
This is our go-to lunch spot in town. Don’t forget the mini golf!
Schoony’s Malt Shop & Pizzeria
Schoony’s Malt Shop and Pizzeria is a cool spot with a ton of pinball games. It’s our favorite spot to stop for ice cream or a strawberry malt.
Winehaven Winery
Winehaven Winery is an excellent family owned, sustainably farmed winery in the area. They specialize in unique grapes that were developed to thrive in Minnesota’s extreme climate.
Read More: 30 Stunning Wineries in Southern Minnesota
Rustic Roots Winery
Rustic Roots Winery is another excellent winery in the area. They have an awesome outdoor seating area that overlooks their vineyard. Often there is live local music as well.
Read More: 10 Best Wineries in St. Croix Falls, WI (Breweries too)
Deutschland Meats
Deutschland Meats is a family owned and operated meat shop in Lindstrom, MN. It is the culmination of generations of experience and craftsmanship from Martin Ziegler and his family. We like to grab some German sausages and bratwurst to bring home for the grill.
