The Spam Museum is a museum dedicated to Hormel’s famous canned Spam products. It’s located in Austin, Minnesota, about 100 miles south of Minneapolis. It is completely free to visit!
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Minnesota is home to some truly unique museums. The tiny town of Wykoff is home to Ed’s Museum, an attraction devoted entirely to one man’s quirky collection. Up north, you’ll find the Greyhound Bus Museum in Hibbing, the birthplace of the famous company. In St. Paul, the Twin City Model Railroad Museum is a delightful glimpse into a fun hobby, and the Mill City Museum is a fun foray into the milling history of Minneapolis. And in the southern Minnesota town of Austin, the Spam Museum stands out as a go-to spot for those who would like to explore an interesting aspect of Minnesota history. This place is full of interesting exhibits, fun activities, and the history of a classic, made-in-Minnesota product. Read on below to learn more about what you’ll find at this place.
Established in 1991 and remodeled in 2001 and – most recently – 2014, the Spam Museum is a 14,000-square-foot space dedicated to the history of this iconic product.
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There is much to see when you visit. For example, you’ll be able to check out all the different varieties of Spam that have been produced. There are plenty of surprising ones!
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Some exhibits will take you around the world. The World Market area of the museum highlights some notable uses of Spam around the world, including recipes, advertising, and more.
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The Spam Museum highlights one of Minnesota’s most famous products in a fun, inviting way. It’s well worth the trip, and it’s a place all Minnesotans should visit at least once!
Have you ever visited the SPAM Museum? What did you think? For more information about the museum, including attractions, hours, and more, visit the official website.
Address: 101 3rd Ave NE, Austin, MN 55912, USA
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We’re aware that these uncertain times are limiting many aspects of life. While we continue to feature destinations that make our state wonderful, please take proper precautions or add them to your bucket list to see at a later date. If you know of a local business that could use some extra support during these times, please nominate them here: onlyinyourstate.com/nominate
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie! How can you not love this one?
So tart, So sweet. We swoon over this flavorful pie in the North. Bold. Just like us, enjoy!
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MN pastry made from a human who loves to make pies. From scratch-organic Fruit Pies. My Oven to Your Table!
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Enjoy any of our delicious organic fruit filled pies as an Everyday Pie perfect for anytime, a Detailed Pie for that special event, or send a PieGram to that special someone. If there is a flavor of fruit you’re not seeing on our pie menu, feel free to ask. We enjoy this part. Your fresh baked pie comes in a 10″ pie pan serving 8-10!
Iron Ranger’s Porketta nachos, a beer and a view | Kevin Kramer / Eater Twin Cities
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The best bars and restaurants on Grand Avenue!
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Eater Twin Cities: Grand Avenue, located between Dale Street in the east and Fairview Avenue in the west, is a charming stretch in St. Paul dotted with charming shops and restaurants. The neighborhood keeps the chains at bay, so it’s a fantastic place to get a taste of locally grown businesses. There are dining icons like Tavern on Grand and Dixie’s; modern twists on classic diners like Colossal Cafe and Iron Ranger, plus worldly flavors from Khyber Pass and Shish Cafe.
Crack into this lively seafood boil, pile on the by-the-pound seafood in buttery sauce or tour the rest of the menu – it’s impossible to go wrong. Non-seafood-fans will love the massive fried chicken sandwich and the ice cream cone desserts.
The full bar is a popular stop near Macalester College |Kevin Kramer/Eater Twin Cities
Shish is known for fabulous gyros, giant salads and scratch made desserts. The lovely breakfast offerings, including a spicy shakshuka, are worth rolling out of bed for.
A little facelift for the room, but the food is as good as ever | Shish/Facebook
A sunny bistro, which also has a location on Como Avenue, the breakfast menu reigns supreme here, with plate sized, yeasted pancakes, or Flappers. Order them topped with brie, apples and walnut. The Grand location also offers a full-service espresso bar that includes a nitrogen-infused cool brew, perfect for the summer months.
The iconic breakfast joint on the corner of Grand and Lexington serves the type of greasy spoon menu many eateries have left behind in favor of granola and quinoa. From giant platters of Cajun breakfasts to mid-day BLTs, Uptowner fills your daily carb requirements the old fashioned-way.
This historic restaurant has it all for anyone looking for a well-earned night out. Enjoy supper club fare in the fancy dining room, a classic cocktail at the bar, a juicy burger in the Williamsburg Room, or better yet, head upstairs to the patio for a glass of Frosé.
Honoring Minnesota’s hard-working communities of the Iron Range, this eatery serves tender porketta, pasties and ice cold Hamms beers. The colorful patio is ready for your next happy hour.
Porketta nachos, a beer and a view | Kevin Kramer / Eater Twin Cities
This gorgeous blush-colored cafe is dripping in elegant florals, serving unique sweet treats like souffle pancakes and toast with scoops of ice cream and honey. During the pandemic, the café adjusted by creating stunning take home platters to rival any charcuterie display.
Gather the gang for Le Grand Boeuf, the family-style feast for ten that is sure to impress any time of the year. Salut is known for its happy hour, so this is a great spot take in the afternoon sun on the classic patio.
This grown-up cafeteria has a vast array of offerings. Cafe Latte wisely places decadent desserts at the front, but if you can navigate away from the shiny cases filled with layered beauties and cheesecakes dotted with giant strawberries, you will be rewarded with freshly made sandwiches and salads treasured by visitors since 1984.
A New York chef and his small team relocated from the bit city to Saint Paul to open this darling little Italian restaurant that is ideal for long, intimate conversations over date-night worthy Italian food. Remember date nights?
Big city style dining in comfy Saint Small | Kevin Kramer/Eater Twin Cities
The second outpost of Minneapolis’ beloved pizza and pasta restaurant is serving a nearly identical menu with a little more elbow room in the former Wild Onion space. There’s an enormous wine and craft beer list, plus a whole book of cocktails.
From the mind and soul of award-winning chef Alex Roberts, comes this spacious, urban restaurant featuring rotisserie meats and craveable Southern-esque sides. While most folks think of Brasa as being meat-centric, the vegetarian options are plentiful, and the sides are where the place truly stands out, showcasing Southern classics like creamed spinach with Jalapeño, sweet fried plantains or tender, spicy masa cakes.
The Grand Avenue location is one of twelve for this locally-owned mini pizza empire. The super thin Neapolitan style pies, with crackling, charred blisters of dough and toppings like fresh mozzarella di bufala, basil and Mt. Vesuvio tomatoes are what gets everyone in the door, but the flavorful, complex salads are not to be missed.
Follow the inviting aroma of baking waffle cones to the red door of Grand Ole Creamery. In the summertime, the lines often extend down the block, but the pure joy of grabbing a curbside seat with a cone of rich, dripping ice cream is what these days are all about.
For an elegant evening of traditional Indian cuisine, stop by at the India House next to Grand Ole Creamery. The crimson and gold decor transports you out of St. Paul, where diners can linger over tandoori special for two.
The menu at Dixie’s, created by a Louisiana native, brings to mind a lingering Southern Sunday dinner, complete with bowls of gumbo, crab bisque and golden fried chicken served on a lively street-side patio. Emmett’s Public House in the former Dixie’s party room next door is the perfect spot for an after-dinner cocktail.
Enter boisterous Saji Ya, and staff will belt out greetings as you cross the tiny bridge into the heart of the dining room. Upstairs, teppanyaki tables glow in darkened corners, each throw of a shrimp eliciting oohs and ahhhs from gathered diners. There is also an extensive menu of sushi, small plates, bento and hot pot choices.
The iconic St. Paul tavern has long been known for its walleye, served grilled, deep-fried or pan blackened, with an assortment of up-at-the-cabin sides like coleslaw or cottage cheese, all in a Northwoods setting.
French Meadow’s St. Paul Fido-friendly patio is the stuff of dreams, as is their health-focused menu. Munch on ultra fresh salads and plant based bowls or dive into a plate of organic chicken wings caressed with Caribbean dry rub.
Dine-in lunch service is offered on Mondays and Thursdays but take-out orders of simple dishes packed with Nepalese, Tibetan and North Indian flavors are available all week.
Starting this week, dine-in service is available for Bibimbap bowls, Korean Fried Chicken and simple bar snacks, all reflecting owner John Gleason’s union of Korean and Minnesota heritage.
The menu at Coconut Thai covers all the expected offerings, plus a few surprising and delightful dishes, like the satisfying Yala salad or the kicky Sriracha fried rice.
Main Street Stillwater, Minnesota, and the historic downtown side streets, have it all! More than 50 unique independent owner-operated stores, fashion forward clothing boutiques, salons, art galleries, culinary specialty shops, gift stores, home decor, antique shops and vintage furniture shops sprinkled with delightful cafes, nightlife, and inns all nestled at the edge of the scenic St. Croix River. Discover Stillwater and all its charm…
#ShopSmall Year-Round: All shops are independently owned businesses with the majority open year-round, 7 days a week with varying hours at each shop (CHECK with shops directly for hours) . Follow our holiday gift guide shop tours videos on Instagram TV!
Stillwater shopping was featured in Twin Cities Spaces Magazine and Best Shopping Hoods by Minneapolis/St.Paul Magazine. Stillwater is also rated as one of the Top 10 Best Antiquing Towns in the U.S. by Fodor’s Travel. Stillwater has more antiques shops than any other destination in the 5 state area with the largest antique and collectible mall in the upper Midwest.
Aamodts Hot Air Balloons: Ever dream of viewing the stunning St.Croix River Valley via hot air balloon? Make the connection with one of our local flights now so that when the conditions are ideal you can take to the skies for a once in a lifetime experience!
Just Imagine… the yards of fabric being stretched out, warm air gently raising the gentle giant balloon upright and soon you are floating with the wind. After landing, our chase crew brings us back to the apple orchard and we celebrate our flight with a champagne toast in the old restored barn. There is no better way to experience a balloon flight than to take off from the property of Aamodt’s Apple Farm and Saint Croix Vineyards in Stillwater, Minnesota. During apple season, why not show up a little early for your flight and have a piece of hot apple pie from the bakery. Follow that with a sample of award winning wine in the winery or simply take a romantic stroll through the orchard.
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The Aamodt’s Hot Air Balloon Experience
This video was produced to provide a preview of the hot air balloon experience. From takeoff to landing and all the precious experiences between. If you’re curious and interested in a hot air balloon ride, it’s a must-watch.
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TWO HOT AIR BALLOON FLIGHT OPTIONS
Each of these options are flown by FAA certified pilots, some of the most experienced not only in Minnesota, but in the United States. We respect the fact that this is a once in a lifetime adventure for each passenger.
We do not offer large group flights, instead, we specialize in couples and small groups – offering personal touches not found elsewhere.
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EXCLUSIVE
We do not offer large group flights, instead, we specialize in couples and small groups – offering personal touches not found elsewhere.
EXCLUSIVE
SMALL GROUP FLIGHT
The Small Group Flight is in hot air balloons that hold up to eight passengers. This option is an affordable way to experience an intimate flight with a small group without the expense of a Private Flight.
The Private Flight means you are guaranteed that it will be just the two passengers and the pilot in your own balloon, great for engagements, anniversaries or if you just want to be by yourself (with the pilot of course).
More Paul? Take a shot in front of the Paul & Babe when in St. Louis Park, MN at Sota Clothing
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Paul Bunyan Land: If you spent your childhood in Minnesota, chances are you’ve been to at least some of its amusement parks. Valley Fair is the largest and most modern, with its high-flying towers and lightning-fast roller coasters. But there are some other, more low-key amusement park destinations that have stood the test of time for far longer. One favorite, which has been delighting generations of Minnesotans since 1950, is Paul Bunyan Land. This northern Minnesota attraction, themed after Minnesota’s favorite tall-tale hero, is a nostalgic spot that takes older generations back in time and provides newer generations with old-timey thrills. Read on below to learn about this Minnesota landmark!
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Paul Bunyan Land is an amusement park in Brainerd, Minnesota. It covers 180 acres, making it one of the largest parks of its kind in northern Minnesota. Many guests travel from miles around to visit.
The park first opened as Paul Bunyan Center in 1950. Its original location was in Baxter, Minnesota. In 2003, the park found new owners and was moved to Brainerd.
Despite the new ownership, many features of the old park remain the same. The most famous is the iconic Paul Bunyan that greets visitors by name as they approach. Generations of Minnesotans share this childhood memory!
After your friendly welcome, other Paul Bunyan-themed attractions await. There are many fun props to climb over and take photos with. Kids will love these whimsical, oversized items!
Some attractions add even more nostalgia to your visit. The Pioneer Village shows off what like was like during the pioneer days. Visitors can check out a post office, schoolhouse, church, saloon, and more!
Modern additions include several giant dinosaur statues! Dinosaur-loving kids will adore the chance to come face to face with a triceratops or any of the other species on display here.
Aside from rides, nostalgic displays, and dinosaurs, there’s also a petting zoo on the Paul Bunyan Land grounds! This place truly has it all. It’s been around for generations, and it will likely keep going. It’s full of fun and nostalgia, and it’s sure to bring great memories to youngsters who visit today!
Have you ever been to Paul Bunyan Land? What’s your favorite memory of visiting? For more information about the park, check out their website and Facebook page. And if you’re curious about another Minnesota theme park from yesteryear, check out our past article about the former Excelsior Amusement Park.
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We’re aware that these uncertain times are limiting many aspects of life. While we continue to feature destinations that make our state wonderful, please take proper precautions or add them to your bucket list to see at a later date. If you know of a local business that could use some extra support during these times, please nominate them here: onlyinyourstate.com/nominate