Start from 26 curated places around Red Wing, MN, then choose the recommendations that fit your guests.
Restaurants & cafés
Staghead
A chef-driven, locally sourced American gastropub with craft beer in a dimly lit, intimate space on Bush Street, where the Swedish meatballs and seasonal plates stand out. Reserve ahead; the dining room is tiny.
Scarlet Kitchen & Bar
Upscale farm-to-table American dining inside the historic St. James Hotel, with a patio overlooking the Mississippi. Ask for patio seating in warm months, or grab a cocktail at the speakeasy in the hotel basement.
Trails & outdoors
He Mni Can-Barn Bluff
The signature riverside bluff, known by its Dakota name He Mni Can, with a loop of stairs and ridge trails delivering sweeping Mississippi and town views. Wear real shoes; there are genuine stairs and exposed ridge, and the north trail closes in winter.
Cannon Valley Trail
A paved rail-trail descending nearly twenty miles from Cannon Falls to Red Wing along the shaded Cannon River, prime for biking and walking. Riders over a certain age need a day pass, and Welch is the halfway point for a shorter out-and-back.
Things to do
Sheldon Theatre
A restored jewel-box theater, the nation's first municipally owned, hosting year-round music, theater, comedy, dance, and film on West Third. Take the building tour to see the lavish interior even without a show ticket.
Red Wing Stoneware & Pottery
A heritage stoneware maker where you can watch potters throw wares and shop crocks, mugs, and bakeware in the salesroom. The factory-outlet pricing beats collector prices for current pieces.
Landmarks & sights
Red Wing Shoe Store & Museum
The flagship Red Wing Shoes store and a free museum home to the World's Largest Boot, a roughly twenty-foot tall boot built from eighty hides for the company's centennial. Open seven days, with a bargain basement of discounted boots and a Norman Rockwell gallery upstairs.
Pottery Museum of Red Wing
The world's largest collection of Red Wing clay, thousands of stoneware crocks, art pottery, and dinnerware across a big West End space. Free and self-guided; scan the codes on each display for deep-dive history.