Travel Guide to Alexandria, MN, and Its Best Attractions

Alexandria, Minnesota, may be humble in size, but it has a lot to offer travelers in way of its glorious woodland and lakes. Families looking to get away from nearby Minneapolis have plenty of activities and attractions choose from in Alexandria, from fishing, biking, boating, winery tours to discovering the Norse history of the town. Lake Miltona offers a number of lakeside cabins overlooking the glistening crystal-clear waters, complete with boat rentals and fire pits. True family bonding has never been this fun or this relaxed.

Live music, fun for kids, community events and award-winning wine at Carlos Creek Winery

Photo by Dean Johnson via Flickr.

Visitors can get acquainted with every step of the winemaking process at Carlos Creek Winery. They offer vineyard tours around their 15 acres of both grape and apple orchards just between Lake Carlos and Lake Ida on Minnesota’s first federally approved viticultural area, as well as free winery tours to see how the grapes become wine. For the kind of wine lover less concerned with how it’s made and more with how it tastes, there are tasting opportunities aplenty: dollar samplers, live music weekly and tons of events (Murder Mystery Dinners! Comedy Nights! Pairing nights!) are all held on their giant stretch of vine-weaved land.

Bike, hike or fish along eight towns on the Central Lakes Trail

Photo by bioprof52 via Flickr.

Central Lakes Trail is a 55-mile long, nearly level, paved trail that winds through the eight towns from Osakis to Fergus Falls, suitable for any style of mobility. Cyclists and joggers can go at their own pace along this leisurely trail with ample space to share the 14 feet across. The Alexandria leg is surrounded by lakes and water, so on cloudy days, the shore becomes a meeting place for boaters and fishers. For an easy and beautiful way to discover Douglas County and beyond, ride the Central Lakes Trail.

Alexandria has its own version of early-American history. Find out about it at the Runestone Museum

Photo by Irene Sophie via Flickr.

The Kensington Runestone is a 200-pound slab of rock that was found in 1898 in a field outside of Kensington, Minnesota, which the locals believe proves that Viking explorers reached Minnesota in the 14th century, and were thus the first European explorers to reach America’s shores. Most experts outside of Minnesota believe the runestone is a hoax, but that is an opinion that is not shared amongst the Scandinavian community of central Minnesota. Visitors can make up their own minds at Alexandria’s Runestone Museum, the home of the Kensington Runestone.

Doolittles Woodfire Grill sure knows how to serve a piece of meat

Photo via the Vacation Alexandria website.

This Minnesota franchise has become a statewide hit – they roast all their meat over an open flame, slowly rotating the skewers and throw it all together to create unique appetizers and flatbreads as well as classic steaks. Their diverse menu has something for every kind of meat-loving palate, including a hefty offering of gluten-free items including Arctic Char with Thai-Chile Butter Sauce. Go on a Monday night to choose from any of their 60+ bottles of wine at half price.

Enjoy the glistening waters of Lake Miltona

Photo by JB via Flickr.

Lake Miltona features 15 miles of shoreline and 5,838 acres of glassy spring-fed water. Flanked by resort hotels, visitors can enjoy the splendor and limitless water activities like boating, swimming, fishing and more only fifteen minutes from the wineries, shops and historic downtown of Alexandria.

Enjoy lakeside luxury at the Arrowwood Resort

Photo via their official site.

The Arrowwood Resort has a spectacular setting on the shores of Lake Darling and offers guests luxury accommodations in a variety of room types, many of which have lake-view balconies. A year-round resort, Arrowwood has a ton of activities to keep visitors to Alexandria entertained: the Big Splash Indoor Waterpark, the 18-hole Atikwa Championship Golf Course and snowmobile rentals, to name but a few.