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Tag: things to do

Afton, Minnesota

Best Small Towns in Minnesota

Historic Afton, Minnesota, is home to Afton State Park on the beautiful St. Croix River and is only 45 minutes from the Twin Cities. This summer, we’ve been exploring Minnesota in search of our new home base. We sold our house in 2020 and have been renting due to the crazy housing market and because we weren’t sure where we wanted to land. It’s been a fun summer visiting new cities and returning to our favorites. By doing so, we have a renewed appreciation for where we grew up. Minnesota is filled with incredible small towns, history, restaurants, nature, state-regional-and national parks, and endless recreation.

Best Restaurants in Afton, Minnesota

We started our day in Afton at the Lumberyard Pub. We sat at the bar to take in the open air (see pic below) and loved the atmosphere and excellent service from the bartender. The house-made chips and french onion dip are crazy good! The summer salad was fresh and bright and a perfect companion to the chips and dips. Terry loved his burger. Yes, I know you’re shocked he had a burger. 😉

*Note: you can call ahead from your boat and pick up your food curbside to-go.

The next stop was Selma’s Ice Cream Parlor. You can’t go to Afton and not stop at Selma’s! They offer so many unique flavors and we enjoyed the nostalgic candy for sale. *Tip: walk along the river while eating your ice cream.

Afton State Park

After fueling up, we headed to Afton State Park for a hike. The park offers 20 miles of trails including a variety of habitats and walking the old railroad bed. Three bridges remain from the line that once ran along the river to Stillwater. The river views from the bridges, bluffs, and lookouts are beautiful! Especially surrounded by all the wild flowers.

“Grand oaks and delicate prairie flowers grace the rugged, rolling landscape of this park. Trails pass through remnant and restored prairies, wind down deep ravines, and rise up to the grassy ridgetops and bluffs overlooking the scenic St. Croix River. The trails are perfect for hikers, horseback riders and cross-country skiers. The park offers visitors a swimming beach, backpack campsites and a visitor center with interpretive displays.” – Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

Did you know that Afton State Park has goats?! They brought the goats in for prescribed-grazing of their 42 acres. We visited in June so I’m not sure if they are still there but make sure to keep an eye out for them.

We didn’t have the dogs with us on this trip but the state parks are dog-friendly.

Add Afton to your Minnesota day trip list!

Another fun spot to explore and camp close to the Twin Cities is Whitetail Woods Regional Park. The camper cabins are amazing!

Life is short, never stop searching for What Stirs Your Soul. ❤️

©Tracy Blowers

August 4, 2022
Pizza Farm Twin Cities Minnesota
Pizza Farm Twin Cities Minnesota

To celebrate my birthday, we did something that I’ve wanted to do for a long time; we reserved a spot at one of the Twin Cities Pizza Farms. We chose Two Pony Gardens in Long Lake, Minnesota, only 20 minutes from Minneapolis. It was such a magical afternoon!

Two Pony is a farm that practices, encourages, and teaches organic gardening methods. When you get close to the farm, the road turns to dirt, and just a little further is the start of the driveway. There you find an adorable farm stand that is stocked daily with honey, jelly, tomatoes, garlic, gourds, pumpkins, flowers, and more. The farm’s main crops are dahlias and heirloom tomatoes.

At Two Pony Gardens, there are three different areas to reserve your spot and enjoy your pizza; Farm House Front Yard, Sumac Hill, and Tailgater’s Meadow. We booked Tailgater’s Meadow. It’s a great spot to spread out, lounge, play catch, sit in the spirit tipi, or walk the trail. It’s not too far from the front yard and an easy walk to pick up your pizzas.
Halloween and Fall Twin Cities Weekend Adventure Ideas

Each reservation is for two hours allowing time to enjoy the farm. We loved walking around the farm and meeting all the animals. Especially the farm cat, Rocket and dog, Oak. I could have played with Oak and Rocket all day. This place, the animals, and the pizza is my definition of heaven.
We ordered the seasonal pizza made with apples, sausage, sage, and cheddar. It was so fresh and delicious! We brought music, but it’s so rare that we get to enjoy the quiet; we were loving it and never turned the music on. The farm is incredibly peaceful. Two Pony just has that something special about it, it’s a feeling, a comfort. I couldn’t have asked for a better afternoon.

After we finished eating, I sat in the spirit tipi for a while, connecting with nature, and relaxing. Then we took a hike around the property.

The pizza season is over but make sure to add this to your Minnesota bucket list for 2022! We had the best experience. The staff was above and beyond. We also had the opportunity to have a long conversation with the owner, Lisa. Don’t you love those people that you meet, and you can instantly have a deep conversation? That was Lisa. She’s a gem and offered so much insight.

Lisa – thank you for sharing this amazing space and food with all of us!

Remember to support and eat local.

For many birthdays, I didn’t really do what I wanted. I said yes to things that weren’t good for my soul.

This year, I stirred my soul. ❤️

If you’re looking for another quiet getaway close to the Twin Cities, check out Whitetail Woods Regional Park.

©Tracy Blowers
October 30, 2021
History at Heart – Art Installation – Minnesota
We are grieving. We are longing. We are dreaming. – MN Historical Society

1,000 hearts line the fence at Mill City Museum. The Minnesota Historical Society created this raw art installation as a space for people to share their thoughts. We are living in a historic moment. The world feels upside down but as I walked the fence, and read what people wrote, I remembered the strength of the human spirit. I laughed and I cried.

Stay tuned as they plan to expand this installation to other parts of MN.

#HistoryAtHeart #HistoryIsNow

©What Stirs Your Soul Media
August 8, 2020
Sunflowers – Minnesota
Some express their appreciation through a gift, a picture, a song, or maybe a flower, sometimes it’s the simple things that speak the loudest.

– Johnny Fish

Have you visited one of the Fish Sunflowers sites? They are so beautiful and FREE! All they ask is that you share your photos via social and spread some joy. You can also follow along on their public Facebook page HERE.

Keep on exploring!

#WhatStirsYourSoul #OnlyInMN

©What Stirs Your Soul Media
July 29, 2020

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