Red Wing

Red Wing is a beautiful little town in Minnesota, set among the bluffs along the Mississippi River, about 50 miles southeast of the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul.

Understand

Red Wing is the home of Red Wing Shoes and Red Wing Pottery. In the 1870s, Red Wing was the number one wheat port in the world. The population is comprised of many people of German and Scandinavian origin. The original pottery closed in 1967, and the building is now an outlet mall. There is a new Red Wing Pottery at the extreme west end of town, still making wonderful pottery.

Located on the banks of the Mississippi, Red Wing is known for its wooded bluffs and neighborhoods that nestle into the valleys between the bluffs. Most prominent of the bluffs is Barn Bluff, which rises steeply above downtown and the river. Sorin's bluff offers commanding views of the town and the river. Other bluffs rise throughout the city, adding scenic variety.

Red Wing has a number of parks and two golf courses. Colvill, Bay Point and Levee parks are on the river bank. Colvill park, near the east (downstream) end of town, is home to the city's water park and is a popular picnic destination. Bay Point park, near downtown, the Pottery district, and marinas, is also a popular picnic destination. Levee park lies along the downtown riverfront, across the tracks from the railroad depot. Memorial Park covers most of Sorin's bluff and offers road access, scenic overlooks and hiking. Barn Bluff is also city parkland and offers hiking trails to the summit. It is also a popular rock climbing destination. Several other parks are also scattered around town.

The harbor in Red Wing is spectacular, and includes the Boathouse Marina. Red Wing has one of the few bridges south of the Twin Cities connecting Minnesota with Wisconsin (the others are in Hastings, Wabasha, Winona, Dresbach and La Crescent). The town is largely a tourist town now, and it offers considerable charms. There are also many beautiful and historic homes in Red Wing, including an octagon house on 3rd Street, which is also a bed & breakfast.

Get in

By car

From the Twin Cities, follow US Highway 61 south into Red Wing.

By train

See also: Rail travel in the United States

Union Depot

• 1 Red Wing station, 420 Levee St (at Broad St). (updated Oct 2023)
  • Amtrak, ☏ +1 215-856-7924, toll-free: +1-800-872-7245. Operates train service around the United States of America. (updated Mar 2022) Route stopping at Red Wing:
    • Empire Builder operating daily between Seattle/Portland and Chicago including stops at Spokane, Glacier National Park, Fargo, Saint Paul, and Milwaukee. The trains split into separate branches between Seattle and Spokane, and between Portland and Spokane, while operating as trains consisting of train cars from both branches between Spokane and Chicago.

See

• Sunsets from Sorin's Bluff. You can see some unbelievably peaceful sunsets from the top of Sorin's Bluff, and many locals go up there every evening to watch it. It's an absolute don't miss if you're there. If you don't know where Memorial Drive is, which leads to the top of Sorin's Bluff, ask. It's unlikely you'll find the road by yourself. Scenes from the movie "Grumpy Old Men" were filmed here.
• The Goodhue County Historical Society. Located on College Hill. 
• The Boathouse Marina. 
• T. B. Sheldon Auditorium Theater. Believed to be the nation's oldest municipally-owned theater, built in 1904 and restored in 1986, presents live performances by local and touring groups and artists. 
• Levee Park. 
• The Historic Pottery District. 
• Red Wing Farmers Market, at Red Wing Train Depot. The Summer Market opens June 2 and runs through October 15 every Saturday 8 till 2pm. Local musicians, activities for kids, craft demonstrations, master gardeners at your service. 

Do

• Climb Barn's Bluff. For the athletically inclined, Barn Bluff, which overlooks the town, can be accessed by foot.
• Mississippi National Golf Links. Those looking for a golf game should visit this scenic 36 hole course. 
• 1 Treasure Island Resort & Casino, 5734 Sturgeon Lake Rd, Welch, toll-free: +1-800-222-7077. (updated Apr 2021)
• Ride a bike on the paved 19.7 mile Cannon Valley Trail.

Buy

• Red Wing Framing Gallery, 312 West Avenue, ☏ +1 651 385-0500. This is a unique custom framing, fine-art printing and original art gallery located on the park mall in the heart of downtown Red Wing. Past exhibits have included Max Becherer, a NY Times photojournalist featuring life in Iraq, an original pin-up and illustration art exhibit (Brown & Bigelow) and original advertising art from the Cream of Wheat Company. The gallery is a featured contractor on the PBS television show "HomeTime". 
• Pottery Place, 2000 West Main, ☏ +1 651-388-1161. This building is the former pottery factory, and is now a mall. It is known for having many antique shops, as well as clothing, home goods, and restaurants. It even includes a museum of the building, and Red Wing Pottery itself. 

Drink

• Red Wing Brewery, 1411 Old West Main St, ☏ +1 651-327-2200. (updated Apr 2021)

Sleep

• 1 Moondance Inn, 1105 W 4th St (at Pine St), ☏ +1 651 388-8145, toll-free: +1-866-388-8145. Within walking distance of downtown. 
• Round Barn Farm Bed and Breakfast, 28650 Wildwood Ln, ☏ +1 651-385-9250. Country inn located near Pepin Lake. 
• 2 St. James Hotel, 406 Main St (at Bush St), ☏ +1 651 388-2846, toll-free: +1-800-252-1875. The oldest hotel in town, in operation since 1875. (updated Apr 2021)

Go next

Routes through Red Wing

Fargo ← St. Paul ←	W  E	→ Winona → Milwaukee
St. Paul ← Miesville ←	N  S	→ Wabasha → La Crosse
Baldwin ← Ellsworth ← Jct N S ←	N  S	→ Rochester → Waterloo
Northfield ← Cannon Falls ←	W  E	→ END
END ←	N  S	→ Zumbrota → Ends at