Stillwater Things to Do

Loved our trip in August of 2004. My husband suprised me for our anniversary that year. It was well worth it to rush from our last appointment for our evening cruise along the St. Croix that night. We even got to see the Northern Lights that night, which is very unusual that time of year. We went out at about 9 or 9:30 and they had someone still coming after our 45 minute cruise. You can bring a picnic basket & bottle of wine along with you. They use authentic gondolas brought Italy. Great experience & can't wait to go back.

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This is a nice place to stroll along the St. Croix River, people watch, or just sit and relax. There is a wide walking path that stretches about 1/2 mile. Along the way there are a few park benches to sit. There is also a large, lovely gazebo near the bridge that provides a shelter from the sun or rain.

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Pioneer Park is located on a hill just north of Downtown. From this location you get a beautiful view of downtown Stillwater, the St. Croix River and the historic lift bridge.
There are many picnic tables and an interesting playground for the kids within the park and some interesting houses surrounding it.

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This is the first courthouse in the state of Minnesota and is still serves the same function today. You are free to tour the building during normal business hours - or there are daily tours.
The courthouse is beautifully maintained and is fun to roam around. There are several public rooms on the first and second floor of the old building.
Outisde on the north side there is a fountain that you might miss if you didn't check the outside of the building.
Across the street is a Veteran's Memorial. While the style of memorial itself didn't impress me too much, the plaza around it is abundant with flowers, benches, and the walkways are paved with bricks which are engraved with men and women from Washington county who have lost thier lives during various wars.

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Stillwater is a wonderful place to just walk around and look at buildings! It has many, many old mansions and most of the downtown area stores consist of older buildings.
Before going, I compiled a list/map of the "sights" I wanted to see: I took information from the visitor's guide I requested, then added the addresses of all the old B&Bs I could find. That became the basis for my walking tour. In walking to these locations, you will also pass many other gorgeous homes that are privately owned and extremely well maintained.
Walking to those places on the list - and a few others added after arrival - you can easily walk 15-20 miles and view a feast of wonderful old homes. If you stick closer to downtown, you can do the same thing walking only 5-6 miles.

Shopping for antiques? Or are you just browsing? While in Stillwater, be sure to visit the Isaac Staples Sawmill. This old sawmill, once a hub of activity in the bustling timber industry, houses 75 antique dealers on three levels.

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This is the best way to learn about Stillwater, especially if you're just here for the day. See great views of the town, the mansions of once-might lumber company owners, and the surrounding landscape.

This dinning train offers a romantic train ride with dinner and music of the swing/big band era. Their slogan is, "Travel Back in Time."

It costs $65 per person and though the food is very good, you are paying for ambiance and that's why I did not put this in Restaurant Tips.

All-in-all, it's a fun evening.

Paddle boat ride on the St. Croix? It's not necessarily a 'Must See Activitie' but a fun one none the less.

These cruises are rather reasonable in price. Depending on which Cruise and what you have for dinner, they range from $16.50 - $27.65 (the cruise without food is $11.70)

The Sunday Brunch Cruise from 10:30 A.M. - 1;00 P.M. for $18.95

Jazz-Me_Again from 4:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. is also $18.95

Friday Night Musical Dinner Cruis from 6:15 p.m. - 8:30 is $27.65

Friday Night Music on the Water (no food) 8:45 p.m. - 11:30 p.m. is $11.70

An overview of Main Street, which is lined with historic buildings that have been successfully renovated and occupied by mostly gift shops and coffee shops. A great place for a summer stroll and an ice cream cone.