Affordable Minnesota Fall Road Trip Guide Road Trips

Affordable Fall Road Trip Scenic Minnesota

Enjoy beer heritage and colorful vistas west of Minneapolis

Alamy Stock Photo Brew up a memorable four-day, three-night adventure beginning and ending in Minneapolis. You’ll be on or near the Minnesota River Valley National Scenic Byway, winding past colorful foliage brimming with eclectic roadside attractions. (343 miles)
Getty Images Minneopa State Park has many on-site recreational activities.

Day 1 Minneapolis to New Ulm 110 miles

Drive southwest on Highway 169 and stop at the butter-yellow barnlike Minnesota’s Largest Candy Store in Jordan. Indulge in cotton candy and childhood favorite sweets. Near Mankato, keep eyes peeled for bald eagles, roaming bison and gushing waterfalls at . For $5, tour the century-old August Schell Brewing Co. in New Ulm, which celebrates its German roots. Bite into bratwurst and Wiener schnitzel and acclaimed sauerkraut balls at Veigel’s Kaiserhoff, which has been sating appetites since 1938. (Pack dirndls and lederhosen for Oktoberfest, held this year on Oct. 4-5 and Oct. 11-12.) Where to stay: Once chosen “Best of the Midwest” by BedandBreakfast.com, New Ulm’s has fall rates starting at $109. Getty Images "Hermann the German” statue is located between N. 4th and Minnesota Streets.

Day 2 New Ulm to Granite Falls 80 miles

Say “guten morgan” to “Hermann the German,” a 32-foot copper statue atop a cupola supported by 10 columns. It commemorates a Germanic folk hero victorious in a crucial battle against Roman legions. History buffs can visit the , which houses exhibits about the Dakota Sioux conflicts with 19th-century settlers. Learn about local life in the 19th and 20th centuries at the , in a building that was once a home for paupers. On the way to Granite Falls, detour to Grandview Valley Winery for memorable scenery and made-from-scratch pizza with whimsical names, such as “Cuban Pickle Crisis.”

Where to stay: Prairie’s Edge Casino Resort has $75 rates from Sunday to Thursday, as well as an RV park. Full hookup is $30, Sundays through Thursdays. Alamy Stock Photo The Fagen Fighters WWII Museum features an aircraft, vehicles, bronze sculptures and more.

Day 3 Granite Falls to New London 53 miles

A Sherman tank, fighter planes and a Holocaust boxcar are on display at Granite Falls’ (suggested donation, $10). Drive an hour northeast on Highway 23 to charming New London, where you can spend time in tempting art galleries, crafts shops and boutiques. Enjoy a lip-smacking lunch of soup and salad and desserts to die for at the Middle Fork Cafe, open for dinner Thursdays through Saturdays. Your nightcap: homemade beer on tap at Goat Ridge Brewing Co.

Where to stay: The year-old GrandStay Hotel & Suites offers fall rates starting at $139, including a heated pool and breakfast. Accessible rooms are available. Willmar Lakes Area Convention & Visitor's Bureau

Day 4 New London to Minneapolis 100 miles

You’re in the state with more than 10,000 lakes, so grab coffee to go and take a gander at 5,406-acre Green Lake in nearby Spicer. Then meander back toward the Twin Cities on Highway 12, stopping in hospitable small towns along the way. Make time to see the quirky in Darwin, with the largest ball of twine rolled by one man. (It measures 40 feet around and weighs 17,400 pounds.) Admission is free. Take home a road-trip souvenir: your own twine ball starter kit.

More Affordable Fall Road Trips

AARP Travel Center Call: 1.800.675.4318 Search Flights Enter a valid location Enter a valid location Enter a valid date Enter a valid date Child under 2 must either sit in laps or in seats: search Enter a valid location Enter a valid location Enter a valid date Child under 2 must either sit in laps or in seats: search Enter a valid location Enter a valid location Enter a valid date Child under 2 must either sit in laps or in seats: Flight 2 Enter a valid location Enter a valid location Enter a valid date Flight 3 Enter a valid location Enter a valid location Enter a valid date Flight 4 Enter a valid location Enter a valid location Enter a valid date Flight 5 Enter a valid location Enter a valid location Enter a valid date Add Another Flight search Search Hotels Enter a valid location Enter a valid date Enter a valid date Room 1 Room 2 Room 3 Room 4 Room 5 Room 6 Room 7 Room 8 search Search Packages Enter a valid location Enter a valid location Enter a valid date Enter a valid date You didn't specify child's age Child under 2 must either sit in laps or in seats: Room 1 There are children in rooms without an adult You didn't specify child's age You didn't specify child's age Room 2 There are children in rooms without an adult You didn't specify child's age You didn't specify child's age Room 3 There are children in rooms without an adult You didn't specify child's age You didn't specify child's age Room 4 There are children in rooms without an adult You didn't specify child's age You didn't specify child's age Room 5 There are children in rooms without an adult You didn't specify child's age You didn't specify child's age You have more than 6 people total Please select a trip duration less than 28 days search Search Cars Enter a valid location Enter a valid location Enter a valid date Enter a valid date search Search Cruises Select a valid location Select a month search Search Things to Do Enter a valid location Enter a valid date Enter a valid date search × Let's Go Reset Featured AARP Member Benefits See more Car Rentals offers > See more Travel offers > See more Hotels & Resorts offers > See more Gas & Auto Services offers > Cancel You are leaving AARP.org and going to the website of our trusted provider. The provider’s terms, conditions and policies apply. Please return to AARP.org to learn more about other benefits. Your email address is now confirmed. You'll start receiving the latest news, benefits, events, and programs related to AARP's mission to empower people to choose how they live as they age. You can also by updating your account at anytime. You will be asked to register or log in. Cancel Offer Details Disclosures

Close In the next 24 hours, you will receive an email to confirm your subscription to receive emails related to AARP volunteering. Once you confirm that subscription, you will regularly receive communications related to AARP volunteering. In the meantime, please feel free to search for ways to make a difference in your community at Javascript must be enabled to use this site. Please enable Javascript in your browser and try again.