Hotels

With well over a dozen in and around town, little Lanesboro [1] is the bed-and-breakfast capital of Minnesota. Yet, even with many other hotels, historic inns, and cottages, it is often difficult to find a room on summer weekends without booking months in advance.

The Lanesboro Visitor Center keeps a list of vacancies in and around town for last-minute visitors, and when the city is full up don’t fret; there are plenty of quality options in the nearby towns. Two-night minimum stays are the norm on summer weekends.

Proudly gay-owned (“Expect all the positive stereotypes!” they boast) Belle Rive (302 Ashburn St. E., 507/467-2407, www.bellerivebandblanesboro.com [2], $125–150) has just one guest room, so guests get plenty of privacy, including their own deck and ample living space. Arriving here feels just like coming home to your own comfortable, friendly, well-kept house.

Newly built on 50 acres, The Inn at Sacred Clay Farm (23234 Grosbeak Rd., 507/467-9600 or 866/326-8618, www.sacredclayfarmbandb.com [3], $140–235) offers a true escape—you won’t even find TVs, telephones, or computer hookups in the rooms). There are five rooms, from a simple ground-floor double flooded in light to a private loft retreat with a whirlpool, arranged around a vaulted sitting room.

The colorful Scandinavian Inn (701 Kenilworth Ave. S., 507/467-4500, www.scandinavianinn.com [4], $99), a bright and lovely 1893 home with original woodwork, period furnishings, assorted items gathered during extensive foreign travel, and four cozy guestrooms (two with private bath), prides itself on environmentally friendly policies: Cleaning products are all natural while breakfast is organic and locally grown. Ask about their Ukrainian egg painting lessons.

If you really want to be pampered, book a room at the Berwood Hill Inn (22139 Hickory Rd., 507/765-2391 or 800/803-6748, www.berwood.com [5], $95), a museum-quality Victorian mansion surrounded by an incredible garden four miles west of town. Each of the four eclectic and luxurious guestrooms has a private bath, while a simple cottage (the bathroom is inside the main house) is also available. A gourmet breakfast is included in the price, plus afternoon tea and dinner options—not to mention their renowned chocolate tastings—are available with advance notice.

The venerable Mrs. B’s (101 Parkway Ave. N., 507/467-2154 or 800/657-4710, www.mrsbsinn.com [6], $125) is right along the river and trail—this is one of the few businesses that predates it—in the heart of town. Each of the nine cozy rooms in the impressive 1870 limestone inn have a unique character, including some rosemaled and hand-carved Norwegian beds and fireplaces.

Another classic 19th-century limestone structure on the north end of town has been converted into the Stone Mill Suites (100 Beacon St. E., 507/467-8663 or 866/897-8663, www.stonemillsuites.com [7], $100). Many original features, such as the thick interior walls and wooden beams, have been left exposed, and some of the larger of the 10 themed rooms have lofts and fireplaces.

The friendly and attractive Brewster’s Red Hotel (106 Parkway Ave. S., 507/467-2999, www.brewstersredhotel.com [8], $70) is in an 1870 home that climbs church hill. The nine individually decorated rooms are a good value, and the patio and deck are great places to unwind.

What the Coffee Street Inn (305 Coffee St. E., 507/467-2674, www.coffeestreetinn.com [9], $60–245) lacks in style, it makes up for with its friendly staff and excellent location: just off Main Street and within walking distance of much of what you came to Lanesboro [1] to see, including theater, shopping, and restaurants.

The city runs a pair of first-come, first-served campgrounds (202 Parkway Ave. S., 507/467-3722, $25 RVs, $10 tents): 27 RV sites with water and electric hookups are jammed together at Sylvan Park, though the pond-side tent sites are decent enough. The 16 RV sites between the river and the high school football field at the nearby Riverview Campground are a bit more spread out, but you need to head over to the park for showers.