Top 10 Things to Do Near Little Falls
Most people in the world, and even many in the state of Minnesota, have never heard of Little Falls. Or if they have, it’s just a place to gas up or pass by on their way to the cabin up north. That’s unfortunate, because there are so many interesting things to see, taste, and experience all around this cute town just 90 minutes north of the Twin Cities. In sharing our top 10 things to do near Little Falls, we encourage you to take another look at this great vacation area!
Our Favorite Things to Do in the Little Falls Area
We have lived halfway between Brainerd and Little Falls for over 40 years. Depending on what we need or want, we visit either area on a regular basis, and therefore we have our favorite places we frequent. Recently, we posted about things to do in the Brainerd Area, so we thought we should tell you about our top 10 things to do near Little Falls, as well. One has to be fair, right? :)
Even after traveling and living around the world, we still believe that this little piece of the planet is one of the best places to live and/or visit. The abundant lakes and forests, peaceful pastures, and small towns all take you back to a simpler, less stressful time. There are plenty of things to do within a 20 mile radius of Little Falls that even if you aren’t “outdoorsy”, you’ll still have a great time!
A craft fair vendor booth with handmade bags
1. Attend the Little Falls Arts and Crafts Festival
This huge fair only happens the weekend after Labor Day every year and is one of the absolute top 10 things to do in Little Falls! In fact, if you love finding one of a kind, handmade gifts, food, furniture, and more, this should be your annual shopping mecca. Over 600 vendors take over the streets of the entire downtown area for two full days and it takes a good full day or more to take it all in.
Many gal pal groups stay at our resort that weekend every year for a fun fall getaway. There are interesting food trucks and local restaurants to keep you fed while shopping, not to mention the free samples at the booths that sell culinary treats.
In addition to the craft fair, there is also a large antiques show across the river at the same time. Because of this part of the fair, and all the vendors that sell “manly” items, the festival attracts everyone. There are so many options that it’s almost overwhelming!
The lodge gift shop at Campfire Bay Resort
2. Shop Local
The craft festival is not the only time you can find that perfect gift, shopping in cute local stores is one of the top 10 things to do near Little Falls year round. One of our local favs is Shoppes of Little Falls, a multi-vendor store where you can find homemade items, clothing, furniture, and more.
BonJos has been a shopping icon in Little Falls for decades and not only has a nice clothing selection, but offers tanning as well.
During the summer, there is a really nice Farmers Market Wednesdays and Saturdays May-Oct from 8am to noon at 505 West Broadway.
Just 20 minutes from Little Falls, on Fish Trap Lake, is the Lodge at Campfire Bay Resort. Here you will find unique gifts from jewelry to home décor, clothing to locally made chocolate, all displayed in up north chic. If you just want a tasty treat, we serve homemade waffle cones and delicious lattes made with locally roasted coffee, as well!
Museums for all ages
3. Visit a Little Falls Museum
It’s unusual to find a museum in a small town, and even more unusual to find more than one. There are four museums in or near Little Falls! If you are a history buff, you’ll enjoy the Charles Lindbergh House and Museum. Charles’ childhood home alone is a fun little step into the past.
Speaking of stepping into the past, if you like old architecture, Linden Hill Historic Estate is a local gem and is open for tours in the summer and at Christmas time. It’s beautiful either time of the year!
Fisherman will enjoy the small but very educational MN Fishing Museum and Hall of Fame located near downtown. We’ve had many guests who enjoy fishing on our lake visit there on a rainy day and come back with with good reports.
The 4th museum in the area is the Minnesota Military Museum at Camp Ripley and is actually very family friendly. My three boys thoroughly enjoyed crawling in and on top of tanks and dressing up in authentic military garb. It’s definitely one of the top 10 things to do near Little Falls!
The renovated Falls Theatre
4. Watch a Movie on the Big Screen
There are two iconic cinemas in the area, the Long Prairie Drive In and The Falls Theatre. Both theaters have been around for over 60 years and have lovingly been restored by local families. Even if you don’t feel like watching a movie, a visit to The Falls to check out the retro architecture and grab a bag of fresh caramel corn is one of the top 10 things to do in Little Falls.
Mmmmm, pizza
5. Dine at a Little Falls Area Restaurant
Finding delicious local food is very easy and one of the top 10 things to do near Little Falls. From Italian to Mexican, American to Asian, there’s something for everyone. Our adult kids still love Pizza Ranch for their great buffet with a great variety of pizzas, crispy fried chicken, and amazing dessert pizzas, but if you want something a little classier, Ciao Thyme has wood fired pizza and farm to table entrees that are fantastic.
Another great restaurant is A.T.The Black & White, an eatery with an interesting name that’s been around since the 30s. Their salads and sandwiches are both creative and tasty, their burgers are flavorful, and while you’re there, you’ll feel like you’ve stepped back in time in this historical cafe.
One of our favorite restaurants in the area is The Landing on Lake Alexander. Boasting a trained chef, their food has always been some of the best in the region. They have so many great dishes from “Pasta Melissa” to their fried walleye. Worth the trip, and the wait.
Tubing Down the River
6. Boat or Float Near Little Falls
With the Mississippi River running right through Little Falls and too many lakes to count, it’s no wonder that spending the day on the water is one of the top things to do in the area. Don’t own a boat? There are not many rental outfits locally where you can rent a kayak, fishing boat, or pontoon, but here are those that do.
Campfire Bay Resort has 4 pontoons, 4 fishing boats, a ski boat, and canoes available for rent and use on Fish Trap Lake only, as does Sweetwater Resort. Both are located right off HWY 10 20 minutes north of Little Falls. Auger’s Pine View Resort has boats for rent on Lake Shamineau only.
You can rent a tube and float down the Mississippi, water conditions permitting, at Two Rivers Campground just 22 minutes south of Little Falls. North of Little Falls, is the Crow Wing River which has multiple accesses at regular intervals and is a tubing and canoeing favorite. If tubing down that river, tubes can be rented at Ace Hardware in Staples.
Do you want to pet a kangaroo? You can at Pine Grove Zoo
7. Encounter Animals at a Historic Zoo
Pine Grove Zoo is such a clean, quaint zoo with over 100 years of history that it makes this list of the top 10 things to do near Little Falls. There are so many animals to see within an easily walkable area. Pay a little extra and you can spend quality time up close with an animal, even a kangaroo! The adjacent park, with its great playground in the woods, is a wonderful spot to have a picnic lunch.
Riding bikes as a family on the Paul Bunyan Bike Trail
8. Ride a Bike on a Scenic Trail
Not only does the Mississippi River flow through Little Falls, but its namesake bike trail goes through as well, providing a great destination for avid bicyclists. Adventure Cycling’s Northern Tier Route intersects there with the Mississippi River Trail, which makes it a stop between the east and west coasts!
We’ve spent many pleasant hours riding on different sections of the bike trails in the area. It’s one of our personal top 10 things to do near Little Falls. We even saw a mama bear and her cub cross the trail about 100ft ahead of us once!
If you don’t have your own bike, you can rent from Touright Bicycle Shop, located downtown. In addition to rentals, they sell bikes and have a nice shop there with bike-themed items. In the winter, they rent skis, boots, and snowshoes, as well.
Hiking in the Woods
9. Hike in Woods
There are lots of places in the area to go for a relaxing walk. Just strolling around small town neighborhoods tends to be serene and nostalgic. If you want to get off the beaten path, however, try one of these places.
Crane Meadows National Wildlife Refuge is a beautiful tract of land owned by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and has three easy hiking loops. From prairie to forest, you can pick your loop and distance based on what ecosystem you want to enjoy.
Charles A Lindbergh State Park is another picturesque place to hike, and with 7 miles of trail, you can spend a couple of hours there easily. We’ve even gone hiking there in the winter and it was a pretty at that time of the year, too! Working out while walking in the woods is a personal favorite thing to do near Little Falls.
10. Toss, Bowl, or Tee Up
If disc golf, regular golf, or bowling is your jam, you’ll find plenty of options to choose from in the Little Falls area!
You can play frisbee golf in Belle Prairie Park, LeBourget Park, or Windy Pines in Little Falls, and there are several more courses within 30 minutes, including Bingo Park in Randall.
One of our favorite disc golf courses is at Pine Grove Park in Staples. It’s about a 40 minute drive north of Little Falls, but only 20 minutes from Campfire Bay Resort. The park is very pretty with it’s towering pines, and the course is fun.
If you prefer to swing a club, there are a few golf courses around as well. Little Falls Country Club, no membership required, is a pretty course located right on the Mississippi River.
Eagle’s Landing is also beautiful and has a very helpful website, with walkthroughs of each hole.
Pine Ridge Golf Course, located 20 minutes north right off HWY 10 and 3.4 miles from Campfire Bay Resort, is a fantastic choice if you want to golf in a sweet smelling pine forest.
Do you want to be active, yet still spend time indoors? Bennington’s Entertainment Center has bowling, volleyball, cornhole, an arcade and a bar. As one of the only bowling alleys within a 50 mile radius or so, it’s been a popular hang out for decades.
Campfire Bay Resort has a full gym with volleyball, pickleball, basketball, and a fitness area available to the public for a small fee.
In Summary
While going through the exercise of writing about these top 10 things to do near Little Falls, we visited websites to refresh our memory about them. We’re so glad we did, because now we have an updated list of date night options! It’s always a good idea to take another look at all the wonderful places to visit in your own back yard. Maybe we’ll see you at one of them soon! :)
