Minnesota - The Midwest Millennial

In Travel

A Summer Guide to Exploring Park Rapids Lakes Area

July 22, 2023 No Comments

As the warm sun casts its golden glow upon the serene lakes and lush forests of northern Minnesota, it’s time to embark on an unforgettable summer adventure in Park Rapids Lakes Area. Nestled amid the breathtaking landscapes of the Land of 10,000 Lakes, this charming area offers a plethora of activities for locals and visitors alike. From live music and delectable treats to exhilarating outdoor adventures, this guide will help you experience the best of summer in the area. 2nd Street Stage The vibrant and lively atmosphere of Park Rapids comes to life every Thursday night with the highly anticipated “2nd Street Stage” live music event. The concert runs from 6pm-8pm every Thursday in the summer and includes great bands, a beer garden, various activities for kids, and booths from local area businesses. Grab a blanket or lawn chair, head to 2nd Street, and immerse yourself in the music as…

In Travel

Exploring the Treasures Along Old Highway 61 in Minnesota

July 20, 2023 No Comments

If you’re seeking an authentic and picturesque road trip experience, look no further than Old Highway 61 in Minnesota. This historic highway is rich in natural beauty, cultural heritage, and delightful attractions. You can revel in the wonders of Jay Cooke State Park, savor the delectable offerings of Jordy’s Hi Hat, and discover other captivating places to explore and dine. Moose Lake, Minnesota As you embark on your adventure along Old Highway 61, you’ll find Moose Lake, a quaint town exuding rustic charm. This idyllic setting offers a warm embrace to travelers with its friendly community, picturesque surroundings, and a variety of attractions that cater to different interests. Moose Lake State Park Start your exploration by visiting the Moose Lake State Park, a haven for nature enthusiasts and outdoor lovers. The park boasts well-maintained trails, ideal for hiking and birdwatching, as well as scenic picnic spots overlooking serene lakes. It’s…

In Travel

Luverne Minnesota Day Trip Itinerary

June 28, 2023 No Comments

Luverne, Minnesota is a vibrant small town of just around 5,000 people located in south west Minnesota. With so many things to do it will be hard to fit everything into a day so plan to be there for a full weekend if possible to really take everything in! However, if you only have a day, this Luverne Minnesota day trip itinerary is sure to give you a taste of this incredible community! Start the day at Wildflowers Start your day at Wildflowers with a great breakfast sandwich and the best coffee in town to kick start the busy day. This coffee shop has lots of space but definitely gets busy. Get there early to avoid a wait and even bring your laptop to get a little work done if you need to! Get Outdoors at Blue Mounds State Park Next, get outside at Blue Mounds State Park! Grab a…

In Travel

11 Must Dos in the Park Rapids Lakes Area

May 12, 2023 No Comments

If you’re headed to the Park Rapids Lakes Area this year you will find many great options of things to do! The area is filled with local many small businesses, shops, and great food options. Check out 11 of my favorite things to do in the area while you’re in town. Sip Wine at Forestedge Winery Head to Forestedge Winery to sample some of their wines. They offer pre-made flights or you can build your own. All of their wines are made from fruits that are grown in the North Country. If you like sweet wine, the apple crisp wine is a must. Eat at The Good Life Cafe Whether you go for lunch of dinner The Good Life Cafe has options for everyone. They have a unique and flavorful menu with regional favorites and local twists. There is no better way to start your meal then with their soft…

In Travel

March in Minneapolis

August 6, 2018 1 Comment

Back in March we had a quick trip to Minneapolis for a weekend. Our furbaby Elsa always, ALWAYS knows when we are going out of town and literally jumps into the car as if we are going to leave her behind. I’m not sure why she links she will get left behind, we maybe left her with someone else twice back when she was a puppy and that was it. Otherwise she is ALWAYS with us but nonetheless she jumps in the car so we don’t forget her. This was a quick yet busy weekend in Minneapolis as my husband Tony was competing in his first powerlifting meet in Champlin, MN. He had formerly done a bodybuilding show back in October but decided to try out powerlifting instead and has been pretty hooked since then. We got to the high school around 7am and were there till about 5pm-ish I…

In Travel

Bemidji Weekend

November 6, 2017 No Comments

Back in August we were finally able to spend a weekend at my parent’s cabin in the Bemidji, MN area. It was the weekended of the Dragon Boat Festival which I have always wanted to check out and I of course found a couple great food places to stop at as well. We got into town Friday evening and after some time checking out the water with our furbaby Elsa I figured some good Mexican food was definitely in order. We head to this local place called Mi Rancho which was amazing. I instantly saw on the menu that they had HUGE margaritas so I got a raspberry one bigger than my face, it was amazing. My husband got his typical order from any Mexican restaurant, some sort of XL beef burrito. He opted to not get it smothered in sauce and cheese due to the fact that he was…

In Travel

Minneapolis July 2017 Part 4

October 10, 2017 No Comments

It’s time for the fourth and final segment from our Minneapolis trip. I guess when you’re there for 10 nights you have a lot of places to talk about although I will warn you there is a duplicate restaurant in this post again but it’s so damn good I couldn’t stop going! Sober Fish Sober Fish was this cute little sushi place I happened to find near the gym my husband was going to. The menu looked good so we tried it out. Lots of raw sushi options which isn’t usually our thing but we gave it a try and tried some new things. Definitely good but if you don’t LOVE raw fish this probably isn’t the place you want to go. Cantina This place is in the Mall of America and honestly my favorite place to get my Mexican food fix when I’m in Minneapolis(until I find something more…

In Travel

Minneapolis July 2017 Part 3

August 14, 2017 No Comments

I feel like my trips are always planned around the places I want to check out to eat. My husband doesn’t quite understand the foodie life but that’s ok, it means I don’t have to cook all the time and he still gets fed. 🙂 For part 3 of the Minneapolis series we stopped at a local cupcake place called Sweet Retreat Cupcake Boutique. We tried to go here on July 3rd but they were closed so we(I) made it a mission to come back when they were open to check it out. Why so determined? Well when they have awesome cakes like these in the windows you know you need to try it Yeah, that’s a 5 tier Harry Potter cake and a 5 tier Beauty and the Beast cake. The lighting was crap but you get the idea of the epic awesome-ness that sits in their shop window.…

In Travel

Minneapolis July 2017 Part 2

August 7, 2017 No Comments

This took me so long to get written. I think I just didn’t want to admit that this trip was over so I put it off for awhile. Monday July 3rd We were on a mission to check out a local doggie store with fun treats for our furbaby Elsa. Unfortunately the one we went to first was closed for the holiday the next day so we stumbled upon Bentley’s pet store instead. Elsa loved it and the staff was super helpful. We left with way more things than we needed for her. Great prices at the Edina store off France Ave for those in the area. We scored 60% off most of the bones pictured. One thing I LOVE about Minneapolis is how super dog friendly the town is. Not only are patios dog friendly but most of them even have a stash of dog bowls to fill with…

In Travel

Minneapolis July 2017 Part 1

July 4, 2017 No Comments

The hubby and I are out of town for a god chunk of July, living it up in Minneapolis from June 30-July 10. We come to Minneapolis a few times a year just to get out of town and explore. We wanted to focus on trying some new places and doing new things instead of the same old Mall of America and ValleyFair the entire time. Saturday July 1st We started the first full day in Minneapolis with a trip to Glam Doll Donuts. We had heard good things and had to check the place out as I love me a good donut! I ordered a basic raised donut with chocolate glaze and sprinkles, named the Chocolate Starlet, just as you would expect it to taste. Light, fluffy, with the perfect amount of icing. Tony had one called Night Moves, which was a cake donut with blackberry hennessey icing &…