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The Zollman Zoo is part of Oxbow Park in Byron, Minnesota, about 15 minutes away from Rochester. Admission is free, and it has more than 30 species of animals. Along with the zoo, this 572-acre park includes more than 10 miles of trails for hiking and bird watching, campsites, a baseball field, four picnic areas, and a ski trail. You can go fishing as well. The zoo focuses on native Minnesota animals, and environmental education classes are available. Here are some of the exhibits at Zollman Zoo that you shouldn't miss. The Oxbow Nature Center The Oxbow Nature Center opened in December 1981, and it offers a variety of educational and recreational activities. School groups can participate in programs that cover particular animals, the ecology of the area, natural history, outdoor recreation skills, and more. There's an area for classes and an exhibit with some of the most common snakes, frogs, and fish in the region. You can check out interesting artifacts and displays that are associated with the natural world as well. The Nature Center has maps and brochures with information about upcoming events, the animals at the zoo, and its history. more The Gordon Yeager Memorial Area This 20-acre part of Oxbow Park is an ideal place to take a look at some of the animals that are native to the area. During many times of the year, you can hear birds chirping and frogs croaking. You can also see fish in the picturesque ponds nearby. This area is across the street from the zoo, and it has a restored prairie with a pioneer home and antique farming tools. The zoo also keeps it larger animals here, including bison, white-tailed deer, ponies, donkeys, goats, and elk. The Gordon Yeager Memorial Area is named after a writer and nature photographer for the Post-Bulletin, a popular local paper. The Newest Animals At this fun zoo, you can see otters, black bears, eagles, and more. Many of the animals have injuries that mean they won't be able to survive in the wild, and others come from zoos in other cities. One of the newest animals is a cute cougar kitten, one of three that were recently born in captivity. It's small now, but it will weigh about 90 pounds as an adult. This creature replaces a 13-year-old cougar that died in January 2018, after eating a piece of rope. Since then, keepers are checking enclosures for debris more frequently to make sure that the animals stay healthy and happy. Other new animals include a coyote and two opossums. The Zollman Zoo is named for Dr. Paul Zollman, a veterinarian with passionate beliefs in environmental education and compassionate care for animals. Olmstead County purchased most of the land for this park and zoo in 1967, and it has been a favorite destination for people in the area ever since. Almost 50,000 people visit this fun place every year, and it's open every day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.   Image via Pixabay

When you're looking for a spot to enjoy a drink with friends, check out these local bars and pubs in Rochester. Each offers a unique atmosphere, along with an extensive menu of drinks and tasty food options. You can have fun with your friends or choose a spot that delivers a cozy, intimate feeling for a date night. Dooley's Pub Dooley's Pub is the place to go if you want a fun, vibrant atmosphere. This location features large screen TVs throughout the seating areas where you can watch the latest sporting events and games. It's located in the heart of downtown Rochester and is open daily from 11 a.m - 2 a.m. During happy hour, which takes place Sunday through Thursday from 9 p.m. until close, you can get half-price menu items, $4 select shots, $5 glasses of house wine, and special prices on beer. The menus vary, depending on when you go, although you can always find something tasty to sample. Dooley's naan tacos are among the top menu options. These tasty tacos are served on warm, fresh-baked flatbread and topped with your choice of flavorful toppings, such as pulled BBQ pork, house-made slaw, picked peppers, fish, pico de gallo, vegetables, and chipotle crema. You can also order from the "pick two" lunch menu, which allows you to choose two menu favorites for a lower price. If you're dining in for dinner, try the pork'n mac ‘n' cheese, which features pasta, beer ale cheese sauce, bacon bits, and BBQ pulled pork. Bitter & Pour Located on Historic Third Street in the Merchant Exchange building is Bitter & Pour, a cozy bar where you can sample the finest elixirs and spirits. Four locals founded the location with a goal of creating a stylish place where hip Rochester residents could mingle and sip cocktails crafted by bartenders who truly obsess over the details. The Chubby Ginger is one of the local favorites, prepared with Lake House spiced rum, house-made ginger syrup, fresh lime and soda, topped with candied ginger. Along with an extensive selection of cocktails, the menu includes wine, craft beer, and small plates, including a charcuterie board, marinated nuts, and a cheese board. Thirsty Belgian Thirsty Belgian has been part of the downtown Rochester scene since it opened in 2014. The bar features nine taps, along with 70 bottled and canned beers and ciders available to enjoy. You can always enjoy Stella Artois, Kwak, Stella Cidre, Maredsous Brune, and St. Bernardus Abt 12 on tap, while the other four taps feature a rotating selection. In addition to the beer options, this spot has specialty house cocktails, liquor, and wine options to sample. The atmosphere in this cozy pub is inspired by the owner's frequent childhood trips to Belgium. You can experience live entertainment as you enjoy a variety of drink and food options. The food menu fuses Belgian pub food with American favorites. Be sure to try the Thirsty Belgian Toasties, which are toasted sandwiches prepared with thinly sliced meat, fruit, and cheese. No matter where you are in Rochester, you can always find a fun bar or pub that offers a refreshing libation in an appealing atmosphere. Stop in at one of these spots and enjoy an evening out with friends or family.

When you're craving delicious baked goods, you have plenty of options in the Rochester, Minnesota, area. At the local bakeries, you'll find fresh-baked bread, pastries, doughnuts, and other tasty treats. Check out a few of the top-rated bakeries to decide where you want to go for your next sweet treat. Drift Dough Drift Dough is a popular coffee and doughnut shop located within Forager Brewing on 6th Street NW in Rochester. This spot provides daily doughnut options that change throughout the week. Some of the past flavors include blueberry lemon cookie, Oreo, coconut, Nutella s'mores, strawberry powdered sugar, strawberry unicorn, cotton candy crunch, and cinnamon sugar. The menu also includes different types of coffee drinks that pair nicely with the flavorful doughnuts. If you need gluten-free doughnuts, you're in luck at Drift Dough. On Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, the bakery offers a wide range of tasty options. You can also place an order in advance for a dozen vegan doughnuts, which will contain a mix of the daily vegan flavors. The bakery offers three to five different vegan options each day and you can keep an eye on the company's Instagram page to see what's available that day. Recent vegan doughnut seasonal favorites included horchata, vegan cream cheese, and pumpkin butter, topped with a Biscoff cookie. Daube's Cakes and Bakery Daube's Cakes and Bakery is another appealing spot to enjoy some baked treats. You can order custom cakes for any occasion, and you have plenty of flavors to choose from at this location. A few of the popular flavors include a dark chocolate cake topped with cream cheese frosting, a rich chocolate ganache, and a cherry, red velvet with strawberry white chocolate frosting, and white cake with coconut and nuts, topped with burnt buttercream and cream cheese frosting. Along with the selection of cakes, the bakery offers similarly flavored filled cupcakes, cheesecakes, tortes, tarts, doughnuts, muffins, cookies, brownies, and bombe, a decadent French dessert. If you're not in the mood for something sweet, try a sandwich or a slice of quiche. Another specialty is kolache, a Czech pastry with a flaky crust and stuffed with fruit filling. With so many different options, it's easy to find something you'll enjoy at this versatile bakery. Great Harvest Bread Co. Great Harvest Bread Co. has a location on Broadway in Rochester, where its staff members bake fresh bread and goodies every morning. For more than three decades, this company has been using 100% whole-grain flour to produce wholesome and delicious options for you to enjoy. If you're dining in for lunch, you can choose from hot and cold sandwiches piled high with fresh ingredients. One of the local favorites is the “GHBC,” which has two types of cheese and a garlic and herb spread on top of fresh white bread, grilled to crispy perfection. You can also enjoy cookies, tarts, sweetbreads, muffins, and scones. You don't have to go far to find a bakery that offers all types of delicious house-made treats and bread. Sample a few goodies at these local bakeries and satisfy your sweet tooth.

Fortunately, more and more people are realizing the enormous benefits of a healthy lifestyle. A significant part of leading such a lifestyle is what we eat and drink, with the smoothie being that magical potion that is not only made up of healthy and natural ingredients but also satisfies both our thirst and our hunger. Here are the best places in and around Rochester, Minnesota, to get a delicious smoothie. Tonic Local Kitchen and Juice Bar Located across the street from St. Mary's Hospital on 2nd Street, this charming restaurant and smoothie bar is the perfect place for members of the local community to gather and enjoy fresh and healthy food and juices, made with locally-grown ingredients. Open from 8 a.m. Monday to Saturday, Tonic is a great spot for many occasions, from a wholesome family meal to a quick smoothie on the go before work or after a workout. Their juice selection has enough variety to allow smoothie enthusiasts to experiment until they discover their favorites. From their delicious premium house juices to their superfood signature smoothies, you'll definitely find what you need. Also, if you feel creative, you have the chance to make your own smoothie out of any combination of five fruits, vegetables, and herbs, plus one of their natural sweeteners. Queen City Coffee and Juice Rochester's Castle Community is a vibrant space for creative people of all ages, social statuses, and talent level, where everyone can gather and grow their craft together. Located right inside the castle, Queen City Coffee and Juice is owned and managed by Breanna Holtan, a local with over two decades of hospitality experience. It's the ideal place for visiting artists and art lovers to gather and enjoy a delicious smoothie. This bar is the only place in Rochester that can produce cold-pressed juice, meaning that the fruits and vegetables that are squeezed to produce the juice are never heated during the process, and therefore not losing any of their original nutritional content. Aside from these healthy and delicious smoothies, they also serve fresh coffee from a local roaster, as well as Kombucha, a sweet and flavored drink produced by fermenting tea with cultures of yeast and bacteria. Berry Blendz Having originated in northern Colorado, Berry Blendz is a smoothie-based franchise that has constantly grown in popularity and spread throughout the country in its 18 years of existence. They offer delicious fruit-based alternatives to unhealthy meals and they have an open location right in Rochester. The smoothie variety is absolutely impressive, with tens of different flavors and combinations, from classic to exotic. They also offer complete nutritional facts for all their ingredients, allowing the customers to create their own balanced smoothie-based diets. Smoothies are a quick, convenient, and healthy snack that will properly feed your body and give you enough energy to enthusiastically face everyday challenges. By visiting any of these smoothie bars, you're guaranteed to get a delicious smoothie made with fresh and natural ingredients.

You'll be surprised what you can discover within a vintage red trolley during a tour. The trip will relax or excite you, depending on your preference. Take a look at a few of our favorite trolley tours. They may end up being favorites of yours as well. The Rochester City and Mayo Hospital Trolley Tour Experience Rochester in a unique and relaxing way during this 90-minute trolley tour. Running every day but Monday, this tour is narrated and takes passengers to destinations all over the city. These include the Rochester Art Center, Chateau Theatre, Silver Lake Park, Mayowood Mansion, the historic Farmers Market, Mayo Civic Center, People's Food Co-op, Soldiers Field Veterans Memorial, and much more. Head to the Apache Mall, Feith Family Statuary, and Broadway Dairy Queen hut to pick up a souvenir and a snack. The tour ends at the Mayo Clinic Campus. If you like this short tour, you'll love the longer ones. The Great River Road Wine Trail - Middle Trail This incredible eight-hour wine tour is a trip you won't soon forget. You'll start at Wabasha, Minnesota, the oldest town west of the Mississippi. Then you'll travel along the Great River Road National Scenic Byway to beautiful Lake Pepin, where you will find your first winery and a much loved Italian restaurant. After a taste of the fruits of the Villa Bellezza Winery and lunch at Villa Bellezza's restaurant, take the trolley to Red Wing, Minnesota, where you can view some of the most majestic 19th-century architecture in the country. While you're there, stop by Falconer Vineyards for a second taste of wine. Further down the trail walk the Flower Valley and Lake Pepin vineyards, ready to quench your thirst as you look out over the lake and relax. Tours take place on Sundays throughout the year, so call the tour company to schedule your trip. The Great River Road Wine Trail - South Trail For a wine tour in a different direction head down to Whitewater Wines in Kellogg, Minnesota, to start your journey. Enjoy their wine and the rural surroundings before heading off to prairie-style Downtown Winona, Minnesota, and Fountain City, Wisconsin, via the Great River Road National Scenic Byway. Wonder at the scenic overlook in Winona as you sip the produce of the Garvin Heights Vineyard. In Fountain City, you'll find the Seven Hawks Winery and the Monarch Public house, your destinations for your third wine tasting and lunch. Finally, settle in for your last tasting at Elmaro Vineyard. Ladies Night Out on the Trolley For a relaxing and entertaining night out on the town with your closest friends, have a Ladies Night Out on the Trolley. This 3.5-hour tour will take you all through the Cooke Park Design District in downtown Rochester where you'll visit a wide array of locally owned shops and bars. At each location, you will be given gifts, including wine or champagne, snacks, gift bags, and promotional items. The trip ends at the lively Five West Restaurant and Bar, where you and your friends can dance and drink the night away. Let the stress of work fall away during this Wednesday trolley tour. To schedule a tour, call the Rochester Trolley & Tour Company at 507-421-0573.

Finding great coffee in Rochester, Minnesota, isn't difficult to do. The hard part is choosing between the great coffee shops in our hometown. Whether you're new to town, or you're just looking for something new to try, these top coffee shops have you covered. Cafe Steam If you want one of the most solid coffee shop experiences, head to one of Cafe Steam 's two Rochester locations. Both are thoughtfully put together to make for an atmosphere that's perfect for studying, a date, and grabbing a morning coffee to go. They have all the espresso-based drinks you'd expect from a decent coffee shop. If you're more of a steeped coffee fan, you can get a French press, Chemex, and pour-over brew here. They also have a fantastic selection of teas. Did we mention this is a solid coffee shop? Fiddlehead Coffee Co. Fiddlehead Coffee Co. is another fantastic coffee shop you have to try. They roast their own coffee beans to make some of the best-tasting coffee in town. Whether you're an espresso purist or a flavored latte aficionado, Fiddlehead has you covered. For the kids (and the adults), the handcrafted seltzers and hot chocolate are delicious. If you're here for lunch, try their light fare menu full of uncommon and tasty dishes. Old Abe Coffee This hip shop is an oasis in a land of corporate coffeehouses. Old Abe Coffee is part coffee shop, part vegan restaurant, and all delicious. If you're a cold brew fan, this is the place you need to check out first. On a hot day, there's nothing more refreshing than the drinks and fantastic food you'll find at Old Abe Coffee. Even if you aren't a vegan and you've never eaten at a vegan restaurant, you'll be a fan after your first bite of their creation. St. James Coffee This Christian-focused coffee house covers nearly all the coffee shop bases. It has a cozy, friendly atmosphere in which you can relax with a hot cup of joe and fuel yourself for the rest of the day. They have specialty mocha drinks hot or ice-blended, frappes, espresso drinks, and plain-old good drip coffee. If you want to support the local Christian community, St. James Coffee is a win-win situation. Lumen Coffee This indie coffee shop is a cute place to spend time with friends over a cup of coffee. From Americano to white raspberry chai, Lumen Coffee has all your classics and new favorites. If you're looking for a coffee and baked good kind of place, you'll love this place. They have a great selection of donuts, cookies, crullers, breakfast sandwiches and more. Lumen Coffee isn't afraid to look like what it is: a classic coffee shop with an ain't-broke-don't-fix-it style. We love these top-notch Rochester, Minnesota, coffee shops, but there's always more to explore in our town. If you have a favorite that's not on this list, let us know. We're always looking for a new place to read a good book and drink good coffee.   Image by John Beans is licensed under CC-BY-SA 2.0

In the modern era, it's hard to go a day without your mobile devices and computers. Whether you're using them to stay in touch or use them for work, when they break, it can be a huge pain. Luckily, if you're in the Rochester, Minnesota, area, you have plenty of dependable stores where you can take your device to have it fixed in no time. Here are some of the best smartphone repair shops near Rochester, MN. Quality Phone Repair Quality Phone Repair is a shop you can trust to give you the best repair work for the best price. They'll diagnose your device's problem for free to let you know if it's fixable before you send it in to get it repaired. They repair more than 72 brands of phones, whether it has water damage or it has a broken screen or microphone. They also fix tablets, computers, and MP3 players. They're located in the mall, and they'll work on your device as you get some shopping done. Fast Phone Repair Fast Phone Repair is one of the highest-rated phone repair shops in Rochester and for good reason. They repair a great swath of problems, from charging port issues to unlocking issues on phones, computers, and tablets. This shop guarantees a low price for their services, and a 90-day warranty on their services, as well as a 14-day return policy. They pride themselves on their speed, so they'll do their best to diagnose and repair your device the same day you bring it in. If you have a broken phone and you want it fixed as soon as possible, Fast Phone Repair is the way to go Tada! Gadget Repair Tada! Gadget Repair is your one-stop shop when it comes to anything smartphone. They will quickly diagnose the problems your smartphone has and let you know what they can do to fix it. They can easily replace cracked screens, fix your phone's cameras, and answer any questions you have about your phone. If you need a new phone, you can recycle your old one by trading it in for one of the refurbished options Tada! has. If you want to support your local small businesses, this is a great shop to visit. The Fix In the Apache Mall, you'll find the Fix. In ten minutes, they'll diagnose your phone to tell you what your problem is if you don't already know. They service iPhones and Androids, whether you've dropped them down a couple of flights of stairs or they simply quit on you one day. They also service computers, laptops, gaming systems, tablets, and iPads. They can repair charge ports, speakers, cameras, screens, power buttons, home buttons, change your batteries, and anything else your phone might need to bring it back to its full working life. Their team is very knowledgeable, and many happy customers have come out of their doors. Good luck in getting your devices running tip-top again. These repair shops have you covered in you need to get back on the airwaves as soon as possible. Image by Spline Splinson is licensed under CC-BY-SA 2.0

Minnesota is a beautiful state any time of year, but in the fall, the bright colors of the foliage make it even more impressive. The peak times for fall foliage depend on things such as the weather and what part of the state you're in. Rochester sits in the southeastern part of Minnesota, south of Minneapolis so you can expect the leaves to start changing color in mid-September with peak foliage around the middle of October. Here is where you can check out the fall foliage in the Rochester area. Bear Creek Bike Trail The Bear Creek Bike Trail is part of Rochester's bike trail system. You can park at Pinewood Elementary School and get the trail right from there. As you bike down the trail, you can see the beautiful colors of fall along with some wildlife and the river. This trail is suitable for all levels of bikers, and walkers and runners also use it so if you want to take a walk instead of biking to see the colors, this trail is still a good choice. Northwoods Apple Orchard Northwoods Apple Orchard sits just outside of Rochester and is an excellent place for exploring and checking out the colors of fall. There are tractor rides where you can sit back an look at the scenery, and for the kids, there is a petting zoo, a corn maze, and lots of apple picking. This is also a popular stop for apple cider doughnuts, and with the leaves bursting with color around you, it is a perfect spot to spend a fall day. Highway 61 Highway 61 offers one of the most scenic and beautiful drives in southeast Minnesota. The route takes you along the shores of the Mississippi River and along the way you find stunning views in the fall along with lots of places to pull over for a bite to eat, stretch your legs, and take in the scenery. Great River Bluffs State Park Take a drive to Great River State Park in the fall, and you get to see beautiful views along the way, and then more when you get to the park. This park sits high on the bluffs and overlooks the Mississippi River. There are miles of hiking trails so you can get up high enough for expansive views of the changing leaves. You can easily reach several scenic overlooks no matter what your hiking abilities are, and if you want to make a weekend of it, there is also camping at the park. Root River State Trail The Root River State Trail offers an easy-to-use paved path that runs along the Root River. In the fall you can see the gold and red leaves on the trees and their reflections in the water. The state trail runs for miles, and you can walk, bike, or run along it to get your fall foliage views. Check out these areas near Rochester, Minnesota to see the colors of fall this year. Image by Kimberly Vardeman is licensed under CC-BY-SA 2.0

There is always something going on in Rochester, Minnesota. Whether you want to see a show, enjoy some good local food, or listen to live music, you can find it in Rochester. As the summer starts to wind down, and fall arrives, its time to get out in the cooler weather. This means fall and foliage-themed events too. Here are some of the upcoming things to see and do in Rochester. Fall Fest The fourth annual Fall Fest festival will take place on Saturday, October 5, with a rain date of Sunday, October 6. Head down to Peace Plaza in downtown Rochester to get in on the fun. There are all kinds of family-friendly activities including a pumpkin carving contest, fall crafts, a petting zoo, with animals from the Red Farm Learning Barn, and an inflatable slide. Admission to Fall Fest is free, and it is open to everyone. The pumpkin carving contest is a huge part of this event with contestants carving for up to two hours right at the festival. Everyone can vote for the winners in categories that include most funny, most scary, and most original. Rochester's Largest Kids Stuff and Maternity Consignment Sales Event On September 12, you can head to the Graham Arena Complex to find gently used items for your kids. You can also sell your own kids gear that you no longer need. The average seller makes about $300 at this annual event, and you can find almost anything you need at 50% to 90% off retail prices. Just Between Friends of Rochester organizes the event and you can get a free shopping pass before it all gets started. Fall Festival On September 7 and September 8, Quarry Hill Nature Center will host its annual Fall Festival. It takes place at the nature center and includes activities such as eco-friendly crafts, candle rolling, and nature games. There is also outdoor fun with cave tours, rock climbing, canoeing, and pumpkin decorating. Admission is free, and you can buy food and activity tickets to use while you are at the festival. Step into Fall! Vendor And Crafts Show On Saturday, September 28, you can go to the Rosemount Community Center for the Step Into Fall! Vendor and Craft Show. This event brings many of the local businesses together in one place where they will have amazing products and services available. There will be food, handmade crafts, and much more at this fun, family-friendly event. Rochester Craft Beer Expo Craft beer lovers should mark their calendars for the 2019 Rochester Craft Beer Expo. Held at the Graham Arena Olmsted County Fairgrounds, this event will have over 40 different craft breweries offering samples. You can also enjoy live music, seminars about craft beer brewing, and food vendors. Make sure to check out these upcoming Rochester events. You can shop, eat, listen to music and more as you get ready for fall. Image by Kris McGuire is licensed under CC-BY-SA 2.0

Nature lovers rejoice in Rochester, Mn! The only way to join this celebration is to be in the heart of it all. Situated along the Zumbro River, Rochester is packed full with scenic and recreational outdoor areas, including 85 miles of trails and more than 100 city parks that cover 3,500 acres. Check out these destinations in and near Rochester. Quarry Hill Nature Center The Quarry Hill Nature Center houses 35 species of live animals native to Minnesota, including a saw-whet owl. You'll find naturalist programs, the Exploration Center, an indoor honeybee hive, and much more. Quarry Hills Park is part of Quarry Hills Nature Center at 701 Silver Creek Road NE. Explore the Harry L. Buck Children's Pond, numerous trails, a sandstone cave, limestone fossil quarries, and other outdoor delights. The Trilobite Ridge Trail, a rough, rocky path, leads to a quarry. If you find a fossil there that's small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, you're allowed to keep it! Admission is free. In summer, the Nature Center is open Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Hours for the rest of the year are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. Douglas State Trail The Douglas State Trail is a paved 12.5-mile trail beginning in northwestern Rochester, goes through its namesake town of Douglas, and ends in Pine Island. The trail reveals lovely scenic views of forest land, fields, and pastures. You'll find rest rooms and picnic areas along the way. Adjacent to the paved trail, which is ideal for hikers, bicyclist, and in-line skaters, a second trail has a natural surface for horseback riding and snowmobiling. Silver Lake Park Spend a day at Silver Lake Park in downtown Rochester kayaking or canoeing on the Cumbrous River. Bring your own canoes or kayaks, or rent what you need from Silver Lake Boat & Bike Rental, which also rents electric paddle boats and bicycles. You can also fish, have a picnic, or swim in the outdoor pool. The park also offers a skate park and the Children's Adventure Playground, a wheelchair- and handicapped-accessible playground facility. A 1.8-mile trail loops around the lake for hiking, jogging, bicycling, or inline skating. Elba Fire Tower Looking for some extra exercise? Try climbing the Elba Fire Tower near the tiny town of Elba, about 28 miles from Rochester. You'll climb 772 steps in all, 637 in a climb on wide wooden steps through forest land to the base of one of the few remaining fire towers in Minnesota. Your reward, after another 135 steps up the sturdy but squeaky metal stairs, will be a stunning view of forested bluffs, farmland, and branches of the Whitewater River meandering toward their confluence in Elba. Wear hiking shoes or sneakers and bring plenty of water for the climb. Rochester, Mn, offers so many opportunities to enjoy nature. Try these suggestions and more to experience the beautiful Rochester outdoors. Image by Charli Lopez is licensed under CC-BY-SA 2.0

Rochester, Mn, is a beautiful place to visit with a number of historic sites and museums. We've chosen three museums we think you should visit whenever you're in Rochester. History Center of Olmsted County The History Center of Olmsted County covers 54 acres that contain two historic farms, historic structures, and the History Center museum. The museum contains the History Center's permanent collection of artifacts, as well as temporary exhibits. The History Center of Olmsted County provides tours between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. One of the best ways to see the History Center campus is to go for a hike. The half-mile George Stoppel Trail is an easy walk that takes you past the George Stoppel Farmstead and the Hadley Valley Schoolhouse. The Scenic Trail is one and one-third miles long and traverses the campus, going past the George Stoppel and Ralph Stoppel farmsteads, the William Dee Log Cabin, the baseball field, and the tinsmith shop. The next big event for the History Center is the Living History Fair July 20 and 21. The activities will include Civil War encampments and battle re-enactments, Civil War medical demonstrations, Union and Confederate infantry and artillery, vintage baseball games, fiber arts and crafts displays, 1860s firearms, and more. Two historical day camps for kids are also scheduled. The Pioneer Life at the Cabin Day Camp, scheduled for July 24 from 10 a.m to 2 p.m., will show children what life was like 150 years ago in and around a cabin. The Summer Schoolhouse Day Camp will be held Aug. 7 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to show children what a school day was like 150 years ago. Charles E. Gagnon Museum & Sculpture Garden The Charles E. Gagnon Museum & Sculpture Garden honors Gagnon's legacy of 50 years in creating bronze sculpture. His wife, Arlyn Gagnon, founded the museum and is its executive director. Gagnon's art spans from 1962 to his death in 2012. He meant for his evocative sculptures to give hope and inspire peace. Visitors can take guided museum tours of the Gagnon home, galleries, and studio. The museum is currently hosting a special exhibition through Aug. 18 featuring the first public display of Gagnon's figurative drawings. Other exhibitions will begin in October 2019 and February 2020. The Charles E. Gagnon Museum & Sculpture Garden is at 2500 Fourth St. SW. It's open for tours Wednesday through Sunday from 10-11:30 a.m. and from 2-2:30 p.m. Heritage House Victorian Museum The Heritage House Victorian Museum gives visitors a taste of life in the 1800s. Timothy and Eliza Whiting were the first owners of the beautiful Italianate-style house, which was built in 1875. The structure survived an 1883 tornado, and in the next century, it was scheduled to be demolished, but resident Louise Hill stopped the demolition. The historic house was relocated to Central Park in 1972, where it was restored and filled with Victorian furnishings and decor. Docent-led tours are held in June, July, and August. The museum is open Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday from 1-3:30 p.m. or by appointment. A guided tour takes 45-60 minutes. These three museums are integral to the Rochester, Mn, experience. You can enjoy them anytime you're here, as there's always something new to see. Image by Greg Gjerdingen is licensed under CC-BY-SA 2.0

If you're planning on spending an afternoon in Rochester, you'll want to kick back with some delicious local food. If you love Italian food, then you've come to the right city. Here are some of the best Italian restaurants in Rochester, Minnesota. Terza Ristorante For a delectable Italian soiree with friends, try out Terza Ristorante in the heart of Rochester. It offers unique original hand-crafted Italian dishes, including hand-made gnocchi in pesto and a variety of fresh sauces, delicious cheese-filled ravioli, or Tagliatelle wild mushroom pasta with fresh thyme. Try the healthy Terza salad or classic Caeser. The special roasted vegetables pizza has artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, wild mushrooms, Kalamata olives, and Terza cheese. Terza Ristorante is located close to the Hilton Hotel at 30 Third St. SE. Pasquale's Neighborhood Pizzeria For a special pizza treat, try the local Pasquale's Neighborhood Pizzeria for a fresh and delightful slice. It specializes in authentic New York-style pizza, offering up signature recipes such Bianca white pie, made with olive oil, garlic, ricotta cheese, mozzarella, and fresh basil; or New York style round, a thin-crust pizza with mozzarella, tomato sauce, and fresh basil. However, if there are people in your party who are craving other items, don't fret: This pizzeria has more than just pizza. You can also choose calzone, such as the ricotta with fresh mozzarella and fresh garlic (for just $8!), or try the spinach stromboli with fresh mozzarella. You can also choose from a selection of salads, desserts, and classy beverages. Victoria's Ristorante & Wine Bar Located at 7 First Avenue SW in Rochester, Victoria's Ristorante & Wine Bar offers a fresh selection of select appetizers, salads, pastas, steaks, and other fine meat dishes in variations that are modern and colorful. The dinner pasta, ravioli Emiliani, includes wine, butter, and shiitake and regular mushrooms in a cream and tomato sauce. Or experiment with the mushroom passion pasta, which has Portobello, shiitake and button mushrooms tossed in a sauce made of balsamic cream. If you love fish, try the grilled Norwegian salmon fillet in orange cream sauce with pasta and veggies on the side. These delectable dishes are not worth missing! Broadway Bar & Pizza For a scrumptious yet casual hangout and New York-style pizza you won't want to miss, try the Broadway Bar & Pizza restaurant in Rochester. This sweet venue offers a lunch buffet from Monday to Friday between 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. and a family buffet Monday nights from 5 to 7:30 p.m., when kids under 10 enjoy a meal for free! Spoil yourself with a selection of appetizers, pastas, burgers, sandwiches, and salads. From Baja fish tacos to Italian cheese bread and from spinach salad to baked lasagna, you'll find something for all tastes. Broadway Bar & Pizza also does catering, take-out, and delivery. The next time you're in the Rochester area, get ready to enjoy a wonderful Italian meal at one of these local venues, each with a diverse and delectable menu. Image by Gnawme is licensed under CC-BY-SA 2.0