Drive the Great River Road to Grand Rapids, Minnesota, where you can get outdoors to explore, find adventure, and relax in nature. The Mississippi River flows right through historic downtown Grand Rapids. Take a scenic route on the Fall Leaves Tour, where you will see wildlife, stunning fall colors, find new places to eat and drink, and outdoor places to rest and relax.
Take a fall getaway to Grand Rapids this year, where you will find cozy lodging with amazing nature views—whether you want to stay close to nightlife, restaurants, or shops, there’s a spot just for you. Or maybe you are looking for an off the beaten path place that will allow you to unwind and take in the beauty of nature. You will find a wide variety of lodging options from in town and conveniently located hotels, motels, and bed and breakfasts, in-town Airbnbs, off-the-beaten-path Lake Vacation Rental Homes and Cabins, and Resort Cabins and Condos that are located on Minnesota Lakes.
Grand Rapids is a mecca for live music, Broadway-style theater performances at The Reif Center, public art, and cultural experiences at MacRostie Art Center in the fall. One must-see fall festival is the Grand Rapids Riverfest on the first Saturday after Labor Day, which features: Spoon, Shaky Graves, Sarah Jarosz, S.G. Goodman, Cory Medina and more. Another don’t-miss fall event is Bargains Are Great on Hwy 38, which is the third Saturday and Sunday in September; 47 miles of bargains, junk, vintage, antique and more. Small town Grand Rapids offers more than people expect. Check out the Fall Events Calendar for more information.
Surrounding Grand Rapids is more than 1 million publicly accessible forest acres to enjoy outdoor recreation. Known as the Outdoor Mecca of the North, there are 1,140 area lakes to fish, float, paddle, and swim. There are 2,000 miles of designated and well-maintained trails to ATV, bike, hike and hunt. Grand Rapids is known for being a premiere grouse hunting destination, and the headquarters for the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association.
Slow down this fall by taking the Great River Road to Grand Rapids, where the mighty Mississippi River flows through downtown. The fall leaves tour map will take you on two additional scenic byways, where you will drive around mixed hardwood forests, tamarack bogs, Minnesota lakes, and tall white and red pine trees in the Chippewa National Forest. Make new memories on our lakes and trails by discovering new places to explore. Find new places to eat and drink, and boutique style shops. Learn about historic and cultural experiential sites, enjoy beautiful art. Take in live music or a live theater performance. Grand Rapids is a charming small town that is welcome to everyone. Come reconnect with loved ones, recharge, recreate and relax this fall in Minnesota’s nature on the Great River Road.
