In the area:
On the eastern edge of the Twin Cities area, the St. Croix Valley is just too gorgeous to be called metropolitan, despite being a half-hour or less from downtown St. Paul. The river itself is stunning, with jagged, pine-studded rocks at the northern end, and slow, broad waters further south, before it joins with the Mississippi River. Several tours and excursions offer distinctive ways of enjoying the river and surrounding countryside.
The river is home to several beautiful and rugged state parks and nature centers--Wild River and Interstate state parks to the north, flowing down through William O'Brien State Park, down to Hasting's Afton State Park and Carpenter Nature Center. Water parks and historic sites and museums offer great family-oriented fun, plus downhill and cross-country skiing for winter activities.
Stillwater, Hastings, and other charming rivertowns along the way offer with main streets offering good food and shopping for antiques, gifts, books and more. West of the St. Croix is the community of White Bear Lake, named after a 2,500-acre lake with fishing, boating, sailing and swimming as well as ice fishing during the winter.
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