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Get a Taste of Hastings Wines, Orchards, and Shopping

A short drive from the heart of the metro area, Hastings is a great weekend or day trip destination. Get away from it all by exploring Minnesota’s oldest winery, picking apples at harvest time, and shopping for antiques in the historic downtown.

Make time to visit Alexis Bailly Vineyard, which has been in production since 1978. Sample reds, whites, and dessert wines made with grapes developed at the University of Minnesota, such as Frontenac and LaCrescent, as well as French and American varieties. Learn how French wine-making was adapted for Minnesota’s climate.

Play bocce ball on vine-covered courts. Buy artisanal cheeses and other deli specialties, and have a picnic overlooking the vineyard. No need to pack a blanket or tableware—the winery provides everything you need. The Alexis Bailly Vineyard and tasting room are open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through Thanksgiving. Celebrate the release of the seasonal wine, Nouveau, on November 3rd and 4th.

Bring the whole family to a Hastings area orchard before the end of October, and pick from over a dozen apple varieties. Later in September, pumpkin picking starts. Harvest time also means apple cider and other tasty treats, hayrides, and getting turned around in a corn maze. Most orchards are open daily. The St. Croix Valley Apple Festival, on Saturdays and Sundays, October 6-21, features concerts and other special events at Afton Apple Orchards, Fischer’s Croix Farm Orchard, Carpenter Nature Center, Whistling Well Farm, and McDougall's Orchard.

Hastings is rich with historic Victorian architecture, including mansions and main street buildings. Historic treasures can also be found in a number of downtown antique stores on 2nd Street East. Find everything from furniture, linens, dolls, glassware, pottery, books, and many other fun collectibles and fine antiques.