TRAVEL BACK IN TIME 

Forget "Portlandia". The dream of the '90s is alive at The Wild Hare, a "natural dive fusion" restaurant in downtown Stillwater. While the menu appears to be a burgers and fries affair at first, a closer look reveals nods to the Mediterranean notes of executive chef Dan Cunningham (formerly of Phil's Tara Hideaway) and the cocktail-slinging background of co-owners Sarah and Dariush Moslemi (also of Velveteen Speakeasy). Not to mention Sarah's experience running Studio One Yoga.

Put all of those competing factors together and you'll find a fantastic Casablanca Burger crowned with cumin lemon pepper seasoning, harissa aioli, piperade, goat cheese, and greens; cheese curds dusted with a delicate ras el hanout spice blend; freshly blitzed smoothies; a wide range of vegan and gluten-free dishes; and secret weapon sips like the Phantom Menace (gin, yellow chartreuse, pineapple shrub, and cucumber agua fresca).

And to hammer the '90s theme home, there's Sublime and Everclear on the speakers, Spice Girls and Stone Temple Pilots sleeves on the walls, and "Total Request Live"-type music videos on the TV. Frankly, we can't think of a better place to wear flannel this winter.

FEEL THE BURN 

When our Wild Hare bartender said "there's just one big hill" along the St. Croix River Crossing Loop Trail, we figured the nearly 5-mile pedestrian and bike path was totally doable in about an hour tops. What we didn't expect was the steep 8% climb directly after Stillwater's iconic Lift Bridge — a stretch so tiring we turned our road bike around halfway up, huffing and puffing every pedal of the way.

If you're like us and merely think you're in shape, you're probably better off tackling this newly opened trail with a rental ($45 for two hours) from Herman Electric Bikes, a life saver tucked in the back of the nearby Greenbridge Coffee Shop. 

BOOST YOUR BOOKSHELF

A proud, self-proclaimed "real, honest-to-goodness brick & mortar bookstore," Black Letter Books specializes in rare, used and out-of-print titles you won't actually find on Amazon. A gently loved first edition of "Through the Looking Glass" was fetching more than $100 during our visit, but most of the shelves were stocked with such reasonably priced selections as photo books on "Belfast Punk" and the rather picturesque "Barns of Minnesota", looks at underground icon Lydia Lunch and Latin American kinetic art, and a hefty collection of Japanese short stories featuring a foreword from best-selling author Haruki Murakami. 

REVEL IN OUR SWEDISH ROOTS

If you spend more time in the gift shop at the American Swedish Institute than the galleries, you'll be floored by the broad selection of biodegradable dish cloths, sustainably harvested reindeer hides, artisanal licorice, sleek raincoats, teardrop-shaped candles, and idiosyncratic, transatlantic imports at Scandinavian North's spacious flagship.

Think: Ingebretsen's with a design degree and a great deal of style to spare. 

HUNT FOR HIDDEN TREASURES

The sign outside Midtown Antique Mall says it all: "65+ dealers, three floors, 30,000 square feet!" Serious thrift shoppers could spend hours canvasing every corner of a well-curated space crammed with vintage clothing, housewares, furniture, jewelry, and nearly every kind of collectible (and not-so-collectible) item one could imagine coveting from the past century.

Dig a little deeper and you might discover a one-of-a-kind dealer like Friendship Harmony founder Yukiko Miyokawa. A Japan native based in St. Paul, Miyokawa specializes in pale green Fire King Jadeite pieces and antiques from throughout Asia, including cast iron chests, woodblock prints, and various ornate vases, plates and bowls.

REALIZE YOUR REMODEL DREAMS

Walking into Lisa and Joseph Robbins' home decor store feels like stumbling upon an HGTV set for a reason; the couple has five decades of collective experience in architectural and interior design. If you don't have the time or the money to tap them for a proper home build or rehab, shopping at Brick + Linen is the next best solution.

It's hard not to leave inspired by their beautiful, carefully arranged collection of artisanal candles, mid-century-inspired wine glasses, brass flatware, sleek dining room sets, and plush textiles. Not surprisingly given its aspirational aesthetics, a second Brick + Linen shop is now open in Wayzata as well. 

ORDER A ROUND (OR TWO!) ALONG THE RIVER 

Local favorite Lift Bridge has been around much longer (since 2008) than River Siren Brewing Co., but that shouldn't keep you from ordering a couple rounds at this complete reboot of the prime Saint Croix location that once held Maple Island Brewing. (It closed in 2021.)

With one of its former assistant brewers (Tony Freeman) now at the helm of a seven-barrel system, River Siren plans on churning out small batch spins on familiar styles like brown ales, hazy IPAs, and nitro-infused stouts. We capped off our day with a nod to its very beginning: an Upstream Flow Hefe with a slight hop bite and smooth blueberry finish.

Make it a 2-for-1 deal by swinging by Forge & Foundry Distillery right next door. It opened in September of 2020, becoming Stillwater's first legal distillery since Prohibition in the process. Current in-house cocktails include a refreshing Hawaiian Buck (vodka, cream of coconut, lychee, lime, ginger beer) and the savory vs. sweet mashup that is the Farmers Market (olive oil-washed vodka, tomatoes, white balsamic vinegar, lemon, and an herbal thyme and tarragon tincture). 

SPEND THE NIGHT

Located just up the street from Teddy Bear Park and a key stretch of Stillwater's historic stairs hike, Lora is a dog-friendly boutique hotel with excellent drinking (The Long Goodbye) and/or dining (Feller) options for ending the day on a high note alongside smoked trout fritters, county-fried duck, pecan-crusted walleye and a couple cutting-edge cocktails.