Owatonna Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism 

About

Located just 1 hour south of the Twin Cities, Owatonna offers accommodations and attractions for every traveler. Owatonna has a wide variety of restaurants and shops. We hope you’ll visit us soon!

Located at the crossroads of I35 and Highway 14, Owatonna is located within an hour of Minneapolis, St. Paul, Rochester, and Mankato making for an easy trip whether for business or pleasure.

Start by visiting Cabela’s, a highly visited attraction in Minnesota. This mega-store features retail and museum-quality animal displays in their natural habitats.

Next, check out the "Jewel Box of the Prairie," a Louis Sullivan-designed bank building. Designated as one of "11 Can't-Miss Stops on a Tour of America's Hidden Architecture Gems," this working bank features gold leaf arches, stained glass windows, and nouveau baroque art designs.

Owatonna is also home to the only known Orphanage Museum in the nation where over 10,000 children lived from 1886 to 1945. The museum includes a visit to a children’s cottage where visitors learn about daily life in a state institution. Featuring narrative from a former ward of the state, it’s a visit not soon forgotten.

Take a stroll through the historic downtown to shop in locally-owned stores and to view murals depicting "days gone by." Don’t miss the Steele County History Center’s Village of Yesteryear, the RAD ZOO (Reptile and Amphibian Discovery Zoo), the Steele County Free Fair, and more than 700 acres of parks.

With more than 550 lodging rooms and a wide range of meeting venues, Owatonna is the perfect place to meet, play and stay.