Anyone from the Northfield, Minnesota area?

[lisabarr]

So excited!

My father just offered to pay for my son to go to a great chess camp there. I will be going along as a chaperone and rooming with him at St. Olaf college.
Anyone know of anything to do in the area? Budget friendly places to eat? Anything special I should see?

I will have a ton of time when he is in his classes and have never been that far north before. We will be there at the end of the month.

 

[Schachteles]

So excited!

My father just offered to pay for my son to go to a great chess camp there. I will be going along as a chaperone and rooming with him at St. Olaf college.
Anyone know of anything to do in the area? Budget friendly places to eat? Anything special I should see?

I will have a ton of time when he is in his classes and have never been that far north before. We will be there at the end of the month.

My husband went to college there and we now live about 14 miles north of there. It is a cute college town. Not overly huge by no means. There are lots of local restaurants, there is an Applebees, Culvers, KFC, McDonalds. If you are willing to drive to the cities there is LOTS to do. Not a lot of shopping there outside of Target, Kmart and Menards. Be ready for the smell of Malt-o-Meal

 

[hercamore]

I would think about heading up to the Mall of America for a day.

Northfield is part of a rural farming area between Rochester in SE MN and the greater metro area of Mpls. St. Paul.

St. Olaf is a fantastic college.


herc.

 

[jessrose18]

I agree, northfield is a beautiful city. THere are lots of great independant shops in town and cute restaurants. Not far from cities, do mall of america, maybe bring son to valleyfair if he has time off, mn zoo is great, check out a twins game in the new stadium. I wish I knew of more stuff around there but I only go there once a year to the Jesse James days festival in september. I am an artist who has a booth at the festival the last 4 years and I love the town.

 

[lisabarr]

Love little, independent shoppes.
Anyone else?

 

[rigs32]

I went to Carleton, which is closer to the downtown area than St. Olaf. I would walk around their campus while you're there - the architecture is different than St. Olaf. There's also a Japanese garden and a 150 acre arboretum.

Hogan Brothers is a definite must-do for food - soup and sandwiches place. The Ole Cafe has great breakfasts. Goodbye Blue Monday is a popular, independent coffee shop. El tequila (1010 S. Highway 3) is a fantastic authentic Mexican place about 15-20 min from town in the middle of nowhere. Basil's has gyro pizza which i *wish* I could get in NY.