Things To Do
Little Thistle Brewing
Little Thistle holds a fond spot in our hearts, this was where we met for our first date, we've had many dates since then and they supplied much of our COVID alcohol supply! They are also strongly tied into the curling community in Rochester so highly recommend! Little Thistle Brewing Company was formerly a truck loading dock – multiple garage doors that open in the summertime were a no brainer! Our nearly 2-acre lot is situated at the end of 14th Street NW – to the west of the Valley High Drive Post Office and directly east of the Cascade Trail/Douglas Trail. We’re an outdoor and biking destination with our easy access off the trail and our large, inviting beer garden.
Quarry Hill Nature Center
Todd and I have taken the dogs here on many strolls! Enjoy the beauty and habitat of southeastern Minnesota by hiking, or biking the 8 miles of trails covering 329 acres. Park land features a former working quarry, the Rochester State Hospital Cemetery, and a 3 acre pond.
Mayowood Historic Home
They are open both Saturday and Sunday and offer tours (hour long), adult tickets are $20 and child tickets are $10. The 23,000-square foot, thirty-eight room home was built in 1910 by Dr. Charlie and Edith Mayo. Once a 3,300-acre country estate, the house has seen many changes over the years. Outdoors, the home is surrounded by a grand terrace overlooking the Zumbro River along with beautiful botanical gardens and an Oriental Tea House.
Assisi Heights Spirituality Center
Assisi Heights is the motherhouse of the Sisters of St. Francis, who founded St. Mary's Hospital, as it then was known, in 1889. Tours of Assisi Heights are available on Mondays and Thursdays at 2:00 pm and Saturdays at 1:30 pm. Their gift shop sells Assisi Heights Honey, handcrafted items, cards and artwork created by the Sisters and Cojourners. Gift Shop hours: Saturdays and Sundays from 12:15 – 1:30 pm.
Apache Mall
Find all the brands you love under one roof at Apache Mall in Rochester, Minnesota. Bring the family and spend the day exploring the mall’s famous retailers before sitting down to relax and enjoy a meal with friends and family in the large food court.
Oxbow Park & Zollman Zoo
We have enjoyed several afternoons walking around the zoo and surrounding grounds! Located in Olmsted County, north of the city of Byron, and about 4.5 miles west of Rochester. It houses over 30 species of animals, most of which have injuries that would prevent them from surviving in the wild.
Air Insanity Indoor Trampoline Park
We've never been here but heard great things! Rochester's Premier Indoor Trampoline Park featuring a 5,000sqft Open Jump Arena, Slam Dunk Zones, Insane Dodge-ball, Ninja Warrior Obstacle Course, Extreme Warped Wall, Laser Maze, Traverse Climbing Wall, Toddler Zone, Battle Beam, Fidget Ladder, Insanity Nerf Zone, Café, Party Rooms and so much more.
SPARK, Children's Museum
Engaging people of all ages in the joy of play, the power of learning, and a sense of community.
Old School Arcade and Axe Throwing
If you've never been axe throwing it is a blast! We've been several times at several different locations. Rochester’s largest freeplay arcade, featuring over 50 classic games like Guitar Hero, Aerosmith Pinball, and Q*bert, along with thrilling axe-throwing lanes!
Chip Shots
Golf simulators, indoor pickleball, cornhole, and multisport simulators, as well as full kitchen and bar.
Salem Glen Winery
A unique, local wine and cider experience. Salem Glen is a family-owned and operated boutique winery specializing in small batches of wine made from regionally grown grapes and other fruit. Our winery was established in 2006 on a farmstead in the Zumbro River valley, southwest of Rochester.
Whitewater Wines Llc
This one is probably the closest to our venue. Whitewater Wines is located in the bluff country of Southeast Minnesota in the uplands of the Whitewater river valley. The winery is on 30 acres of prairie, hardwoods and vineyard. There are walking trails, two ponds and is beautifully landscaped.
Four Daughters Vineyard & Winery, Loon Juice Hard Cider, and The Traditionalist Bourbon Distillery
Highly recommend their pizzas and nachos! Visitors from around the world come to experience the acclaimed Four Daughters wines, Loon Juice hard cider, and The Traditionalist Bourbon. As the largest winery in the state, with a deep commitment to excellence every day, prestigious awards like the Minnesota Governor’s Cup and Double Gold at the Indy Wine Competition have continued to come through the years.
Kinney Creek Brewery
If you want a brewery with games, this is it! They have tons of large scale games and small scale games to enjoy while you drink a beer (or root beer!) Kinney Creek Brewery is your Rochester, MN craft beer and hard seltzer destination! We are a locally owned and operated micro-brewery, fused with deep Rochester, MN roots. We proudly brew our beers and hard seltzers in-house and serve them in a friendly and inviting taproom.
LTS Brewing Company
Life’s Too Short. Drink Good Beer. We're constantly working on making LTS a “happy place” for all of our customers to feel comfortable and enjoy good company. We like to say “It’s about the beer” because we’re beer people - but we aim for everything from the craft soda, to the customer service, to the care of our team, to be of the highest quality.