Road trip from Minneapolis to Champaign

Norseman Distillery, the first micro-distillery in Minneapolis, was founded with principles of using the very best local ingredients to produce small batches of exceptionally fine spirits. From our micro-distillery in northeast Minneapolis, we hand craft each batch with the hopes of inspiring legendary cheer in those who drink it.

Coldwater had been home to the Bureau of Mines Twin Cities Research Center for close to fifty years, from 1949 to 1996, when Congress closed all Bureau of Mines centers nationwide. In 2010 the NPS assumed responsibility, Coldwater has gone from an office park to a public park. Coldwater is part of an unbroken expanse of green space, stretching from Minnehaha Falls Regional Park to Fort Snelling.

KOSA Spa provides a sanctuary; a place to retreat, to nourish body, mind, and spirit, and in so doing reconnect with one’s best self. KOSA Spa blends wellness best practices from the 5,000-year-old Indian tradition of Ayurveda with seasonal, organic, Wisconsin-sourced ingredients and artisanal products. KOSA Spa’s offerings include customized wellness balancing plans; treatments, including Abhyanga, Shirodhara, Pinda Sweda, Massage, and Facials; and personal retreats that include access to our hot-stone sauna, aromatherapy hydro-steam room, meditation studio, sanctuary lounge, and organic, Ayurvedic teas and foods.

Our premier downtown multi-venue complex features four unique and versatile venues: Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Exhibition Hall, the New Holland Pavilions, and Willow Island. A top choice for expositions, conventions, meetings, concerts, sporting events, ag events, and much more, the Alliant Energy Center complex is a one-stop-shop for all your events. Ample parking, mouthwatering catering, dedicated staff, and a full range of rental equipment & high speed internet make AEC an event planners delight!

Anderson Japanese Gardens is proud of its longstanding reputation as one of the highest quality Japanese gardens in North America. Our passion, however, is how the Garden positively impacts individuals and the communities where they live. We are committed to presenting first-class programs, events, and opportunities that bring people together in this uplifting natural setting.

This year-round garden, which started as a commercial nursery, includes 155 acres of trees and 300 woody plant species mapped and labeled. The gardens include: a Rhododendron and Azalea dell, Hosta Garden, Nancy Olsen's Children's Garden, Fountain Garden, Demonstration Garden, Peony Garden, Grasses Garden,Woodland Wildflower Garden and Plant-a-Row garden. There are several signature events hosted each year also. Botanica luncheon,Garden Fair, Plant Sale, Woodsong Concert Series, Autumn in the Arboretum and Twilight in the Garden are all popular annual events.

The Laurent House in Rockford, IL is the only building ever designed by Frank Lloyd Wright for a person with a disability. Wright considered the home one of the best 35 works of his career. This single-story Usonian home is both functional and beautiful, decades ahead of ADA requirements. The home features a solar hemicycle footprint, patio, fishpond, carport, and outdoor connectivity to nature.