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Rochester [1] is a city in the state of Minnesota that is home to the world famous Mayo Clinic [2]. It is about 80 miles (130km) SE of Minneapolis/St. Paul. Cold in the winter and warm, sometimes hot, in the summer. Population slightly over 100,000 in the city limits, with more in the surrounding areas. The city hosts numerous out-of-town visitors coming for treatment at the Mayo Medical Center (Mayo Clinic) and has a well developed infrastructure to deal with its many visitors.

[edit] Get in

[edit] By plane

• Rochester International Airport (IATA: RST) [3] is 10 mi S of Rochester along Hwy 63. Due to the large number of visitors to the Mayo Clinic, there are more flights than in comparably-sized cities, approximately 15-20 per day. Northwest Airlines [4] (now part of Delta [5]) has flights from Minneapolis/St. Paul and Detroit. American Airlines [6] offers direct service from Chicago O'Hare. Allegiant Air [7] offers twice-weekly flights from Las Vegas. There are several car-rental companies located at the airport. Taxis are relatively expensive, approximately $25 between downtown Rochester and the airport. Shuttle service is available, timed to meet each arrival; one-way fare to downtown hotels is approximately $11.50. Some hotels also provide shuttle service. Make sure you fly into Rochester, MN, not Rochester, NY!
• Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (IATA: MSP) [8] is a 90-min drive NW of Rochester. A major airport (14th largest in North America in 2008), it has flights from most major cities around the world. Dominated by Northwest Airlines. Go Rochester Direct [9] offers shuttle service between MSP and Rochester. Star Limousine Service [10] and Gold Crown Limo [11] offers private sedan service.
• When flying in to Rochester, it is worth checking flights into both airports. Flights in to and out of Rochester are typically slightly more expensive (about $50); however, as with all things related to airfares, this varies widely.

[edit] By car

• The closest interstate to Rochester is I-90 running east and west across Minnesota. There are two exits from I-90 that will take you north into Rochester, US Highway 63 (when coming from the west) and US Highway 52 (Exit 218) (when coming from the east).

• US Highway 14 runs east and west through Rochester, connecting Rochester with Winona and Owatonna.

• US Highway 63 runs north and south through Rochester and is the main north-south thoroughfare through downtown Rochester, and connects Rochester with Lake City and south to Waterloo and connect you up with the Avenue of the Saints.

• US Highway 52 also runs north and south through Rochester and is the main pipeline connecting Rochester with the Twin Cities and running south to the southeast corner of Minnesota and into Iowa.

[edit] By train

• There is no train service into Rochester. The closest station is 45 minutes drive away in Winona. However, ground transportation between Rochester and Winona is available from GoCarefree Shuttle [12].

[edit] By bus

• Jefferson Lines [13] offers service to many cities, plus connects to Greyhound in Minneapolis. Jefferson Lines buses stop at the Sinclair gas station located at 205 6th St SW. If part of your trip involves travel on Greyhound [14], you can purchase your ticket on Greyhound's website, which will cover travel on both carriers.

[edit] Get around

• If you are only going to the Clinic, you may not need a car as most hotels provide (free) shuttle service to the Clinic. However, most visitors will want or need a car to get around.

• Parking. In most areas of Rochester, parking is not an issue, with plenty of surface parking. The only exceptions are downtown and near the Clinic. It is possible to find street parking downtown, although difficult in the inner downtown. Note that the time limit on parking meters is enforced even for cars with handicap parking placards. The city-owned parking lots are free nights and weekends, with the first hour free during weekdays. However, the privately-owned lots do not offer this, so look for the "free evening parking" signs if you want to take advantage of this. The signage downtown is pretty much non-existent, so you're own your own to find the lots. If you are going to the Clinic, there are Mayo-owned lots near the primary patient-care buildings; Mayo provides a map showing them. Rates are $2 for the first hour, $1 per hour thereafter. You can purchase 5 or 10 day passes which allow in-and-out in the same day. They also do not need to be used on consecutive days. The Mayo lots sometimes fill during the morning hours, but turnover is very quick and you are unlikely to wait more than 10 min.

• Public bus system [15]: There is a public bus system, but it is likely not to be useful to the visitor. There is no bus service on Sundays or holidays, and during the rest of the week, they will stop running fairly early, generally the last routes end at 9PM. The main goal of the bus system is to serve the downtown area. Also, the bus system revolves around the Mayo Clinic schedule, so if the Clinic were to close early (Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve), the buses will also stop running early as well. The buses run generally on an hourly basis with half hour service during the rush hours. The bus system utilizes a wagon-wheel-spoke type of grid, with routes all ending up in the downtown area to make transfers. You can request a transfer pass from one bus to the next if you are getting on a bus to get to another part of the city. On Tuesdays, there is a Shopper's bus that will get you to some of the different shopping areas in Rochester.

The central part of the city is arranged on a more-or-less standard grid. Streets run east-west and avenues run north-south. This divides the city into four quadrants, NW, NE, SE, SW. There are some named streets you might encounter.

• The dividing line between east and west is Broadway (up to about 25th St. north when things get weird).
• The dividing line between north and south is Center St.
• Civic Center Drive runs east-west from Hwy 52 to downtown approximately at 5th St. NW.
• West Circle Dr. (also called CR 22) runs north-south at the west edge of town.
• There is also an East Circle Dr., but there are fewer businesses there. In case you're wondering, the two circle drives do not meet.

Most of the newer residential development in the last fifteen years has largely abandoned the numbered grid system and gone to named curved streets. If you need to find these, there are free maps available in most hotels and the local phone book.

[edit][add listing] See

• Assisi Community Center (Assisi Heights), 1001 14th St., ☎ +1 507-282-7441, [16]. Guided tours M and Sa 2PM by appointment. Additional times may be arranged for groups of 10+.. Originally built as the home of the Sisters of Saint Francis, now part is being used as a community center. Italian Romanesque structure. Free, donations accepted.  edit

• Heritage House, 225 First Ave. NW, ☎ +1 507-286-9208. (Jun 1- Aug 30 Tu, Th, Su 1PM-3:30PM). Exhibits the way of life of a typical middle-class Midwestern family as of 125 years ago. The house has been restored and authentically furnished with antiques, quilts, dolls, and china.  edit

• Historic Chateau Theatre (Barnes and Nobles Downtown), 15 First St. SW. Was one of the most elaborate threaters built in the early 1900's. Has French Village decor complete with balconies and turrets, then remodeled into a Barnes and Noble store. (Not to be confused with the current Chateau movie theater.)  edit

• History Center of Olmsted County, 1195 W Cir. Dr. SW, ☎ +1 507-282-9447, [17]. Tu-Sa 9AM-5PM. Rare pictures, maps, diaries, exhibits about Rochester's history. Visit William Dee Log Cabin, Hadley Valley School House, and the George Stoppel Farm. $5 adults, $2 children.  edit

• Mayo Clinic Tour, [18]. Offers both a general tour of the history of the Clinic, and an art tour showcasing the art collection. Can also pickup a brochure from any Help Desk for a self-guided tour. Free.  edit

• Mayowood Mansion, 3720 Mayowood Rd. SW, ☎ +1 507-282-9447, [19]. (Varies by season). 38-room mansion, originally the home of Dr. Charles Mayo. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places. $12 adults, $5 children under 15.  edit

• Plummer House, 1091 Plummer Ln. SW, [20]. Grounds open Sunrise to Sunset year round, house open for tours every W Jun-Aug 1PM-5PM. Original home of Dr. Plummer. 49-room mansion on 11 acres. Building primary used for events. Free.  edit

[edit][add listing] Do

[edit] Theaters

• Feast and Footlights Dinner Theatre, ☎ +1 507-288-4440. (Fall only).  edit

• Jon Hassler Theater, [21]. Nationally recognized theater in the middle of nowhere.  edit

• Mayo Civic Center, [22]. Main event center, check website for calendar of shows, events, etc. (latitude,) edit

• Rochester Art Center, 40 Civic Center Dr. SE, ☎ +1 507-282-8629, [23].  edit

• Rochester Repertory Theatre, [24]. Local theater company, check website for calendar  edit

• Rochester Civic Theatre, 220 E Center St., ☎ +1 507-282-8481, [25]. Community theater. Also offers classes year round.  edit

• Oak Center General Store, [26]. Live music Nov-Apr Sa-Su. (latitude,) edit

[edit] Parks

• Carley State Park, (15 mi NE of town on Wabasha Co. Rd. 4.), [27].  edit

• Chester Woods, (20-min drive E of town along Hwy 14). Picnic areas. Small beach. Fishing. Canoe and paddle boat rentals. Camping.  edit

• Douglas State Trail, ☎ +1 507-285-7176, [28]. 13-mile blacktop trail between Rochester and Pine Island. Suitable for biking, walking. Starts at Valleyhigh Dr. just east of West Cir. Dr. NW (parking available).  edit

• Oxbow Park and Zoo, 5731 County Rd. 105 NW, Byron (Take Valleyhigh Rd. NW /Hwy 4) W from Rochester about 15 min. Just before stop sign, turn right.), ☎ +1 507-775-2451, [29]. Picnic areas by river. Several miles of hiking trails through the woods. Small zoo. Free (donation requested for zoo).  edit

• Quarry Hill Nature Center, 701 Silver Creek Road NE, ☎ (507) 281-6114, [30]. Nature center with displays. Lots of trails and parks to explore. Cross-country skiing and snow shoeing in the winter. Free.  edit

• Recreational Trails, [31]. Rochester has over 60 miles of paved trails suitable for pedestrian, bike, in-line skate, wheelchair, and stroller use. Downloadable pdf maps are available from the website listed, or paper-version can be purchased for $1.  edit

• Rochester Park System, [32]. The Rochester Park System contains over 100 city parks totaling more than 3200 acres. Many parks have sports facilities (e.g tennis, basketball, soccer) and playgrounds. Downloadable pdfs maps and facility listings are available from the website listed.  edit

• Silver Lake Boat and Bike Rentals, 700 W Silverlake Dr. NW, ☎ +1 507-261-9049, [33]. 11AM-Sunset Apr-Oct. Canoe, kayak, paddle boat, and boat rentals.  edit

• Silver Lake Park, (7th St. and 8th Ave. NW). Small lake with many walking paths. Best known for the thousands of Canadian Geese that winter here. Park has outdoor pool, playground, and skateboard park.  edit

• Soldiers Field Veterans Memorial, Third Ave. and Seventh St., [34]. Consisting of 4 60-foot circular granite walls, created to honor veterans from the area. See the Wall of Remembrance. Free.  edit

[edit] Movies

All three movie theaters are relatively new and offer stadium seating.

• Chateau, [35]. 14-screen theater located on the NE side  edit

• Cinemagic, [36]. 12-screen theater located on the NW side. (latitude,) edit

• Galaxy, [37]. 14-screen theater located on the south side in the Shoppes on Maine lifestyle center. Also has one 60 foot wide MegaScreen. (latitude,) edit

[edit] Other

• Flamingo Bingo (Circus World Bingo), 2828 E Frontage Rd., ☎ +1 507-282-0988.  edit

• House of Bounce, 6301 Bandel Rd., ☎ +1 507-292-0372, [38]. Inflatable bouncing structures. For bouncing. Free WiFi if you want to work while watching your kids bounce.  edit

• Midwest Skate Park, 1020 Seventh St. NW, ☎ +1 507-529-1382, [39]. 4-8 PM weekdays, 12-6 PM weekends. Indoor skateboarding facility. M-F $5, Sa-Su $10.  edit

• Prairie Walls Climbing Gym, 4420 19th St. NW, ☎ +1 507-292-0511, [40]. Indoor rock climbing facility.  edit

• Recreation Center, 21 Elton Hills Dr., ☎ +1 507-281-6167, [41]. Olympic length indoor pool. Two 85' x 200' ice rinks for hockey and figure skating. Make sure to call or check the website for hours the pool is available for open/lap swimming, it is often in use for specific activities. City-owned, no membership required. $4 adults, $3 youth.  edit

• Rochester Honkers, [42]. (summer). Collegiate baseball.  edit

• Skyline Raceway, 2250 40th St. SW, [43]. Paintball, go-cart racing, mini-golf.  edit

• Ultimate Segway, ☎ +1 507-206-0988, [44]. Take a Segway ride around Rochester.  edit

[edit][add listing] Buy

• The Apache Mall, located southwest of downtown, is the main (indoor) mall. Major department stores are Macy's, Herbergers, Sears, and J.C. Penneys. Also contains about 60 other smaller stores. However, there are not any stores here that you wouldn't see at any other mall.
• For most of the unique and interesting stores, the downtown is your place to go. The Shops at University Square (which used to be called The Galleria) is home to most of them, conveniently located just two blocks east of the Clinic. It is, unfortunately, rather small, only about a dozen stores, but well worth the visit if you want something different. The subway level (between US Bank and Gonda Building) also contains several unique stores, well work a walk down there if you're downtown. There are also some nearby at street level between The Shops at University Square and the clinic.
• Other small malls with some unique stores can be found in Miracle Mile, located just northeast of the intersection of highway 52 and 2nd Street South. Second Street (just west of Highway 52) is starting to turn into a small but interesting shopping area. Crossroads, located at 12th Street and South Broadway, rounds out the small malls.
• There are four major strip malls in town. Northwest Plaza (at 55th Street NW and Highway 52) has Wal-mart, Sam's club, Gander Mountain, with Menards on the east side of Highway 52. Marketplace Plaza (located at 41st Street and Highway 52) has SuperTarget, PetSmart, Staples, and Home Depot, with Best Buy and Hobby Lobby on the east side of Highway 52. South Broadway between 23rd street and 30th street has Wal-mart, Kohl's, Shop-Ko, Menards, Bed Bath and Beyond, and others. The newest is Shoppes on Maine (located at Highway 63 and 48th Street South) is home to SuperTarget, Lowe's, Dick's Sporting Goods, PetSmart, numerous smaller tenets, and an enormous Fleet Farm.
• The best place to buy Rochester souvenirs would be Eagle Drug in downtown Rochester as well as at the gift store in the Kahler hotel.

[edit][add listing] Eat

[edit] Budget

The majority of budget dining options are fast-food chain restaurants. A variety of chains exist. Downtown on the second floor of the University Shopps are several other budget restaurants, many open only for lunch.

• El Carambas, 1503 12th St. SE (East side of town new Big Lots), ☎ 507 281-3104. Mexican. Hole-in-the-wall type casual in the best sense of the word. Great soft shell tacos.  edit

• Daube's, 1310 5 Pl. NW (One branch in subway (lunch only), one branch west of downtown on Civic Center), ☎ 507 289-3095. Bakery, also serves sandwiches and quiche and such.  edit

• Good Food Deli, 1001 6th St. NW (Hidden just north of Civic Center Drive inside the Good Food Store). Vegan.  edit

• Newt's, 216 1st Ave. (Downtown above City Cafe), ☎ 507 289-0577. Voted best burgers in Rochester. Beetles Bar and Brother's are also popular similar restaurants.  edit

• Nupa, 1035 Civic Center Dr., ☎ 507 206 5044. Mediterranean fast food. Gyros, hummus, muffaletta, florettas  edit

• Pho Tai (Pho Hoa), 1726 37th St. NW (North side), ☎ 507 281-9993. Vietnamese. In addition to sit-down meals, bahn mi, inexpensive Vietnamese sandwiches on French bread, are usually available for takeout.  edit

• Pi, 3932 Marketplace Dr. NW (Near Target North), ☎ 507-424-3885, [45]. Wood-fired Pizza. Somewhat limited menu, with very unusual ingredients.  edit

• Zorba's, 924 7th St. NW (W of downtown). Greek.  edit

[edit] Mid-range

While mid-range dining is not dominated by chains, there are a number of popular chains in town as well.

• Billoti's, (downtown). Italian-American. Very popular for pizza.  edit

• Canadian Honker, (Across from St. Mary's). Traditional American. Serves fresh fish F-Sa. Often has live music.  edit

• Dos Amigos, (5 blocks SE of downtown, on the north side along Hwy 52). Mexican  edit

• Fiesta Mexicana, (N Broadway). Mexican  edit

• Great China. Chinese. Great deal on lunch plates  edit

• Green Mill. Open late. American, very wide verity of pizza, including only place in town for deep dish. Local branch of small St. Paul-based chain.  edit

• HuHot, (In the Apache Mall). Mongolian barbecue and stir fry.  edit

• Hunan Garden. Chinese. Voted Best Chinese Food in Rochester Magazine poll 8 of 9 years. Not to be confused with Hunan Wok across the street or Hunan on S Broadway.  edit

• India Garden, (About 20 blocks N of downtown on Broadway). 11PM-2:30PM, 5PM-9PM. Indian. Consistently voted best in the "Indian/Other Asian" category in Rochester Magazine poll.  edit

• John Hardy's. Another local BBQ place, along with Roscoe's.  edit

• Kingdom Buffet. Chinese. Over 100 dishes, sushi, Mongolian grill, some American dishes. International Buffet is very similar.  edit

• Redwood Room, 300 First Ave. NW (3 blocks N of downtown), [46]. M-Th until 11PM, F-Su midnight. American. Live music most days. About as hip as Rochester gets. Below 300 First.  edit

• Roscoe's Barbecue, 603 4th St. SE, 4180 18th Ave. NW, ☎ + 1507-285-0501, +1 507-281-4622, [47]. (1st location outside and closed in winter). BBQ, award-winning ribs, and home-made root beer. Given how far north Rochester is, the BBQ in town is surprising good. Roscoe's is one of the two local places, along with John Hardy's. The chain Famous Dave's also has a branch in town. Ask a Rochester local, odds are they'll have a strong opinion on which of the three BBQ places is the best.  edit

• Sytje's Pannekoeken, (One branch downtown, one branch in Crossroads). Dutch and American. Popular for weekend brunch. House specialty is the Pannekoeken (a fluffy egg-based pancake).  edit

• Victoria's, (Downtown). Wide variety of Italian-American food, with huge portions and cute decoration.  edit

[edit] Splurge

• 300 First, 300 First Ave. NW (3 blocks N of downtown), ☎ +1 507-281-2451, [48]. New American.  edit

• Chester's Kitchen and Bar, 111 S Broadway (Downtown in Galleria/Shops at University Square), ☎ +1 507-424-1211, [49]. Traditional American with a twist, most popular restaurant in town. Voted Best New Restaurant in Rochester Magazine poll in 2009.  edit

• City Cafe, 216 First Ave. SW (Downtown), ☎ +1 507-289-1949, [50]. Modern American. Voted Best Restaurant in Rochester Magazine poll in 2006, '07-'08.  edit

• Jaspers, 14 3rd St. SW (Downtown), ☎ +1 507-280-6446, [51]. Alsatian food.  edit

• Michael's, 15 S Broadway (Downtown), ☎ +1 507-288-2020, [52]. Traditional American, steaks. Go for the pictures of famous people on the wall who have eaten there. Voted Best Steak Dinner in Rochester Magazine poll in 2009.  edit

• Pescara, 150 S Broadway (In oubletree/Radisson hotel), ☎ +1 507-280-6900, [53]. Opened (May 2009), probably the best seafood in town. Smallish but fancy dining area.  edit

• Prescott, 1201 S Broadway (Crossroads shopping center), ☎ +1 507-536-7775, [54]. Bistro-style French, casual but with great food. Smaller but excellent wine list. Voted Best Restaurant in Rochester Magazine poll in 2009.  edit

• Söntés, 4 Third St SW (Downtown), ☎ +1 507-292-1628, [55]. Tapas with extensive wine list, gourmet cheeses.  edit

• Sushi Ito's, 318 S Broadway (Downtown), ☎ +1 507-280-0034, [56]. Sushi and standard Japanese dishes.  edit

[edit][add listing] Drink

• Beetles Bar and Grill, 230 20th Ave. SW, ☎ +1 507-529-9599, [57].  edit

• Blues, 129 Main St S, Chatfield (South on Hwy 52 about 10 minutes), ☎ 507-867-3939 (blueson52@hotmail.com), [58]. Live Blues every weekend  edit

• Goonies, 7 Second St NW, ☎ 288-8130, [59]. Live comedy shows F-Sa. Open mic on Th.  edit

• Kathy's, 300 S Broadway.  edit

• King's Crossing Bar and Grill, 915 21st Ave. SE, ☎ +1 507-289-1690.  edit

• Newt's, 216 1st Ave. SW, ☎ +1 507-289-0577, [60].  edit

• Sand Trap, 3342 19th St. NW, ☎ +1 507-536-7768.  edit

• Whistle Binkies, (NE location near Chateau Theatre, and S Broadway location). Pub atmosphere with dozens of beer selections to choose from. S Broadway location has outdoor seating during the summer months. Variety of menu items. Not for romantic evenings or business talk.  edit

[edit][add listing] Sleep

Due to the large number of visitors to the Mayo clinic, and their unique needs, there is a wide range of sleeping arrangements to fit almost any budget or need, from low-end to high-end, from short-term to long-term, from standard hotel rooms, to rooms with kitchenettes, to fully furnished apartments. While there are some hotels spread-out through-out the city, most of the hotels are grouped downtown (by the clinic), along SW second street (by Saint Mary's), and along South Broadway (where most of the cheaper, non-chain ones are located). Below are only a sample of the available hotels. Most of the cheaper, non-chain hotels are not listed.

[edit] Mayo Clinic

The following downtown hotels are connected to the clinic, and to the rest of downtown, via a network of above-ground enclosed skyways and below-group passages (called subways). This is very useful in the winter!

• Holiday Inn Express, 220 South Broadway, Phone: +1 507 252-8200, [61]. Note that the Holiday Inn Express is downtown and is fancier than the Holiday Inn. However, starting December 2006, they have been involved in a labor dispute after the new owners fired all the union workers and hired non-union ones. If this matters to you, avoid this place.
• Kahler Grand Hotel, 20 SW Second Avenue, Phone: +1 507 280-6200, Fax: +1 507 285-2701, [62] Old hotel, lots of character. Many like it for the character and not looking like every other hotel, others don't like it due to being older.
• International Hotel, 20 SW Second Avenue, [63]. Rochester's only AAA 4 diamond hotel. Actually the upper two floors of the Kahler Grand. Gets consistently excellent reviews, but pricey.
• Kahler Inn and Suites, 9 Third Avenue Northwest, Phone: +1 507 285-9200, Reservations: +1 800 533-1655, Fax: +1 507 282-4478, [64]. Not to be confused with the Kahler Grand, this hotel is not as nice. But it is convenient to Mayo.
• Marriott, 101 First Avenue SW, Phone: +1 507 280-6000, Fax: +1 507 280-8531, [65].
• Oakwood Broadway Tower, 15 1st Street SE, Rochester, MN 55904, Phone: +1 507 424-4200, Fax: +1 507 424-4201, [66] High-end long-term stays. Currently also allowing shorter term stays, reviews have been very positive.
• Doubletree (Radisson Plaza), 150 South Broadway, ☎ 507-281 8000, [67].  edit

[edit] Downtown

• Residence Inn, 441 West Center St NW, +1 507 292-1400, Toll-free: +1 877 623-7775, Fax: Phone: +1 507 536-5020, [68].
• Best Western Soldiers Field Tower and Suites, 401 6th Street SW, Phone: +1 507 288-2677, Toll-free: +1 800 366-2067, Fax: +1 507 282-2042, [69].
• Hilton Garden Inn, 225 South Broadway. In downtown, but not connected to skyway  edit

[edit] Saint Mary's

• Courtyard Rochester St. Mary, 161 13th Ave, Phone: +1 507 536-0040, Toll-free: +1 800 504-1035, Fax: +1 507 536-0050, [70].
• Fiksdal Hotel And Suites, 1215 Southwest Second Street.  edit
• SpringHill Suites, 1125 2nd Street SW, Phone: +1 507 281-5455, Toll-free: +1 800 678-9894, Fax: +1 507 285-9641, [71].
• Staybridge Suites, 1211 Second St. Sw, +1 507 289-6600, [72].

[edit] South Broadway

• Country Inn and Suites, 77 Wood Lake Drive SE.  edit
• Econo Lodge South, 1850 South Broadway. Two story Motor Inn (no internal hallways), clean basic accommodations.  edit
• Hampton Inn, 1755 South Broadway, Phone: +1 507 287-9050, [73].

[edit] Other locations

• Microtel Inn, 4210 Hwy 52 North, West Frontage Road, Phone: +1 507 286-8780, [74]. Cheap rates for Mayo patients. Free shuttles to Mayo, free long distance, free breakfast and free internet. [75]
• Motel 6, 2107 West Frontage Road, Phone: +1 507 282-6625, Fax: +1 507 280-7987, [76].
• Ramada, 1517 16th Street Southwest. Small indoor warterpark, otherwise mixed reviews. Recently (2007) changed from being a Best Western, so undergoing many changes.  edit

[edit] Contact

Many many places offer free internet access

• Public Library. Free computer use, free wi-fi.
• Caribou Coffee. All five locations offer free wi-fi.
• Dunns Brothers. Both locations offer free wi-fi and free computer use.
• Panera Bakery. Both locations offer free wi-fi.

[edit] Cope

• The Post Bulletin's listing [77], Local newspaper's list of upcoming events. The best source for looking for things to do.

[edit] Get out

• Minneapolis / Saint Paul, [78]. About a 90 minute drive north on Highway 52, the Minneapolis / Saint Paul area offers all activities of a big city without being overwhelming. Including, of course, the Mall of America.  edit

• Whitewater Park, (Take highway 14 to St Charles, then North on Hwy 74. Located 3 miles south of Elba. About 45 minutes drive from Rochester), [79]. beautiful park with many miles of hiking trails.  edit

• Winona, Lake City, Red Wing, Wabasha, [80]. Cute cities on the Mississippi River  edit

• National Eagle Center, (In Wabasha), [81]. Chance to see our national bird up close and learn more about them. Recently (Spring 2007) renovated.  edit

• Spam Museum, [82]. Yes, really. Hormel is headquartered in Austin, MN, about 45 drive from Rochester. For an experience you can't get anywhere else, give this one a try.  edit

• Tour SE Minnesota, [83]. The Rochester Tour Company provides private tours of the areas best scenic areas.  edit

• Forestville / Mystery Cave, [84]. Historic Forestville is a restored 1800s village operated by the Minnesota Historical Society, complete with guides in period clothing and activities. Mystery Cave is an underground cave.  edit

• Niagara Cave, [85]. Very impress underground cave  edit

• Lanesboro, [86]. Historic village in a beautiful valley. Old-town main street with unique shops and restaurants. Many outdoor activities. Near a fish hatchery where you can feed hundreds of fish with one toss.  edit

• Bluff Country, [87]. Beautiful area in SE Minnesota  edit