Things to Do in Wabasha, Minnesota
The best things to do in Wabasha, Minnesota, are watching bald eagles at the National Eagle Center, walking the historic Main Street and getting out on the Mississippi. Wabasha is a river town of 2,559 people and the seat of Wabasha County, at the foot of Lake Pepin near where the Zumbro River comes in.
The town is named for a line of Mdewakanton Dakota chiefs called Wapasha, and it was platted in 1854. Movie fans know it as the setting of Grumpy Old Men, and a sign at the city limits says so. The 1993 film was actually shot elsewhere in Minnesota.
National Eagle Center
This is why most people come. The center sits on the riverbank where fast water from the Chippewa River keeps the Mississippi partly open in winter, so bald eagles fish here year-round. Inside, non-releasable eagle ambassadors live in a glass-walled aviary, and there are daily programs. The American Eagle Gallery shows pieces from Preston Cook’s collection of more than 40,000 eagle items.
★ Good to know Bring binoculars for the outdoor decks, where spotting scopes look over the river; the staff suggests planning at least one to two hours.
Main Street and the Wabasha Commercial Historic District
Downtown is a 10-acre National Register district of 52 buildings from 1856 to 1928, mostly two-story brick Italianate storefronts. The Anderson House Hotel, individually listed in 1978, anchors it. Stop at Old Legion Coffee Co., Local World Gallery or the WideSpot Performing Arts Center while you walk.
★ Good to know The City Dock in front of the National Eagle Center lets boaters tie up and walk straight into downtown.
Boating and paddling on the Mississippi
Pool 4 Adventures rents pontoons and fishing boats near the National Eagle Center. Broken Paddle Guiding runs guided kayak tours, rentals and lessons in the backwaters and floodplain forest. Lake Pepin opens up just upriver.
★ Good to know Slippery’s and The Pioneer Club are on the water if you want to eat by boat.
Riverfront parks
Rotary Beach Park has a sand beach, gazebo and picnic pavilion right on the river. Heritage Park on Main Street has a stage where the River Junctions Arts Council puts on free outdoor concerts on summer Fridays. Izaak Walton Park has a big boat launch and a fishing dock.
★ Good to know Edward Malone Memorial Park has an accessible fishing dock if you want to cast from shore.
LARK Toys
Just south in Kellogg, LARK Toys is a giant independent toy store with a hand-carved carousel you can ride. It also has a mini-golf course with two working waterfalls. Wooden toys are made on site in its workshop.
★ Good to know Pair it with the National Eagle Center for an easy half-day with kids.
Coffee Mill Golf Course and Ski Area
Coffee Mill Golf Course is an 18-hole course on top of Coffee Mill Bluff, with views over the Mississippi and Chippewa valleys. In winter, Coffee Mill Ski Area runs 28 acres of trails and claims the longest vertical drop south of Duluth.
★ Good to know The ski area only opens in the snow season, so check its site before you drive.
Kruger Campground and nearby state land
The Kruger Campground and Day Use Area just outside town has hiking trails, canoe access, picnic shelters and a wheelchair-accessible trail. Hundreds of acres of public land nearby have mapped snowshoe and cross-country ski routes in winter.
★ Good to know Frontenac State Park, a 2,300-acre bluff park on Lake Pepin, is up the river if you want a bigger hike.
Also in town
Reads Landing Brewing Co. and Hoppy Girl Brewing Co. pour local beer, The Front Porch Bar & Grill and The Lost Dutchman are town hangouts, Cannon Park shows off a restored World War I cannon, and Schmidt Park has a fountain and old-style lamps.
When is the best time to see bald eagles in Wabasha?
Eagles are here all year, but winter is the big season, because fast water below the Chippewa River keeps the Mississippi partly open. The National Eagle Center’s decks and scopes are the easiest place to watch.
Was Grumpy Old Men filmed in Wabasha?
The movie is set in Wabasha, but it was filmed elsewhere in Minnesota in early 1993. The town embraces it anyway, with a welcome sign and a Grumpy Old Men Festival every February.
What is the Wabasha Grumpy Old Men Festival?
It’s a winter festival held on a late-February weekend. Expect an ice fishing tournament, a polar plunge, curling, live music and movie showings at the National Eagle Center.
What other river towns are near Wabasha?
Red Wing is up the river past Lake Pepin; see things to do in Red Wing. Winona is downriver; see Winona, or browse more small towns in Minnesota.
Where to find them
- National Eagle Center 50 Pembroke Ave S., Wabasha, MN 55981 Website Directions
- Wabasha Commercial Historic District Main St., Wabasha, MN 55981 Website Directions
- Boating and paddling on the Mississippi Website Directions
- Rotary Beach Park Main St. W, Wabasha, MN 55981 Website Directions
- LARK Toys 63604 170th Ave, Kellogg, MN 55945 Website Directions
- Coffee Mill Ski Area 99 Coulee Way, Wabasha, MN 55981 Website Directions
- Kruger Campground and Day Use Area Website Directions
Plan your trip: for events and current visitor info in Wabasha, see Wabasha-Kellogg Chamber & CVB →
Some links in this section are affiliate links. If you book through them, Best Small Towns in America may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Where to stay in Wabasha
Keep exploring
Red Wing, MNAbout 28 miles as the crow fliesMississippi bluff town of boots, pottery and a 1904 theater.Things to do in Red Wing →
Lanesboro, MNAbout 46 miles as the crow fliesBluff Country trail town with a pro theater and a stone dam.Things to do in Lanesboro →
Northfield, MNAbout 56 miles as the crow fliesCollege town on the Cannon where townspeople defeated Jesse James.Things to do in Northfield →Also nearby: Stillwater · Taylors Falls