Minnesota's Quaint Twin City Suburb Has Festivals, Shops, And Scenic Parks

The Twin City metro area is massive and bustling, encompassing dozens of communities spread across multiple counties. But when much of the attention centers around Minneapolis and St. Paul, which sit across the Mississippi River from one another, it can be easy to overlook the smaller communities in the area. Plenty of attractions worth stopping for are just outside the cities — in suburbs like St. Michael, a city that has its own unique history, charm, and community events. 

St. Michael's roots go back to the mid-19th century. As settlers were moving into the Crow River region, a small wooden church was built in 1856 and dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel. As the small village of mostly German Catholics grew, their community adopted the name of the church, which was transformed in 1892 into the beautiful and towering neo-gothic brick building that still stands today.

Fast forward to the present, and St. Michael is a laid-back community of around 22,000, with family-friendly festivals year-round, quality shopping, scenic parks, and a more small-town feel — making it a worthwhile addition to any Twin City itinerary. Its suburb status and location around thirty minutes northwest of Minneapolis — just off I-94 on the way to St. Cloud — means you can easily pop into Minneapolis to catch a show, watch a game, or spend an afternoon at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Overall, St. Michael is a well-balanced community, with historic roots, local events, shops, and quiet green spaces. And it's all just a short hop from the big city.

As a small, historic community, St. Michael has events throughout the year, from a casual Family Night in the Park to larger celebrations such as St. Michael Daze and Knights Festival. Going on its 19th year, the Daze and Knights is held over two days in early August at Town Center Park and features a ton of family-friendly action: A parade, live music, a bouncy house, a 5K youth color run, and more. Alongside all of that, there are a dozen food trucks, offering mini donuts, wood-fired pizza, Korean corn dogs, and more.

The changing of the seasons brings the annual Fall Festival, put on by the historic St. Michael Catholic Church and held the second weekend of September. It's a wholesome event, featuring small-town classics like live music, bingo, a chicken dinner, and an artisan crafts market, mixed with modern additions, like a pickleball tournament and NFL watch party. In early December, there's the aptly named WinterFest, when the town starts the cold season off with wagon rides, reindeer photos, a dog sled team, and plenty of other snowy fun.

When talking about shopping in the Minneapolis area, the Mall of America in Bloomington rightfully takes center stage. Only 40 minutes from St. Michael, America's largest mall and a giant Midwest entertainment destination await, but the St. Michael suburbs also have quality shopping. The Albertville Premium Outlets are only 10 minutes north of St. Michael and feature over 100 stores from some of the biggest brands in an open-air outlet mall setting. In downtown St. Michael, Holy Gifts is in the historic church and offers a selection of religious items, while a dress in any size and for any occasion can be found at Paisley & Chloe's Boutique.

Whether there's a festival or not, St. Michael is great for a low-key weekend or is a solid choice for an afternoon of shopping and relaxing at one of the many parks. Town Center Park is the site of some of the aforementioned festivals. On other days, its location makes it a convenient place to enjoy a coffee while the kids run around the playground, cool off at the splash pad on hot summer days, or play a game on the pickleball courts.

On the southeast edge of town, less than 10 minutes from the center of St. Michael, Crow-Hassan Park Reserve offers a deeper immersion into northern Midwest nature. What started as a 20-acre protected area in 1969 is now a 2,600-acre reserve that boasts some of the most diverse ecosystems in the state. It's an untouched oasis to many threatened or endangered animal species, like the rusty patched bumblebee, and boasts nearly 100 varieties of wildflowers. Open to explore all year, visitors can hike the dozens of miles of trails (including 10 dog-friendly miles), enjoy the 40-acre off-leash dog area, and paddle the Crow River (with their own kayak). Plus, there's snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in winter.

If you've got the must-have travel gear for golf vacations, there are many courses in the area, like the Fox Hollow Golf Club, situated on the Crow River, 10 minutes east of St. Michael. It's a championship, 18-hole course that hosts high-level tournaments, features some challenging greens, and has quality practice facilities. For those looking for some camping, check out nearby Lake Maria State Park, Minnesota's underrated state park near Minneapolis, and a relaxing escape to camp and picnic.