Choose wisely. Connect locally.Add your business 
St. Cloud is a city of about 69,000 people on the Mississippi River in central Minnesota, about an hour northwest of Minneapolis. Founded in the 1850s, it grew on the region's famous granite quarries, which earned it the nickname Granite City and supplied stone to buildings across the country. Today it is a regional center and the home of St. Cloud State University.
The city is known for its riverside gardens. Munsinger Gardens, set among tall pines on the Mississippi, and the formal Clemens Gardens next door are among the loveliest public gardens in the state. Quarry Park and Nature Preserve lets visitors hike and swim among old granite quarries, and the Beaver Islands Trail follows the river past a chain of wooded islands.
Downtown holds the restored Paramount Center for the Arts, the domed Stearns County Courthouse and the Cathedral of Saint Mary, while the Stearns History Museum tells the story of the region. Lake George hosts summer concerts and winter skating, and Saint John's Abbey, with its striking modernist church, is a short drive west.
A historic public garden on the east bank of the Mississippi River, with winding paths through flower beds, shade gardens, fountains and a pond under tall pine trees. Free to visit and lovely from late spring through early fall. Pair it with Clemens Gardens across the road and stroll the riverside path at sunset.
A series of formal gardens above Munsinger Gardens, including a large rose garden, a white garden, a perennial garden and elegant fountains and gazebos. It was created in memory of a local benefactor's wife. Admission is free; visit in June and July when the roses are at their peak and the fountains are running.
A small lake and park just east of downtown, with a walking path, a fountain and an outdoor stage that hosts Summertime by George, a free weekly summer concert series. In winter the lake becomes a popular outdoor skating rink. Bring a blanket for summer concerts, and rent skates in winter when the rink is open.
A Stearns County park with more than 20 old granite quarries, wooded trails, prairie and wetlands, plus designated swimming quarries with clear, deep water and rock ledges. It is also popular for rock climbing and scuba diving. A daily vehicle permit is required; check swimming rules and bring water shoes.
A paved trail along the west bank of the Mississippi River south of downtown, with views of the Beaver Islands, a chain of wooded islands in the river that shelter birds and wildlife. It is great for walking and cycling. Bring binoculars for eagles and herons, and paddle around the islands in a canoe in summer.
A restored 1921 theater in downtown St. Cloud that hosts concerts, plays, comedy and dance, with a gallery and art studios in the same complex. Its marquee is a downtown landmark. Check the schedule for touring shows and local productions, and have dinner at one of the nearby restaurants before the show.
A regional museum in a park setting with exhibits on Central Minnesota's history, including granite quarrying, farming, a full-size replica of a granite quarry, and the Pan automobile once built in St. Cloud. It also has a research center. Plan about two hours, and walk the trails in the surrounding park.
The mother church of the Catholic Diocese of St. Cloud, a large granite and brick church completed in the 1920s with a tall tower, rich interior decoration and stained glass windows. It is an active parish downtown. Visitors are welcome outside Mass times; look up at the painted ceiling and detailed altars.
A grand courthouse completed in 1922 with a large copper dome, granite columns and terra cotta details, standing at the heart of downtown St. Cloud. Inside, a rotunda and murals decorate the public spaces. Admire the facade from the lawn, and step inside during business hours to see the dome from below.
The Benedictine abbey church at Saint John's University in Collegeville, about 15 miles west of St. Cloud, a bold concrete church designed by Marcel Breuer with a huge bell banner and honeycomb window. The campus also has trails through woods and lakes. Visitors are welcome to see the church outside services.
No reviews yet. Been to Saint Cloud? Be the first to share your experience.
Share what you loved, what to skip and tips for other travelers.
Log in to write a reviewBeen to Saint Cloud? Add your best shots to the gallery.
Log in to add photosPhoto: McGhiever, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Michael Hicks, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Skvader, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Farragutful, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Farragutful, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Farragutful, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Farragutful, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Ryan Herrboldt, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Ryan Herrboldt, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Ryan Herrboldt, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Lazy Devil, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Lazy Devil, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Tony Webster from San Francisco, California, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Lorie Shaull from St Paul, United States, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Lorie Shaull from St Paul, United States, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Skvader, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Farragutful, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Farragutful, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Farragutful, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Farragutful, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Farragutful, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Elkman, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Lazy Devil, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Lazy Devil, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Lazy Devil, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Lazy Devil, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
