Featured Photo by Wisconsin Great River Road
The Perfect Way To Spend A Day Trip To Stockholm, Wisconsin!
A little village right on the Wisconsin Great River Road, Stockholm is home to a small community with big culture and heart. The population of Stockholm is less than 70 people, but the village makes up for it in a big way with the unique products and experiences they have to offer. Being located right on the Mississippi River and near Lake Pepin makes it the perfect place to take a day trip if you find yourself nearby or cruising the Great River Road.
Since it is such a small community, a day trip will give you enough time to explore the area and visit all the popular attractions, especially those that pay tribute to the area’s Swedish background. With a variety of places to see and things to do, here is a list of recommendations for how to spend a day in Stockholm and get the best experiences out of your visit.
Photo by Pepin Country Stop
Stockholm is a little haven for small shops selling handcrafted and homemade gifts of all varieties. Known for being a local art hub, you don’t want to miss out on what these charming shops have to offer. A great place to start is the Humblemoon Folkstead a rustic art gallery that also sells craft furniture made from old and new materials alike, and Northern Oak Amish Furniture and Gifts features Heirloom Quality Amish-crafted traditional American furniture. A quick jaunt down the road will take you to Pepin Country Stop, in nearby Pepin, WI, which is a bustling farmers market selling everything from locally grown seasonal produce and homemade goods like honey, jam, and syrup to unique yard art and outdoor furniture.
If you’re in search of art, jewelry, or other little gifts, Stockholm has many shops that specialize in handcrafted items of this variety. StockHome is a home décor store that embodies the Scandinavian ideal of Hygge in their various items for the home, mind and body. Hugga Bugga, Sandy’s Clothing & Art, and Savvy are just a few shops that make and sell their items in Stockholm and give you the opportunity to find a unique gift to remember your trip by.
Photo by Robin Pfeifer
Maiden Rock Bluff is a 400-foot limestone bluff that stretches for over a mile at the top overlooking the Mississippi River and the Great River Road. With a groomed hiking trail only a mile long, it is the perfect hike for a day trip with a worthwhile reward at the top. On your way up you may encounter peregrine falcons, golden and bald eagles, and 250-year old red cedars, but once you reach the top you’ll be met with clear blue sky and water, as you look out over the river valley, which will make the effort worth all the while. Sunrise and sunset hikes are recommended by most to enhance your experience.
Photo by Villa Bellezza Winery & Vineyards
After tiring yourself out at the shops and hiking the bluff, a perfect next stop is Villa Bellezza Winery & Vineyards in neighboring Pepin. While you may have been to many wineries, Villa Bellezza’s classical Mediterranean style winery offers a wine experience like no other in the area. The buildings, inspired by the architecture of century-old villas of southern Europe, and the design of the complex will transport you a world away as you sip on whites and reds and admire the beauty of the expansive vineyards.
When you arrive at Villa Bellezza, the best thing to do first is arrange a tasting and sample wines of your choice from their extensive wine list. Then, if you are interested in the production of their wines, you can take a tour of the winery where you learn all about their history and process, including a closer look at the vineyards. By the end of the tour you might be ready for lunch, so head back inside to Il Forno Restorante where you can dine on gourmet Italian style pasta, pizza, and paninis. Once you’ve had your fill, don’t forget to purchase your favorite wines to take home and enjoy another time before leaving this beautiful winery.
Photo by Wisconsin Great River Road
No trip to Stockholm would be complete without grabbing a sweet treat at the Stockholm Pie & General Store, so be sure to hunt down this little sweet shop at some point of your day trip. One specialty of the shop is pies, as they feature over 40 different types and flavors of pie throughout the year. Handcrafted from scratch and made from the highest quality fruits and nuts, this shop offers some of the best pie in Wisconsin, so buy a slice or a whole pie, or maybe even a few to bring home.
Besides sweets, the store also offers a lunch menu and a general store on site. If you haven’t eaten yet, their savory pot pies are a fan favorite, but they also have soups, salads, wraps, sandwiches made on fresh artisan bread from Jenny Lind Bakery in Stockholm, and a full expresso bar. The Stockholm Pie & General Store also runs the Pie Plate Café in Red Wing, Minnesota across the river, so if you enjoy their sweets and food this is another place to check out a different day.
Content Writer and Social Media Coordinator. I paint, listen to music, and play with my dogs a lot. When I’m not doing all that, I love to read and try new things.
