Things to see on I-94 in Wisconsin and Minnesota

My girlfriend and I are going to visit my brother in tropical Minnesota on Thursday, and are coming back on Saturday. We were just looking for something to do to get out of Illinois, and this was the most economical thing for us. The final destination is Collegeville, about 15 miles north of St. Cloud.

Are there any things we should be sure to see near I-94? We could waste up to two or three hours. Also, any good restaurants along the way?

We already know about the Mall, we are planning that on the return trip.

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Did I-94 a few years ago on way to Fargo. One thing I remember was a west bound rest stop ( NW of Madison) with a marker commemorating some motherberkeleyer of a forest fire. Forget the cause (or even if it was blamed on humans) but it was big.

And there's always the Dells...

And for the refinishing/abraisives/surface preparation oriented among us, 3M is visible from I-94.

Where in MInnesota? Minneapolis/St. Paul, or south or north of there?

See the map, the link in the second post. We're going to Collegeville, north of St. Cloud.

if you want to see how s/s braided metal hoses are made, stop in Rogers.........JK

Actually there is a little muscle car museum at the Rogers exit and one of the Cabella's at the same exit.

still, if pump connectors fascinate you.........

In that case, there's Ellingson car museum on the northwest edge of the Twin Cities, at the Rogers exit (there's a Model A Ford on a post out in front, right on the freeway.) http://ellingsoncarmuseum.com/ St John's University in Collegeville is an attractive campus for just walking around when you get there. If you're just zipping around the perimeter of the Twin Cities area, there's not much worth stopping for right off the freeway...unless you want to come into town, out around the edge there's mainly lots of malls and chain restaurants. If you take a slight detour at Eau Claire, WI you can swing through Chippewa Falls and take a tour of the Leinenkugel Brewery. http://www.leinie.com/

stuart in mn wrote: St John's University in Collegeville is an attractive campus for just walking around when you get there

This will take up most of Friday; I have been there once before and it was about the prettiest thing in nature I'd ever seen.

stuart in mn wrote: In that case, there's Ellingson car museum on the northwest edge of the Twin Cities, at the Rogers exit (there's a Model A Ford on a post out in front, right on the freeway.) http://ellingsoncarmuseum.com/ St John's University in Collegeville is an attractive campus for just walking around when you get there. If you're just zipping around the perimeter of the Twin Cities area, there's not much worth stopping for right off the freeway...unless you want to come into town, out around the edge there's mainly lots of malls and chain restaurants. If you take a slight detour at Eau Claire, WI you can swing through Chippewa Falls and take a tour of the Leinenkugel Brewery. http://www.leinie.com/

As far as the car stuff goes, I'd love it, but my girlfriend would be bored with it. We'd both love the Leinies tour, but I wonder about if you have to be 21.

Go check out the shops on state street in madison. Just dont go into the very numerous and fun bars other wise your vacation may be extended with a hotel stay in madison (unless you drink and let your girlfriend be the designated driver). There are a lot of road side attractions and shops in Wisconsin Dells. Its kinda nice and lonely this time of year so it a better time to see the sites. If the Mt. Olympus Park is open that would be a blast. They have a bunch of go kart tracks and they used to have two different areas with even more tracks, and even some roller coasters. They had one coaster that stated you had to be 18 to ride in the last car since it jumped around on the track so much. That was the best!

When I travel I have tried incorporating recommendations from the show Diner, Drive-Ins and Dives. I have no personal recommendations for your trip but these links should help with your search.

Map:
http://find.mapmuse.com/re1/map_brand_mm2.php?brandID=DINERS_GUY&init=44.79,-90.625,8&tlist=DINERS_GUY,

http://www.foodnetwork.com/diners-drive-ins-and-dives/index.html

There is a military vehicle museum around Racine/Kenosha on 94. I can't recall exactly were, the Dells maybe, but you can eat at the worlds largest Culvers.

Appleseed wrote: There is a military vehicle museum around Racine/Kenosha on 94. I can't recall exactly were, the Dells maybe, but you can eat at the worlds largest Culvers.

Eh... Been to the military museum, and the worlds largest Culvers will have the same food as every other Culvers (as much as I love it)

I rolled by there last week. Almost crapped myself when I saw they had an MI-24 Hind.

mtn wrote:

Appleseed wrote: There is a military vehicle museum around Racine/Kenosha on 94. I can't recall exactly were, the Dells maybe, but you can eat at the worlds largest Culvers.

Eh... Been to the military museum, and the worlds largest Culvers will have the same food as every other Culvers (as much as I love it)

The Military museum at the Illinois/Wisconsin is cool but for warmer weather.

Brat Stop in Kenosha, Wisconson.

Union Grove Dragstrip during the summer weekends. Used to be owned by a character - Broadway Bob.

If you heading up through Milwaukee, stop in Brookfield and visit Reina Auto - TONS of old Alfa Romeo's, Fiats, and Ferrari's.

Reina Intl Auto Be sure to go behind the building and scope out the parking lot behind their lot as they store old worn out Alfa Romeo's back there. Cool.

harly museam in milwakee...new and pretty coolk from what i heard. the car museam in hartford, all about cars that where biult in wisonsin, take a cpouple hours for that and it is cool.