The fall is a great time for a road-trip. Changing leaves and cooler temps are just around the corner, here in the Midwest. This itinerary for the Great River Road is a great way to celebrate! One of the very best places to roadtrip to see beautiful views, colorful leaves, and more is along the Mississippi River by driving The Great River Road.
The Great River Road is a National Scenic Byway that travels along the Mississippi River from Itasca State Park near Park Rapids, Minnesota all the way south beyond New Orleans in Louisiana! Now, there is no way to drive this beautiful road in a weekend, so we recently spent 2 days driving through parts in Minnesota & Iowa. We found some great stops and have put them together into a leisurely 2-day itinerary for you!
Day 1: Itinerary for the Great River Road
To begin our itinerary for the Great River Road, travel to Prescott, Wisconsin, which is across the river and slightly south of Minnesota’s Twin Cities. For day 1, you’ll be driving Highway 35 in Wisconsin.
Prescott is a neat small town with the Great River Road Visitor & Learning Center, several small shops, and a neat aerial lift bridge! Spend some time exploring this area before your first official stop!
Lunch at Muddy Waters Bar & Grill: Prescott, WI
When you’re ready to grab some lunch, head to the Muddy Waters Bar & Grill and ask to be seated on their deck out back! Wide menu offerings, great views, and excellent service means your stop will be enjoyable.
Personally, I recommend the BB King, which is a large salad of sauteed shrimp (cooked perfectly), bacon pieces, slivered almonds, and more with a delicious honey mustard dressing! YUM!
- Muddy Waters Bar & Grill – 231 Broad St, Prescott, Wisconsin
Maiden Rock Apples, Winery, & Cidery
Your next stop should be Maiden Rock Apples, Winery, & Cidery. It is about a 10 minute drive off the byway, but so worth it. Here at this locally owned orchard, you’ll see 50-60 different varieties of apples. Some apples are for eating, some for wine, some for cider, and others for all of the above!
I strongly recommend some time visiting with the owners, who are incredibly knowledgeable of the apples and the cider process. Walk among the apple trees and then head inside to explore the gifts, food products, and of course taste the cider! Buy a bottle or a flight and head outside to their patio area! In the fall, you can also pick your own apples to enjoy at home!
- Maiden Rock Winery & Cidery – W12266 King Lane, Stockholm, Wisconsin
Nelson Creamery
Time for an afternoon snack? Don’t overlook the Nelson Creamery, otherwise known as the Nelson Cheese Factory. This stop has been part of the Wisconsin community for over 100 years! They are no longer making cheese, but do offer cheeses from all over the state and around the world. They also offer fine wines, and an amazing food selection! Everyone loves their hand-scooped ice cream. We recommend grabbing a dish or cone and enjoying in their courtyard out back!
- Nelson Cheese Factory (AKA Nelson Creamery) – S237 WI-35, Nelson, Wisconsin
Buena Vista Park & Overlook: Alma, WI
In the small fishing town of Alma you’ll find a couple scenic overlooks. One is a bridge that travels over the railroad which runs parallel to the river! It’s fun to climb to the top to not only enjoy the views but watch the trains pass underneath as well as boats and ships travel through Lock & Dam #4.
Then, head east of town by following the signs for Buena Vista Park & Overlook. This is the largest natural balcony overlooking the Mississippi River. Once at the overlook, you’ll be 500 feet above the shore overlooking the entire town & river. It’s worth the drive and time to explore!
- Buena Vista Park & Overlook – Buena Vista Road, Alma, Wisconsin
OVERNIGHT STAY: La Crosse, Wisconsin
For your first overnight, we recommend La Crosse, Wisconsin. We were able to snag an affordable room at the Radisson Hotel La Crosse with great river views and it was conveniently located.
Piggy’s Restaurant: La Crosse, WI
This smokehouse located in historic La Crosse has taken barbecue and turned it into a work of art! The interior of the restaurant is beautiful and has a slight jazzy speakeasy vibe to it! Their pork chop is the most tender I’ve ever had, the Parmesan Peppercorn dressing drool worthy, and the mashed potatoes creamy!
- Piggy’s Restaurant – 501 Front St S, La Crosse, Wisconsin
The Pearl: La Crosse, WI
Also located in historic downtown La Crosse, find The Pearl Ice Cream Parlor. This 1930’s soda fountain is churning their ice cream daily as well as offering other treats! The Dark Chocolate Fudge was beyond rich and creamy and is the perfect way to enjoy an evening strolling along the river!
- The Pearl Ice Cream Parlor – 207 Pearl St., La Crosse, Wisconsin
Riverwalk Park: La Crosse, WI
Time to wear off all that food and we loved strolling through Riverwalk Park and along the banks of the Mighty Mississippi! You’ll find sculptures to see, fountains to enjoy, and boats to watch! We highly recommend watching the sunset from this point!
Day 2 – Itinerary for the Great River Road
Day 2 of our itinerary for the Great River Road brings you adventures in Wisconsin, driving through Minnesota, and into Northern Iowa! You’ll begin by crossing the river and driving Highway 26 south into Iowa. Are you ready?
World’s Largest 6-Pack: La Crosse, WI
Before leaving town, make sure to venture to see the World’s Largest 6-pack, which was located not too far from our hotel! It’s a fun quick sight to see, but be aware that it is in an industrial area so it is a busy spot during the day!
These are a part of City Brewery which is still producing beer from their factory here and have been for quite some time!
- World’s Largest 6-Pack – 1111 3rd Street S, La Crosse, Wisconsin
The City Meat Market: New Albin, IA
Right south of the Iowa/Minnesota boarder, you’ll find the tiny town of New Albin. While you may think it’s a “drive through” town, we recommend a stop at the City Meat Market. This family owned business has been a part of the community for over 100 years and is known for their smoked meats, homemade sausages, and more!
You’ll find all of that to purchase plus a whole lot more! It’s obvious they serve every part of their community with their goods! Enjoy this step back in time to when things in life were simpler!
- City Meat Market – 199 Railroad St, New Albin, Iowa
Driftless Area Education & Visitors Center: Lansing, IA
Your next stop will be the Driftless Area Education & Visitors Center just south of Lansing, IA. This beautiful building and facility has great views of the river. You’ll find several displays about the history of the area along with the history of the river and the purposes it has served over the years! Take time to explore this facility and enjoy the views !
- Driftless Area Education & Visitors Center – 1944 Columbus Road, Lansing, Iowa
Pikes Peak State Park: McGregor, IA
Located south of McGregor, Iowa, is Pikes Peak State Park named to honor Zebulon Pike and his explorations! Take the drive and enjoy the scenic overlook of the entire McGregor/Marquette/Prairie du Chien area! Make sure to hike the .4 miles to see Bridal Veil Falls. The entire path is paved or wooden, so it’s very easy to traverse and a great way to stretch your legs and enjoy nature! Be sure to listen for the falls in the quiet of the forest!
- Pikes Peak State Park – 32264 Pikes Peak Road, McGregor, Iowa
PICK Your Route
It’s time for you to make a decision in your travels! You can continue down Highway 52 (on the Iowa side of the river) and catch the Cassville Car Ferry just South & East of Millville or you can travel back to Marquette, cross the river to Prairie du Chein and travel through the Wisconsin countryside to your next stop! This part of the itinerary for the Great River Road is flexible!
Potosi Brewing Company: Potosi, WI
The Potosi Brewing Company is located in a town of 688 people, but it’s known all over! It’s a little bit of a drive to find this treasure, but it’s worth every sip and bite! The Potosi Brewing Complex consists of the brewery, a restaurant, the ABA National Brewery Museum, the Great River Road Interpretive Center, and the Potosi Brewing Company Transportation Museum. As if that isn’t enough, across the street is the Bottle House full of gifts, books, home goods, snacks, fudge, wine, and ice cream!
We recommend making this your stop at lunchtime and enjoy their Brew Pub! This beautifully done and historic restaurant offers appetizers, soups, salads, sandwiches, entrees, and of course, beer! I thoroughly enjoyed the Brat Patty (Hauber’s Brat Patty, Duesseldorf Mustard, and sauerkraut) with the delicious Sweet Potato Fries! We also strongly recommend splitting a flight with a friend to try 6 of their brews! We loved them all!
- Potosi Brewery – 209 S Main Street, Potosi, Wisconsin
Eagle Point Park: Dubuque, IA
Your next stop and ending point for this roadtrip is Dubuque. While there, you must take a trip up to Eagle Point Park! This city park, which charges $1 per car to enter has amazing views of the river and Lock & Dam #11. Enjoy the beautiful stone structures as well!
- Eagle Point Park – 2601 Shiras Ave, Dubuque, Iowa
Fenelon Place Elevator: Dubuque, IA
For only $3 per person, round trip, you can take a ride up the steepest and shortest elevator in the world! The top also offers great views of the city! It’s a unique experience and one that needs to be on your list!
- Fenelon Place Elevator – 512 Fenelon Place, Dubuque, Iowa
Mines of Spain: Dubuque, IA
Located South of Dubuque, you’ll find the Mines of Spain which is 1437 acres of recreation area and nature center to explore! Enjoy nature trails, wetlands, creeks, forest, prairies, and views of the Mississippi! Make sure to take time to drive to the Julien Dubuque Monument that overlooks the river!
- Mines of Spain – 8991 Bellevue Heights Rd., Dubuque, Iowa
The Barrel House: Dubuque, IA
It’s time for supper, right?! Head to historic downtown Dubuque to the Barrel House! This sports bar offers traditional foods with unique spins! I recommend the fish & chips along with the creamy coleslaw, but we don’t think you’ll go wrong with any choice!
- The Barrel House – 299 Main Street, Dubuque, Iowa
A 2 Day Trip Along the Mississippi
At the end of itinerary for the Great River Road you can choose to head home for a good nights sleep, but it you want some place to stay, we highly recommend checking out the historic Hotel Julien! It’s been a part of the community for over 100 years and recently renovated beautifully, plus you might get a view of the river!
Well, that’s it! Are you exhausted yet? What a full 2 days you’ve had traveling along the Mississippi River! I hope that you’ve enjoyed both the big and small adventures, nature, and commercial, and most importantly, have a new appreciation for the river communities that line the Mighty Mississippi! Share this itinerary for the Great River Road with your friends and have a fun road-trip together!
