Pepin is such a charming small town that holds some fascinating history and amazing local businesses. This small town sits along the Great River Road about an hour and a half north of LaCrosse and an hour and a half south of Minneapolis. The town is well known for being the birthplace of the famous author, Laura Ingalls Wilder, and having a large, naturally formed lake on the Mississippi River. In the summer, it becomes a hot spot for boating and fishing. In the winter, it turns into a very cozy and festive destination.
This post is brought to you in part by Destination Pepin, but all opinions are my own.
WHERE TO STAY STAY
There are many short term rentals in Pepin, most of which you can find on Airbnb. There are a variety of places to stay, including both waterfront and walkable properties. We stayed at Riverview Respite, a cozy waterfront rental with the most beautifully decorated living room, a full fridge, a few kitchen gadgets, one full bathroom, and a stunning bedroom with a king bed. The rental also included access to a courtyard with a hot tub, sauna, cold shower, and fireplace. I have absolutely no notes on this stay! The host clearly thought of everything–from plenty of towels to a few complimentary snacks and a selection of oftentimes forgotten products. I couldn’t recommend a stay at Riverview Respite enough!
WHERE TO DO YOUR HOLIDAY SHOPPING
While you're in Pepin, you can’t miss out on the Christmas Market at Villa Bellezza Winery. This winery is a fabulous destination any day of the year. In the summer, you can sit on the piazza and sip wine in the sunshine. In the winter, the piazza and their large event space are turned into a wonderful Christmas market! Grab a glass of mulled wine, wander through the beautifully lit market, and shop local artisans and retailers. The market is open 11am-5pm on Saturdays & Sundays from now until Christmas. I was able to purchase some presents for my friends and family and even got a few things for myself. We found some amazing candles, sweet treats, and so much more!
While in town, you can also check out Tin Roof Boutique for some Lake Pepin souvenirs, Triple J Western Shop for some western inspired clothing, boots, or hats, and Rusty Peddler for some locally made finds.
EAT
To fuel up for a day of shopping, I recommend visiting Homemade Cafe. This cozy restaurant offers massive portions of your favorite breakfast items as well as some creative specials. I am still dreaming about the biscuits & gravy “stack” I enjoyed there. It was like they took all the yummy breakfast foods and piled them on top of each other! YUM! Everything was so good, and I would love to come back to try their Friday Night Fish Fry.
After all that shopping, you will definitely need to fill your belly again. Villa Bellezza has a great restaurant called iL Forno you could check out for yummy pizzas, pasta, or even a panini! I really enjoyed dining here. They have a massive large Christmas tree out front, serve fabulous wine, and have some unique desserts on the menu.
For the warmer months: Put Harbor View Cafe on your list. This waterfront restaurant is so cute and their menu looked amazing. Before they closed for the season, we stopped by for a glass of wine, and it definitely made me want to come back!
WHERE TO GRAB A DRINK
We had a great time checking out The Pickle Factory! This establishment was built on the shores of Lake Pepin in the early 1900s as The Pepin Pickling Company. Several varieties of pickles and sauerkraut were produced here until they moved the operation over to Winona, Minnesota. It’s now a cozy bar/restaurant where you can enjoy their famous fried pickles, grab a juicy burger, or have a drink with some friends!
For the warmer months: You can actually boat right up to The Pickle Factory. They have a large outdoor patio that looks like it’d be a lot of fun in the summer!
End your day of fun and shopping at RiverTime! This fun space often has live music and has a great selection of wine and local beers. Find a spot, borrow a board game, and relax– after all, you are on “river time” when you’re that close to the Mississippi!
WHERE TO EXPLORE
Did you know that Laura Inglls Wilder was not only born in Wisconsin, but her book Little House in the Big Woods is based on her early childhood in Pepin? We took a short drive just outside of town where you can visit a replica of the “little house.” This replica cabin is based on her descriptions in Little House in the Big Woods. The cabin is built where the original once stood, giving Pepin the name of “Laura Ingalls Wilder Birthplace.”
For the warmer months: Right in town you’ll find the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum. You can stroll through to learn more about local history and Laura’s life and family. Additionally, the town even has Laura Ingalls Wilder Days every September!
MORE TO SEE AND DO ALONG THE GREAT RIVER ROAD
The Wisconsin Great River Road is designated as an All-American Road. It follows the Mississippi River for 250 miles along Wisconsin’s west coast from Prescott in the north to Kieler in the south. I have had the pleasure of making this whole drive! Along the way, you'll drive through some of the most beautiful bluffs and scenery in the state. The GRR runs through 33 unique communities, some of which are the oldest in Wisconsin. Sitting right on the Great River Road, part of Pepin’s draw is that it is a short drive to the surrounding communities. While we were in town, we made quick stops in both Nelson and Stockholm.
Nelson is the community just to the south of Pepin. We stopped by Township 23 Distillery and were blown away by their delicious cocktails. This is such a unique establishment–they have a tasting room right on their farm that grows the grains used to make the spirits. They currently have gin and vodka which they infuse to make unique specialty cocktails. I also recommend stopping for cheese at Nelson Creamery. Although they no longer make cheese of their own, they do have plenty of locally made foods for you to purchase.
For the warmer months: I highly recommend the short drive through the bluffs to visit The Stone Barn. This pizza farm is an absolute gem! The pizza is great and was recently announced as some of the best in the state by Midwest Living, and I completely understand why! It is a great portion for the price and was so fresh and flavorful.
Stockholm is just to the north of Pepin. This charming town is well known for the iconic Stockholm Pie and General Store. They serve several different flavors of pie, and it’s such a unique stop along the GRR. In addition to getting a slice of delicious pie, you can walk to a few charming stores. We enjoyed shopping at The Palate & Sandy’s and I would love to get back to check out Iris & Oak.
Pepin may be a popular summer destination, but there is still so much to discover in the winter. I highly recommend shopping in this charming small town for a weekend getaway!
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