Southern Minnesota has some delicious dining options, including Kenny’s Oak Grill, a ’50s themed diner in Austin with a breakfast menu that includes amazing Belgian waffles, French toast and, of course, pancakes! Round out breakfast and head on down the road to tap for your own maple syrup at the Ney Nature Center outside of Henderson in the Minnesota River Valley. Your taste buds will thank you.

The diverse southern Minnesota landscape offers all varieties of fish species, from walleye at Big Stone Lake in southwest Minnesota and trout in Whitewater State Park in southeast Minnesota to bass and crappie on the Chain of Lakes in the Fairmont area, right in the middle of southern Minnesota. The fishing opener is the second Saturday in May and kicks off Minnesota’s summer travel season.

Minnesota’s only alkaline lake, Salt Lake, located in Lac qui Parle County, is one-third as salty as the ocean and offers exceptional bird watching, with more than 150 species of birds frequenting the area. Or, how about a stop at the National Eagle Center in Wabasha along the banks of the Mississippi River in southeast Minnesota? Hundreds of eagles nest along the Upper Mississippi River Valley, and the National Eagle Center offers visitors an up-close encounter with this majestic bird. Stop inside the center for interactive exhibits about the biology, ecology and natural history of bald and golden eagles.

The soft trickle or loud roar of waterfalls can be found throughout the landscape. Hike through Big Woods State Park near Northfield where you will stumble across the Hidden Falls, a tranquil cascade in the middle of the woods. Or travel to southwest Minnesota to Pipestone National Monument, where Winnewisa Falls flows from the red stone of Pipestone Creek. Move up into the Minnesota River Valley to Redwood Falls where the majestic Ramsey Falls in Ramsey Park can be viewed from the thrilling swing bridge.

Hike through the depths of an underground cave at Mystery or Niagara Cave in southeast Minnesota. Take to the trail in Camden State Park in Marshall or give bike camping a try along the Sakatah Singing Hills State Trail in Sakatah Lake State Park near Waterville. The Minnesota River and the mighty Mississippi River both offer paddling opportunities through the region. Or head to one of the many lakes in southern Minnesota, such as Lake Winona for picturesque views of the bluffs, or rent a canoe or kayak at the public rental station near the launch on Albert Lea Lake.