Finding Fergus Falls

In the heart of west-central Minnesota lies Fergus Falls, a city whose name evokes rolling prairies, glacial lakes, and winding rivers. But what we found there went far beyond the scenery. This was a weekend full of quirky breakfasts, quiet trail rides, riverside strolls, and moments that reminded us why we travel: for the unexpected, and the deeply local.

Thursday: Breakfast with Vikings, and the Continental Divide

My wife, Jen, and I started by setting up home base at the Fergus Falls AmericInn, where our spacious great room, with two queen beds, gave us plenty of space to settle in and plan our routes. A fun detail: Thursdays at this hotel are Guest Appreciation Days, which mean snacks and sometimes a meal in the lobby. It felt like a warm welcome right from the start.

We left the hotel early Thursday morning by bike, setting off under skies that promised heat later in the day. The ride to downtown Fergus was smooth and easy and made for a leisurely spin past tidy neighborhoods and quiet streets.


Breakfast was calling, and we answered at the Viking Café. There’s no better way to be introduced to a town than over a meal with its regulars, and the Viking Café is an old-school diner in the best sense of the word. The moment we stepped inside, we were hit with a time warp: 1970s interior, Formica tables worn smooth by decades of elbows, and Viking-themed camp. A Viking bust greeted us at the door, and a model longship floated from the ceiling.


Our server promised our coffee cups wouldn’t sit empty, and she meant it. I’d barely set mine down before it was magically full again. Jen had a thick bacon and cheese omelet, and I went for the eggs Benedict, which were rich and perfect.

Behind the register were old family photos, including one of Lucky and Blanche Shol, who founded the café in 1967, though the building had served as a restaurant long before then. Downstairs, we found an antique scale that dispenses fortunes for a penny. Mine advised, “More church and fewer nightclubs would help you.” Our server laughed: “Well, this is Fergus Falls. We’ve got enough churches.”

Fueled and curious, we pedaled to Otto the Otter, a giant statue at Adams Park, Grotto Park for those in the know. Forty-foot-long Otto has been sitting here since 1972, keeping watch, because in this Minnesota county, Lontra canadensis is king. Just beyond him, we discovered the rookery on Grotto Lake, where we spotted a few black-crowned night herons perched high in a tree, then a few more until we realized that each tree in the park was filled to the brim with birdsand the whole area buzzed with bird calls. Wildlife thrived right in the city limits.

Then it was time to ride. We picked up the Central Lakes Trail at the Hwy 210 trailhead and aimed southeast toward Dalton. On this section, the natural-surface North Country National Scenic Trail runs alongside the tar for a few miles. This long-distance hiking trail stretches 4,600 miles from North Dakota to Vermont and travels through Fergus Falls on its way through the state.

It was a beautiful ride on smooth pavement, lakes lay  splattered to the left and right, and a mysterious, sweet scent wafted from the fields. We even spotted patches of pink lady’s slippers, Minnesota’s state flower. About four miles out, we nearly missed the minuscule Laurentian Divide sign, tucked discreetly in a grove of sumac. It’s not every day you cross a continental boundary on a bike and almost miss it entirely. We took a moment to appreciate the fact that, at least in theory, water poured on the south side of the pavement would end up in the Gulf of Mexico, while water on the north side would travel into Hudson Bay. It was a warm day, and we needed all of our water, so we didn’t test this.

The trail shelter in Brandon gave us a shady place to rest for a moment, and we watched the traffic on the trail while we snacked. The Central Lakes State Trail keeps going for a while and eventually hooks up to the Lake Wobegon and Soo Line trails, but we had an ambitious agenda back in Fergus Falls, and we turned around.

The day wore on, and the heat intensified, but our self-generated breeze of 12 miles an hour kept us reasonably cool. We did make one unintended stop and watched a huge snapping turtle emerge from a nearby lake.


Back in town, we made a beeline to Socials Bar & Grill for cold beers and hearty food. Jen had a taco salad, while I tackled a steaming plate of poutine. I’m convinced the dish was invented by accident. Fries, and cheese curds on the same plate shouldn’t make sense, but they do. Gravy, as it turns out, is the great unifier.


After lunch, we drove to One Mile Prairie, where the North Country Trail takes on a completely different character compared to what it looks like in much of the rest of the state. Here, forest gives way to mowed paths that rise and fall with prairie hills, flanked by wildflowers and open sky. If you’ve only seen the piney stretches of this trail farther north, this wide-open section will surprise and delight. It’s no surprise Fergus Falls just joined the ranks of official trail towns for the North Country Trail.


We wound down at Outstate Brewing, tucked right along the Otter Tail River. With the patio full and garage doors open to the breeze, it felt like the town’s unofficial front porch, with folks gathering for a drink after work. We sipped alcohol-free Say Less seltzers, made in-house. Relaxed and happy to be in the shade, we watched the river pour out of its downtown chute and flow under the railroad bridge into the Otter Tail River Reservoir.


For dinner, we settled into the cozy bar at Union Avenue Bar & Eatery. We had two woodfire oven pizzas: Jen’s Serrano was elevated by a peppery burst of arugula, which cut down the saltiness of the prosciutto it was topped with, while my Margherita was boosted with savory Italian sausage. Great pizza deserves an equally good drink to go with it.

Jen’s Palmer Twist and my La Piña, with a muddled jalapeño resting ominously at the bottom, proved that alcohol-free doesn’t have to mean flavor-free. Asher, the bartender who invented the Palmer Twist, chatted with us about drink craft, and we expressed our gratitude. “At least,” I said, “when someone makes you a non-alcoholic cocktail with the same flourish, you don’t feel like you’re back at the kids’ table, sipping a juice box.”

Friday: Bikes, Bridges, and a Secret Waldo Hunt

The next morning, we were ready early for a planning meeting over breakfast. At cozy Cally’s Café and Coffee, we joined a lively chorus of retirees holding court over bottomless coffee and pastries. One man declared: “I tried lutefisk, and I liked it.” Welcome to Minnesota.
Lutefisk was not on the menu, but we had some very delicious ham, cheese, and bacon breakfast sandwiches with hummus and chipotle mayo. The coffee was strong enough to get us primed for a busy day, and we hatched a plan while watching the world from our window seats.

First, we moved HQ to the Country Inn & Suites and upgraded to acomfy, spacious poolside room, steps from the pool shaped like Minnesota itself. The mini-escape continued.


Then, it was time to break out the mountain bikes. The advocacy work of grassroots Pedal Fergus Falls earned the city a Silver-level Bicycle Friendly Community designation in 2015, and the mountain bike trails at Ferber Park are a result of this effort.

We dedicated the time between breakfast and lunch to a spin on the off-road trails on the northeastern edge of town and were not disappointed. It’s a small network, but it packs a punch. Hard dirt, exposed rock, and narrow hedge-row style lanes with sharp turns demanded our attention, but we also rode open sections with great views from up high. Jen fell in love with the pump track and did loop after loop, calling out, “This is my favorite part!” every single time.

Back in town, we split a 16″ Italian sub at Tivuli, a neighborhood sandwich shop that also offers charcuterie boards and wraps. The veggies were finely shredded, so each bite delivered the perfect balance. We didn’t realize just how hungry we were after the mountain bike ride. Owner Don Zoll chatted with us; turns out his sister owns The Purple Palace in Vining, which we had visited earlier in the year. Read about our trip to Battle Lake, when we discovered the Purple Palace.

After that sandwich, a digestive walk was in order. Down the road, we spotted a drawing of Waldo, the famous cartoon character with the red-and-white striped shirt. He was waving at us from a concrete panel, tucked into the corner of a bridge below knee height. A closer look revealed a number on his sleeve. A scavenger hunt? We were intrigued.


We spent the afternoon wandering the shops of downtown Fergus Falls. The sky was bright, the sidewalks inviting, and we were in the mood for small-town surprises.

Our first stop was Uncle Eddie’s ice cream shop, where the smell of waffle cones hit us the moment we stepped inside. The place was pure whimsy, part ice cream shop, part curiosity cabinet. Best of all was the gumball machine with a 100-foot rollercoaster track. For a mere quarter dollar, we got an immense amount of entertainment as we watched our gumballs drop from the mezzanine level, travel across the room and behind the bar, clank around some pipes, and finally spiral into the tray of the dispenser by the front door. Of course there was ice cream, too.

We found ourselves drawn to Kaddatz Galleries in a beautifully restored brick building once home to the historic Kaddatz Hotel. Inside, the walls held contemporary works, from bold prints to minimalist sculptures. The Kaddatz Gallery’s ArtREACH program provides a creative outlet for vulnerable adults and children, and we especially enjoyed their expressive artwork. We lingered among the exhibits, admiring the work of Fergus Falls native Charles Beck and other regional artists, then browsed the shop.

From there, we ducked into Lincoln Avenue Antiques, and the moment we stepped through the door, it was like entering a time capsule made of vintage vinyl, glassware, old books, and retro furniture. The store was a winding maze of treasures; the kind of place that rewards slow wandering and a curious eye. Jen’s curious eye found a giant version of the Barrel of Monkeys game, but it came with the bittersweet realization that the toys of her childhood are now antiques.

Next, we followed our noses to SoapWerks Naturals. The whole place smelled incredible. It was earthy and fresh, with hints of citrus and lavender in the air. We tested handmade soaps, sniffed essential oils, and talked with owner Chrissy Davenport about their zero-waste mission. It felt good to support a small business that clearly cared about quality and sustainability.

At Krupkes Konsignments, Jen found an ’80s-inspired shirt she just had to have. The racks were full of well-kept pieces, from statement jackets to home décor, and we both agreed this was consignment done right: affordable, stylish, and surprisingly chic.

Nutrition Gone Wild looked quiet, but owner Tanisha Splane explained the name while she mixed our drinks: “I’ve got six kids. When they come with me to the shop, it gets pretty wild.”


Next, we stepped into Dandelion & Burdock, a lively clothing boutique set in a charming old brick building. Inside, we browsed through a thoughtfully selected collection of casual outfits, dressier pieces, and unique accessories. I was especially impressed by their stylish selection of men’s dress clothes and their line of otter-themed items.



At FFOA (Fergus Falls Online Auction) Antiques, tucked away on North Mill Street, we found a Red Wing collector’s paradise. The moment we walked in, we were surrounded by an impressive collection of high-quality pieces in one of the neatest antique stores we had ever been to.


When we arrived at The Bric, Jen quickly vanished among the racks while the welcoming staff offered helpful styling tips. With their guidance, she found a bold-patterned dress that felt both fashion-forward and distinctly her own.

Our tour ended at The Market, a cheerful, expansive shop packed with thoughtfully chosen gifts, home goods, and kitchenware.
We pressed on down the Fergus Falls river walk, which is a unique way to get around. It’s only about a half mile long, but it follows the path of the Otter Tail River as it races down a narrow, sunken channel through the heart of town. This stretch is also part of the North Country Trail. We spotted more Waldo drawings on this part of our stroll, each more cleverly hidden than the last. Whoever you are, chalk Waldo artist, you got our attention, and mystery was afoot.

We capped the day with a walk at Broken Down Dam Park, where the Otter Tail River flows through the shattered remnants of a 1900s hydroelectric dam. A group of teens hurled themselves into the river upstream, letting the current carry them through a narrow slot in the dam’s wall. We watched them climb back up by rope and repeat the process. The scene was summer, distilled. We opted to just watch.

Dinner was a celebration that came with massive portions, pulsing mariachi music, and a tuba player on the speakers who could single-handedly outplay any polka band. At El Loro, Jen had the Vallarta Chimichanga; I went for a street taco sampler. Margaritas in hand, we toasted the day.

We ended the night in the Minnesota-shaped pool at the Country Inn, having just too much fun swimming from Lake of the Woods to Rochester, via Minneapolis and Pipestone, before soaking in the Arrowhead hot tub.

Saturday: Farmers, Flowers, and Farewells


The morning began with a final highlight: breakfast at Töast. The place was bustling, its farmhouse-chic décor pulled together with checkerboard floors and cheerful wallpaper. Jen had the Croque Madame on thick sourdough from local Falls Bakery. I went for the breakfast sandwich on a house-made brioche bun. A chalkboard quote by Julia Child read, “People who love to eat are always the best people.” That felt right, and we lingered long after finishing.

Across the street, we took a stroll through the Fergus Falls Farmers Market at Spies Park. The new pavilion there is an impressive addition to the riverfront, flanked by sculptures, benches, and a splash pad, with an option to lower massive doors and turn on the heat in the winter. The Blue Note Combo played a reggae version of “Country Roads” while we browsed early summer produce, leather goods, beeswax candles, and jams. The vendors were just setting up, and the air buzzed with quiet excitement.

Our final hike was at the Prairie Wetlands Learning Center, where the North Country Trail cuts through prairie swales dotted with prairie roses, blanket flowers, and blue flag iris. Swallows swooped above, and purple martins clicked overhead—an odd, almost mechanical sound.

On our way home, we drove the Otter Trail Scenic Byway, winding through fields and forests, toward Inspiration Peak. From its summit, we saw the countryside stretched out around us. A plaque quoted Sinclair Lewis: “There is to be seen a glorious 20-mile circle of some 50 lakes scattered among fields and pastures, like sequins fallen on an old Paisley shawl.” We agreed.

No trip is complete without a final, quiet moment. Ours came at the nearby Lady of the Hills, a serene, unexpected 27-foot concrete Virgin Mary standing quietly along an even quieter country road, kneeling bench included. Wind stirred the oak leaves in the woods behind her, and we stood there, grateful for a good experience.

Fergus Falls surprised us. It delighted us, too. Adventure doesn’t require mountains or coastlines, just a community that loves its trails, its food, and its river. We left worn out, the satisfying kind, and with a deep appreciation for the people who call this place home.

Until next time, Fergus.