Before the school year began, Ben really wanted to plan a weekend getaway — a weekend for campfires, cookouts, hikes, and relaxation. With a search on Airbnb, Ben found a really quaint lakefront cabin in Maple Lake, Minnesota. We were so excited to spend the weekend in Minnesota, outside of the Twin Cities — something we hadn’t yet done as new Minnesotans!
A Weekend Getaway in Maple Lake, Minnesota
Where We Stayed
Ben found a really quaint lakefront cabin in Maple Lake, Minnesota. The drive across the city was nice and easy — and once we reached our Airbnb, we were surprised to find we were only about 10 minutes from a nearby city with a Target, even though we felt like we were in a very rural part of Minnesota. Arriving at the cabin was so exciting, because we were really looking forward to a long weekend away, where we could just enjoy peace, quiet, and nature. The weather turned cold and rainy, but we brought along board games, food for recipes we wanted to make, and books to read — knowing we could enjoy our weekend getaway no matter what the weather would bring.
Places We Visited in and Around Maple Lake, Minnesota
We didn’t have any major plans for our weekend in Maple Lake — and we chose where to go and what to do somewhat spontaneously! In no particular order, here are the places we visited in and around Maple Lake:
- Irish Blessings Coffeehouse. This coffee shop was just a few minutes away from our Airbnb, in the heart of Maple Lake. It was really cute and quaint — and had delicious lattes and avocado toast!
- Clover Meadow Bakery. This bakery in the heart of Maple Lake was such a hidden gem. It is a gluten-free, vegan, and allergy-friendly bakery… and everything was delicious. The owner of the bakery really kindly let us sample so many different products, and we ended up purchasing a big variety of products, too! The breadsticks she made tasted just like Pizza Hut breadsticks, which made me nostalgic for Pizza Hut! 🤪
- Jules’ Bistro in Saint Cloud, Minnesota. On Saturday, we decided to drive from Maple Lake, Minnesota to Saint Cloud, Minnesota. There, we had brunch at Jules’ Bistro, which was absolutely delicious. I was excited to see they had several vegan options, and the flatbread I chose was perfect!
- The Local Blend in Saint Joseph, Minnesota. We drove a short distance from Saint Cloud, Minnesota to Saint Joseph, Minnesota, where we had coffee at The Local Blend. This cute and quirky coffee shop was really cozy — and a great place to warm up while the rain started to clear up.
- Downtown Saint Joseph, Minnesota. Once the rain cleared up, we walked around Saint Joseph, which was really fun! The downtown area is cute and calm, but there are so many small businesses with a wide variety of products — home decor shops, coffee shops, boutiques, gourmet grocery stores, and more. I really enjoyed strolling around downtown.
- W | R Home Company. W | R Home Company is a store I learned about on Instagram, so I was really excited to visit in person. The aesthetic of the shop is just so beautiful, and they offer so many great products ranging from candles and home goods to clothing and accessories. This female-owned small business is a really beautiful place to see!
- Saint Joseph, Minnesota Farmers Market. On our way back to Maple Lake from Saint Joseph, we stopped at the Saint Joseph Farmers Market and picked up sweet corn to make for dinner. It was truly the best sweet corn I’ve ever had, and it was the perfect way to top off our weekend!
Overall, we really enjoyed our weekend away — from Maple Lake to our quick trips to Saint Cloud and Saint Joseph!
