Antique shops and 1800s homes and storefronts are all part of the charm of Hastings. Eat, drink, and be amazed at the happenings in Hastings this fall. The stately river town has activities for all ages, including apple festivals, an award-winning winery, a corn maze, antique shops galore and a roaring waterfall that remains the city's best-kept secret. The city began as a Dakota settlement called Owobopte and was visited by Lt. Zebulon Pike in 1805 before its incorporation as Hastings in 1857.

Amble along the picture-perfect Second Street, lined with antique stores, art galleries, a Scandinavian import store and other businesses, many in century-old buildings with eye-catching architectural details. From downtown, with its serene park along the Mississippi, take a walking or driving tour past venerable homes and commercial buildings, 40 in all, dating to the mid 1800s. Highlights include the historic Dakota County Courthouse and the imposing LeDuc-Simmons mansion, at 1629 Vermillion Street, an example of Gothic Revival architecture. Don't miss the octagonal Norrish house, built in 1857. The 1880 Victorian Latto house is now "Rosewood," a luxurious bed-and-breakfast. Owners Pam and Dick Thorsen also operate Thorwood bed-and-breakfast in another 1880s house. For a map of the self-guided tour, stop at the chamber of commerce office at 111 East Third Street.

Tucked away in a park near the south end of Hastings is the magnificent Vermillion Falls, which thunders into a gorge. The falls are on the Vermillion River just east of Hwy. 61 off of East 21st Street; watch for the sign on the left side of the road. A hiking and biking trail parallels the river and passes the ruins of an old mill.

Further south�near the intersection of Hwy. 61 and 190th Street-- is the award-winning Alexis Bailly Vineyard, which is open fall weekends.

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Media Content: C - J Johnson +1 651-297-3488 curt.johnson@state.mn.us