- Exploring the hidden gems of Western Wisconsin—curating unforgettable stays and sharing the places locals love most.
Every so often a guest asks me, “If you had a free Sunday, where would you go?” And I always give the same answer: south. Down Highway 35, along the Mississippi, with nowhere to be until dinner. It’s the drive I take when I need to remember why I love living on this river, and it’s the one I’d take you on if you were staying with us.
This is my personal route from Prescott to Nelson, about 75 miles of river road with a stop roughly every half hour. Each stop is something I’d actually order or buy, and I’ve noted the hours that matter so your Sunday doesn’t hit a locked door.
Fuel up first. The Kitchen Table opens at 6:15, and on a Sunday the early crowd is locals, bikers and boaters. I order the Hangover Hash, swap the toast for a slice of their French toast, and keep the coffee coming. If you’re feeling festive, the Bloody Flight is a fun way to toast the day, as long as someone else is driving. More on what to order in my Kitchen Table guide.
Just past Bay City, look for Sunrise Coffee on the river side of the highway. It has a drive-thru, but I like to go inside. Order a Bomber (espresso, chocolate, peppermint and vanilla) or a Night Rise (espresso, lavender and honey). Their holiday drinks have a following, and the regulars love the white chocolate and salted caramel versions.
Insider tip: From November through April, they’re open 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekends, so this stop is a morning stop.
The village of Maiden Rock is small enough to drive through in a minute, so slow down. The Mercantile is a locally owned shop and coffee counter full of goods from area makers, local food and baked goods. It’s where I pick up the little gift for the friend who’s watching my dog. Weekend hours run 8 to 3.
If you’ve got legs for a hike, Maiden Rock Bluff is just up the road, a 1.5-mile loop to an overlook 400 feet above the river. Save it for a warmer month if the lot hasn’t been plowed.
Here’s where the day slows way down. Stockholm is a tiny village founded by Swedish settlers in 1854, and its pie shop has been named best pie shop in America by USA Today readers two years in a row. They make more than 40 kinds over the year. My order is a slice of the Kentucky Bourbon Chocolate Walnut, and whoever I’m with gets the Lingonberry Lemon so I can steal a bite. If you’re hungry for something savory, the chicken pot pie and the apple sausage quiche are both real lunches.
Before you leave, browse the general store side. There’s throwback candy, Wisconsin cheese, local beer and wine, and gifts. And if you want a whole pie to take home, order ahead. They sell out.
Insider tip: The shop is generally closed Tuesday and Wednesday, and hours can shift in the off-season, so check their page before you go.
Ten minutes down the road, Villa Bellezza looks like someone picked up a village from Italy and set it on the river: stone buildings, a piazza with a fountain, a tasting room and il Forno, a restaurant with a brick oven. On Sundays they serve an Italian brunch until 2, and the tasting room is open until 6. Tastings start with a complimentary pour of a featured wine. In winter, the porticos are heated and there are fur throws on the chairs.
From mid-November until just before Christmas, the piazza fills with their European outdoor Christmas market on weekends, which makes this stop extra special.
This is the stop most people miss. Township 23 is a small craft distillery on a family farm outside Nelson, run by Zach and Samantha Hetrick. Zach is the sixth generation on land homesteaded after the Civil War, and the spirits are made from grain grown in their own organic fields. The name comes from the township number in an 1880s plat book.
Try the Village Edge Vodka, their flagship, or the By Golly Gin, named for the creek on the property and made with seven local botanicals. The cocktail menu changes with the seasons, and the old fashioneds have a loyal following. The tasting room sits right below the bluffs, and you’re welcome to bring your own snacks. Sunday hours are noon to 5, and they’re closed Monday through Wednesday.
End where everyone ends: the Nelson Cheese Factory, right on Highway 35. Fill a bag from the coolers of specialty cheeses, order a deli sandwich (the Mr. T is the one I’d get), and finish with a scoop of hand-dipped ice cream, even in January. There’s a cozy Fireplace Wine Room for a glass and a cheese board, the Creamery Room, and a patio where dogs are welcome. Call ahead in winter to confirm hours.
You can go home the way you came, or loop back on the Minnesota side through Wabasha, Lake City and Red Wing, then cross back into Wisconsin. Either way, time it so you’re on the river road when the sun drops behind the Minnesota bluffs. On a clear evening, the whole of Lake Pepin turns pink.
Make downtown Prescott your home base and book direct with us: The Port of Prescott for boutique king suites steps from the river, Port After Dark for romantic suites made for couples, The Harbor Hotel for themed rooms and extended stays, and The Cove Guest House for downtown condos and group getaways.
