Keep the theme going by making the next stop at the Carlos Creek Winery, just a 15- minute drive away from the Panther Distillery.
“This is a true manufacturing facility that makes whiskey every day (except Sunday when it’s closed),” Panther says. The distillery offers tours to see the fermentation tanks, taste the mash, gawk at the three 500-gallon Kentucky-built stills, and then, of course, enjoy the tasting experience. “We support local Minnesota farmers, and we know where our corn comes from.” Products sold include Minnesota 14 Whiskey, Pike Street Bourbon, White Water Whiskey (a moonshine), Saint Paul Rye Whiskey, Bad Medicine Spiced Rum and Spiked Apple Spirits. “We use only Minnesota-grown grains (rye, corn and wheat),” says owner Adrian Panther. Panther Distillery, located in nearby Osakis, is one the few distilleries that produces whiskey completely from start to finish. “If you want to find unique, local items that you won’t find in a chain store, we have fashion, jewelry, antiques, crafts, home décor and gifts from local merchants who are passionate about what they do.” And if you’re feeling ready for some sustenance, you’ll find a significant collection of locally owned restaurants within the historic blocks of downtown Alexandria.Īll that shopping can build up a tremendous thirst, but luckily Alexandria has some notable spots for sipping locally crafted potent potables. “Our historic downtown has more than 40 locally owned businesses, which is impressive for a micropolitan area of about 40,000,” he says. You can boat right into the state park, no matter where you are staying, and enjoy picnics, campfires, and our 14 miles of hiking trails at Lake Carlos State Park.”īig Ole, the country’s largest Viking, is a 28-foot-tall statue who bears a shield with the bold proclamation: “Alexandria, Birthplace of America.” He stands guard over Alexandria’s downtown on Broadway Street, which Feist says is unique among Main Streets. “Our fall colors are wonderful, so many groups take scenic boat tours to Lake Carlos Sate Park, which is located on the Chain of Lakes. And while the city is bustling all summer long, Feist says there is still plenty to do in fall and winter. “We have so many great ways to keep you busy,” says James Feist, executive director of Explore Alexandria. Not only do many local businesses use the Runestone or a Viking in their logos, but the legend lives on in the name of the state’s National Football League team, the Minnesota Vikings.Įven with this long-standing attention to historic preservation, Alexandria remains proudly up-to-the-minute in offering the spaces, amenities and activities to meet the needs of modern meeting planners who seek a location that is, in the words of the town’s motto, “Easy to get to, hard to leave.” Still, it’s a fun legend to claim, as Alexandria proudly does, with a museum dedicated to the Runestone and a giant Viking statue downtown. Did Leif Ericson himself lead one of the first-ever group travel events to Alexandria? The scholarly consensus: probably not, since the 1898 assertion by local farmer Olof Öhman that he had found the Kensington Runestone, purportedly left by 14th-century explorers, has been discredited by most experts.
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