Advertisement A trip out to Wabasha, Minn., is only about 60 miles from La Crosse (head north on Hwy. 14/61), and there’s plenty to do along the way to the city of 2,677, too.
Before you get there
On your way to Wabasha, be sure to stop at Lark Toys at 171 Lark Lane, just off of
Hwy. 61 in Kellogg, Minn. It has 20,000 square feet of fun to explore and is one of the largest independent toy stores in the country. Room upon room of toys will bring out the kid in anyone. You’ll find nostalgic wind-up toys, costumes, stuffed animals and more Smurfs than you know what to Smurf with. There’s also a hand-carved carousel, fudge shop, café and bookstore. Before you leave, you might want to play a round of miniature golf at the 18-hole course.
A round costs $5 for adults and $4 for students 18 and younger. Your second game is half price.
Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; mini-golf hours are extended Friday and Saturday, with the last tee time at
8:15 p.m.
Information: www.larktoys.com, (507) 767-3387.
Resident celebrities
A trip to Wabasha wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the National Eagle Center at 50 Pembroke Ave. The 14,000-square-foot facility opened in September 2007 after years of campaigning to improve upon the former 2,000-square-foot Wabasha Eagle Center.
You can see eagles up close and personal. All of the birds have been rescued and rehabilitated. Hourlong educational feeding programs are given throughout the day. Resident eagles Harriet, Angel and Columbia are the celebrities that bring a stream of curious visitors.
Hours: Eagle feeding and education presentations are usually held at 11 a.m., 1 and 3 p.m. daily, although additional programs may be held during the summer, weekends and other busy times.
Admission: $6, $5 for people 65 and older, $4 for children ages 4 through 17 and free for kids 3 and younger. Group rates are available.
Information: www.nationaleaglecenter.org,
Shop along Main Street
Main Street offers lots of shops to explore. You can feed your sweet tooth at Chocolate Escape, get a souvenir of your visit at the Treasure Chest or get something for the house at Hill’s Hardware Hank.
You absolutely must stop in the Wind Whisper West Kimono Gallery, 128 Main St.
Yes, Wabasha has a kimono gallery. Owner Richard Fuller opened the shop about four years ago, and it has been at its current location for two years. It honors the kimono as art.
“No two kimonos are alike,” Fuller said.
Wearing a kimono was a tradition for 1,500 years, Fuller said, but now is becoming a tradition of the past. He estimates about 90 percent of Japanese brides are now opting for a more traditional Western-style gown.
You can appreciate the intricate work that goes into making a kimono by using a magnifying glass to look in detail at some of the more than 3,000 kimonos Fuller has in his collection. It can take four months to two years to create a single kimono, with eight to 10 groups of people working on the creation.
Wind Whisper hours: 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. weekdays, noon to 4 p.m. weekends and by appointment.
Information: www.windwhisperwest.com, (651) 565-2002.
Hear some music
Each Friday through Aug. 15, Wabasha hosts free concerts under the bridge at Heritage Park from 7 to 8:30 p.m. You can see the Wabasha Community Band Aug. 15. Wabasha also hosts Fat Fest Aug. 21-23 at the Coffee Mill Ski Resort. The three-day music festival features Fat Maw Rooney, That 1 Guy, God Johnson, Pert Near Sandstone, Down Lo, Smokin’ Bandits, White Iron Band, Shoeless Revolution, Moon Boot Posse, Cornmeal and many more. Info: www.fatfest.org.
Grab a bite to eat
You can get a good sandwich any day in La Crosse. Try something different at one of Wabasha’s many tasty restaurant options.
A few suggestions:
“Our philosophy here is to try to make wines accessible and not pretentious,” said owner and executive chef Michael Murray-John.
Start with a wine or start with a meal. Either way, the Vinifera staff will find something to go with it. Cuisine includes Spanish, French and Italian. A favorite with customers is the steamed mussels served with white wine. Murray-John says they want to keep fine food affordable. The highest priced meal is the grilled lamb chops for $16.
