The Elk River center is about 9 miles east of Monticello Big Lake Hospital and 10 miles east of Monticello Army National Guard.
You're bound to have a good time no matter what time of year you visit Elk River, but check the city calendar before you plan your trip. This active community loves to get together to celebrate holidays and to make the most of the warmer seasons.
Arts and crafts lovers will enjoy the spring and fall arts and crafts shows, each of which welcomes around 100 artisans to the Elk River Arena. Summertime in the city ushers in outdoor concert season. Kids and caregivers get their own free summer series at Orono Park on Thursday mornings, while everyone is welcome to enjoy the popular Riverfront Concert series at Rivers Edge Commons Park on Thursday evenings from June to August.
Next comes Elk RiverFest in July, when downtown Elk River and Main Street become the place to be. Enjoy live music, food, drinks, and bingo, plus a Kids Fun Zone with bounce houses and slides, chalk-drawing stations, and more. Be sure to check out the Riverside Market arts and crafts booths and beer garden throughout the evening, and stick around for the fireworks once darkness falls. The Sherburne County Fair also comes to Elk River in mid-July.
Elk River organizes great holiday events, including the Family Spooktacular in late October. For a nominal entry fee, you can enjoy games, hayrides, candy, music, activities, crafts, and a treat trail all night long, and kids can compete in the costume contest. Or you can simply head to downtown Elk River with the kids for free trick-or-treating at participating businesses.
Come Christmastime, the community attends the Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony. Later, join the locals at Rivers Edge Commons Park for Santa in the Park, where kids can get their photo taken with Santa and Mrs. Claus.
In February, get ready for some cool outdoor fun at the Shiver Elk River event at Lake Orono. This annual event offers something for everyone, from 5K and 10K races to the frigid Shiver Plunge for the daring. Warm up with tasty food truck treats, or roast some marshmallows and enjoy some cocoa with the locals.
For all-around value and fun, check in to the Holiday Inn Minneapolis NW Elk River. This hotel offers so much more than a place to lay your head for the night. In fact, families come from all over to spend time at the hotel's complimentary water park, which includes a pool, water slides, a lazy river, and a separate play area for little ones. You can splash indoors all day or change things up with a visit to the arcade.
Enjoy made-to-order breakfasts on-site at the Mississippi Valley Grill, then come back later for filling and delicious lunches and dinners. The restaurant also features a bar serving cocktails, beer, and wine. When it's time to call it a night, settle into adjoining rooms featuring bunk beds or sleeper sofas for the kids in select suite layouts and king- or queen-sized beds for the parents.
Super 8 by Wyndham Rogers Minnesota offers affordable rates to everyone, but if you're a AAA member, military or service personnel, a senior citizen, or simply planning an extended stay, you'll enjoy even more affordable rates at this Elk River-area hotel. You'll save on gas, too, if you're planning to shop at the nearby Albertville Premium Outlets. This motel is also close to Cedar Creek Golf Course.
Complimentary wireless internet access and cable programming will keep you entertained throughout your stay. Wake up and brew some fresh coffee in your own coffee and tea maker and enjoy a complimentary continental breakfast downstairs each day. You'll be pleasantly surprised by the indoor pool and the in-room spa tub, but these are just two of the amenities that add even more value to your affordable stay in Elk River.
The prairie ends just south of Elk River, and the town is surrounded by a blanket of peaceful woodlands. Abundant elk herds and the serene landscape made this desirable territory for both the Dakota and Ojibwe tribes, the first known residents of the area, who lived in the area as early as the 1770s.
In 1848, French-Canadian fur trader David Frederic Faribault established a trading post along the Red River Trail, near the junction of the Mississippi River and Elk River. Settlers arrived to seek work in lumbering, and sawmills sprang up around the newly dammed Elk River, which created Lake Orono.
Today, one of the best ways to enjoy all the natural beauty is to cruise down one of the rivers in a canoe or do some fishing at Lake Orono. Although the lake is fairly shallow, you'll find numerous fish species, including smallmouth bass, walleyes, and crappies. Woodland Trails Regional Park also offers excellent birding and serene waterside trails. This expansive park is beautiful in all seasons, but it's especially attractive in the winter. The beautiful countryside is perfect for sledding, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, ice hockey, and just playing in the snow.
If you'd like to spend time outdoors while reconnecting with Elk River's agricultural past, drive over to the Oliver H. Kelley Farm. You can see how a modern farm runs at this facility, but you can also visit an 1860s-era “living history” farm. Here, you can watch farm workers in period dress taking care of livestock, and kids can help feed the chickens and lend a hand at picking (and eating) the produce. Pack a picnic, visit the gift shop, and enjoy the beautiful landscape after your tour.
Friendly faces and a Midwestern welcome await you in Elk River, Minnesota — your destination for a country getaway near the Twin Cities.
Below are reviews of the city of Elk River, MN from an actual visitor's perspective.
Elk River had a nice selection of restaurants and bars. It was a surprisingly fun place!
It's near my kids and grandkids, plus a lot of stores and places to eat.