Great River Road Reviews

At least from St. Paul to LaCrosse, it is a pretty boring ride. IF you are hoping to spend a good portion of that drive near enough the Mississippi to actually see it, you will be disappointed. There are beautiful rock bluffs along the way and a THRILLING lock (not), but I wanted more river action. I like the MN side better for that.

We've travelled just the small part of this road - from gardens in StCloud to LaCrosse, but enjoyed it immensely. Really scenic - some parts are in a full view of Mississippi and the view is breath-taking. Also there are a few of small nice museums and attractions not to miss, including both gardens in StCloud, the National Eagle Center in Wabasha and the Maritime Art Museum in Winona. Now planning to do the southern part of the road. For those road-trip-lovers it's a must.

I had no idea how beautiful this part of the country is. We started in Prairie du Chien and drove north until we crossed over in RedWing, MN. It was high summer but mid-week and uncrowded. Gorgeous scenery, plenty of places to stop. Be sure to take advantage of the overlooks into the preservation areas along the river. The telescopes are free and powerful. We saw egrets, pelicans, and a variety of other wildlife. There are also some great places for hikes in the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge.

We drove the Great River Road from just out of St. Paul to Prairie du Chein. It took about 5 hours including s few stops for pictures, snacks and restroom. It follows the Mississippi through small towns and some just a building or two. There are great views of the river and several dams. Beautiful marshland along the road. A must do if you like leisurely driving and beauty.

Go down this road. Seriously. You'll see amazing things, meet nice people, discover great food and get in touch with America's "aorta" in a very special way. I'd make this trip again--cannot imagine it getting old. Talk about spacious skies and amber waves of grain. Stretch from La Crosse to Dubuque is beautiful and interesting and easy and engaging.

Two and a half days of my life I'll never get back .Very few views of the river . Shops and restaurants almost non existent . All way sides CLOSED . Could have saved my time and money and seen as much at home . If you do take this drive the views from Buena Vista Park In Alma and the visitors center in Prescott are very nice .

Just got back from a four day trip. Rode the WI great river road from Galena, IL to the Northern Terminus at Prescott,WI. Nice enjoyable ride. Plenty of places to stop and eat, shop or play. Overall, roads were in great shape. Light traffic. Most of the more famous stops are worth stopping, just google the river road. Tried to support local restaurants and hotels as much as possible. The River road visitor center at northern terminus at Prescott, WI is worth a stop. Lots and lots of antique stores to stop at. Also, check out a few of the historical markers on the road. A few times, you variate from WI 35 so just be aware. Follow the WI river road signs and you will be fine. Also, take time to enjoy a walk around one of the Lock and Dams in operation.

Wonderful friendly staff. Great hotel breakfast was home made and really an added treat. Room was clean and comfortable

The drive was beautiful..love that there are so many waysides on the road that you can stop and enjoy the view..the road is easy to follow..love the many places like Bueno Vista in Alma, Prescott visitor center, grandad bluff and so on. Would definitely take this road again.

We were headed south on a road trip to Louisiana, etc. from Minnesota and decided to follow the Great River Road through part of Wisconsin on the first day. Beautiful, and so much more interesting (and peaceful) than the faster routes!

In the mid-19th Century America's wealthiest travelers flocked to see the bluffs of the upper Mississippi on Wisconsin's western border. The Burlington Railroad advertised it's route along the river by proclaiming 'Where Nature Smiles for 400 Miles!' The Wisconsin River Road is one of the great road trips in our nation.

This is a fabulous drive. The only reason I have given it a four is because it is so fabulous that so many people were on it that it was very very congested and finding a hotel room was hard. We thought the Trempeleau area was beautiful. The wineries were good along the way. Our top three wineries were in Pepin, Trempeleau, and Red Wing. Plan to wait a long time to get quality food. There are many choices along the drive. Go with the mindset that you are going to take your time and you will love this drive.

We drove the Great River Road from Lake Itasca, MN to Venice, LA in four separate sections: Lake Itasca, MN to Prairie du Chien, WI; Prairie du Chien to Dubuque (where my husband broke his arm. This cut our trip short.) Dubuque to St. Louis and, finally, St. Louis to Venice, LA. We went back and forth between states, sometimes on the east side of the river, sometimes on the west. Although we could have stopped a many attractions, we stayed with our goal of traveling the GRR and learning about the Mississippi. We didn't visit "attractions" like Graceland, but did visit the River Museums. This is a great way to see our beautiful United States from north to south.

Wisconsin Great River Road Scenic Bypass, by Mississippi River is one of the most beautiful road trips I've ever done!

First trip on the Great River Road in Wisconsin. Came from the airport in Minnesota and started on the road in Prescott WI. Traveled through Maiden Rock, Stockholm, Pepin, Nelson and Alma and thoroughly enjoyed the small towns, the history, the views and the Mississippi River. Good signage. Great river views and access once we made it to Maiden Rock and south!

Cliffs on one side and the river on the other. Great natural reviews. Plenty to do at multiple stops on the way; towns, sights, food, hiking, you name it. Great impromptu day trip.

We spent a glorious week on vacation in Bluff Country. It is a very beautiful and relaxing area with lots of cute little small towns that feel very laid back and like a step back in time. This drive is amazing, many nice views for photographers,many awe inspiring views for children and is a Romantic drive for couples. I would recommend taking this drive if you have time and are in the area

We were following the Great River Road back from the Driftless Region and it was after all the storms that had hit central Wisconsin. The Mississippi was high and was backed up into the rivers and creaks that flowed into it. Both sides of the road were filled with water in places. The dams were fully opened and that was something to see. many boat launches were under water and so we had opportunities to get down close to the water and get some pictures during the high water. Fun to look at for a Arizona Desert Rat.

We traveled in June 2014 from Dubuque, IA across to Wisconsin then up the Great River Road to Prescott, WI. The drive was beautiful with many look outs and places to stop. I'm not sure what we were expecting, but we were delighted to have our expectations exceeded. It did take longer to drive than Map Quest had indicated, but that was OK for us.

Took off on a Friday and drove to East Dubuque IL where I stayed at Timmermans. Up early on Saturday to cross the Mighty Mississippi River to catch the sunrise. Took a wrong turn and ended up in the parking lot of a convent on the west bank of the river...just in time for the most beautiful, peaceful sunrise,

Followed the river road north stopping when I felt like...hawks, eagles, landscapes, the river, fresh air and blue skies.

Once I made it to Wabanash Mn I crossed into La Crosse where I was lucky enough to get on the dinner riverboat cruise up the Mississippi and back.

The Mississippi is a wonderful work of nature. Peaceful, serene and the towns along the way quaint, charming and welcoming.

The best spur of the moment road trip yet!

We drove the Great River Road from St Louis to Minneapolis and followed the Wisconsin section from the river crossing at Dubuque all the way up to Prescott, with a stop-over in La Crosse for one night. This was by far my favourite section of the road, offering a great, continuous view of the river for much of the way, unlike many long sections downstream where the river can vanish from sight for long periods. The section from Prairie du Chien to La Crosse was particularly enjoyable, given that we drove it as dusk approached and were able to enjoy the sun setting over the river as we went along. There are plenty of interesting towns and villages you might care to visit along the way - we found La Crosse to be much bigger than we'd anticipated, which worked out well as we were spoilt for choice when it came to finding somewhere to eat for the evening. This was a really memorable drive and one I'm unlikely to forget in a hurry.

but i have seen better. You can often not see the river and the landscape isn't too special. It still beats the interstate though

Grandson and I took the 124 Spider Abarth on this road trip! We loved the sunny skies, wind blowing and the beautiful scenery from Dickeyville to Trempealeau--we will do northern part next summer. You really do not see much of the River; however, the road winds and curves up and down hills, the valleys are surrounded by towering bluffs, you go from shade to sunshine--what's not to like? The first real siting of the River was in Ferryville, 11 out of the 33 listed for this part of the Road. Gov. Pat Lucey has an historical marker there and you can get out and really see the River. Road construction about 24 miles from LaCrosse, which took us 44 miles out of the way. (Check for road construction before leaving home; on the other hand, it added to the charm of the trip.) Back home and refreshed and looking forward to next summer! Photos on iphone--not user-friendly with my computer.

Day.01 : Dubuque (IA) - La Crosse (WI)
we entered Wisconsin crossing the Mississippi river, visit "The Grotto" in Dickeyville, built in 1930 and creation in stone, mortar and bright colored objects collected materials.
Then drive north to Potosi, "The National Brewing Museum". Continue along the scenic drive, visit and explore Wyalusing State Park. We enjoy our picnic lunch at "Point Lookout" with view of the junction of Mississippi river and Wisconsin river. Long time ago, Native American sentries used "Point Lookout" to keep watch on rivers. Facilities : Camping, Hiking, Picniking, Scenic Overlooks, etc. Entrance fees : $.7.00/day/car.
We headed north via Pairie du Chien and trace the scenic river road through Hwy 35.
In Genoa, we stopped and visited "US fish wildlife service's fish hatchery.
By late afternoon, we reach La crosse for overnight.

Day.02 : La Crosse (WI) - Effigy Mounds National Monument (IA)
We spend halfday in La Crosse, visits : "The Grandad Bluff", it's a scenic overlook of La Crosse, then to riverwalk overlooking the Mississippi river. I'm impressed because they have a small chinese garden (free) and you can take a river steamboat from here. We missed the boat.
Afterthat St. Rose of Viterbo Convent, 01 hour orientation tour inside the beautiful church.
Continue to Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, a sanctuary for the soul. We walk up the pathway 10 minutes from parking lot to The Romanesque church, surrounding by The unborn Memorial, Station of The cross and Rosary walk.
Drive southwest to Iowa via Lansing, our last visit in this trip : "The Effigy Mounds National Monument", which is prehistoric Indian burial pits. We hike to Fire Point Trail, the scenic view of Mississippi river.
As we sit and rest at this stop, we look around and think about living in this area 1000 years. Awesome Fall Foliage Trip.

We drove in April from Platteville to Prairie du Chien. Most attractions closed. Still enjoyed the beauty of the drive up the river. In some places might not be great if RV. We had a car no problem but some narrower areas could be a concern.

We've seen the Mississippi in Louisiana and Mississippi, but when we were planning a trip to Minnesota, we decided to visit the headwaters of the great river as it comes out of Lake Itasca. We were glad we did! From a small beginning of not more than 12 feet across we saw the Mississippi grow to the 1+ mile across river most of us know. The scenery along the river is beautiful and the towns are perfect for shopping and enjoying your favorite hobbies. Bed and breakfasts can be found all along the way. You can enjoy the offerings of the larger cities of Minneapolis / St. Paul or St. Louis. You can visit Mark Twain's Hannibal, Missouri. Don't miss the towns with intriguing names like Bemidji, St. Cloud, Prairie de Chien, Stockholm, and others that are not on some maps. Museums along the way have maps with points of interests. This part of the Great River Road will take from 3 to 5 days to see it all.

Stop often to really take in the views, and go in the fall for the color! Stop at the Monarche Public House, the oldest continuously operated bar in Wisconsin, at Fountain City. Best corned beef I've ever eaten.

awesome scenery for a day trip on the Great River Road in western Wisconsin.You enter a geographical oops of Mother Nature , She forgot to extent the glaciers to this area of Wisconsin. Word can not express the beauty .As you travel the length of the Road you can stop and view the Mississippi ( OLD MAN RIVER } the locks and dams along the river has viewing posts. Stop in the many small towns along the way . The area has many parks on the Wisconsin side and our neighbors to the West.

From Prescott, Wisconsin south, winding along the Mississippi...Expect some of most romantic vistas of high rocky bluffs with eagles in flight, sailboats and steamboats -- even commercial fishermen moving with the current of the Big River.
At Bay City, Maiden Rock, Stockholm and Pepin, there are many scenic overlooks and historic monuments, which share the history of a region -- already active with fur-trade during the late 17th Century.
And charming is too mundane, to describe the many small towns and villages, along this 250 stretch of Wisconsin Highway 35. Drive it all day long, or take it slow and easy -- the atmosphere is restful -- yet abounds with roadside attractions!

Very fine, no rush, lay back driving tour. What makes this even better is the Free Audio Guide you can get from wigrr.com website. Play this on you smartphone (via Bluetooth to your cars audio system if you can). Really enhances the experience. Many fine restaurants, etc along the way. BEWARE....many places are closed mid-week during off-season. Few modern hotels/motels along the way.

My daughter and son-in-law live in Wisconsin and my other daughter and I drove from Oklahoma to visit them. We left the Madison area and drove to Lacrosse, Wisconsin , and stayed at the Grandstay Hotel where we had a two bedroom suite. We had lunch at the Dublin Irish Pub and then took a 1 1/2 hour ride on the Lacrosse Queen paddlewheel boat. The highlight was watching the old bridge swing open so the paddlewheel boat could go through. There is a beautiful public garden next to the museum on the way back to the parking lot. We toured the garden and got some planting ideas. That evening we ate at the 4 Sisters Wine Bar and Tapas Restaurant where we shared four different tapas. The next day we drove across the bridge at Lacrosse to the Minnesota side of the river. The drive was close to the river and beautiful. At Winona, we crossed back over to the Wisconsin side and drove to Alma where we took the Bueno Vista Park drive to the top of the bluff. I was so glad my son-in-law knew about this drive, it was awesome to look down on the river, town and lock. Our next stop was at the Nelson Cheese Factory. Then we headed north to Pepin the visit the Villa Bellezza Winery for lunch and wine tasting. It was time to cross the river again and stop in Red Wing, Minnesota for some pottery. Our final destination was Ramsey, Minnesota to visit family.

Every fall, a few girlfriends spend the day on Wisconsin's Great River Road crisscrossing the Mississippi River from Prescott, to Red Wing, Maiden Rock, Pepin, Wabasha, Alma, Trempealeau, and meandering our way down to LaCrosse. Each of these river towns have their own heritage and 'flavor' offering unique shops, artisans, dining and fine folks. But the greatest part of our adventure is the scenery! Peering through spectacular fall foilage of bright red, yellow and orange and seeing the glistening river, the cliffs, the riverboats, the barges is inspiring! This day-trip is well worth your time - and an outing you'll want to experience every year!

We drove a lot of the Wisconsin Great River Road and everything we saw was just breathtaking. Wonderful people along the river, very helpful volunteers at the interpretive centers, and just small-town fun! Lots of "local color" and a perfect way to learn more about your country and the Mississippi River.

A wonderful drive from Prescott to Pepin, WI. A beautiful curvy road that is well maintained above the bluffs of the Mississippi River. Outstanding views make for a very scenic ride. Can only imagine how gorgeous this would be during the fall colors. If you have a sports car or motorcycle this is the rode to drive.

A beautiful fall drive. We started in Lacrosse WI and drove to Dubuque Iowa. There were several areas to stop and look at the view. We also could stop and watch the big barges go through the locks in two places. Quite the site.

We decided to meander up the Great River Road this past Fall 2010, starting at Potosi and making it as far as Red Wing. We crossed the river at various points and made sure to see all sides of the drive.

While there are parts that are further away from the river than others, for the most part Hwy 35 on the WI side will keep you hugging the river, often driving next to Grand Bluffs. We were also visiting after immense rains, so the river was rising, rising, rising while we were there, and unfortunately this meant lots of closed boat landings, and no water activities for us.

The Potosi National Beer Museum is a unique stop - esp. for beer aficionados. The restaurant here is very good. From Potosi to Prairie du Chien, the drive is a little desolate and wild. It reminded me of small empty former mining towns you see out West. Prairie du Chien is a bit larger city - but not too much to do there. We ended up crossing to Iowa at this point. The tiny town of McGregor is very unique and worth a stop, and the Lady Luck casino in Marquette paid nicely.

Make a stop at Wyalusing State Park for incredible views, indian mounds, and hiking or biking.

The drive north from Marquette, IA up to Lansing IA takes you through beautiful rolling green hills reminiscent of Ireland. Lansing, IA is also a fun little historic stop with a bar/restaurant on the water and very friendly people. North of Lansing is the small town of New Albin, which has an excellent meat market.

We did not enjoy LaCrosse or Onalaska area - too large and not enough points of interest for us.

Heading North from LaCrosse up to Red Wing was the highlight of the trip. The Treampealeau area - the Hotel and Perrot State Park are must sees. Have a meal at the hotel and be sure to hike to the top of Brady's Bluff, with excellent views at 520 feet. Heading north from here you will pass through beautiful bluffs and picturesque quaint towns dotted with restaurants, pubs, parks, and gift shops. Fountain City, with it's winery and Irish Public house, Alma with it's gorgeous Buena Vista Park, stair step streets, and Pier 4 Cafe, and then Nelson, Pepin, and Stockholm, tiny towns that make you want to pull over and retire.

We did not stay in red Wing as it felt too large to us after our quiet drives. Heading south on the MN side we did stop in Lake City, a small quaint town on the West side of Lake Pepin, before continuing south to see Winona - a larger town with character, and Wabasha - another small town with the National Eagle Center.

Along the way you will be treated to a multitude of freight trains thundering by, beautiful views, locks and dams, barges heading upriver, plenty of waterfowl and migratory birds, bald eagles, and historic stops and museums. I recommend staying on the WI side between Trempealeau and Stockholm, the most beautiful stretch IMO. You will also be treated to gorgeous sunsets on this side. One unique part to the MN and IA side is the boat houses (not houseboats per se, but houses on barrels that are anchored to shore). It seems the DNR doesn't allow this in WI, or for some other reason you don't see this on the WI side.

We took this drive after reading about the trip in the Chicago Tribune. We were thrilled we did. The views are spectacular and the small towns one drives through (and stops at) bring back pleasant memories of days gone-by. We stopped in Postosi for lunch at the Brewery, that was worthwhile. We did the traditional ice cream in Nelson, also wonderful. The best part however were the views that will stay in my mind for a long time to come. Any season must be beautiful, but with the fall colors, perhaps that is the best.

This is such a beautiful drive! You cannot believe you are in Wisconsin - the bluff are so tall. The river looks like a giant lake most of the way.

Drove this yesterday (10/13) from Lansing to Prairie du Chien. Must be at the peak of the season...bluff after bluff of bright fall colors...hard to focus on the driving. Wish I would have taken a camera!

Breathtaking vistas, quaint towns and great food. Start at the interpretive center in Prescott, enjoy the many wineries, Maiden Rock Winery & Cidery uses only apples. Amazing. Delectable food at Harbor View Cafe in Pepin. Take the drive up to Buena Vista Park. Overlook the River and town of Alma from over 1200ft. elevation. Awesome trip!

The roads were good and pretty enough scenery. I was a little disappointed by the lack of options to stop for food and shopping along the way. There was nothing that looked like an obvious place to stop with good parking. For some reason i thought it would be more touristy oriented, but I'm sure there's a lot of folks who like it better this way.

We enjoyed our drive along a short part of this Road ! Beautiful scenery and unique little towns with great places to stop! We are going to put it on our list of things to do and complete the entire trip.

We enjoyed our journey on this road, bluffs were cool and entertained the kids as well as us parents. Will plan this route again

Fabulous views all along the Mississippi River. Gorgeous scenery! All stretches are beautiful throughout the year!

My wife and I just drove the road (Rt 35) from Hager City to Lacrosse on the WI side and we enjoyed it. There are numerous places to stop and admire the scenery and small towns that are worth checking out. We love Stockholm in particular - some very unique shops although in most the items are hand made and quite expensive. After living in CO and experiencing the Rocky Mountain drives this scenery is much less spectacular but it was very nice and definitely worth the drive. We would recommend it.