What Things to Do in Austin, MN - Travel Taste and Tour Magazine

Where ordinary meets extraordinary: AUSTIN, MINNESOTA has something for everyone.

Visit the SPAM Museum in beautiful downtown Austin. A quaint downtown offers places to eat, shop, and relax after exploring the world-famous canned meat’s impactful history. Before entering, take a picture in front of the Austin Welcome sign and the farmer and the pigs’ statue. Once in the museum, visitors can travel with SPAM® in the World Market Exhibit, where visitors go on a journey to see different SPAM® products and meals around the world. The Hormel Foods Corporation has an extensive history. The 1891 and beyond exhibit allows visitors to hear about this history, see George A. Hormel’s actual desk, and discover the impact of SPAM® during World War II. Learn about Hormel Foods today, including the opportunity to acquire SPAM® recipes.

Jay C Hormel Nature Center

Explore the Jay C Hormel Nature Center offering fun activities all-year-round. Hike or cross-country ski on over 10 miles of trails. Spanning more than 500 acres, the nature center has a lot to offer, like a look-out tower. Visitors can rent canoes and kayaks to discover the nature center pond’s waters, Dobbins Creek, and the Cedar River. There is also an interpretive center where visitors can learn about the impact nature has on Austin.

Buy Unique Gifts at Austin Artworks Center. Located in one of the oldest buildings in Austin, the Austin ArtWorks Center is home to an art gallery, clay cavern (art studio), and a retail area. This retail area sells artwork from over 100 artists throughout the US who make unique gifts. The ArtWorks Center hosts a full range of classes, from kids’ classes to adult studios. In the art gallery, they host a wide range of small concerts and jam sessions.

Historic Paramount Theatre

Experience the Historic Paramount Theatre. The theatre initially opened in September 1929 as a stage and first-run theatre. The theatre was designed to look like a courtyard of a quaint Spanish village under a starry night, and it is one of four remaining atmospheric theatres in Minnesota. Visitors can learn more about the Paramount theatre through the new mini-museum in its lobby while enjoying freshly popped movie theater popcorn. The Paramount is a host to a variety of entertainment throughout an average year.

Learn some History at the Hormel Historic Home. The 1871 home of the Hormel family now preserves the history of the George A and Lillian Hormel family. Visitors can tour this immaculate home and learn the history of the Hormel family. The Hormel Historic Home also has an event center that holds community events, weddings, and tour groups.

Bike over 45 miles of trails. Austin is a bike-friendly destination having miles of bike trails connecting to the Shooting Star State Trail. Rydjor Bike shop is an incredible shop for bicyclists and features 80+ bikes in its bike museum. Some of the bikes in the collection include the 1868 Boneshaker and one of late Robin Williams’ bikes.

Meadow Greens

Play Golf at Meadow Greens. This course offers 27 holes that test visitors’ golfing skills with every shot. Meadow greens have three different 9-hole layouts. It has a beautiful landscape with 100-year-old trees, a creek, and a pond.

Appreciate a book at Sweet Reads. Sweet Reads is a must stop for visitors who love candy, books, and Minnesota nice. There is nothing quite like the charm of this local bookstore. It offers new and used books, as well as books that Minnesotan authors write. Visitors can also find unique sweets like bacon-flavored candy.