Fun things to do in Pine City

1. Nap or read a book at a city park. There are a dozen of them throughout the community with a wide variety of offerings from disc golf to skateboarding; from swimming to sand volleyball; from fitness trails to fishing; from horticulture to history; the list goes on and on. City maps showing where all of the parks are located are available at the Chamber of Commerce office at 315 Main St. S.

2. Eat Booya. The annual Czech heritage booya festival takes place at the historic Sokol Camp on the east shores of Cross Lake annually in August. Attend and submerse yourself in other Czech and Slovak cultural activities. Try their famous “Booya”, a hearty concoction of meaty soup.

3. Explore nature in another era. Step back to the recreated world of 1804, and walk the trails at the Northwest Co. Fur Post. Stop at the Ojibwe encampment and learn how the seasonal living of the Ojibwe changed when Europeans arrived. Meet a fur trade clerk who explains the system of barter that moved beaver fur from the hands of Indian hunters onto the heads of fashionable Europeans.

4. Cruise Main Street. Wash the car, roll down the windows, turn the radio up (not too loud) and cruise ‘Main’. Nothing beats the nostalgia of cruising a traditional main street through a bustling small town; even better, ours is on a national scenic byway. Pull into the carhop at the All-American A&W for a frosty rootbeer along the way.

5. Take your photo with François. The 35-foot tall French voyageur statue looks over downtown Pine City from Voyageur Park on the north shore of the Snake River. Thousands of tourists have had their photo with the roadside distraction. Have you?

6. Investigate a real, live Ghost Town. Explore near the Chengwatana Dam, find traces of “Chengwatana”, originally an Ojibwa village (Zhingwaadena), a popular site with trappers and traders, and in 1856 platted to be the largest village between St. Paul and Duluth on the government road; it was used as a military post in 1862-’63. There are visual traces of foundations of buildings that once stood.


7. See Devils Lake. Local legend has it that the lake, viewable by the community fitness trails (note: minimally maintained, some private property), once swallowed a train that has never been found since. In the 1800′s a circus train derailed into the lake and as late as 2010 scuba divers have had unsuccessful searches for it.

8. Browse the gallery at Pine Center for the Arts. Amidst your shopping along historic Fifth Street, stop into the Center to see the artwork on display by the people of the region. You will be delighted and amazed at the imagination and talent of the artists in our backyard. While there, sign up for an art class with a friend or loved one.

9. Dine at a new restaurant. Certainly with 30 eateries to choose from, the Pine City area has something for everyone, and likely something you’ve yet to try. Newer to the restaurant scene are Wild Bamboo, which dishes up some of the best Vietnamese cuisine in Minnesota, and WingStreet, for those who like flavored chicken wings. Staples are Nicoll’s Cafe and Pizza Pub, both downtown.

10. Shake your tailfeathers at Froggy’s. Like to dance? Every Saturday night, Deejay Tuck plays some of the hottest new music, and throws in some Pine City sound-flair from time-to-time. 21+. Mom’s late-night menu is available from Midnight-to-3 a.m. for after the fun.

It’s time to create your Pine City bucket list and get going.