Alexandria

Alexandria brings together exhibits on Ojibwe and Dakota cultures, boating history, and a historic house, along with seasonal markets, theater, and the Central Lakes Trail. Whether you want your stay to focus more on collections, annual events, or a performance is a helpful first question to consider when planning.

Museums Between Collections and Lake Culture

In downtown Alexandria, the Native American Exhibit at the Runestone Museum displays Ojibwe and Dakota objects from the Dr. Oliver Collection. Examples include ceremonial pipes and beadwork. The exhibit offers a tangible introduction to objects from these two named peoples. Visitors who want to include culture and collections in their stay will find a clearly defined focus here.

The Legacy of the Lakes Museum is also located in downtown Alexandria and focuses on Minnesota’s lake culture. Its extensive, constantly changing collection includes classic boats, engines, and memorabilia related to life on the lakes. Among the boats are rare models by Chris-Craft, Gar Wood, Century, and Hackercraft, as well as boats made in Minnesota. The exhibits also cover the history of fishing and the traditions of life on the water. The museum’s program therefore includes other aspects of lake culture alongside the boats.

Historic House and Big Ole Park

The historic Senator Knute Nelson House is one of the oldest buildings in Douglas County. The Douglas County Historical Society offers guided tours of the house. Since tour times may change, it is worth checking before your visit. The tour offers a different focus from the museum collections: it centers on a historic house whose significance is considered in the context of the entire county.

Big Ole, a 28-foot (about 8.5-meter) Viking statue, stands in Big Ole Park. The park is also the starting point of the Central Lakes Trail. This gives you two different points to consider in your plans: you can visit the park to see the landmark or use it as the starting point for the trail.

In summer and fall, Alexandria’s Farmer’s Market takes place three times a week in Big Ole Park. It offers locally produced goods and other food products. In summer, there is also an art market there on Saturdays: works by regional artists are for sale, accompanied by live music. It starts at 10 a.m. and continues until the end of the day. The markets differ both in their offerings and their schedules. If you want to plan around a specific date, check the current dates before your trip.

Theater and Trip Planning

The Andria Theatre also adds to Alexandria’s cultural offerings. It produces ten performances each year, including musicals, comedies, and dramas. Since individual schedules change, it is a good idea to check the current program for your travel dates. This lets you plan a possible theater visit around specific performances.

If you are looking for a vacation rental in Alexandria, you can take your preferred focus into account when planning: exhibits, a guided tour, seasonal markets, or a theater performance each offer a different emphasis. For the markets and theater, the specific dates are especially important. First decide which of these experiences matter most for your stay, then plan your trip around them.

Discover more destinations: Millerville.

Go to the main travel overview: Douglas County.