Things to Do Near St. Cloud, MN
St. Cloud Campground is a quiet home base for exploring central Minnesota. Riverside gardens, swimming quarries, a world-famous abbey church and a national wildlife refuge are all within an easy drive. Here’s our guide to the best things to do near St. Cloud, grouped by type, with the distance from the campground.
Looking for things to do without leaving the campground? See our on-site activities (heated pool, pickleball, playground and more).
Parks and Gardens
Munsinger and Clemens Gardens
St. Cloud
Two side-by-side public gardens on the banks of the Mississippi River. Munsinger Gardens covers 14 acres and Clemens Gardens 7 acres, and there’s no admission fee. Munsinger is the informal side, with winding paths under tall pines. Clemens is formal, with six gardens spread across seven acres, including the Virginia Clemens Rose Garden. Bring a picnic. Munsinger has picnic tables, swinging benches that face the river, a fairy garden and even peacocks. The gardens are free to visit, but dogs aren’t allowed, so plan to leave your pup at the campsite.
Quarry Park and Nature Preserve
Waite Park
A former granite quarry turned into one of the area’s most popular parks. It covers 684 acres of trails, swimming quarries and rock climbing walls, and it’s the largest park in the Stearns County system. Swimming is allowed in Quarries 2 and 11. Quarry 11 has a sandy beach, while Quarry 2 is the deepest at 116 feet. There are no lifeguards, so children must be supervised. You’ll also find hiking and mountain bike trails, fishing and scuba diving in designated quarries.
Good to know: a vehicle parking permit is required: $25 for an annual permit, or a daily permit of $5 from Labor Day to Memorial Day and $10 from Memorial Day to Labor Day. The park is open from 8 a.m. to half an hour after sunset.
Nature and Wildlife
Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge
Zimmerman
A quiet country drive takes you to a 30,700-acre refuge of marshes, prairie and oak savanna. There’s no charge to visit. Bike or drive the seven-mile Prairie’s Edge Wildlife Drive, and come in the morning or evening for the best wildlife viewing. In fall, the refuge is famous for its cranes: sandhill cranes migrate through from mid-September to mid-November.
Good to know: from March 1 to August 31, most of the refuge is a wildlife sanctuary closed to public access, but the Wildlife Drive, several hiking trails, the canoe route and fishing access points stay open.
Saint John’s and St. Joseph
Saint John’s Abbey Church
Collegeville
The Abbey Church, with its banner bell tower, is one of the best-known works of modernist architect Marcel Breuer. Its north wall is a 60-foot-high, 168-foot-wide wall of stained glass made from 430 hexagons. Visitors are welcome. The church is open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., and the monks celebrate Mass daily at 5 p.m. While you’re on campus, the Saint John’s Art Center houses the Alice R. Rogers Gallery and Target Gallery, which host rotating exhibits.
Haehn Museum at Saint Benedict’s Monastery
St. Joseph
The Haehn Museum holds nearly 9,000 artifacts dating back to 1857 that document the lives and ministries of the Sisters of the Order of Saint Benedict. Its newest exhibit showcases pieces from the monastery’s historical Art Needlework Department, which operated from 1867 to 1968. Afterward, browse the Whitby Gift Shop for handmade gifts. Admission is free, and hours are Tuesday through Friday from noon to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Museums and History
Stearns History Museum
St. Cloud
The story of Stearns County and central Minnesota, from granite quarrying to farm life. The museum has a two-level, accessible exhibit gallery and a hands-on Children’s Room, plus a research center for family history. It’s open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Minnesota Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame
St. Cloud
A must for town-ball fans. The museum is on the second floor of the St. Cloud River’s Edge Convention Center, it’s free, and it displays uniforms, caps, photos, bats, balls, gloves and programs.
Benton County Historical Society and Museum
Sauk Rapids
Local history in a landmark setting. The museum is housed in the Robinson-Stanton House, built in 1873 from locally quarried granite and one of the earliest granite homes in Minnesota. Admission is free, and it’s open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Arts and Entertainment
Paramount Center for the Arts
Downtown St. Cloud
The renovated 800-seat Paramount Theatre, built in 1921, hosts community performances and touring professional shows. Next door, the Paramount Gallery and Gifts sells work by about 60 local and regional artists. Check the schedule before your stay and catch a show.
Day Trip: Little Falls
Minnesota Fishing Museum and Hall of Fame
The museum features an aquarium and replicas of Minnesota state record fish, along with more than a century of fishing history. Check the museum’s website for current hours before you go.
Charles Lindbergh House and Museum: reopening in 2027
The boyhood home of aviator Charles Lindbergh is preparing for a big year. The site is expected to open for the 2027 season beginning May 21, 2027, the 100th anniversary of Lindbergh’s landing in France after his historic 33-hour flight across the Atlantic. The museum has interactive exhibits, a full-scale replica of the Spirit of St. Louis cockpit, and Mississippi River trails that connect to Lindbergh State Park.