Community & Tourism
THE MIGHTY MISSISSIPPI
One of North America’s most iconic
landmarks, the Mississippi River, draws
the entire eastern border of our region and
is one of the top regional attractions with
miles of bike trails, riverside restaurants
and the unique views of the river.
The Mississippi National River and
Recreation Area is an urban national park
area stretching 72 miles through the Twin
Cities region. Not only is the river a source
of recreation for visitors and residents, it
remains a working river, with tow boats
plying their trade from St. Paul all the way
to New Orleans.
If you’re looking to access the Mississippi
River, look no further than Inver
Grove Heights and South St. Paul. For
boaters, marinas in Inver Grove Heights
offer launch passes, transient dockage
and a gas dock as well as season long
slip rentals. Canoeists and kayakers can
launch there as well! In South St. Paul,
boaters can access the Mississippi
River at the DNR Boat Launch located at
Verderosa Avenue and Interstate 494.
Speaking of connecting to the river, the
Swing Bridge in Inver Grove Heights
turned 125 years old in 2020. The 670-foot
railroad-swing-bridge-turned-walking-pier
offers stunning views of the river and is a
unique spot for taking photos, or simply
getting a little bit closer to the Mighty
Mississippi.
We look forward to the day when visitors
and residents can fully experience
our region again. The River Heights
region has so much to see, do and
taste. For more information, visit www.
visitigh.com and www.riverheights.com.
RECREATION & ADVENTURE
In addition to a variety of restaurants, there is a wide range of things to do
including hiking and biking trails, golfing, disc golf, skating, tennis, pickleball
and the newest attraction nearby, Birdi Golf.
Incorporated in April 2019,
founders Eric Delacy teamed up
with friend and neighbor, Matt
Renner, to create Birdi Golf.
Matt was an avid golfer, and
with the growth of indoor golf,
thought a better model could
be created. Along with Matt’s
brother, Jon McBride, and Eric,
and about 150 revisions later,
the 3 came up with a truly
Birdi Golf Ambassador Visit
unique space with over 10,000
square feet of pure fun. They opened their first location in October 2019 with
the best indoor simulator technology on the planet, Golfzon.
For the avid golfer, this is the most realistic and best experience around and has
won the coveted “best golf simulator” award 3 years running from Golf Digest.
The only simulator to have a moving swing plate to match your lie on one of
over 190 courses. But that’s not where it ends, the trio recognized the flaws
in the industry. The typical indoor facility is in the back of a warehouse, has a
locker room feel to it, and little or no food and beverage options. More importantly,
if you are not a golfer, those types of places would not appeal to you.
Birdi has a scratch kitchen
with next-level food, a bar that
boasts 20 tap beers and almost
30 more in the cooler, a huge
wine selection, and one of the
east metro’s largest whiskey,
bourbon, and scotch collections!
Not to mention the craft
cocktail menu, including their
signature drink, the Dole-in-One!
Birdi also has games and levels
on the simulators, so anyone of any experience, including those who have
never picked up a club in their life, can jump right in and have a great time!
Birdi has a private luxury lounge with 2 more bays, attached to a conference
room for business meetings and private get-togethers.
With its large open floor plan, Birdi can accommodate groups up to 250 for
business outings, parties, wedding receptions and more.
In short, Birdi has something for everyone, not just the golfer! Family night,
date night, you name it, it works at Birdi!
Customers can come in to golf, play arcade games on the simulator, throw
some bags, eat great food, or just have a drink at the bar! Birdi has more of a
top golf, or nightclub feel to it, and is clearly the high-end player in the indoor
space. In addition to their current location in Woodbury at 494 and Valley
Creek Road, watch for other locations to be announced in the near future.
www.riverheights.com | River Heights Chamber of Commerce 13