THINGS TO DO
Unusual Things To Do Up North
BY CYNTHIA PARSONS • CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Minnesota is home to a number of unique attractions. Below are four sites listed in order as you head Up
North.
Redhead Creamery in Brooten, Minn. Visit the Redhead Creamery for one of the most unique experiences in Minnesota. Step into a dairy farm where cheese is made on-site. Alise Sjostrom, president and CEO of Redhead Creamery and resident redhead, said,“ We make cheese two to three days a week. Take a tour on Fridays or Saturdays and visit our 180 registered dairy cows and see how cheese is made.”
Alise honed her cheese-making skills at the Vermont Institute for Artisan Cheese, studied the dairy industry in Wisconsin, and even traveled to Switzerland to learn more about Swiss-style cheeses.“ Many wonderful cheesemakers and owners took me under their wings through those years and helped build my knowledge and understanding of the cheese making tradition. We are a fully run dairy farm that has a cheese plant on it,” Alise said.
The dairy tour includes a guided walking tour and a sampling of Redhead Creamery cheeses at the end of the tour. There is a dining room, distillery, and cheese shop on-site. Open year round on Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a. m. to 4 p. m.
On Saturday, June 14, the farm will host Curd Fest 2025, which is a big celebration of cheese
28 2025 | destinationupnorth. com and drinks. For more information, go to: Redheadcreamery. com
World’ s Largest Prairie Chicken in Rothsay, Minn. The World’ s Largest Booming Prairie Chicken statue off of exit 38 on I-94 makes for a quick stop to stretch your legs on your road trip Up North. The bird statue stands 13 feet high, 18 feet wide, and weighs 9,000 pounds.
Prairie chickens were once one of the most prominent birds in North America. But by the 1930s, hunting and habitat loss had driven them almost to extinction. When the small town of Rothsay( population less than 500 people) was designated the“ Prairie Chicken Capital of Minnesota” in 1975, the local community decided to put up a statue of the prairie chicken in 1976 in a male mating stance designed by artist Art Fosse.
The statue’ s plaque describes the bird’ s mating ritual. At dawn in the early spring, male prairie chickens venture out to the meadows where they perform an intricate courtship display. These brown-feathered birds raise their elongated head feathers, rapidly stamp their feet, flap their wings, spread their tail feathers, puff out their bright orange air sacs on the side of their necks and make a loud“ whoo-whoo” booming sound to capture the attention of females.
This colorful statue reminds visitors of the beauty found on the native prairie grasslands
The Big Fish Supper Club in Bena, Minn. Located between Lake Winnibigoshish and Leech Lake off of Highway 2, the Big Fish Supper Club and Resort in Bena has five cabins for rent and a restaurant with a full menu and nightly specials. Next to the Supper Club is the Big Fish that travelers may recognize from the opening scene of the 1983 film National Lampoon’ s Vacation. Stand inside the giant toothy jaws of this 65-foot-long and 15-foot wide muskie fish for a memorable selfie.
Amy Hemme, co-owner with her husband Al Hemme, said,“ The fish was built in 1957. It was a drive-in for a while.”
Al said,“ I remember seeing the fish on family vacations. I was two months old on my first trip up here. I have been coming up here ever since.” After growing up in Sleepy Eye, Minn., Amy and Al bought the resort in May 2010 to follow their dream to live in Northern Minnesota.
Amy said,“ I love our place. I love our people. I love watching the kids grow through the years. They become like family so it’ s very, very nice.”
Cabin 1 and 2 each hold two people and cabins 3, 4, and 5 each accommodate up to four people.
Amy said,“ Summer reservations are recommended but in winter you don’ t have to.” Pets are welcome.