Kevin,
Last May we vacationed in SW Minnesota. I left home grumbling about who in the world would go to SW Minnesota for a vacation ?!@# but it was Eric’s turn to select our destination.
We stayed at two MN State Parks. The first was Lake Shetek State Park which is close to Blue Mounds. It is a quiet, well maintained State Park that has cute, newer camper cabins in case you have additional guests who need a place to stay. People were catching walleye off the causeway to the island. No need for a boat but they do have boat, canoe, and kayak rentals, a beach, and an interesting interpretation center.
We also stayed in a real teepee at Blue Mounds State Park. Unfortunately we didn’t see the buffalo herd. You might want to talk to the Park Rangers to see if they know where the herd is grazing. We enjoyed hiking the bluffs along the southern edge of the Park. There are many nooks and crannies to explore if you are interested in moderate rock climbing. Since we are both professional photographer students we stopped at the Brandenburg Gallery in Luverne, MN. We also enjoyed eating at a quirky little restaurant in Luverne that the locals call Vinny’s but the sign says Dang Good Food. The d?cor is vintage lunchbox. We sat at the counter and talked to Vinny while he cooked. He is quite a character. I asked him to select something from the menu for me. Instead he whipped up a delicious grilled chicken breast that was not on the menu. Vinny has hours that are convenient for him so you might want to call to make sure he is open. His number is 507-920-5020.
While we were in the area we took a half day to go to the Pipestone National Monument and walk the ? mile Circle Trail that goes by Winnewissa Falls and the quarry pits.
So now I know why people vacation in SW Minnesota. The only regret is that we didn’t go later in the summer so we could see the prairie flowers. Enjoy your trip to Blue Mounds this August.