Things to do in Winona, MN

Winona's main draws are its bluffs and the Mississippi. Climb the 0.4-mile Garvin Heights trail (378 steps) or drive up to the overlook, look up at the quarried pinnacle of Sugar Loaf, walk or bike the 5.3-mile paved loop around Lake Winona, and see the Minnesota Marine Art Museum (open Tuesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., $12 general admission, as of November 2026). Two state parks are close: John A. Latsch, about 12 miles northwest, and Great River Bluffs, about 20 miles southeast.

This guide is for a day or a weekend in Winona. It covers the overlooks, the museum, the lake and trail system, the summer Shakespeare festival, and the state parks within half an hour, with the hours and prices each place publishes.

Hours, prices and trail status below were read from official pages on November 11, 2026. The checklist at the end says what to confirm before you go.

Winona at a glance

Garvin Heights Park

The city of Winona's Garvin Heights page describes a blufftop overlook where "Lake Pepin and Trempealeau Mountain are visible in clear conditions." The park has a paved parking area, picnic tables and trash cans, and no reservation is needed.

There are two ways up:

• On foot: the trailhead is at the base of the bluff, "just past the right turn up Garvin Heights Road," per the city. The trail is 0.4 miles and includes 378 man-made steps on its upper part. It passes through restored goat prairie and oak savannah.
• By car or bike: Visit Winona says the road "climbs 540 feet in 1.15 miles with a grade of 9.2%," and warns that it is "narrow with sharp curves and high traffic during commuting hours."

Neither the city nor Visit Winona lists park hours or a winter road closure. If you plan a sunrise or after-dark visit, call the city first.

Sugar Loaf

Sugar Loaf is the rock pinnacle on the bluff above Lake Winona that you see from much of the city. According to Visit Winona, it was "originally called Wapasha's Cap after the Native American Chief's hat," and was quarried "by a business owner to use for building structures in Winona." The quarrying left the shape that gave it the Sugar Loaf name.

Visit Winona mentions "a hiking trail up to its base" and describes the bluff as "a recreational feature used for rock climbing." The city's outdoor recreation page still carried a notice dated March 10, 2026, when this guide was checked in November 2026: "The Sugar Loaf Trail is currently CLOSED due to muddy conditions." The city lists the trail as closed, so check that page or call the city before you go.

Minnesota Marine Art Museum

The Minnesota Marine Art Museum calls itself "an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit fine art museum" with the tagline "Great Art Inspired by Water." It sits on the riverfront at 800 Riverview Drive.

Exhibitions listed on the museum's homepage in November 2026 include "The Coast and the Sea: Marine and Maritime Art in America" (through February 28, 2027), "Geo Rutherford: Spooky Waters of the World" (through February 14, 2027) and "Water | Craft" (through December 27, 2026). "Fluid: What is Marine Art, and What Can It Be?" is listed as ongoing.

Lake Winona and the Bluffside trails

The Lake Winona path

The city calls the Lake Winona path "a popular destination for both visitors and local residents" and says the route "is flat and easy." The city's outdoor recreation page gives these distances:

The same page also describes it as a "five-mile blacktop trail." Other tourism pages round it up, so use the 5.3-mile figure for planning.

Bluffside Park

For dirt trails, the city says "The Bluffside Park trail system contains 15 miles of multi-use trails," open in all seasons for mountain biking, hiking, skiing and snowshoeing. Park at Holzinger Lodge for the lower trails and bike park, or on West or East Wincrest Drive for the upper trails.

More in town

Winona County History Center

The Winona County History Center at 160 Johnson Street lists its hours as daily, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Its site does not list admission prices; members get in free. The Children's Exhibit and Native Exhibit are still under construction, per the site. It hosts the Handmade Neighborhood Artisan Market, which it describes as "an annual artisan sale held the Saturday before Thanksgiving" (November 21, 2026, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.).

Great River Shakespeare Festival (summer only)

The Great River Shakespeare Festival performs at The ARC, which it calls the "Home of the Historic Masonic Theater," at 255 Main St. Its 2026 season ran June 24 to July 26 with "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and "Pericles: Prince of Tyre." The festival had not posted 2027 dates as of November 2026; its employment page says 2027 auditions are in December 2026.

State parks near Winona

Latsch is named for John A. Latsch, a Winona businessman who donated the land in 1925, according to the DNR park page. The DNR says steamboat captains navigated by three bluffs called Faith, Hope and Charity, which "tower more than 500 feet above the river," and that the Civilian Conservation Corps built the park's one trail in 1933.

At Great River Bluffs, the DNR lists 6.5 miles of hiking and a 2.5-mile self-guided trail, plus 3 miles of groomed classic ski trail in winter. From Winona, the DNR route is south on Highway 61 to just past mile marker 15, then right on County Road 3 for 4 miles. Both parks are open daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Vehicle permit: all three parks need a Minnesota state park vehicle permit, $7 for a one-day permit (the DNR also sells an overnight permit at the same price, valid through 4 p.m. the next day) or $35 for a year-round permit, per the DNR permit page.

Check before you go

1. Sugar Loaf trail: the city's outdoor recreation page lists it as closed (notice dated March 10, 2026); check that page before you go.
2. Museum days: the Marine Art Museum is closed Mondays and federal holidays.
3. Deer hunts: in November, check each park's DNR page for special hunt closures before you go.
4. Garvin Heights road: narrow and steep; the trail from the bottom is the alternative.
5. Summer theater: watch grsf.org for 2027 Shakespeare festival dates.

Related guides: All Bluff Country guides · Things to do in Red Wing · Things to do in Lanesboro · Great River Bluffs State Park guide · More things to do in Minnesota

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Sources

• City of Winona, Garvin Heights Park facility page: https://www.winonamn.gov/Facilities/Facility/Details/Garvin-Heights-Park-58
• City of Winona, Outdoor Recreation: https://www.winonamn.gov/780/Outdoor-Recreation
• Visit Winona, Garvin Heights Park: https://visitwinona.com/garvin-heights-park
• Visit Winona, Sugar Loaf: https://visitwinona.com/?p=83600
• Minnesota Marine Art Museum, Visit MMAM: https://mmam.org/visit
• Minnesota Marine Art Museum, homepage and current exhibitions: https://mmam.org/
• Winona County Historical Society, homepage: https://www.winonahistory.org/
• Great River Shakespeare Festival, 2026 season: https://www.grsf.org/2026-season
• Great River Shakespeare Festival, employment 2027: https://www.grsf.org/employment-2027
• Minnesota DNR, John A. Latsch State Park: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state-parks/park.html?id=spk00177
• Minnesota DNR, Great River Bluffs State Park: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state-parks/park.html?id=spk00244
• Minnesota DNR, Whitewater State Park: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state-parks/park.html?id=spk00280
• Minnesota DNR, Vehicle permits: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state-parks/permit.html