Minnesota Now Has One of the Top Roadside Attractions in the U.S.

Minnesota has officially leveled up its roadside charm with an attraction so impressive it’s not only drawing travelers off the beaten path but it has just been named one of the top roadside attractions in the entire country.

Tourism is once again big business here in the Land of 10,000 Lakes and across the country. In fact, Explore Minnesota, the state's tourism agency, just reported that visitor spending hit a record 14.1 billion dollars in Minnesota last year, up a billion dollars from 2022 and nearly 8 percent higher than pre-pandemic numbers back in 2019.

Explore Minnesota went on to say that over 80 million out-of-state visitors spent time in Minnesota last year, up over 4.5 percent from 2022. Tourism and hospitality also provide a lot of jobs across the Gopher State, with over 180,000 Minnesotans having worked in that industry last year.

ALSO INTERESTING: The Cheapest Grocery Store Chain in the US Has 74 Locations Here in Minnesota

So given all those healthy numbers, it shouldn't be a surprise that one distinctly Minnesota attraction has just been named one of the top roadside attractions in the United States. That's the word from a new survey by the travel experts at Cycle Trader, the largest motorcycle platform in the U.S., who just published their roundup of the Best Roadside Attractions Around the Country.

Get our free mobile app

And one of our attractions here in the North Star State just ranked second in their national survey. Any guesses on which Minnesota attraction caught their attention? If you said the big statues of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox, you're right! Those two statues can be found in Bemidji, Minnesota, near the Visit Bemidji offices, situated on the shores of Lake Bemidji.

Paul Bunyan and his Ox, Babe in Bemidji, MN. (Google Maps)

Here's what the Cycle Trader survey said about that classic Minnesota attraction:

For anyone who remembers learning about tall tales in elementary school, there was one story that remains a favorite, the tale of a giant lumberjack named Paul Bunyan and his trusty, equally massive best friend, Babe the Blue Ox. Set your compass to Bemidji, Minnesota, where you can see the 18-foot-tall lumberjack and his 14-foot-tall blue companion at the town’s tourist information center.

Outside of the Carhenge attraction in Alliance, Nebraska, which features 39 vintage automobiles painted grey to resemble the United Kingdom's Stonehenge (which is one of the 7 Wonders of the World) no other attraction in the Midwest made this survey!

So sorry, Otto the Otter in Fergus Falls, or Willie the Walleye in Baudette, or even the World's Largest Loon on Land in beautiful Vergas, Minnesota, even though you're listed as some of Explore Minnesota's best roadside attractions, none of you made this survey-- though you all do sound like you would make for a great road trip to check out in person.

And if you're heading out on a road trip to check out some of these attractions here in our fair state, keep your eyes peeled for a few famous folks. Keep scrolling to check out some celebrities you just could run into here in Minnesota too.