Otter Tail County Adventures: Things to Do in Pelican Rapids
By Jenna Kvidt, photos by Micah Kvidt
Hey, Jenna here, from the travel blog, Wander The Map! My husband, Micah, and I grew up in Otter Tail County, Minnesota, and we currently live in St. Paul. Since we haven’t been able to travel much this year, we decided it was time to explore the region we call home. Follow along as we travel around all the communities in Otter Tail County to rediscover all the reasons this area is so special. Next up: Pelican Rapids.
Pelican Rapids, Minnesota, is located in the northwest corner of Otter Tail County. It is also our hometown! Even though we grew up in the area, it’s been quite some time since we’ve set out on adventures to explore like a tourist. So, this fall, we set out to explore our hometown with a new lens and we are so happy that we did. We had a great time hitting up some of our favorite spots and discovering some new to us locations, as well
If you are looking for a place to stay while you are in town, The Lakes Inn at Dunvilla is a fantastic choice. The hotel is located a few miles north of town and offers beautifully designed rooms, a pool, hot tub, and complimentary hot breakfast.
Some of the adventures we were able to enjoy were hiking at Maplewood State Park, paddling the Pelican River, enjoying the walking trails, searching for art, enjoying the lakes, learning about history, browsing shops, visiting pumpkin patches, and eating at some delicious restaurants. There are also two golf courses in Pelican Rapids: Birchwood and Lida Greens. Read on to learn more about all the great adventures in Pelican Rapids!
Things to Do in Pelican Rapids
Say “Hi” to Pelican Pete, a.k.a. “The World’s Largest Pelican”:
First and foremost, you have to stop by Pelican Pete when you are in town…he is the world’s largest pelican, after all. Pete is located on the edge of the Pelican River just below the waterfall. Some of the best views are from main street between Riverview Place and Bell Bank, from across the river near Pelican Drug, or from the viewing platform at the base of the statue.
Explore Maplewood State Park:
No matter the season, Maplewood State Park is a wonderful place to enjoy a wide range of activities such as camping, horseback riding, hiking, paddling, and more. Located 8 miles from town, the park is definitely a must stop location when you are in Pelican Rapids
We pulled up to Maplewood State Park this year on a sunny afternoon, and we were met with plenty of other park goers that had the same idea as us. Hiking Hallaway Hill is one of our favorite short hikes in the park, but there are other trails to explore, as well. Some other great trails we enjoy are Grass Lake Trail, Cataract Lake Trail, and the Woodland Trail.
Another adventure you can’t miss is the scenic drive through the park. This roughly 30-minute drive sends you down a one-way road through fantastic scenery. We loved stopping at some of the prairie restoration projects, alongside lakes, at hiking trails, and driving under the canopy of the multi-colored trees.
Explore the Art through Pelican Sculptures and Art Benches:
In addition to the world’s largest pelican, there are a variety of “Friends of Pete” pelican statues located around Pelican Rapids. Each pelican sculpture is painted and accessorized with unique costumes and designs. You can find a construction pelican, a dalmatian fire dog pelican, and a pharmacist pelican, to name a few. We went around and found 12 statues located throughout town, but there may even be some we are missing!
There are also three art benches placed around town. The metal benches were created by elementary students with the help of their art teacher, Kate Martinez, and local metal artist, Tom Christiansen. The project was completed by students in grades 3-6 where each one picked a member of the community, interviewed them and then drew their profile. Six of the profiles were chosen to be cast in metal for three bronze benches that are on display along Main Street.
Paddle the Pelican River:
We haven’t paddled on the Pelican River in ages, so it was high time to head back out on the water again. With the blue skies, the beautiful autumn trees, and calm waters, it was a wonderful early evening paddle. We put our kayaks in at E.L. Peterson Park and paddled under the suspension bridge to head north on the river.
Depending on the water levels, you can also put a kayak in at Prairie Lake and paddle all the way to the dam in town. If you don’t have your own kayak, The Pelican Paddle Company rents kayaks and offers a couple paddling routes or any area lake as an option for pick up and drop off locations.
Learn About History at Area Monuments:
There are a few historical monuments in Pelican Rapids and one of the most iconic one is Minnesota Woman. The site is located three miles out of town just off of Highway 59, and it is commemorated with a stone monument. While the display is simple, the history behind it is anything but and we will give you a very brief rundown. When the highway was being built in the early 1930’s, the remains of a body were found. The bones were given to researchers from the University of Minnesota and it was determined that they were the bones of a teenage girl that drown in a lake that covered the area more than 10,000 years prior. This means the remains are more than 10,000 years old, and the skeletal find is rated as one of the most important finds in North America. How crazy is that?!
Other historic sites in Pelican Rapids consist of the Historic City Hall, the Pelican Rapids Village Historical Marker, and the Veteran’s Memorial.
Enjoy the Lakes:
Otter Tail County is home to a multitude of lakes, and Pelican Rapids is not an exception. Within a short drive from town, you will find Prairie Lake, Sand Lake, Lake Lida, Pelican Lake, and Lake Lizzie, to name a few.
We went out on a nice fall boat ride on Lake Lida this year, and the trees were absolutely stunning. Other great ways to enjoy the lakes are paddling, going for a pontoon ride, or trying your luck with fishing. Viewing the fall colors from the water is always a treat!
Put on Steps via the Walking Path Trails:
Setting out on a walk in a small town can be a challenge if you want to put on some miles. Thankfully, the walking paths in Pelican Rapids give you routes throughout town that cover one to three miles in distance. If you want to walk more, you can always join another path as they all connect with one another at different points.
Even though we grew up in Pelican Rapids and have spent many a day walking around town, we had never actually followed any of the walking paths. That needed to change, so we laced up our walking shoes and hit the trail. It was nice to have directions to follow and easily put on a couple of miles. We will definitely be utilizing these routes again in the future!
Visit the Town’s Parks and Suspension Bridge:
Located between Sherin Memorial Park and E.L. Peterson Park is a historic suspension bridge that spans the Pelican River.
On one side of the river, the Sherin Memorial Park is home to a campground, picnic shelter, and soon to be renovated pool. The other side of the bridge is home to E.L. Peterson Park with a playground, picnic shelters, and a fishing pier; plus, the famous, giant pelican is just steps away. A couple other parks in town that are great for relaxing are Veteran’s Memorial River Park and Thompson Memorial Park.
Browse a Variety of Shops:
There are several cute shops to explore in and near Pelican Rapids, and it’s always fun to do some shopping. This time around, we visited Karen’s Corner, The Shop at Dunvilla, Brown Eyed Susans, Mercantile on Main, Pelican Drug, Riverview Place, Style Lust Shop, and Petals From the Heart. The shops sell a variety of locally produced foods, decorations, clothing, plants, household items, and more.
There are also several places where you can shop for a variety of different food options. Check out La Mariposa where you can get fantastic, traditional Mexican ingredients and snacks (try the Abuelita hot cocoa!). Grab a cup of tea or find Halal meats and more at the The Dawo Halal Market. Or stop in at Heart O’Lakes Meats where you can pick up custom and locally grown meats.
Explore Pumpkin Patches and Corn Mazes:
Because our exploring coincided with the fall season, we couldn’t resist heading to a pumpkin patch and corn maze for some autumn themed fun. We made our way out to Mother, Goose, and Beans and purchased a few pumpkins before setting out into the corn maze. We had never actually completed a corn maze prior to this excursion, so it was fun to get lost and find our way out the other end!
To reward ourselves for a maze well done, we picked up some kettle corn to snack on, and wow, is it addicting! They offer several different flavors: Original, Tutti Frutti, Caramel Apple, and Cinnamon French Toast. Our favorite was the caramel apple flavor, but they were all fantastic!
We also made a stop out at Thea’s Pumpkin Patch for more pumpkins and apple cider donuts to snack on. They offer a corn maze at this spot, too!
Where to Eat in Pelican Rapids
There are plenty of great restaurants in and around Pelican Rapids. If you are craving Mexican food, head to Taqueria Escobar or Taqueria Chavez—both serve up some fantastic Mexican cuisine. Grab a burger from Maple Beach during their last few days of the season on your way to Maplewood State Park. Or enjoy some of the other fantastic options such as the Cornfield, Big John’s Pelican Pizza, Elmo’s, Pete’s Treats, Rapid Nutrition, and The Muddy Moose.
Cornfield Cafe:
Located a few miles north of town, The Cornfield Cafe offers a wide range of items that are all fantastic. From breakfast omelets, to burgers, sandwiches and salads, or even pie for dessert, this spot has something for everyone. Some of our favorite specials that rotate throughout the week are the cheeseburger soup, the hot beef sandwich with mashed potatoes, and the chimichangas. Let’s just say, we might make stops at this restaurant more than we should probably admit!
Muddy Moose:
The Muddy Moose is located right on Broadway, the main street in Pelican Rapids. They are open for breakfast and lunch and offer a variety of coffees, baked goods, sandwiches, soups, salads, and more. Plus, The Muddy Moose is open one night a week for their Thursday Burger Night. Our favorite menu items are the turkey bacon melt and the burger, but we’ve never tried anything we didn’t like!
It’s always exciting to see a familiar destination with new eyes. Whether you are from the area or visiting from afar, we hope you can enjoy the town of Pelican Rapids, too!
