Greater Minnesota - Southern
*This archived article was originally published in Fall 2007.
Photo By Katrina Myrah Photography & Design
Escape to Lanesboro
This historic riverside community bursts with cultural offerings and offers
a plethora of options for small meetings and corporate retreats.
BY Ellie M. Bayrd
The small town charm of Lanesboro, nestled along the Root River valley, is just one reason this quiet community is such a treat for visitors. Filled with quaint shops and historic inns, all within blocks of each other, the city boasts a small campus feel. And with the professional Commonweal Theatre and nearby river biking trail, what better place to host a moderately sized conference when you want to mix business with pleasure?
Located two hours south of the Twin Cities metro area and with a population of 788, Lanesboro is a charming riverside town with a picturesque Main Street. “The scenic beauty here draws people to the area,” says Julie Kiehne, executive director, Lanesboro Chamber of Commerce. “Our ordinances in Lanesboro don’t allow for franchise or chain motels or any of that kind of thing. You are not going to find any franchise names here. It is all privately owned, which contributes to our charm and our small town feel.“
Lanesboro is prepared for a variety of conference and meeting types. Kiehne lists family reunions and corporate manager retreats among the events that have made use of the area. “Over the past couple of years, we actually have been experiencing an increase in hosting not only conferences and workshops but also some outdoor events,” she says. Earlier this summer the city hosted Garrison Keillor’s A Prairie Home Companion, which drew in 2,000 fans to an outdoor venue with an outdoor stage for a weekend full of activities. Most recently, Lanesboro secured its first national conference. The National Bike Tour Directors Association (NBTDA) will bring about 100 attendees to town in November.
While the city doesn’t have one large hotel or venue, Kiehne says the small campus setting allows attendees to walk from their lodging to a conference meeting venue, which is often appealing to visitors who choose Lanesboro. “One building can’t hold more than 200 people,” says Kiehne, who recommends groups of 50 to 100 people for events held in town. Visitors can choose between the city’s small hotels, historic inns and 12 renovated Victorian bed-and-breakfasts. The Chamber of Commerce and the local businesses are accustomed to working with a standardized lodging rate, says Kiehne. For the upcoming NBTDA conference she helped create a lodging request form that will allow attendees to make well-informed decisions. They can look at all the amenities of each lodging choice and also look at how far away each location is from the conference meeting venues. In the case of the NBTDA, meetings will be held at the Commonweal Theatre and all lodging choices are within eight blocks.
Large corporate events, with more than 200 people, are held at Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center, says Kiehne. Located five miles out of town, Eagle Bluff is an ideal place for retreats as well as larger conferences. In fact, with the dormitory option, it’s the one place in Lanesboro where lodging and meeting space is under one roof. But for retreats, the main draw is likely to be the Tree Tops High Ropes course, which provides a confidence-building experience on a series of 30-foot-high towers connected by cables. It’s a safe and exciting way to bond attendees.
The Feed Mill is another example of the area’s unique meeting venues. The Lamon-Mortimer family has restored this 1800s structure, creating a premiere gift and clothing shop, and ticket center for Lanesboro Trolley Tours. The building also incorporates the Stone Mill Suites Historic Inn, which has 10 themed rooms that combine history with modern convenience, and the Event Center, which boasts a view of the river bluffs, a perfect setting for small receptions, retreats, reunions or other gatherings.
But it’s not just the quaint setting and myriad lodging and meeting venues that draw visitors; it’s the fun cultural activities. The Commonweal Theatre, which opened a new $3.5 million performance center in July, is not only a meeting venue but also a high-class place to watch a show. Art lovers can also just walk down Main Street and seek out the Cornucopia Art Center or any of the street side galleries along the center of town.
For a better look at the entire community of Lanesboro, visitors often go on a trolley tour or head into Amish country to see rural living. Outdoor enthusiasts also find plenty to do in town. The Root River bike trail is a 42-mile-long, multiple-use trail that provides views of the Root River Valley bluffs. The Lanesboro Chamber of Commerce works with groups to help incorporate community activities and outdoor adventures into corporate retreats and conferences.
Planners will find that Lanesboro has what they need, even talented caterers, says Kiehne. She says most groups that visit Lanesboro come from two or three hours away. The city is just two hours from the metro, 45 minutes from Rochester and an hour from La Crosse, Wis.
