Cottage Grove, Minnesota travel guide: things to do, food & where to stay

Overview

Cottage Grove is a city of 40,000 people (2021) in the Twin Cities region of Minnesota. It is a suburb of the southeast portion of Minneapolis-Saint Paul.

1 things to do · 2 places to eat · 1 places to stay

Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage

Best things about Cottage Grove

Ravine Regional Park

Plan your trip

Best time to visit & weather

Most comfortable: May–Sep. Summer highs reach about 83°F; winter lows dip to about 9°F. Cold months (Jan, Feb, Dec) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: Jun and Aug. (climate data from nearby Saint Paul)

Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).

Getting there

From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
MSP Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field, Minneapolis — 14 mi away (major hub). Directions
RST Rochester International Airport, Rochester — 67 mi away. Directions

Cottage Grove lies approximately eight miles southeast of Saint Paul on the banks of the Mississippi River. Cottage Grove is easily accessible by U.S. Route 61 which connects to Interstate 94 and 494.

Full “Get in” guide ↓

Budget & where to stay

Typical meal: about $18 per person at listed restaurants.

See the Sleep guide ↓ for places to stay.

Food for you

Cuisine (tap to filter)

What to ask about, for your diet

Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder

Get in

Get around

As public transit options are essentially nonexistent, you'll need a car when traveling throughout the Cottage Grove area.

Do

Do Ravine Regional Park

📍 7516 80th Street South☎ +1 651 458-2800

Maps Website

Cottage Grove's annual Strawberry Fest draws thousands of residents together to celebrate. This event is held at Kingston Park, usually in the second week of June. A parade occurs the Saturday of the festival. There are fireworks on the Saturday of the festival around 10PM. There are many carnival games, rides, and food. Every night of the festival except Sunday, bands play in the Kingston parking lot.