Great Northern Railway Princeton station

City / town · Minnesota

Princeton

Great Northern Railway Princeton station

Best timeMay–Sep
From you
Nearest airportSTC · 23 mi
On this page

Overview

Princeton is a city in Mille Lacs County, Minnesota with a population of 4,700 people (2019).

1 sights · 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 Princeton

Great Northern Depot

A former passenger and freight depot on the Great Northern Railway. The building is a combination of Queen Anne and Jacobean architectural styles, built of local brick with sandstone trim. It is home of the Mille Lacs Co…

Thunder Blades

A safe, family friendly environment for roller skating and arcade games. Snack bar.

Plan your trip

Best time to visit & weather

Most comfortable: May–Sep. Summer highs reach about 80°F; winter lows dip to about 4°F. Cold months (Jan, Feb, Mar, Nov, Dec) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: Jun and Jul. (climate data from nearby Pine City)

Jan: 0.9 in rain0.9"Jan: high 21°F, low 4°F21°4°JanFeb: 0.9 in rain0.9"Feb: high 27°F, low 17°F27°17°FebMar: 1.6 in rain1.6"Mar: high 38°F, low 30°F38°30°MarApr: 2.8 in rain2.8"Apr: high 54°F, low 40°F54°40°AprMay: 3.4 in rain3.4"May: high 67°F, low 51°F67°51°MayJun: 4.5 in rain4.5"Jun: high 75°F, low 56°F75°56°JunJul: 4.1 in rain4.1"Jul: high 80°F, low 56°F80°56°JulAug: 4.1 in rain4.1"Aug: high 78°F, low 53°F78°53°AugSep: 3.8 in rain3.8"Sep: high 69°F, low 43°F69°43°SepOct: 3.2 in rain3.2"Oct: high 55°F, low 32°F55°32°OctNov: 1.8 in rain1.8"Nov: high 39°F, low 21°F39°21°NovDec: 1.2 in rain1.2"Dec: high 25°F, low 6°F25°6°Dec

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.
  • STC Saint Cloud Regional Airport, Saint Cloud — 23 mi away. Directions
  • MSP Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field, Minneapolis — 52 mi away (major hub). Directions

The city is 50 mi north of Minneapolis and 30 mi east of St. Cloud, at the intersection of Highways 169 and 95.

Full “Get in” guide ↓

Budget & where to stay

No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.

Sample 1-day itinerary

Day 1

  • Morning Great Northern Depot
  • Lunch Finish Line Restaurant
  • Afternoon Thunder Blades
  • Dinner Chapala Mexican Restaurant

Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.

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

    Photos

    Great Northern Railway Princeton stationPrinceton

    Map

    Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.

    Understand

    It's pretty much your everyday town. It was built on lumbering, brick-making, and farming.

    Get in

    The city is 50 mi north of Minneapolis and 30 mi east of St. Cloud, at the intersection of Highways 169 and 95.

    See

    See Great Northern Depot (Princeton station)

    A former passenger and freight depot on the Great Northern Railway. The building is a combination of Queen Anne and Jacobean architectural styles, built of local brick with sandstone trim. It is home of the Mille Lacs County Historical Society. It includes several historuc rail cars, and a one-room schoolhouse from 1856. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

    🕒 Wed Fri 10AM-2PM☎ +1 612 309-4622Checked Nov 2021
    Maps

    Do

    Do Thunder Blades

    A safe, family friendly environment for roller skating and arcade games. Snack bar.

    📍 31516 125th St NW💲 Admission $3-7, skate or blades rental $3.50☎ +1 763-631-7655Checked Nov 2021
    MapsWebsite

    Buy

    Shop Princeton Farmers Market

    Baked goods, flowers, eggs, herbs, vegetables, honey, jams, maple, meat, plants, poultry, prepared food, soap, fruits, grains, juices, organic products.

    📍 111 Rum River Drive🕒 May-Oct: Sat 8:30AM-noon in downtown Princeton; winter: 9AM-noon inside Princeton MallChecked Nov 2021
    MapsWebsite

    Eat

    Eat Finish Line Restaurant

    BurgersAmerican

    Burgers, sandwiches, fries.

    📍 31924 125th Stalong the western frontage road of Hwy 169🕒 Sun-Tue 11AM-10PM, Wed Thu 11AM-midnight, Fri Sat 11AM-11PM☎ +1 763 631-2233Checked Nov 2021
    Video reviews: Instagram reels · TikTok · YouTube
    MapsWebsite

    Sleep

    Stay Rum River Motel Princeton

    📍 510 19th Ave N💲 from $80 + taxChecked Nov 2021
    MapsWebsite

    Nearby

    My experience

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