Downtown St. Cloud is known for its historic buildings and exceptional small businesses. Many shops and restaurants showcase exposed brick and unique architectural details that can only be found in old buildings. Downtown St. Cloud is part of a strong arts and music scene with Paramount Center for the Arts and Pioneer Place on Fifth, as well as countless shops, small businesses, and restaurants that host local artists during the seasonal art crawls.
Sitting alongside the Mississippi River, Downtown St. Cloud is a destination that offers a little bit of something for everyone. There are many well-loved places to visit as well as hidden gems that St. Cloud residents might not even be aware of.
Cream City Tattoo: Cream City Tattoo is not an ordinary tattoo shop. Nestled among the tattoo artist rooms is one of St. Cloud’s largest art galleries and space for private events. Cream City regularly takes part in the Downtown St. Cloud art crawl but also hosts its own artist receptions. The gallery is open to the public and rotates artwork regularly.
White Horse Bar & Restaurant: White Horse was the first bar outside the metro to serve Surly beers. The owner of White Horse purchased a truck to transport the kegs of beer up to his restaurant. That’s some dedication to making sure his patrons got good beer. Since then, White Horse has always had at least three Surly lines on tap and occasionally do a fully Surly beer tap takeover.
Somali Cafe & Restaurant: St. Cloud is home to St. Cloud State University, which attracts a diverse population to the city, including international students and faculty. New restaurants and cafes boasting international delicacies can be found all around town, including the Somali Café & Restaurant. Stop in and pick up some delicious sambusas and spiced tea. You won’t be disappointed!
Lucent Movement Arts: A new popular trend in dance is aerial arts, which incorporates modern dance with Cirque du Soleil-like traditions using ribbon and hoops. Downtown St. Cloud’s Lucent Movement Arts offers aerial group classes at all skill levels. If you’re not ready to test out your skills in the group classes, check out their private lessons or schedule a private party for just you and your closest friends.
St. Cloud River Walk: Enjoy the beautiful Minnesota seasons and take a walk alongside the Mississippi River on the River Walk, conveniently located behind the convention center. The paved path connects to the Beaver Island Trail near St. Cloud State University. It offers history placards to help tell the story of the area. There’s even a selfie station with historical photos of downtown St. Cloud.
River’s Edge Convention Center: Other cities have their biggest ball of twine or largest frying pan. Downtown St. Cloud is home to the Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame. This display is on the second floor of River’s Edge Convention Center, and a fun find for any baseball fan.
Public art: Who doesn’t love public art? Downtown St. Cloud has a few murals and unique artwork scattered around. Make sure you check out the butterfly mural on the alley behind Leighton Broadcasting or the music mural behind Regency. Downtown St. Cloud also boasts unique statues and other interesting artwork that makes for great photo spots.
