Exploring Minnesota and Beyond
It sounds like a scene from a movie set — a floating bed and breakfast on the Mississippi River. It’s real — and the Covington Inn Bed and Breakfast is for sale.
Liz Miller is the current owner and innkeeper of the Covington Inn, which is based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. She is looking to move, so she would like to find a new owner.
The Covington Inn sits on a boat that was built in 1946 and once was a working towboat on the lower Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. Previous owners found it in a scrapyard in Tennessee and bought it for $7,500.
They fixed it up to have four guest rooms, each with its own fireplace, private bathroom and access to a deck.
I stayed at the Covington Inn, and it is a romantic getaway with a beautiful view of Downtown Saint Paul. All guests must be at least 14 years old. Every morning, guests are treated to breakfast, which can include a baked French toast with whipped cream, fresh fruit, sausage, orange juice, coffee and tea.
The Inn is on Harriet Island, which can be prone to flooding from the Mississippi River. Liz tells me that the Mississippi is the best and worst part of owning a floating bed and breakfast on a river. “Year round, the river is so pretty, always changing and so beautiful. Some springs, we get flooding here and have to close so that is the absolute worst. But, what can we do? Nothing. The river will do what it will.”
I asked Liz who would be a good owner of a floating bed and breakfast. She says they need to be outgoing and relaxed. “The Inn is ready to go. It’s been a profitable business since 1995 and that is a great feat in this day and age, if you ask me. Even better would be a restauranteur who wants to convert it to a restaurant again,” Miller says.
To book your stay at the Covington Inn, click here. Parking is available at Harriet Island. Note that the Inn is on the opposite side of the Mississippi River from Downtown Saint Paul and is not necessarily in walking distance to Downtown attractions, especially in the winter.
If you’re interested in becoming the next owner of the Covington Inn, you can connect with realtor Jonathan Jordan by emailing jpjordan@cbburnet.com.
Give Me The Mike received promotional consideration from Visit Saint Paul
Saint Paul, Minnesota may be the smaller twin of the Twin Cities, but it has a whole lot of charm and plenty to do. Here’s some advice for planning a trip to Minnesota’s Capitol city.
From Minneapolis-St.Paul International Airport, downtown Saint Paul is about a 10 minute Lyft or Uber ride away. You can take Metro Transit’s light rail (blue line to green line), but it would take you a really long time — like over an hour. It’s not worth it.
Once you’re in Saint Paul, Metro Transit’s green line can be really helpful. It runs from Union Depot in Lowertown all the way through Saint Paul into Minneapolis (it ends at Target Field on the west side of downtown Minneapolis). A non rush hour ride is only $2.
Metro Transit does operate a bus system, but you’re probably better off renting a car, especially if you want to explore the rest of the Twin Cities.
Minnesota is cold about 9 months of the year.
So Saint Paul embraces it.
At the end of January, Saint Paul hosts a Winter Carnival. Every year, you can count on a big parade, ice sculptures and a snow park. The Winter Carnival has royalty and during some years, has built larger-than-life ice castles.
For multiple years, Saint Paul has also hosted Red Bull’s Crashed Ice, an extravagant course where professional dare devils go downhill skiing but on ice skates. It’s a spectacle.
I’m not a big fan of the cold and snow, but don’t automatically rule out a winter trip to Minnesota.
Now, there aren’t many places better than Minnesota in the summer. The sun stays up late and people know they need to embrace these summer nights. Downtown Saint Paul, in particular the area around Mears Park, has some great patios for dinner or a nightcap. Check out an evening baseball game at CHS Field since you’re in the neighborhood.
Across from Rice Park in downtown Saint Paul is where you will find The Saint Paul Hotel. The luxurious hotel first opened in 1910 and offers top-notch amenities. Their restaurant, The St. Paul Grill, is great for brunch and is a popular spot before shows at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts or the Xcel Energy Center.
I recently stayed at the Covington Inn, a floating bed and breakfast on the Mississippi River. The tug boat was converted into four rooms and is a perfect spot for a romantic getaway. It’s docked on Harriet Island, which is across the river from downtown Saint Paul. If you stay at the Covington in the winter, you definitely will want a car as it’s a considerable walk from downtown. The Covington Inn is for sale, but it’s still open. Learn more.
If you’re looking for something more conventional, hotels around Kellogg and West 7th Street will get you close to many bars and restaurants.
Outside of downtown, here are some neighborhoods worth checking out:
Here are other Saint Paul highlights:
Top Saint Paul restaurants:
Before you head to Minnesota, make sure you know how to talk like a Minnesotan. Brush up on your Minnesota slang with this guide.
Get a guide of what you need to know before visiting Minneapolis by clicking here.
I’m a big fan of Delta’s SkyMiles program. The miles you earn never expire, and they can add up quick. I just used some to book a flight for a friend who ended up giving me cash for the ticket.
There are a few ways to earn SkyMiles points without having to hop on a plane. Delta has a dining program where you can get miles when you have a meal at select restaurants. Even better — they have a partnership with Lyft (the carshare service) that lets you earn miles for every ride you take.
I was on KSTP-TV’s Twin Cities Live to explain the Delta-Lyft partnership. I also share other travel hacks, including why you should take the first flight of the day.
Links featured in the segment:
