The Twin Cities sit at the edge of some genuinely beautiful countryside. Stillwater, a historic river town on the St. Croix about 30 minutes east, has antique shops, good restaurants, and a scenic riverfront. The bluff country along the Mississippi south toward Red Wing and Wabasha is spectacular in fall. Duluth and the North Shore of Lake Superior are about two and a half hours north — a longer day trip, but worth it for the rugged lakeside scenery.