Lake Pepin, the largest natural lake on the Mississippi River, formed behind the sandy deposits of Wisconsin's Chippewa River. It runs 28 miles from Red Wing, Minnesota, in the north to the delta in the south. At its widest, it reaches 3 miles. As the area's main attraction, it provides plenty of outdoor recreation, such as sailing, fishing, paddling in summer or ice boating, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing and skating in winter. Pepin offers limited lodging, but plenty of motels are nearby.
Great River Amish Inn, in Pepin, is across the street from the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum. Wilder, born in Pepin, wrote the famous Little House on Prairie books, which were later made into a television series starring Michael Landon. Each year the town of Pepin celebrates Laura Ingalls Wilder day in September. The celebration features historic reenactments demonstrating what life was like during the time of the books. The Great River Amish Inn offers nonsmoking rooms. Some rooms feature whirlpools.
Lake Pepin Motel is near the town's marina, which offers access to the waters of Lake Pepin. It is one block away from the Great River Road and the Mississippi River Trail, a bicycle trail running from Lake Itasca in Minnesota to New Orleans, Louisiana. Because the MRT follows the Great River Road in Wisconsin, cyclists riding the Mississippi River Trail should follow the "pilot wheel" sign for the Great River Road. The nonsmoking motel features a sitting room with a fireplace, free Wi-Fi Internet and some rooms with whirlpools.
Just north of Maiden Rock and 8 miles from Pepin, a scenic drive through a gully to the highlands surrounding the Mississippi River valley takes you to the Journey Inn, which offers eco-friendly lodging in a natural setting. The inn features massage and energy therapy, spa services, life direction coaching and guided meditations. It also hosts several workshop geared towards healing and creativity. One unique feature is the meditative labyrinth, in a field behind the inn. The labyrinth serves as a place to quietly reflect while following its path.
Twenty miles away in Wabasha, Minnesota, there are several lodging options, such as Coffee Mills Motel and Suites. Wabasha, one of the oldest towns on the Mississippi River and the oldest in Minnesota, is just south of the Chippewa River delta, which blocked the Mississippi's flow and formed Lake Pepin. The bridge running from Wisconsin over the Mississippi and into town forms the southern extent of the driving tour around Lake Pepin. Two local Wabashans were the basis for characters in the movie "Old Grumpy Men." The motel allows pets and offers several styles of rooms.
