Our Driftless Favorites

Places we actually love, visit and recommend!

Just a short drive from Driftless Destinations, McGregor and Marquette are two of our favorite places to eat, shop and spend a little time. These are some of the local spots we personally enjoy and are always happy to share with our guests.

Eat & Drink

Backwoods Bar & Grill — Casual food, drinks and a relaxed local atmosphere.

The Station | Main St — A great Main Street stop for a meal while you're exploring McGregor.

Pocket City Pub — A fun little local pub for food and drinks.

The Brim Coffeehouse — One of our picks for coffee, breakfast or lunch.

Shop Local

Paper Moon — Books, gifts and unique finds in downtown McGregor.

The Left Bank Shop & Gallery — Local art, handcrafted pieces and unique gifts.

By The Spoonful — Specialty foods, treats and gifts.

Free Spirit Boutique — Clothing, accessories and fun finds.

Something Sweet

Sadie's Sweet Shop — A perfect stop when you're in the mood for something sweet.

Sip & Relax

Eagles Landing Winery — Head over to Marquette for a little local wine and a relaxing stop.

These aren't paid recommendations or a complete list of everything in the area. They're simply some of the places we enjoy and are happy to recommend to our guests.

— Tina & Bryan

Just across the Mississippi River, Prairie du Chien is one of our go-to places for dinner, drinks, shopping and a night out. These are some of the places you'll find us—and several regularly have live music on the weekends, so there's often something happening.

Eat & Drink

Huckleberry's Restaurant — One of our favorite Prairie du Chien stops for a meal, but don’t leave after you eat! 

Take some time to browse their shopping area too—it’s filled with gifts, home décor and fun finds.

The Crooked Oar — Great food, drinks and a fun place to spend an evening.

The Barn Restaurant — A local favorite when you're looking for a sit-down meal.

Pete's Hamburger Stand — A Prairie du Chien classic and one of those places you should experience at least once.

Eddie's Irish Pub — Good food, drinks and a lively pub atmosphere.

Blackhawk — Another favorite stop for food and drinks.

Bob's Bar — A fun local stop, especially when there's live music.

Shop Local

Cactus & Cove Boutique — A fun locally owned boutique with clothing, accessories and unique finds.

Starks — A Prairie du Chien shopping stop we enjoy.

Cannery — Great for browsing vintage finds and something a little different.

Keep an eye on weekend schedules while you're visiting—several Prairie du Chien restaurants and bars feature live music and special events throughout the year.

Harpers Ferry may be small, but don't let that fool you—this little Mississippi River town really comes alive in the warmer months. It's one of our favorite areas for a day on the river, exploring the outdoors, grabbing food and drinks, and enjoying live music.

Portside Bar & Supper Club — One of our favorite Harpers Ferry stops for food, drinks and that laid-back river-town atmosphere.

River Run Pub & Grub — Another favorite, with food, drinks and live music throughout the warmer months. It's a fun place to spend an evening after a day on the river.

Get Outside — Harpers Ferry has a public boat launch, making it a great starting point for boating and fishing on the Mississippi. Nearby Yellow River State Forest offers hiking, fishing and miles of beautiful Driftless scenery, and Effigy Mounds National Monument is also close by for hiking, overlooks and a completely different view of the Mississippi River valley.

A Local Summer Favorite — If you're visiting around the Fourth of July, Harpers Ferry is known for its Independence Day celebration and fireworks with the bluffs as the backdrop. It's one of those small-town summer experiences that makes this part of the Driftless special.

A little farther north along the Great River Road, Lansing is worth the drive. With Mississippi River views, great fishing, unique shops and plenty of places to grab a bite or drink, it's an easy place to spend an afternoon—or an entire day.

See & Explore

Driftless Area Education & Visitor Center — A great stop for learning more about the Driftless Region, its wildlife, history and the Mississippi River. The views alone make it worth stopping.

The Lansing Riverfront — Lansing sits along Pool 9 of the Mississippi River, an area well known for boating and fishing. There's public river access, making this a great destination if you brought the boat or fishing gear.

Black Hawk Bridge — The original Black Hawk Bridge was a beloved Lansing landmark and one of the most recognizable sights along this stretch of the Mississippi River. It is currently being replaced, with the new bridge designed to carry forward the distinctive look that made the original such an iconic part of Lansing’s riverfront.

A Lansing Must-See

Horsfall's — This is not your ordinary store! Horsfall's is one of those wonderfully unique places that's almost as much an experience as it is shopping. Give yourself some time to wander around—you never know what you'll find.

Eat & Drink

Shep's Riverside Bar & Grill — Food and drinks right along the river.

Tiki Bar — A seasonal riverfront favorite for food, drinks and Mississippi River views.

Safe House Saloon — A downtown Lansing stop for food, drinks and a casual local atmosphere.

Around Downtown

Take some time to wander Main Street while you're there. Lansing has additional small shops, places to eat and drink, and a small grocery store if you need to pick up a few things during your stay.

So Many Little Towns to Explore

One of our favorite things about the Driftless is that some of the best finds are tucked into the smallest towns. Take the scenic route, wander a little, and don't be afraid to stop somewhere you've never been—you may just find a new favorite of your own.

Waterville

Waterville Bar & Grill — A fun small-town stop near Paint Creek and Yellow River State Forest for food, drinks and a laid-back local atmosphere.

Rossville

The “Old” Rossville Store — A longtime local restaurant and bar that's worth a stop for a good meal.

Sportsmen's Club — Another fun Rossville stop for food, drinks and a casual small-town atmosphere.

Waukon

Hello Sunshine — A cute downtown gift shop that's fun to browse for home décor, gifts and unique finds.

Paint Creek Bulk Foods & Bakery — A rural Amish-country stop for bulk foods, baked goods and other goodies that's worth getting a little off the beaten path for.

WW Homestead Dairy — A local creamery where you'll find fresh cheese curds, locally made dairy products and plenty of ice cream. You can even see where the products are made.

Aztec Parlor — A cozy downtown coffee stop.

Uptown Grill — One of our Waukon picks when you're looking for a meal.

Fiesta Vallarta — A favorite for Mexican food right downtown.

Seneca, Wisconsin

Johnson’s One Stop — One of those places that's hard to describe until you've been there! Part general store, part grocery store, part hardware/lumber store and more. It's a true small-town stop and one we think is worth checking out.

Gays Mills & Viroqua

Head into southwest Wisconsin for another side of the Driftless. This is one of our favorite areas for a scenic drive, especially in the fall, with orchards, small-town shopping, local food and plenty of places that are a little different from what you'll find anywhere else.

Gays Mills — Known for its apple orchards, Gays Mills is especially fun during apple season. Spend some time visiting the orchards and farm markets, pick up apples and local treats, and enjoy one of the prettiest drives through the Driftless countryside.

Viroqua Public Market — A fun place to wander with a mix of vendors, antiques, collectibles and unique finds.

Viroqua Variety — One of those stores where it's fun just to look around—you never know what you'll find.

Love Lee Boutique — A cute locally owned boutique and a fun shopping stop while you're downtown.

Driftless Books & Music — If you love books, this is worth a stop. It's one of those wonderfully unique places that fits Viroqua perfectly.

Driftless Vibe — Another fun local stop that adds to Viroqua's creative, independent personality.

Give yourself some time to wander while you're in Viroqua. Part of what we enjoy about it is discovering the little shops, restaurants and unexpected places along the way.

And Keep Exploring...

These are only a few of the places we enjoy. The little communities scattered throughout northeast Iowa and southwest Wisconsin are filled with locally owned restaurants, bars, shops, bakeries and unexpected stops. This isn't meant to be a complete list—it's simply a collection of some of our favorites. 

Want to venture a little farther? La Crosse, Wisconsin, and Decorah, Iowa, make great day trips with even more shopping, dining and things to explore.

Part of the fun of the Driftless is finding a favorite of your own.