Pepin County
The Quiet Beauty

Nestled in the hills along the Chippewa and Mississippi Rivers and bordered by the 28-mile long, spectacularly beautiful, and tranquil Lake Pepin, Pepin County features fabulous scenery and a wide variety of year 'round recreational and leisure time activities. Pastoral farm scenes, riverside drives,  dramatic vistas and panoramas abound in Pepin County, also making it a haven for artists and writers alike, including Mark Twain.

Pepin County is proud to be the birthplace of Laura Ingalls Wilder and the setting for "Little House in the Big Woods," the first of her internationally acclaimed chronicles of growing up in young America. Today a reconstruction of the log house Charles "Pa" Ingalls built here in 1863 and where Laura was born in 1867, is a popular attraction. Her life is remembered also at the Pepin Historical Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum and at the annual "Laura Ingalls Wilder Days" festival, where "Little House" fans from around the world gather every September to share their enjoyment of her work.

Scenic, Historical & Recreational Attractions

Spectacular scenic drives, historic communities, abundant wildlife and a wide range of recreational opportunities make Pepin County a great area to live or visit. The area's historic past is preserved in picturesque frontier river towns; 17th century fur trading posts; riverboats with steam calliopes; and in museums, hotels, bed and breakfast inns, churches, 100 year old round barns and the 19th century farming practices and lifestyle of the Amish. 

Outdoor enthusiasts enjoy cycling, hiking, snowmobiling, snowshoeing and skiing the various terrain and woods. The county's inland lakes, rivers and streams provide miles and miles of canoeing and kayaking while Lake Pepin provides recreational activities such as water skiing, swimming and sailing. Pepin County provides hunters with some of the best hunting, including deer, duck, turkey, grouse, rabbits, squirrels, raccoons, muskrat, beaver, fox , and even some black bear. Fish are also abundant, such as northern pike, walleye, small and large mouth bass, panfish, trout, and catfish. The Tiffany Wildlife Area  provides it all with beautiful scenery, excellent wildlife watching, semi-wilderness canoeing, hiking, camping and hunting.

Dining, Shopping, & Lodging

"Pepin County has  personality all its own...culinary experiences that rival big cities," reports the Milwaukee Journal. Pepin County features a wide selection of restaurants and cuisine including fine Italian, Norwegian, Continental, Classic American and Frontier style cuisine served in historic 19th century settings, river front dining rooms, and excursion boats. Coffee houses, cafes, taverns,  and bars and grills, also ensure there is plenty of great eating in Pepin County. For browsers and serious shoppers, Pepin County's art galleries, antique shops, specialty gift stores and collectible boutiques will delight everyone with unexpected "finds" from Native American artifacts to contemporary gifts and artworks to Amish furniture, quilts and handicrafts. Visitors enjoy many types of lodging accommodations including semi-wilderness campsites in the Tiffany Wildlife Area, campgrounds, resort cottages,  luxurious 19th century hotel and breakfast inns, and contemporary hotels and motels.

 

Special Attractions

• Historic Communities of Durand, Stockholm & Pepin

• Fort St. Antoine

• Laura Ingalls Wilder Log House & Museum 

• Depot Museum

• Courthouse Museum & Jail

• Tiffany Wildlife Area

• Lake Pepin

• Pepin Walking Tour & Scenic County Road Tour

• Great River Road Loop

For Unspoiled Natural Beauty, 
and One of the Most Scenic Areas you will ever discover,
Come and Enjoy --

Pepin County

Pepin Business Directory for Durand, Pepin, Waterville, Lima, Durand, Albany, Pepin, Waubeek, Frankfort, Stockholm and neighboring Wisconsin communities

For parks, museums, things to do and more information on the surrounding area, visit Pepin County