Since beginning our full-time journey to discover the country, we have found something to appreciate in every city and town we have passed through. We hope you enjoy reading about them as much as we have enjoyed discovering them!
No person, business or attraction has paid us for an endorsement.
Hayward, Minnesota
Population: 227 people
Founded: 1855
Average income: $27,750
Average price of housing: $162,814
Median age of the population: 42
https://haywardmn.org/
Geographically Hayward is a small town located in the central southern region of Minnesota. We also visited Austin and Albert Lea.
Home Base: The Campground
For us, a campground is not our destination. Our RV is self-contained. Rarely do we use campground services or amenities. We are explorers, not campground reviewers! We stayed on site 57 at the Albert Lea/Austin KOA in Hayward, MN. The campground was clean and well maintained. The staff was friendly. Our full hook up (water-sewer-electric) site was on level crushed stone. Our pull through site was long enough to leave the Jeep hooked up and still have both vehicles off the road. 30 and 50 amp service was available. There was good cell phone coverage (Verizon) and a good open southern sky for our satellite. Easy off and on I-90. I-90 noise exists but it is a distance. The campground is literally in the middle of a corn field.
Downtown
Albert Lea: Albert Lea has a nice quiet, quaint downtown area on the banks of Fountain Lake. There are many businesses and restaurants downtown. In 2009, Albert Lea became the first Blue Zone Project in the country. The 10 month project sparked a movement toward better health, well-being and longevity. There is a placard at the Fountain Lake park that says 87% of Albert Lea residents are satisfied with where they live! Remarkable!
Marion Ross from Happy Days TV fame was born and raised in Albert Lea, MN. The local town theater is named after her. There is a bronze statue and bench in front of the theater bearing Ross’s likeness.
Austin: The Hormel Companies have played a large role in the development of Austin. Probably the biggest downtown attraction in Austin is the Spam Museum! The buildings are old, the streets are wide, and the downtown has a well cared for atmosphere.
Food and Drink
Gravity Storm Brewery Cooperative: One of their initiatives is the “Beer It Forward” program. Customers can purchase a card from the bartender and place it on the board for a friend or a stranger. Cards commonly are left for first responders, teachers, and veterans, but you may also find more unusual criteria such as someone wearing pink lipstick or an ’80s metal band concert t-shirt. When someone matching the card’s description shows up, they can pull it off the board and redeem it for a free beer! The drinks are good, and we hope a first responder enjoys his or her beer on us!
Attractions and Businesses
Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge: While not terribly close to Hayward, if you are on I-90 going west from Wisconsin into Minnesota, be sure to stop at the Minnesota Welcome Center, which also serves as an observation deck for the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge. It is one of a series of locks and dams along the Mississippi River. It is well worth the stop!
Austin: Dave and I both remember eating fried SPAM sandwiches as kids. So of course, if you are in Austin, MN, you MUST go to the SPAM Museum in downtown Austin, home of Hormel products. There were many exhibits saying how the idea of SPAM came about, and how important it was as a food source during war time. There was also a store where you could buy all things SPAM, including the food itself!
Austin: We spent a wonderful Sunday afternoon looking at vintage to modern cars at the Rat River Car Show. It was a family fun day with food and product vendors and children’s “train” rides (a UTV hauling “cars”). They even had DC Dyno and Performance from South Dakota testing the horse power and ft. lbs.!!! Being a Mustang enthusiast, I was impressed by the 2021 Mustang that came in at 623 hp and 572 ft. lbs.!!
Hayward: Hayward is a very small community. Next to the town hall is a quilt shop, the Calico Hutch Quilt Shop. What an amazing place! I don’t think I have ever been to a quilt shop that has had such a variety of colors and fabrics. You can purchase quilt kits where the quilt is designed, measured and cut for you for one price. Or you can design your own. They will even do the machine quilting for you!
Fun Facts
The Minnesota Welcome Center had many interesting facts about the area, including about bald eagles. We had no idea that eagle pairs mate for life and return to the same nest year after year. Their nest can weigh up to a ton and can measure 6’ across and 8’ deep. Both parents care for the eggs during the 35 day incubation period and both raise and protect their young.
Summary
We were only in Hayward for a few nights. There were many things to do and people to meet! We didn’t get a chance to see everything we wanted to see, or explore everywhere on “our list”. Easy How to Guide for Exploring
Your partners in travel,
Kathryn, Dave and Lucky
RVing Nomads
It’s a lifestyle
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If you haven’t checked out our Great Service and Value, please do so. If you are in their area, you may find these places as enjoyable and rewarding as we did!