Episode 27: Cafe Connections: Finding Community and Connection Along the Great River Road

Coffee shops, bars, diners, churches, bowling alleys—these are all important places in our social lives, so-called third places after home and work. When I’m traveling, I am drawn to them, whether I’m traveling for work or fun. They are not only great places to learn about the community, but I’ve also made new friends at many of them. In this episode, I share a list of some of the places where I’ve had especially good luck meeting people and offer a few tips about being a good guest. This list covers places from northern Minnesota to Mississippi, and includes a mix of businesses, from coffee shops to craft breweries and bars to restaurants. In the Mississippi Minute, I share my love for Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge in Minnesota.

Here’s the list of places I talked about in this episode:

• Grand Rapids, MN: Brewed Awakenings
• Brainerd, MN: Coco Moon
• St. Cloud, MN: Beaver Island Brewing Company
• La Crosse: The Root Note
• Balltown: Breitbach’s Country Dining
• Dubuque: Convivium
• Moline: Milltown Coffee
• Rock Island: Radicle Effects Brewing
• Burlington: Martini’s Grille
• Hannibal: Java Jive
• Cape Girardeau: The Pilot House
• Clarksdale: Meraki Roasting Company
• Vicksburg: Highway 61 Coffee House

Honorable Mentions:

• Winona: Blue Heron
• Prairie du Chien: Simply Café
• Bellevue: River Ridge Brewing
• Natchez: Natchez Coffee Company

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