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Saint Cloud, MN Road Trips

Saint Cloud, MN serves as a quiet starting point in the Midwest, connecting drivers to 21 outbound routes across the area. Most drives stay under 65 miles, making this area well-suited for day trips and weekend getaways. Routes from Saint Cloud, MN spread mainly south and east, covering a wide geographic range.

city on tripoint of Benton, Sherburne and Stearns Counties in Minnesota, United States

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Trip Routes

79

Longest Drive

265.4 mi

International Falls, MN

Quickest Drive

13m

Watab, MN

Plan Around Saint Cloud, MN

Trips from Saint Cloud, MN

Driving from Saint Cloud, MN

Expect an average of 65 miles and about 1h 22m behind the wheel when leaving Saint Cloud, MN. The majority of routes are short drives — quick enough to finish before lunch and be back for dinner. The longest mapped route runs 98 miles (2h 4m), while the shortest is just 19 miles.

Popular Destinations

Top road trip destinations from Saint Cloud, MN are Lonsdale, MN (97.8 mi, 2h 4m), Elko New Market, MN (96.1 mi, 1h 54m), Jordan, MN (89.2 mi, 1h 50m), Scandia, MN (89.2 mi, 1h 47m), and Bayport, MN (86 mi, 1h 43m). Most destinations stay within the same state, perfect for exploring the local region thoroughly.

Planning & Costs

Regular gas in MN currently averages around $3.57 per gallon. For the typical 65-mile trip from Saint Cloud, MN, budget about $9 in fuel one way, assuming 25 MPG. Longer hauls and premium fuel will cost proportionally more.

With an average drive under three hours, you have plenty of flexibility — leave whenever it suits you. The majority of destinations are to the south. Morning starts help you avoid the midday heat on longer drives.

Frequently Asked Questions

There are 21 mapped routes leaving Saint Cloud, MN and 58 routes heading into Saint Cloud, MN, covering 79 total connections. Distances range from 19 to 98 miles.

The longest mapped route from Saint Cloud, MN covers 98 miles and takes approximately 2h 4m. Shorter options start at just 19 miles.

The average route from Saint Cloud, MN runs about 65 miles with a drive time of roughly 1h 22m. This includes both short day trips and longer multi-day drives.

At current gas prices (about $3.57/gallon for regular), the average 65-mile trip from Saint Cloud, MN costs roughly $9 in fuel one way, based on 25 MPG. Your actual cost depends on your vehicle's efficiency.

The most popular road trip destinations from Saint Cloud, MN include Lonsdale, MN, Elko New Market, MN, Jordan, MN and Scandia, MN. Each route page has detailed drive times, fuel estimates, stop suggestions, and turn-by-turn directions.

Traveler Guide to Saint Cloud, MN

Saint Cloud is a city in Central Minnesota with a population of 68,000 (2018). Although it may have few attractions to draw the tourist, it is a nexus of medical advances, particularly in orthopedics (St. Cloud Orthopedics Associates, for example). It is also a college town as it is home to St. Cloud State University and St Cloud Technical College. The College of St. Benedict and St. John's University are nearby.

1 Munsinger Clemens Gardens, Riverside Dr SE, ☏ +1 320 257-5959. 7AM-10PM from Spring to Fall. Kilian Boulevard Southeast extensive flower gardens dating from the 1930s. (updated Dec 2025) 2 Stearns History Museum, 235 33rd Ave S, ☏ +1 320 253-8424, toll-free: +1-866-253-8424. M-Sa 10AM-5PM, Su noon-5PM. Adults $7, children $3, families $17 (two adults and all children under 17), children 3 and under free. (updated Jun 2015)

Marcus Parkwood Cinema, 1533 Frontage Rd North, ☏ +1 320 253-4328. A 17-screen movie theater in Waite Park. (updated May 2020) St. Cloud State Husky Hockey, ☏ +1-877-727-8849. NCAA Division I hockey at the National Hockey and Event Center in St. Cloud. SCSU plays in the always rugged WCHA. (updated May 2020) Granite City Days. Formerly the Wheels, Wings, and Water Festival, held every summer. KVSC Trivia Weekend. A 50-hour trivia marathon created by St. Cloud State University's campus radio station to alleviate Minnesota’s infamous mid-winter cabin fever. KVSC Trivia Weekend debuted in 1980 and has run every year since. It costs $50 to enter and takes place in early February. St. Cloud Symphony Orchestra, ☏ +1-320-252-7276, [email protected]. (updated May 2020)

Restaurants: Many, both typical and upscale.

1 AmericInn by Wyndham St. Cloud MN Shopping Area, 4120 2nd Street South, ☏ +1 320-200-0820. indoor pool and hot tub. 2 Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites, 4322 Clearwater Road, ☏ +1 320 240-8000, [email protected]. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. Pets allowed. (updated Jan 2023) 3 Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites, 75 S 37th Avenue (Division Street & 37th Ave), ☏ +1 320 253-9000, [email protected]. Check-in: 4PM, check-out: 11AM. Service animals only. 4 Courtyard St. Cloud, 404 West Saint Germain Street, ☏ +1 320 654-1661. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. Right across from the Rivers Edge Convention Center. No pets (service animals allowed), no smoking. Paid parking.

About an hour northwest of Minneapolis - Saint Paul via Interstate 94. 1 Saint Cloud station, 555 E St Germain St. Station hours 4AM-6AM daily and 11:30PM-1:15AM nightly. (updated Oct 2023) Amtrak, ☏ +1 215-856-7924, toll-free: +1-800-872-7245. Operates train service around the United States of America. (updated Mar 2022) Route stopping at Saint Cloud: Empire Builder operating daily between Seattle/Portland and Chicago including stops at Spokane, Glacier National Park, Fargo, Saint Paul, and Milwaukee. The trains split into separate branches between Seattle and Spokane, and between Portland and Spokane, while operating as trains consisting of train cars from both branches between Spokane and Chicago. 2 Metro Bus Transit Center, 510 1st St S, is the main hub for local and inter-city bus services. Greyhound doesn't serve Saint Cloud but they offer through-ticketing with Jefferson Lines. Jefferson Lines. Jefferson Lines links Saint Cloud with Minneapolis, Fargo, Grand Forks, and various cities in Northern Minnesota. Buses serve the Metro Bus Transit Center and an additional stop at St. Cloud State University, at the Atwood Center at 720 4th Ave S. Northstar Link. Bus connects St. Cloud with the Northstar commuter rail station in Big Lake. Buses serve the Metro Bus Transit Center and an additional stop at St. Cloud State University, outside the Miller Center at 7th St S and 4th Ave S. 3 St. Cloud Regional Airport (STC IATA) (about 4 miles east of St. Cloud's central business district). Allegiant Air offers non-stop service to Phoenix and Orlando.

St. Cloud is laid out with its primary traffic artery (Division Street) running roughly E-W. Crossing arteries (roughly N-S) are called "avenues," and are numbered as either "South" or "North" of Division Street. For example, a location "nmm 6th Ave S" would be expected to be in the nth block south of Division street, on a N-S crossing street roughly six streets from the Mississippi River. Arteries roughly parallel to Division are called "streets," and designated either "North" or "South." For example, a location "nmm 10th Street S" would be expected to be located on the n-hundred block west of the river, on an E-W street roughly 10 block-lengths south of Division. The word "roughly" is definitely applicable in the above. A similar scheme applies east of the river, but the directional system is more complex.

Saint Cloud is an overall safe city. It is a college town, so there are always many college-aged people walking around the city, even at night. The south side around St. Cloud State is generally safe to walk around day or night, but traveling in groups at night is recommended. The south side, past the National Hockey Center, has had trouble with car thefts, so take caution. The neighborhoods around campus are safe too, but will get rowdy Thursday through Saturday nights while school is in session with parties. Generally, these neighborhoods violate noise restrictions during these times rather than taking part in other crime. Downtown is safe during the day, and even at night, but caution is necessary after dark as the downtown area fills with bar-goers. If you use common sense and travel in groups, you'll have no problems in Saint Cloud.

Travel tips adapted from Saint Cloud (Minnesota) on Wikivoyage, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Content summarized; visit the source for the full article. See our methodology for how we use it.

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