RV Rental Albert Lea, MN

Albert Lea is considered the “Recreation Capital of Southern Minnesota” so there’s absolutely no excuse for not spending some time out in nature when you rent an RV there. Myre-Big Island State Park to the east of the town is considered the hub of outdoor recreation in the area. Not only can you explore dozens of densely forested trails populated with plentiful wildlife, but also, there are some great paddling spots in the adjacent Albert Lea Lake. Pick up a kayak or canoe rental in town and spend the day there.

Minneopa State Park near Mankato is a little way to the northwest of Albert Lea and makes for an excellent nature-themed day trip. There’s a great walking trail that circles the park and passes by a waterfall, plus you might catch a glimpse of the small bison herd that lives there.

Interested in doing a little spelunking? Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park has an excellent guided tour of a small cavern that is suitable for those will little below ground experience. It’s also a great place to explore on a hot summer day as the temperature is consistently around 50 degrees F.

There a number of RV parks to choose from when you book an RV in Albert Lea. Just outside the city limits is the Albert Lea/Austin KOA Holiday, one of the most well-equipped campgrounds in the region. Most of their sites have full hookups for your motorhome rental from Albert Lea along with a swimming pool and playground. The campground offers a number of programs for families including arts and crafts activities.

Another excellent option not far from the city when you get an RV rental in Albert Lea is Hickory Hills Campground. It’s only a few miles to the south and is conveniently situated between the upper and lower sections of the Twin Lakes. Sites have full hookups, and there’s a swimming pool, basketball court, volleyball court, and sandbox to keep the kids entertained while you’re there. If you’d like to do a little gaming with your travel trailer rental from Albert Lea, a casino is just minutes away.

Those hoping for a more rustic camping experience when they choose a campervan rental in Albert Lea might enjoy the sites at Silver Lake County Park. While their sites do have electricity, there are no water or sewage hookups available. It’s designed to be a more low-key campground that caters to smaller RVs.

You can get a peek at Albert Lea’s history at the Freeborn County Historical Museum. It’s packed with loads of interesting artifacts from the Homesteading era through the present. There’s even a room dedicated to former resident Marion Ross, who played Mrs. Cunningham on the hit TV show Happy Days.

If you love offbeat tourist attractions, hit up the Spam Museum in nearby Austin. The massive complex is fully dedicated to the canned lunchmeat and features all kinds of interactive games and galleries to show off this underrated food. Even if you’re not a fan of the meat, hyper-focused museums like this are always an entertaining experience, and you walk away feeling like you learned something.

If you need a little more weird in your life, drive west on Interstate 90 to the town of Blue Earth, home of the Giant Green Statue Park. It’s actually just one big statue of the Jolly Green Giant, but it’s the quintessential interstate tourist attraction, and there’s a small park at its base where you can enjoy a picnic.

For a more cultured experience, pop into the Austin Artworks Center, which features some great paintings, pottery, and jewelry created by local and regional artisans. Even the architecture is art as it’s housed in the old First National Bank of Austin building.