I'm hoping some of my fellow riders in Minnesota and Wisconsin can help me with this.
For everyone else, the Flood Run is a 1 day motorcycle event along the border of Minnesota and Wisconsin from near the twin Cities down to roughly the Winona Minnesota area. This year it's on April 16th.

For various scheduling reasons I have never made it on the flood run in the past, but this year I'm available and want to check it out.
What are your favorite stops or things not to be missed?
If anyone has a sample itinerary of how they do the run I'd love to see that too.

Thanks in advance

 

I'm from Texas so I can't provide any assistance. I take it you have perused the official site of the flood run?

http://www.floodrun.net/

 

I used to do that ride every spring and fall when I lived in the MPLS area.

Probably been on that route (or variations of it) over 25 times.

Just get started down the river, and by the time you get to Prescott, you will be caught up in the mass migration.

The places to stop are pretty obvious, with food and vendors here and there.

No wrong way to do it.

At Minieska, they sometimes drag race on the highway below the overlook. There's food and stuff there, just past Winona.

All the best,

Shane

 

I'm west of the metro, I've considered heading South and East and picking up the route in Wabasha then heading North on the Wisconsin side.

Would this still give me a feel for it whilst still being a nice ride?

 

I've been on it several times, I would head to Prescott and then head south for the full experience with stops at the nauty hawg in Diamond Bluff, six string in Maiden Rock, lots to see in Nelson, then head down to Alma and find your way up to Buena Vista Park. From Alma you can head south and cross into Mn at Winona then head north on the Mn side, it can get kinda crazy later in the day on the Wi side! This is just a few of the things to do and a place to start, it's a good kick off to the season!

 

I was here at work (downtown Red Wing) last year during that run, didn't know it was happening till I started hearing all the noise out front of the building, and riding home I ended up following a really large group of bikes till I turned north to Hastings.
Thousands of bikes passed by here for the few hours I was at the office. State Hwy. Patrol was out in force on Route 61, saw many bikes pulled over leaving Red Wing on 61 heading back to the TC metro.

The view from the top of the Bluff at Alma is really great. Well worth the ride up.
It'll be busy on both sides regardless, Prescott gets very crowded with bikes on a normal nice summer weekend day- I can't imagine how busy it is on the day of the run.

Smashed Penny has some pretty good Ice Cream! That's on the WI Side, not terribly far from the Redwing bridge.

Red Wing itself has a few interesting places to explore.

 

It's been a few years for me, but still there's no wrong way to get to that area and ride it. In the late afternoon, the migration heads back north, so yeah, you'll be part of something more than being alone.

As mentioned above though, places like Maiden Rock are where the crowd really builds up and things are more interesting.

Shane

 

I would ride another weekend without the craziness. That's just me.

I like to ride up and down the bluff on the Wisconsin side on the County roads. That's were all the fun riding is. One road I would not miss is County O just south of Diamond Bluff. Ride it up to US 10, then back to 35. That is just one of many, many great side roads along the river.

Oh yeah, good ice cream in Nelson at the Nelson Creamery.

Also a good burger and a great bluff top view can be found at Hansen's Hold-Up Bar and Grill. You will have to ride a bit off the river road to find it. http://www.hansensholdupgrillandbar.com/

 

+1 on the ice cream. The nauty hog, Nelson creamery and Alma are popular stops. Refreshments and food are available at stops. The best part is the view on the Wisconsin side. Between the cliffs and eagles there is lots to enjoy. Minnesota side... Not so much.

I will more than likely make it to the locks before I turn around and head back up.

 

Another fine ride for riders in this area is the annual "Defrost yer Nutz" run. This Sat. April 9th out of the Mallieu Inn in North Hudson, WI. They also have a fall run; (Frost yer Nutz)-(similar to the Fall Floodrun). There are threads on the Forum about both.