Located in southern Minnesota near the Iowa border, the Old Barn Resort features a 170-site campground and 18-hole golf course. Less than two hours south from the Twin Cities of Minneapolis-Saint Paul, the Old Barn Resort is a favorite destination for golfers and families alike.
Rich in history and located inside the 130-year-old barn is the main office for check in and Old Barn Restaurant, which serves lunch and dinner. Other resort amenities at this pet-friendly facility include 30/50 amp electrical, water, sewer, restrooms, showers, indoor swimming pool, horseshoe pits, and volleyball court. Biking and walking can be enjoyed on the nearby 60-mile paved Root River State Trail and Harmony-Preston Valley State Trails. The trail parallels the Root River and can be accessed at multiple entry points from the resort.
The Rivers’ Bend Golf Course was recently voted Bluff Country’s best course. The 18-hole, par 70 golf course measures 5,953 yards from the tips. It features a nice mixture of long and short holes in a beautiful and bucolic setting. The 567-yard, par 5 eighth hole is fun and challenging. You not only shoot over the Root River, there’s also a dogleg left for added enjoyment. Watson Creek also adds a few interesting twists as well as the various contours and heavily wooded roughs scattered throughout. All-in-all, Rivers’ Bend Golf Course offers a great golf experience.
Nearby Lanesboro worth a visit
Just a few miles down the road is the historic town of Lanesboro, one of the premier small town cultural destinations in the Midwest. In 2014, Smithsonian Magazine named Lanesboro one of the 20 Best Small Towns to Visit.
A highlight of Lanesboro is taking a step back in time with a tour of the flourishing Amish Community. Visit several Amish family farms and learn about the Amish way of life. You’ll have the opportunity to talk with Amish family members and purchase their unique goods. Experience first-hand the Old Order Amish living in modest means without using the available technology.
A few more highlights in Lanesboro include discovering unique treasures in the downtown stores and galleries, and enjoying rhubarb in many shapes and sizes in the Rhubarb Capital of Minnesota.
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Rick Stedman is an avid golfer, RVer, and writer who lives in Olympia, Washington. Rick writes a golf column, “The RV Golfer,” which is published every month in rvlife.com. He can be reached at rstedman@gmail.com.
I just read about a dozen reviews, and honestly, I wasn’t impressed with what people had to say. Granted, some of the reviews were from as far back as 2008, but I don’t think this is a destination we would seek out.