Long Prairie, MN became our second home this year! I got a travel assignment at the local hospital, and Cory got an assignment 1.5hrs down the road in Benson, MN. Long Prairie population: 3,710. Benson population: 3,414. SMALL TOWN, USA!!!
Planning
Before arriving we needed to find a place to stay for 3 months. Due to the location, housing options were... NOT an option lol. Vacation homes were $10,000/month (I'm being serious unfortunately.) After many searches on Airbnb, Vrbo, and Furnishfinder (& a breakdown with our recruiter), I finally got a lightbulb idea from my husband. During a random conversation he says, "You can rent anything nowadays." LIGHTBULB!!!! I instantly started looking into renting a camper and boy did it pay off. Long story short, we arranged for someone to deliver their camper to the local campground and let us rent for 3 months. It worked out perfectly!
Our Stay
Wow-ers! There's so much to say about Minnesota! Renting the camper and staying at the local campground was perfect for us and the dogs! There was a large space for the dogs to play and run around. The local coffee shop, 110 Coffee Shop, had wonderful lattes and pupcups! Breakfast at the Countryside Restaurant was delicious! Our town and every surrounding small town had at least one tavern! In Long Prairie, I found a Mexican bakery with the best tres leches cake and desserts!
But most importantly, the ice cream in this state is far superior to any ice cream I have ever tasted! Almost every small town has an ice cream shop. Our favorite shop near Long Prairie was in a small town called Osakis, population: 1,747. Tip Top Dairy Bar became a weekly staple for our family. Even the dogs got a little cup :)
Antiquing became a big hobby of ours while exploring Minnesota. Almost every town had an antique shop or two. We found some pretty cool and beautiful things.
Goodbyes
Saying goodbye was super hard for me. I had made some wonderful friendships with some incredible people at the hospital. Everyone was so welcoming and friendly. I also didn't want to leave the routine we had made for ourselves there. However, we were both ready to start a new adventure.
Things I learned while living in Minnesota:
- Asparagus grows wild in the ditches in the warmer months. If you're out riding and see someone in the ditches, they are probably picking the wild asparagus. Thank you, Sarah!
- Derby is a very popular event to go to. It's like "going to the races" back home. Thank you Marissa for the invite!
- ALL the lakes will freeze over in the winter. Many people have these "fish houses" that go out onto the frozen water to fish. The ice must be 12 inches deep before they can take them out.
- It can get VERY cold in Minnesota; negatives and stay there for a very long time.
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