Discover Hudson: Waterfront, Art and Local History

When visiting Hudson, you can shape your stay around different interests: Lakefront Park and the waterfront, art and theater, local history, or a food tour. If you’re looking for a hotel in Hudson, this overview can help you decide what to focus on first when planning your trip.

Park trails and the Lake St. Croix waterfront

Lakefront Park offers several specific ways to enjoy your stay. It has a swimming beach, paved trails and a public boat launch. A fee is charged to use the launch, and seasonal passes are available. Fees and seasonal passes apply to the boat launch; the beach and trails are other park amenities. Hudson Tree Treks are self-guided tours through parks or along residential streets that take you past different tree species. The Lakefront Park Tree Trek follows a specifically described route: it runs from Picnic Point, south of Buckeye St. and the boat landing, along the shore of Lake St. Croix, and continues on the trail north of the Beach House near Vine St. This tour highlights both trees and a specific waterfront route.

Art and creative activities

The Phipps Center for the Arts offers a wide-ranging mix of theater, music, dance and visual art. It also offers art classes and studio programs for all ages and skill levels, including pottery and drawing. The cultural offerings thus range from performing arts and music to hands-on visual art. When planning your trip, you can choose between the varied program and specific class topics.

Hudson’s history, up close

The History Alcove at the Octagon House Museum displays an extensive collection of historical objects related to local history. The Lakefront Heritage Project offers a different way to explore: a historic walk along the trail in Lakefront Park, with banners about Hudson’s local history. You can encounter the town’s history through objects in one setting and information along a trail in another. For planning purposes, these are two different formats: a museum collection and a walk through the park with history banners.

Good food and historic road connections

The Hudson Food Walk offers tastings at six stops in historic downtown Hudson. Guided tours are listed as lasting three hours. The six stops and the time frame give this food-focused activity a concrete shape for your trip planning. Hudson is also part of the Yellowstone Trail, established in 1912 as the first transcontinental highway. This historic road connection adds another perspective on the destination to the activities in the park and downtown. When planning, you can consider a food tour and the history of the highway as different focal points.

Discover more destinations: New Richmond

Return to the main travel overview: St. Croix County.