Why visit Lake City
Townapedia lists 4 museums and landmarks, 13 parks and trails, 9 places to eat and 11 places to stay in and around town.
Highlights include James C. and Agnes M. Stout House, Lake City City Hall and Lake City Golf.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 83°F; January lows average 4°F, and about 48 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Lake City
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Lake City
Lake City is a city in Goodhue and Wabasha counties in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It lies along Lake Pepin, a wide portion of the Mississippi River. The population was 5,252 at the 2020 census. Most of Lake City is located within Wabasha County with only a small portion in Goodhue County.
From the Wikipedia article Lake City, Minnesota (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks4
James C. and Agnes M. Stout House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Historic house in Lake City, Minnesota, United States
Lake City City Hall
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Williamson–Russell–Rahilly House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Historic house in Minnesota, United States
Fallen Officer Shawn Schneider Memorial
Monument and historic site · 0.8 mi
Statue/Memorial for Lake City Officer Shawn Schneider #208. Cut and paste this link for Star Tribune article on what happened: ...
Parks, trails and playgrounds13
1 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes9
Where to stay11
John Hall's Alaskan Lodge
Motel and hotel · 0.8 mi
1127 North Lakeshore Drive, Lake City
Sunset Motel & Resort
Motel and hotel · 1.0 mi
1515 North Lakeshore Drive, Lake City
History
Lake City is located 65 miles (105 km) southeast of the Twin Cities at the intersection of U.S. Highways 61 and 63 on the Mississippi River at Lake Pepin. Lac de Pleurs (Lake of Tears) was the name given to Lake Pepin by Father Louis Hennepin, who camped on the shore of the lake in 1680. He christened the large body of water Lac de Pleurs after observing his Sioux captors weeping near the lake over the death of a chief's son. The war party of Isanti Sioux had captured Hennepin and his two companions several miles south along the Mississippi and were camping near the lake on their return north to their Sioux villages near present-day Mille Lacs.
The first known settler was Jacob Boody, who arrived in 1853. In the years to follow, several explorers passed through this area. The town was platted in 1855. The waters of Lake Pepin are deep enough to allow for a port, and in 1864 the Lake City town supervisors were given special powers by the Minnesota Legislature to create a port market for grain. Soon after, Lake City became noted as a profitable market for grain, with the volume of trade in 1866 bringing in a little over a million and a half dollars.
From the History section of Lake City, Minnesota on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship2
Shopping3
Gas and EV charging3
Schools, colleges and libraries6
Healthcare2
Kennedy Hallmark & Pharmacy
Clinic and pharmacy · 0.8 mi
223 S Lakeshore Drive, Lake City
Map of Lake City
53 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 24°F | 4°F | 1.0 in | 9.9 in |
| Feb | 30°F | 8°F | 1.1 in | 12.1 in |
| Mar | 42°F | 21°F | 2.0 in | 9.0 in |
| Apr | 57°F | 33°F | 3.4 in | 2.7 in |
| May | 69°F | 45°F | 4.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 79°F | 56°F | 5.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 83°F | 60°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 81°F | 58°F | 4.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 74°F | 49°F | 3.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 60°F | 36°F | 2.5 in | 0.6 in |
| Nov | 43°F | 24°F | 2.0 in | 2.3 in |
| Dec | 30°F | 13°F | 1.2 in | 11.7 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Theilman 1Ssw (12 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Goodhue County has had 11 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for floods.
- 2024-06-28: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
- 2020-04-07: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-06-12: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2016-11-02: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
- 2012-07-06: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Stanton Airfield (SYN) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 36 miles away.
- Red Wing 19 mi northwest, about 30 min by car
- Rochester 31 mi south, about 50 min by car
- Cannon Falls 31 mi west, about 50 min by car
- Eyota 32 mi south, about 51 min by car
- River Falls 33 mi northwest, about 54 min by car
- Byron 33 mi southwest, about 54 min by car
- Hastings 34 mi northwest, about 55 min by car
- Menomonie 36 mi northeast, about 57 min by car
- Kasson 37 mi southwest, about 59 min by car
- Cottage Grove 40 mi northwest, about 1 h by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- CityHallLakeCityMN, Jonathunder, GFDL 1.2
- Williamson-Russell-Rahilly House, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 310SouthOakLakeCityMN, Jonathunder, GFDL 1.2
- Lake City City Hall 2017, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 4.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.