10 Things To Do in Zimmerman, Minnesota

Zimmerman is a lovely small town, just north of Elk River on Highway 169.  Most people drive straight through on the way to their cabins without realizing what they are missing.

Stacey of Ramshackled Treasures and Samara of Simplicity in the Suburbs invited FFTC  to check out this cute little village with a gang of bloggers (it was an extremely busy week for us). My favorite comment of the night was from Ashley Sears.  She kept repeating to herself, “Oh, boy.  I’m in trouble. I’m in so much trouble.”  She is moving to Zimmerman and fell more in love with the town with each stop–as did we all.

Here are 10 things you don’t want to miss when heading through Zimmerman.

1. The Whistling Pickle (We are sad to learn the Whistling Pickle has closed)
We were served fried chicken wings, deep fried pickles, and pickle poppers. YUMMY! I licked my plate clean. Not even kidding. And then, we topped it off with green pistachio cupcakes. If you or anyone in your family likes pickles, go quickly to this delicious spot.

Other restaurants in the area:

• Zimmerman Bar & Grill / Angeno’s Pizza (#6 below)
• Papa’s Italian Restaurant
• Zimmerman Cafe, Bowl & Go Carts

2. Nelson Nursey
I was impressed with the nursery’s tidiness.  All the plants are gorgeous and on top of it all, it is extremely clean.  The staff is super nice, too.
We were told that Nelson’s Nursery provides the country with the Boy Scouts Christmas wreathes.  You know what that means, right? Minnesotans have the freshest and least expensive Boy Scout wreathes when you compare to the rest of the country.
Nelson’s Nursery hosts great family events throughout the year, too. The Annual Fall Fest includes a petting zoo, corn maze, and more. The Spring Open House features food, kids crafts, tours, and something called the Bare Root Barn.

3. Nelson Nursery: Lil Root Club
A clubhouse in the back of Nelson’s Nursery gets kiddos ages 9 & under involved in gardening and hosts FREE events.

4.  Ladies on the Loose
Every two months, downtown Zimmerman hosts women for a day of friends, food and fun.  They receive discounts at participating stores and door prizes.  This would be a very fun mother/daughter day.

5. Sassy Bean Boutique
This little shoppe tickled my fancy bone.  They offer decorating classes and all kinds of different merchandise including clothes for children, teens, and adults, wall decor, furniture, and knickknacks.  I really like Tammy.  She is spunky, and I resonated with her confession of clumsiness.

6. ZBG Grill
For a great kid-friendly meal, ZBG Grill is a winner. Yummy pizza and cheesy bread.

7. Ramshackled Treasures Pickers Porch (Unfortunately they also closed in October 2019)
The shop itself is the oldest house in Zimmerman. It is so super cute, but I wouldn’t want to let my kids roam free with so many breakables. The Pickers Porch, though is off the side of the building and full of pieces that need to be refurbished. It would be fun to explore that with kids–though I would recommend nine or older.

If you are looking for something similar, you might try The Vintage JunKEY.

8. Friends of Sherburne National Wildlife RefugeIf you are a conservationist or simply love being outside, don’t miss the National Wildlife Refuge. Family events include International Migratory Bird day in May and a fall Annual Wildlife Festival.

9. Santa Lucia’s Coffee and Cream
Mentioned on the Minnesota Bucket List, this shop is just south of downtown.  They are open every day, so you can’t miss them.  It looks so tasty and delicious.

10. The Fremont House
A historical landmark house that is filled with clothing for babies, children and adults.

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Other places I loved but are not especially for kids: Zo Chic Boutique (my eleven year old fashionista would adore this place–not only do they have boutique hours in Zimmerman, but they have a Traveling Boutique that comes to you on a truck), The Tattooed Lady (a sophisticated art gallery as well as a tattoo salon), The Shoppes on Fremont (shabby chic hidden treasures), Zimmerman Floral & Gifts and Ashley Taylor Salon & Spa (a quiet spa is exactly what it is).

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Don’t just take my word for it!  Here’s what Simplicity in the Suburbs has said about Zimmerman.

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