99 Steps to the Beer

It started out as a cruise to Lansing,IA but an unexpected turn of events took place and we ended up at a new stop called "The Top of the Rock". We borrowed a friend's pontoon boat for the day and we were cruising along coming up on the Lock and Dam #9 which is by Genoa,WI and we ran out of gas. The gauge still read full so apparently it doesn't work. We paddled our way to shore and luckily we were only an 1/8 of a mile from the nearest gas station. We bought a gas can and filled the tank several times until full and then restarted our cruise when we noticed a commercial barge locking through the dam and this can take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours. So we decided to had back home and when we got to Brownsville,MN we noticed a small dock with a boat and decided to investigate and noticed steps going straight up from the river. We made the journey up 99 steps to the street where we found a bar and grill called "The Top of the Rock". It is a very nice place and the food was good and the beer is cold. The bar has spectacular views of the Mississippi River Valley, they also have outdoor seating and a different featured DJ every night.
Brownsville,MN is also home to a place called "Wildcat Park" which offers camping of all types, and has a long sandbar for many boats to park and enjoy the activities.
A little north of Brownsville,MN on the east side of the Mississippi River is one of the largest sandbars in the area that everyone calls Crater Island. On a beautiful weekend day you will see up to as many as 50 boats parked at the sandbar in a small bay area. This is a popular spot for many large houseboats because the water is deep enough and the sandbar is large enough to set up camp for the whole family to enjoy. Another popular sandbar is a little more north and on the west side of the Mississippi River everyone calls Coney Island. This sandbar is popular for houseboats too because the water is deep enough and it is a great spot for boaters who like to come and set up tents and campout. The top of the sandbar is fairly level making it an ideal spot. There are many other sandbars in the area but require a little more caution when approaching.
Come follow Houseboating Excursions in the Mississippi River Valley as we cruise to another Mississippi River Cruise Stop and provide more information.