Make it a date: Smalley's Caribbean BBQ

The historic river town hosts its annual Lumberjack Days events this weekend...

1. Lumberjack Days
This Wednesday through Sunday, Stillwater is hosting running races, a parade, a chess tournament, concerts (Soul Asylum and the BoDeans play on Friday for 10 smacks), and dockdogs competitions--a sort of dog long jump, where the animals see how far they can leap off a dock to retrieve a toy. Lumberjack-themed competitions include everything from sawing and climbing logs to a running across logs in the water, so snap on your suspenders if you want to give 'em a go.

2. Getting there is half the fun
What with the bridge construction and all, traffic's going to be a mess in Stills, so you're better off biking there via the Gateway Trail, an 18-mile path that will take you from downtown St. Paul to Pine Point Park, just five miles north of Stillwater.

3. Sleep under the stars, not the doilies
All the b&bs will likely be booked, so bring camping gear if you want to stay at William O'Brien State Park, Afton State Park, Wild River State Park (WI), or Lake Elmo Regional Park Reserve.