Stillwater, Minnesota, a historic town, is definitely not what comes to mind when one considers nightlife. However, as a local to this river town myself, I can first hand say there is more to this town than meets the eye. From great food to summer art shows and even live music, there is something for everyone in downtown Stillwater.

Boats, bars, restaurants, and nightclubs can be found all across town, you just have to decide what you’re in the mood to do. Shanghai Bistro has great food and live music while the Freight House is an excellent place to go dancing.

St. Croix boat & Packet, the riverboat company, offer daily lunch and dinner cruises to the public. They also hold private excursions for special events, such as graduations and weddings. These cruises can entertain up to 675 people at a time. If you’re looking for something smaller and more romantic, Gondola Romantica offers cheap gondola rides on any given evening May through October.

“For our ninth grade graduation we were lucky enough to take a trip down the St. Croix river on one of the larger paddlewheel riverboats. The experience was unlike one I had ever had before. There was great food on the middle level, dancing on the lower and if you just wanted to enjoy the ride you could sit up top and listen to the waves,” said junior Danny Leo.

Shanghai Bistro serves both American and Chinese food, but they are most popularly known for their award winning sushi. Every weekend they play live music from both local and regional acts and are open 11-2 a.m. from Sun. to Thurs. during the summer. Marx, another trendy restaurant serves dinner from five to close and has live music every Tues. night.

“My family and I go to Shanghai Bistro almost every other week in the summer. We always sit on the patio so we can watch the sunset and listen to the awesome live music. My favorite thing to get is the Mahi Mahi but it’s a little pricy,” said senior Dylan Bruehl.

The Freight House is a place of food, dancing and lots of fun. The restaurant is open seven days a week and the nightclub, Fri. and Sat. They host exciting events and giveaways all year long. Rafters, another nightclub, is located right in the heart of downtown. This restaurant overlooks the river and some say they have the best view in town.

“The cheese curds at the Freight House are to die for. I’ve never been to the nightclub myself but I’ve picked up my parents a few times after a long night of dancing and they always seem to be having loads of fun,” said junior Brianna Carlson.

There are loads of things to do in Stillwater after dark, just don’t forget to make reservations if you are going to one of the restaurants.