Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota
Inver Grove Heights isn’t a tourist destination, and we won’t dress it up as one — but it is a comfortable, convenient stop on the edge of the metro, with river bluffs and parks nearby.
Our experience
Inver Grove Heights was a practical overnight in August 2024 — a single night at a Coratel Inn & Suites in this southeastern Twin Cities suburb. Sitting along the Mississippi River just south of St. Paul, it slotted neatly into our broader Minnesota travels.
We’ve come to appreciate these workaday suburban nights for what they are: a clean room, easy highway access, and a launchpad back into everything the Twin Cities offer just up the road.
Inver Grove Heights is part of the Mississippi River Greenway, a 28-mile paved trail corridor that follows the Mississippi from the St. Paul area toward Hastings and passes through Inver Grove Heights.
Must-sees and must-dos
- Mississippi River Greenway — walk or bike the scenic river corridor through Inver Grove Heights, with overlooks and trailheads along the way.
- Swing Bridge Trailhead — a local access point to the Mississippi River Greenway in Inver Grove Heights.
- Pine Bend Bluffs — enjoy river-bluff scenery along another section of the greenway.
- St. Paul — head north for museums, restaurants, and the Minnesota state capital.
- River valley scenery — take in the wooded bluffs and Mississippi River landscape around the southeastern metro.
- Suburban dining — keep things easy with convenient restaurants and everyday amenities around Inver Grove Heights.
Our pro tip
We’d treat Inver Grove Heights as a budget-friendly base on the south side of the metro — especially useful if your Twin Cities plans lean toward St. Paul and the southern suburbs. A car is a must out here.
The Mississippi River Greenway is the local highlight, although some sections are undergoing construction and temporary closures in 2026, so it’s worth checking current trail conditions before heading out. (That construction note may date — confirm on the Dakota County parks site before you go.)
If you want to stay where we did, check Coratel Inn & Suites by Jasper Inver Grove Heights on Klook.