Book excerpt: No planning required! Need a day away to relax, refresh, renew? Just get in your car and go! This first edition of Day Trips from the Twin Cities is your guide to hundreds of exciting things to do, see, and discover in your own backyard. With full trip-planning information and tips on where to eat, shop, and stop along the way, you can make the most of your time off and rediscover the simple pleasures of a day trip. Explore places you never knew existed, many free of charge, and most within a two-hour drive of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota. Head north any time of the year to Brainerd, where its bounty of lakes offers waterskiing and wakeboarding in the summer, and snowmobiling and ice fishing in the winter. Follow Wisconsin’s Great River Road and soak up the beautiful scenery and historic villages tucked along the landscape. Get a taste of Germany in New Ulm, a city that wears its heritage proudly through its ornate buildings, historic brewery, and fun festivals.