River Dreams

The story of Saint Paul began on the shores and bluffs of the nation’s mightiest river. The Mississippi shaped everything: culture, community, commerce and more. Today, it shapes the way many of us relax, connect and explore.

The river life can be a good one. Liz Miller knows it well. She eats, sleeps and drinks the ebb and flow of the Mississippi’s magic as the owner and innkeeper of The Covington Inn Bed and Breakfast. For the past 20 years, she’s been at the helm of this beautifully repurposed towboat turned B&B, which is permanently moored at Harriet Island just across the Wabasha Street Bridge from downtown Saint Paul.

Here, the water gently ripples past her tightly-secured three-story riverboat all year long. She hears morning birds and the slow churn of working towboats pushing barges at night. She hears the evening bustle of summer concerts in the nearby parks and creaking, cracking sounds of ice amid silent winter snowfalls. “So many people like the calming effect of water,” she says. “And it makes sense: our bodies are mostly water.”

Born and raised in Saint Paul, Liz worked around the country in hospitality before returning to her roots. When she got a chance to embrace life by the water, she seized the moment, taking over the one-ofa-kind getaway spot in 2002. The floating inn features four staterooms decorated with charming nautical warmth. Some suites have authentic portholes. All have a private bath, deck access, fireplaces or stoves for the cooler months and air conditioning for the summer ones. The salon, where Liz serves her guests breakfast, was once the towboat’s engine room. Now the room’s atmosphere of reclaimed wood, colorful area rugs and vintage furniture conjures a cozy, welcoming energy.

Like Liz, visitors are here for the romance of the river. Guests often come for anniversaries or weddings. (Liz has officiated vows nearly 100 times.) A family or group of friends might rent the entire boat for a special event. Sometimes a couple comes aboard planning a night on the town, but opts to just kick back on the deck for a sunset toast and views of the greens, reds and whites of city lights illuminating the skyline.

The Covington, in fact, is the lone vessel on a long public pier where bluegrass bands fiddle away on fall evenings. Look downstream and you see the Minnesota Boat Club on Raspberry Island, a favorite wedding destination. Nearby, rows of houseboats line the docks. A block away to the south, the Padelford Riverboats dock along Harriet Island. Liz says these tour boats are a wonderful way to get out on the river in the warm months to explore, learn local history and catch a glimpse of wildlife soaring or roaming these shores — especially when the forests are beaming with fall color. Or rent a kayak at Hidden Falls Park and paddle downstream to Harriet Island. Along the way, you’ll go past Historic Fort Snelling, Pike Island, Crosby Farm Regional Park and Lilydale Regional Park. All of these green spaces offer various trails for hiking, biking, skiing or snowshoeing.

Saint Paul boasts more shoreline (26 miles) than any other Mississippi River city — and it’s all part of the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area. Small wonder then that Liz’s favorite summer pastime is cruising the river with friends from the Saint Paul Yacht Club. They find nooks and crannies of the river to tie up boats and spend the day swimming, eating and relaxing.

When she goes ashore in Saint Paul, Liz likes Skinner’s for pizza with girlfriends or the Spot Bar, Dark Horse or Boca Chica. She’ll catch a band at Minnesota Music Cafe and do a little shopping at Up Six Vintage or Poppy Fun Fashion. She recommends families and artists visit Como Park for events or just the winter oasis of the conservatory. A tour of the Minnesota State Capitol and the Minnesota History Center are big on her list.

Another nearby favorite: the Wabasha Caves, located a half mile inland from the Covington, are part of a massive stretch of sandstone caverns that have been used for everything from Prohibition-era bootlegging to mushroom growing. Get a weekend tour or try Swing Dance Thursdays with live music. The nightclub once known as “Mystic Caverns” is worth a visit, Liz says: “To hear about the sordid past of our fair city and hang out in a cave is so cool!”