River Boating Hotels

Hope you all can help me. We are planning a river run with 3-4 other boats and will be between LaCrosse and Lake Pepin (as of now). Looking for overnight docking and nearby hotels. I was able to find decent docking and accommodations in Wabasha but now need something (hopefully) in Winona Area…maybe a bit south down by Trempealeau. I guess we would go where there is decent docking and hotels. Anyone familiar with this stretch?

I’m not much help other than Wabasha and Lake City areas. The marinas in Wabasha are generally accommodating and will set you up with transient slips. There are a few VRBOs in town that are nice and the hotel is clean and well kept (just a ways away in town beyond typical walking distance). If you need any other help for those specific areas, shoot me a PM.

Pool 4 is obviously a great boating destination that has a lot going on to see and do, but Pool 5 is underrated also. Less traffic, just as many sandbars to hang out on, and just as scenic.

Winona tore down it’s only downtown Hotel option to build the new bridge, which used to be the closet option, but you couldn’t dock there. There’s a Marina right across the bridge (Dick’s Marine) and the Winona Marina on the MN side a little further downstream. They might at least have an overnight slip for you and you can get a cab or uber to the hotels out on the highway. Great river town, went to college there! Great memories and did some really stupid things there but lived to tell the tale!

However you mentioned Trempealeau, and while smaller, I think it’s a cooler destination. Huge marina (Trempealeau Marina) there as well right above the Lock & Dam. Great restaurants – Sullivans, Historic Trempealeau Hotel, River Cafe. I know when my Dad went down the river years ago, Sullivans would send a car for you if you called from the Marina (it’s not really walking distance). One of the great small river towns.

Just call the Marinas and they’ll have info on how to access hotels, if they have shuttles, etc. The river sub-culture is such a cool vibe. I miss being down there a ton!

OK, I haven’t stayed there for 20 years, but there used to be a Best Western just south of I-90 that had a beach and boat docks you could rent. Too far south?

HRG

I am not sure what your specific plans are, but there are more opportunities near La Crosse as well. There are some Facebook groups dedicated to boating the Upper Mississippi that share information regularly.

What types and sizes of boats are you running? I’m looking to go beyond our typical patterns of Pool 4 and 5 for a few weekend trips as well with the tritoon. I am making a concerted effort to forego an entire weekend of projects to assemble a weekend trip and get the Mrs. off my back.

One of the groups that always invites us for a River trip runs large speed boats that they push fast and hard. I am more into the 15mph cruise with the tritoon and 150hp versus the $1000 fuel bill those boats run up on a short trip.

Thanks to all so far, I have some things to chase down, keep ideas coming!
We are mostly bassboats and maybe a small runabout or two and will cruise along but not set the water on fire, more about stopping on sandbars and making our way upriver. I am familiar with the river in that area for fishing, just never stayed overnight anywhere,