Covington Inn: Bed & Breakfast
As Minnesota slowly begins to lift from the lockdown, I’ve been on the hunt for the best places to travel close to home. So I was thrilled when I came across the floating Covington Inn. This bed & breakfast is the perfect place for a staycation in Minnesota!
And with a total of only 4 rooms on the entire boat, it’s an easy way to practice social distancing in the wake of the pandemic. Because even if the boat was fully booked, there would only be 8 people onboard!
But the two nights I stayed at Covington Inn, I was fortunate to have most of it to myself.
St. Paul, Minnesota
This charming bed and breakfast can be found in St. Paul, Minnesota.
It’s perfectly located near plenty of parks, shopping, restaurants, theaters and other great attractions.
St. Paul is also within a 72 mile park, the Mississippi National River & Recreation Area which is perfect for boating, fishing, kayaking and canoeing because the river is so calm throughout this stretch.
Located On The Mississippi River
The mighty Mississippi cuts through the heart of St. Paul for a whopping 26 miles with downtown on one side and limestone bluffs on the other.
Various bridges span across the great river connecting both sides of the city to one another.
And on this river sits the Covington Inn, along with a number of other historic steamboats.
Built in 1946
This towboat hit the Mississippi River in 1946 and eventually became the prototype for the modern towboat.
For decades, the Covington pushed cargo (usually petroleum) down a lengthy stretch of the river.
And finally, many years later when the River Valley Preservation Company saw the lovable towboat dry-docked in Louisiana, they got the brilliant idea to transform it into a one-of-a-kind bed and breakfast.
After a serious overhaul of the inside of the boat, the Covington Inn opened for guests in 1995.
Covington Inn Quick Facts:
- Free Overnight Parking
- Breakfast Included
- All 4 rooms have private bathrooms
- All 4 rooms have fireplaces for heat in the winter and air conditioners for the summer
- Check in is between 3pm-6pm
- Perfectly positioned for sunset over the river
- Try ordering takeout for dinner and bringing it up on the deck
- The rooms do not have TV’s so if you plan to watch a movie during your stay, bring a laptop
- There are boards games and books in the common room for anyone to use
- The boat is stationary and does not move throughout your stay
Book your stay here.
Rustic, historic and very charming!
While it doesn’t have the same modern feel as a sleek new cruise line, the rustic and historic quality is part of the Covington Inn’s charm.
The Riverview Suite
While I was able to tour the rest of the boat, I chose to stay in the Riverview Suite for two nights.
I loved this room because of it’s added privacy. You are tucked away from the rest of the boat since it’s the only suite on the lower level.
The other 3 cabins are all on the upper levels of the boat.
Another perk: if it’s too cold or rainy to go outside, you can watch sunset from bed. With 3 port holes in the room, it allows you to look out at the river while staying comfortably tucked in.
Grab a front row seat for sunset!
This is truly where the Covington Inn shines. Sunsets over St. Paul are spectacular because they get reflected back by the river. So prepare for double the color!
The boat has lights strung across it that turn on after dark, which sets a great mood up on the deck.
And you can also see the lights from the St. Paul skyline dance across the water and the waves.
Breakfast
Breakfast is the only meal included and is served between 9am and 10am. You can help yourself to coffee in the common area before if you are up before 9am.
The first day we had french toast piled with cinnamon, whip cream, fruit, sausage links and served with orange juice. Day two was cheesy scrambled eggs, hash browns and lots of fruit!
Make dietary requests ahead of time because as soon as we walked in and sat down, breakfast was served!
Check out is at 11am.
Fun Things To Do In St. Paul Near Covington Inn
- Hike a nearby trail- find one using the AllTrails app or website! I recommend hiking Harriet Island to Cherokee Bluffs (Just make sure it’s open, sometimes it closes due to mudslides!)
- Stroll alongside the Mississippi River – there is a paved walking path!
- Take in the views over St. Paul at Indian Mounds Park (Just 8 min away by car!)
- See a Broadway style musical at the stunning Ordway Theater
- Have a picnic in Irvine Park
- Visit the Science Museum of Minnesota right across the river
- Tour the Wabasha Street Caves for ghost stories and gangster history
- Visit the State Capitol just across the bridge!
The Covington Inn is one of America’s few floating bed and breakfasts!
This place is special because of its history and its uniqueness. There is also something wonderfully peaceful about falling asleep to the lull of lapping waves against the boat.
It’s a very casual, relaxed place. Liz Miller who owns the boat lives onboard with her dog and they are both very friendly. She will be happy to assist you with anything if you have any questions during your stay 🙂
Check out the video of my stay!
Thank you to Covington Inn for hosting me during my stay. As always, all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.
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More on Minnesota: GUNFLINT LODGE: YOUR COMPLETE GUIDE TO THE ULTIMATE MINNESOTA ADVENTURE & WHERE TO SEE THE NORTHERN LIGHTS IN MINNESOTA & PELLET ISLAND: A MUST-DO TREK FOR THE ADVENTUROUS MINNESOTAN & 20 Photos To Put A Minnesota Campervan Road Trip On Your Bucket List
Gorgeous photos Emmy!!! Didn’t even know this was a thing. Would love to stay there sometime!
Thank you so much 🙂 🙂 I didn’t know about it until recently either!
Thank you for sharing about this! My boyfriend and I booked a stay here after you blog post and we loved it!
Oh my gosh I’m so glad to hear that!! I hope you loved your stay 🙂