HotelTonight – Albert Lea Hotels Just for You
There is just something about smaller Midwestern cities that has always drawn me to them. A lot of people – and I used to be one of them – drive through this part of the country and simply proceed to the next big city as quickly as possible for reasons that include scheduling, work obligations, etc. It wasn't until recently that I started to make more of an effort to take a closer look at these communities than what you would normally get when stopping for gas or a quick meal while on the road. Recently, I was driving through the southwestern portion of Minnesota when I found out that my meetings later that day in Minneapolis were canceled. I decided not to continue driving to the Twin Cities and instead spend the next 24 hours exploring the community of Albert Lea. I looked forward to talking with the residents and learning more about what life was like there. I also wasn't concerned about finding last-minute lodging, as I travel with HotelTonight. I'd book an Albert Lea hotel room as soon as I was ready to call it a day.
The Community
It wasn't more than a few seconds after I pulled into this city of about 15,000 people that I knew that I had found one of those quintessential Midwestern communities. The downtown area was quaint, featuring a lot of brick facades and older buildings that had been preserved quite successfully. As I walked down the main street, I saw a lot of family-owned businesses. I saw a lot of people talking as if they had known each other their entire lives, which they probably did. I also got to experience more genuine, warm greetings than anyone in a big city would ever be used to, which set the tone for a nice day.
The Lake
While Albert Lea sits between two lakes, it's the body of water with the same name that basically forms the foundation of the community. It's a gorgeous lake that is not very deep, so it's perfect for a lot of recreational activities. On the day I was there, I saw families on the shoreline having fun in the sun and water. I also saw a lot of fishing boats dotting the horizon, as apparently this is a very nice spot for freshwater species such as bluegill and other tasty panfish.
The Dining
After all of that walking around, I had built up a pretty voracious appetite. I heard from a local couple about a pizza place that had been knocking it out of the park for years, so I decided to give it a shot. The place itself looked like an unassuming tavern, and the aroma caught me as I walked in the front door. The pizza was a different style, meaning that the crust was extremely thin and crispy and the local toppings barely stayed in one place as I ate happily. It was delicious pizza.
HotelTonight – Albert Lea Hotels Are Available
I was extremely full and happy to have experienced such a wonderful place that day. I opened my HotelTonight app and found an Albert Lea hotel room in seconds. It was just up the block, so I grabbed my bag out of my car and walked into my comfortable room. I fell asleep almost instantly, glad that I had taken such an interesting detour that day.
