Outdoor patios, such as the historic City House, offer intimate views along with beverages and a bite.
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.
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V I S I T S A I N T PA U L
Official Insider's Guide
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.
Liz Miller,
Owner Covington Inn
“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.
