The651.com

There may be no better view of St. Paul than from the deck of a cozy, four-room bed and breakfast docked off Harriet Island. I do not say this lightly. If I could live aboard the Covington Inn I probably would.

For starters, you’re floating on the Mississippi River. Downtown’s buildings are laid out in front of you, with the scenic Wabasha Street Bridge to the north. Rowers and barges drift by. Fish jump. Trains click-clack over tracks on the other side of the river. If you’re lucky enough to catch a sunset from the Covington’s deck with a glass of wine in-hand, well, I just can’t imagine a better way to take in St. Paul’s beauty.

The Covington Inn, docked off Harriet Island. (Photo by Alisa Blackwood.)

My husband and I spent a night earlier this week aboard the restored 1946 towboat, celebrating our wedding anniversary. One night was nowhere near enough.

We stayed in the Master’s Quarters, a spacious room with a fireplace, panoramic views of the Mississippi and downtown, and direct access to the boat’s main deck. Since we were only the people staying that night (lucky us!), the bed and breakfast’s owner, Liz Miller, also allowed us use of the wheel house, which is usually reserved as part of the two-story Pilot House Suite. This living-room style space, with a comfy couch and two chairs, offers stunning views from any direction. Each wall is almost entirely made up of windows. If you want to play captain like my husband did, you’ll love the original brass controls still in place.

What is mind-boggling about this B&B is how few people seem to know it exists. Or they think it is open only seasonally. (Not true—staying when the river is iced over with the fireplace going in your room gives new meaning to winter coziness.)

A stay at the Covington Inn is the quintessential way to experience the Mississippi River. If you want to add to your river staycation experience, hop aboard a Padelford Riverboat cruise (the Covington is permanently docked) or walk or bike the paved trail, heading south, along Harriet Island.

If you’re looking for an urban hike, cross the Wabasha Street Bridge into downtown for dinner at Pazzaluna, Meritage, or the St. Paul Grill. Downtown is just a 10 minute walk (or less) away.

Liz's decadent French toast breakfast aboard the Covington Inn. (Photo by Alisa Blackwood.)

The next morning we woke to a deliciously decadent breakfast of French toast covered in caramel, fresh strawberries, bananas, blueberries, cinnamon and whipped cream. (No, not healthy, but very, very worth it.) Then we returned to the deck with fresh cups of coffee. Reclining on the deck’s cushioned lounge chairs, we watched St. Paul come alive as the sun cast a warm glow over downtown’s buildings. “I feel like I’m falling in love with St. Paul all over again,” my husband said.

Whether you’re already a fan of this city or see it as that place on the other side of the river where you only go for hockey games or the Opera, a night at the Covington Inn is sure to change your view.