Avon, MN

Set along Interstate 94 about fifteen minutes west of St. Cloud, Avon is a relaxed lakeside community of around 1,600 residents. The town shares a name with England's River Avon, though everyday life here centers on Upper, Middle, and Lower Spunk Lakes. Outdoor recreation is right out the front door, with the paved Lake Wobegon Trail running through town alongside a trailhead park and a popular swimming beach on Middle Spunk Lake.

ATTRSkvader / CC BY-SA 4.0

Locals embrace the quirky lake names each summer during Spunktacular Days, an annual festival filled with parades, food, and neighborhood gatherings. Warm evenings also bring fans out to the ballpark to cheer on the Avon Lakers amateur baseball team. Between the quick highway commute into St. Cloud, great trail access, and a friendly small-town pace, Avon makes a comfortable home base in central Minnesota.