GRA & GBT Tour: Art, Animals, & Adventure

Art, Animals & Adventure
Padelford River Cruise and Como Zoo & Conservatory
July 24,2026

Join Great River Arts and Gary Block Tours on Friday, July 24 th , when we meet after 8:15 a.m. at
Great River Arts, 122 1 st St SE, Little Falls. Coffee from The Nook Cafe and donuts from the
Senior Center will be served. This will also give you a chance to visit the gallery at GRA and
shop in their store. We’ll depart GRA in downtown Little Falls at 9:00. Our comfortable North Star motor coach will also pick up in Royalton, Rice, Waite Park or any other city along the way. 

Our first destination is Harriet Island in St. Paul where we board our river boat Anson for a narrated
90- minute excursion on the Mississippi River. Sights along the way include the St. Paul High
Bridge, Pig’s Eye Cave, The Minnesota River mouth, Pike Island and the timeless splendor of the
mighty Mississippi. As we cruise, we’ll enjoy a plated lunch of pulled pork, house-brined and
grilled chicken with house-made BBQ sauce, cheddar green chili cornbread, potato salad,
cookies and complimentary non-alcoholic beverages. This will be a peaceful way to spend
some time, sit back and relax on the water. 

We’ll depart the river boat, board our waiting coach and travel to Como Park Zoo & Conservatory, a delightful destination for families and animal lovers alike. The zoo houses polar bears, sloths, giraffes, a gorilla forest and playful sea lions that entertain visitors. Como offers a wonderful combination of animal exhibits and beautiful gardens. 

This summer, Como is featuring “Washed Ashore: Art to Save the Sea”, which features massive colorful sculptures of marine and coastal wildlife made entirely from plastic pollution and marine debris collected from beaches and waterways. These dramatic works of art are beautiful, surprising, and a little heartbreaking. Look closely and you will see bottle caps, toothbrushes, flip flops, tires, fishing gear, toys and other everyday items transformed into unforgettable sculptures with an important message. One of the exhibit’s sculptures is Natasha the Sea Turtle, measuring 11 feet long and weighing 1,200 pounds. A short intro is also offered at 3:30. What a great day and returning to Little Falls around 8:00 pm.