Winona area lodging and dining featured in Pioneer Press Newspaper Article (2/21/2008) written by Beth Gauper

Accommodations: We stayed at the Carriage House BB because its Friendship Room had two beds, but we wish we had stayed at the 1925 stone Alverna Center, a St. Mary's University conference center and guesthouse. It's at Vila and Wabasha streets, on the former College of St. Theresa campus just west of downtown, and has 28 rooms with a full bed, cable TV and Internet access, $66. Call 507-494-6100.

The posh 1886 Alexander Mansion on East Broadway Street has four tastefully decorated and comfortable rooms, $149-$179, including evening hors d'oeuvres and a five-course breakfast. 507-474-4224, alexandermansionbb.com.

There are two other BBs in Winona. The 1900 Windom Park BB on West Broadway Street has six rooms at $120-$195, including a five-course breakfast, 507-457-9515, windompark.com. The Carriage House BB near Winona State University has four rooms off an unheated stairwell in an 1870 carriage house, $89-$159 including a small continental breakfast. Our Victorian-style room was nice enough but not a great value at $159, and we didn't really feel welcome. 507-452-8256, chbb.com.

Dining: A mile and a half up the bluffs from U.S. 61, Signatures has a lovely view of bluffs through floor-to-ceiling windows and fine food. For reservations, call 507-454-3767, signatureswinona.com.

On the river at Center Street, Jefferson Pub & Grill is a convivial place to have a burger, ribs, shrimp or fajitas. Next door, Betty Jo Byoloski's serves pizza, burgers and sandwiches.

For a casual meal or a beer, try Bub's Brewing Co. at East Fourth and Center streets. For a treat, get soft-serve ice cream at Penguin Zesto, a block from domed St. Stanislaus Church at Carimona and East Fourth streets.

Nightlife: Winona State University hosts many performances, 800-342-5978, winona.edu.

Theatre du Mississippi presents concerts at the Historic Masonic Center on Main Street, 507-459-8090, tdmwinona.org.

St. Mary's also hosts concerts, 800-635-5987, www.smumn.edu.

Minnesota Marine Art Museum: The current show at the handsome new museum on Riverview Drive is "Tempest, Tragedy and Triumph.'' It shows traditional marine art, as well as the folk art of Leo and Marilyn Smith of Fountain City, the 19th-century maps and photographs of Henry Peter Bosse and the refurbished 1937 dredge William A. Thompson. There's a coffee shop, too. Admission is $6, $3 students; 866-940-6626, minnesotamarineartmuseum.org.

Information: 800-657-4972, visitwinona.com.