Welcome to Alexandria, Minnesota!
Located in the heart of West-Central Minnesota, Alexandria provides the best of both worlds: a community with a small-town feel and big-city amenities. In 2019, Alexandria was voted Best Minnesota Town by Minnesota Monthly Magazine, and in 2023, World Atlas named us one of Minnesota's most gorgeous towns. "[Alexandria] truly embodies the spirit of our state,” explained Reed Fischer, senior editor of Minnesota Monthly. “It’s a beautiful year-round destination with a rich history and a bright future.”
We couldn't agree more, and with many of our students choosing to make Alexandria home after graduation, the future looks brighter each year.
Community | Alexandria Area Minnesota from Living Alexandria Area on Vimeo.
Things to do
The Alexandria Lakes Area is packed full of fun activities, no matter the season. Below are a few of our favorites.
- Alexandria Area – Find lists of events by season, sports, fine arts, live music, activities and entertainment
- Alexandria Community Calendar – Alex area happenings by date
- City of Alexandria – Visit & Live in Alexandria
Bike Rentals
- Alex Bike Shop
- Community Education Outdoor Gear Library (low cost option)
Bike Trails
- Central Lakes Trail
- Dairyland Trail
- Glacial Ridge Bike Trail
- Lake Wobegon Trail
- Soo Line Recreational Trail
- TrailLink
Mountain Bike Trails
- Garden Center Lanes (Alexandria)
- The Bowling Barn & Grill (Osakis)
There are about 350 lakes and waterways in the Alexandria area + surrounding communities.
Equipment Rentals
- Casey’s Amusement Park - GoCarts, Bumper Boats, Batting Cages & MiniGolf
- Country Blossom Farm - Apple Orchard, Pumpkin Patch, U-Pick Strawberries, Corn Maze, Pedal Car Races, Huge Jumping Pillow & Tractor Rides
- Shenanigans Indoor Playground - Indoor playground operated by Alexandria Community Education with activities for kids ages 1 to 12
The Alexandria area is home to 9 golf courses.
- "Chain of Links" - info about all 9, courtesy of ExploreAlex
- Geneva Golf Club - preferred course of the Alexandria College Men's & Women's Legends Golf Teams
- Alexandria Shooting Park – Alexandria College Legends Clay Target League Home Field
- Community Education Outdoor Gear Library – Low cost turkey hunting equipment rental
- MN Department of Natural Resources (DNR)
- City of Alexandria, Ordinance 773 2nd Series - On-street Parking of Trailers.
- City of Alexandria, Ordinance 808 2nd Series – Operation of Snowmobiles and ATVs within the City Limits
- Douglas Area Trails Association (DATA Trails) - Information and maps on local snowmobile trails.
- MN DNR Snowmobiling
- Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV)
- OHV Trails
- Andes Tower Hills: downhill skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing, and tubing.
- Lake Carlos State Park: snowshoe and cross-country ski trails
- Kensington Rune Stone Park: cross-country skiing and a sledding hill
- Lake Brophy County Park: sledding hill
- Spruce Hill Park: cross-country skiing
- Community Education Outdoor Gear Library: Low-cost rentals of cross country skis and snowshoes
Community resources
Planning your future in Alex? The following resources may be helpful in finding housing, jobs, and more.
- Jennie's Cupboard (on-campus food shelf)
- Outreach Food Shelf (serving Alexandria/Douglas County)
- Minnesota SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program)
- Minnesota WIC (Women, Infants, & Children)
- United Way of Douglas and Pope Counties (Douglas County food drop)
- Ruby's Pantry (rubyspantry.org)
Contact the Financial Aid office for information related to emergency grants
financialaid@alextech.edu
320-762-4540
- Alexandria College Student Employment
- Handshake (Career portal for college students & alumni - explore PT jobs and FT careers. Log in with your StarID and password.)
- Handshake for Employers (Post jobs to students & alumni for free!)
- CareerForce
- JobsHQ
- Living Alex Area Careers Directory
- Minnesota Works
- PeopleReady
- Doherty Staffing
- ProStaff
- Manpower
For emergencies, dial 9-1-1.
- Alexandria Clinic
- Heartland Orthopedic Specialists (Orthopedic & Sports Medicine)
- Osakis Clinic
- Sanford Health Broadway Clinic
- Student Health Insurance (MNsure)
- WELL & Company
- Glacial Ridge Health Systems
- Rainbow Rider Bus (punch cards available for purchase in the ATCC Campus Store)
- Weekend Bus - weekend trips to St. Cloud, Maple Grove, or Minneapolis (in partnership with U of M Morris)
- Alexandria College Financial Aid Department (Childcare Grant Application)
- Douglas County Child Care Funding Program
For emergencies, dial 9-1-1.
- 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Dial 9-8-8 or (800) 273-8255, or chat live
- Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 (Free 24/7 crisis counseling)
- Region 4 South Mobile Crisis Response Team: (701) 364-0431 (24/7 mental health crisis response
- Alexandria College Counseling Center (Mental health counseling and referrals)
For emergencies, dial 9-1-1.
- ULifeline (Mental health resources for college students)
- Here to Help (Online screenings)
- Help Yourself. Help Others. (Online screenings)
- Rehab.com (Substance abuse treatment resources)
- Alexandria College IT Department
- FCC Affordable Connectivity Plan (Reduced rates for broadband service)
- Douglas County Library (Computer usage, scan/fax/print)
About Alexandria
Alexandria is located in the heart of lake country in West Central Minnesota and serves as the county seat of Douglas County. The city population is approximately 13,000 within city limits, but the unique layout of over 300 lakes in the county makes the service area closer to 35,000 people (especially in the summer!). Located 2 hours northwest of Minneapolis/St. Paul and 1-1/2 hours southeast of Fargo, ND, Alexandria is easily accessible on I-94.
In addition to the strong and diverse local economy featuring manufacturing, healthcare, education, service, retail, and tourism, the region features a quality of life and access to infrastructure that few micropolitan communities (populations of 10,000-50,000) can rival. Alexandria has a thriving downtown district, excellent trails and parks, and dozens of restaurants.