About Covington Inn
The Covington went into service in 1946, pushing barges of petroleum and other liquid cargo along about 1,000 miles of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers during the postwar boom. Roughly fifty years later it was dry-docked in Louisiana, brought upriver to St. Paul and rebuilt as an inn, opening as the Covington Inn in 1995. It's permanently moored at Pier One on Harriet Island, looking across the river at the downtown skyline, and it changed owners at the end of 2022.
The three-level boat has four staterooms, each with a private bath, deck access, air conditioning and a working fireplace for the cold months. There are no televisions, and in-room massages can be arranged when available. Rates posted on their website start at $195 in summer and $165 in winter. Breakfast is cooked each morning in the boat's galley, with a gourmet touch.
Downtown St. Paul, the antique shops along West Seventh Street and the boutiques of Grand Avenue are each about five minutes away, and the Science Museum of Minnesota and the Ordway are just across the bridge. The boat also hosts small weddings. Overnight guests must be older than 14, so this is a couples' or adults' getaway rather than a family stop.
Lavender Barnyard in Farmington is about 25 miles south, roughly 35 minutes by highway, so the inn can serve as a river-city base for a summer day trip to the lavender fields and the Farmington-area farms.
What to do
- Sleep aboard a 1946 river towboat
- Sit by a working fireplace in your stateroom on a cool night
- Eat breakfast cooked in the boat's galley
- Walk Harriet Island and cross the bridge to downtown St. Paul
- Browse antique shops on West Seventh Street, about five minutes away
Season, hours and prices
- Admission
- Rooms from $195 in summer and $165 in winter (as posted on their website, October 2026)
Good to know
- Reservations
- Required
Tips for your visit
- Overnight guests must be over 14
- There are no TVs on board; bring a book or plan an evening downtown
- Ask about in-room massages when you book; they depend on availability
Pair it with a lavender farm
Lavender Barnyard · about 35 minutes away
Lavender Barnyard is about 35 minutes south, an easy day trip from a night on the river.
Getting there
Questions
Can children stay at the Covington Inn?
Children older than 14 are welcome to stay overnight.
Is breakfast included?
Yes. Breakfast is cooked in the boat's galley each morning.
What was the boat before it was an inn?
A towboat that pushed barges of liquid cargo, mostly petroleum, on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers starting in 1946.
🗺️ Part of the guide Things to Do Near the Lavender Farm of the Twin Cities South Metro, Minnesota
Checked in October 2026 against the business’s own website and local tourism pages. Hours and seasons change, so check with them before you go. How we check listings · Is this your business? Claim it free
