Hastings Apartment Renter's Guide
Hastings Apartment Renter's Guide
Overview
When Hastings, Minnesota, was first discovered, there were a lot of high hopes that one day it would be a bustling metropolis -- early city planners even called it the "new Chicago" in the mid-1800s. Well, a financial crash called the Panic of 1857 brought those big-city dreams to a halt, but a lot of settlers stuck around and realized it was a great place to live in its own right.
The view of the Mississippi River is one of the spotlights of this town that 22,000 people call home
When Hastings, Minnesota, was first discovered, there were a lot of high hopes that one day it would be a bustling metropolis -- early city planners even called it the "new Chicago" in the mid-1800s. Well, a financial crash called the Panic of 1857 brought those big-city dreams to a halt, but a lot of settlers stuck around and realized it was a great place to live in its own right.
The view of the Mississippi River is one of the spotlights of this town that 22,000 people call home. Hastings is renowned for its Victorian architecture and has a total 63 structures on the National Register of Historic Places. Built near the confluence of both the St. Croix and Mississippi Rivers, the southern edge of town contains the Vermillion River and the beautiful Vermillion Falls. The town is located amid a great deal of natural beauty: bluffs along the Mississippi, a gorge below the falls, and even two bucolic lakes, Lake Rebecca and Lake Isabel.
Moving to Town
If you're looking for an apartment complex in Hastings, you're in luck. You'll find studio apartments for rent, serviced apartments and condo rentals here. The best way to find the right spot for you is by researching listings online and in the local newspaper, then driving or walking through the neighborhoods you like best. Sometimes, the best way to find a rental is by talking to people and looking for posted signs. Hastings is a solid community where such a search will enhance your chances of finding the right spot. Be sure to come ready to sign that lease -- bring your credit report and identification with you, and be prepared to pay those all-important security deposits and potentially even your first month's rent.
Neighborhoods
Etter: With a rural feeling and plenty of green space, you'll find small apartment buildings and single-family homes in this area bisected by the Vermillion River. Many residences here were constructed between 1940 and 1999, with a majority of them on the newer side.
Hastings City Center: Historic buildings built before 1940 vary with newer residences constructed between 1970 and 1999 in a neighborhood that partially borders the grand Mississippi River, filled with single-family homes and townhomes, occupied by a solid mix of both owners and renters.
Vermillion / Coates: Here you'll find older residences built between 1940 and up to 1999. Single-family homes and townhomes are the rule here, and most are owner occupied, although if you look around, there are some rental properties available, too. The Vermillion Highlands Park is a part of this community.
Lillehei Avenue / 180th Street: Medium-size, newer properties, primarily single-family homes and townhomes fill the tree-lined streets of this community, with many newer properties built between 1970 and the present.
Life in Hastings
Hastings is a community built around its rivers, and the town celebrates them every July with a four-day Rivertown Festival featuring music, a carnival and a treasure hunt. Birding and boating expeditions, classic car shows in the historic downtown, and plenty of cafes, shops and restaurants make Hastings a lively place.
Get Outside
Nearby, Spring Lake Park offers hiking and cross-country skiing, as well as a stellar river view; riverfront walks are the thing to do at Afton State Park. Like to bike and camp? You can enjoy mountain bike trails and go backpack camping in the park, too.
Vermillion Falls showcases a limestone gorge, hiking and mountain biking trails alongside those spectacular falls. For fishing and boating, Lake Rebecca's fresh spring water can't be beat. There's even a beach -- Point Douglas Beach -- where the Mississippi and the St. Croix rivers meet. This place is a water-lover's paradise.