The North Shore - Minnesota
If you want to get that "World Away Feeling" without really leaving the country, then drive up Interstate 35 to the North Shore and behold the beauty of Lake Superior. Begin your adventure in Duluth, MN just 3 hours from the Twin Cities and then continue along scenic highway 61 that winds around the North Shore. Lake Superior is where the blue sky meets the blue water and it goes for miles.
Places
At a Glance
🦶🦶🦶Canal Park - Along the beautiful waterfront in Duluth, where the North Shore of Lake Superior begins, lies Canal Park - a tourist friendly district with lots to do and see. Here you can watch giant Great Lakes freighters put into port beneath the unique Ariel Lift Bridge or enjoy the the best shopping and eating options in town. The Great Lakes Aquarium, which features animals and habitats found within and around Lake Superior, is another interesting site to see here.
🦶🦶🦶State Parks - The State Parks along Highway 61 are a can't miss opportunity for any trip to the North Shore. There are about ten well maintained state parks between Duluth and Grand Portage. We recommend Gooseberry Falls, Split Rock Lighthouse, and Tettegouche State Park to experience the rugged and dramatic scenery of waves crashing into jagged cliffs crowned by pine forests and waterfalls tumbling down to the great lake. Split Rock Lighthouse, one of Minnesota's most recognizable landmarks, is a fun photo opportunity and appeals to history buffs and romantics alike.
🦶🦶The Glensheen Mansion - In 1905, the prominent Duluth lawyer and capitalist Chester Congdon built this crowning example of design and craftmanship of the Midwest in the early 20th century. The Glensheen Mansion was the site of a gruesome double murder in 1977 involving the heiress to the Congdon family fortune. Tours now attract those interested in architecture as well as those interested in the macabre. A fun way to spend your drive to Duluth is listening to a book on tape about the strange story of those grisly murders - we recommend Will to Murder by Gail Feichtinger, John DeSanto, and Gary Waller.
🦶🦶Betty's Pies - If you like pie (and who doesn't), then you are going to want to try Betty's. In the 1950's Betty began selling her tasty pastry's out of her father's fish shack on highway 61 just north of Two Harbors. The fishermen told tales (as fishermen tend to do) about the delicious pies and word soon spread. People began making it a regular stop on their trips to the North Shore and today Betty's Pies is one of the most famous institutions in the area and is definitely worthy of a stop. Everything on the menu is delicious, not just the pies, but you will often need to wait quite a while to get a seat in the cafe. If you are short on time, or don't like to wait, just order a pie or two ahead of time. Let them know about when you plan on being in the neighborhood and just grab your order on your way through.
🦶Lutsen Mountain - In the winter, Lutsen gets lots of snow and is a wonderful place to downhill ski. In the summer and fall, the alpine slides are a hit with the kids and you can take the Gondola to the summit for spectacular views. At the summit, there is a chalet where you can grab a bite to eat.
Superior National Golf Course - This golf course in Lutsen, MN is worth knowing about and is a don't miss for those who like to golf. The 27 wholes set into a rugged landscape of mountain streams with breathtaking views of Lake Superior is a unique golfing experience. One tip for those of you who have never played near a large body of water, every putt breaks toward the lake - don't let your eyes deceive you!
What are those feet for?
Our feet are for moving, and these feet are for rating the sites we've seen and things we have done in the course of our travels. Three feet ( 🦶🦶🦶) means “Don’t miss,” two feet ( 🦶🦶) stands for “Try hard to see,” one foot ( 🦶) translates to “Worthwhile if you can make it” and no rating means “Worth knowing about.”
