Minnesota Road Trip – A Paradise with Beautiful Nature

Originally for this trip, I was looking to get a cheap flight to Minneapolis through a budget carrier for just a few days, but when a close friend also had a family reunion in Minnesota, we decided to go together and extend the trip out to 8 days! However, you could easily shorten the trip and just do the North Shore which would be my recommendation if you have less time. All of the places we visited going up the North Shore, could be done in different order – I did some on the way up and then saved some for the trip back down.

Almost this entire trip centered around fun, adventurous, outdoor activities in the nature of Minnesota. It was myself, my friend, and our two kids who were both 9 at the time. We took a cheap flight to Minneapolis. First, we went to Walker, MN around Leech Lake. Then we traveled to multiple places along the North Shore which is one of the prettiest places I’ve been as you can see from the photo above! We had considered heading into Canada as well because it is right there. It didn’t work out, but it would be a great little add on if you have an extra day or two or were only going towards the North Shore of Minnesota.

We went in the month of July which is a nice time to visit because most of the places we went had a high temperature only in the mid 70s which is cooler than a lot of places in July and a low in the high 50s. Also, be aware that even in July, Lake Superior’s water temperature only averages in the mid 50sF, so we did not do any swimming in it!

Our Minnesota Road Trip Itinerary:

Here is a map and a quick summary of the main activities we did each day throughout our trip along with estimated driving times. Below this, I go into detail for each day. I include information for cost, hours, etc., that is correct at the time of writing.

Day 1:

2 hrs. 30 min. flight time, 3 hrs. driving time

• Fly to Minneapolis – 2 hrs. 30 min.
• Drive to Chase on the Lake Resort and Spa in Walker, MN – 3 hrs. from airport
• Get settled at hotel

Day 2:

1 hr. 20 min. driving time

• Swim and play at beach
• Shop in downtown Walker
• Itasca State Park (Mississippi Headwater) – 40 min. from resort

Day 3:

2 hrs. 30 min. driving time

• Private fishing trip with guide
• Kayak, paddleboard, and boat on lake
• Duluth, MN – get settled in hotel – 2 hrs. 30 min. from above

Day 4:

2 hrs. 15 min. driving time

• Walk around Duluth and Canal Park
• Split Rock Lighthouse – 1 hr. from above
• Tettegouche State Park – 15 min. from above
• Grand Marais – get settled in hotel – 1 hr. from above

Day 5:

1 hr. 40 min. driving time

• Full Day Canoeing/Portaging Private Tour – 50 min. from hotel
• Artist’s Point – right by hotel

Day 6:

1 hr. 37 min. driving time

• Mountain Biking – 35 min. from hotel
• Silver Bay – 40 min. from above
• Gooseberry Falls – 20 min. from above
• Two Harbors, MN – get settled in hotel – 2 min. from above

Day 7:

3 hrs. driving time

• Burlington Bay – agate hunting – 15 min. from above
• Mont du Lac Resort – lake water playground – 55 min. from above
• Jay Cooke State Park – 5 min. from above
• Forest Lake, MN – get settled in hotel – 1 hrs. 45 min. from above

Day 8:

47 min. driving time, 2 hrs. 30 min. flight

• Mall of America – 40 min. from above
• Fly home 7 min. from above

Day 1: Arrive in Minnesota, Chase on the Lake Resort and Spa

Our flight to Minneapolis was scheduled for later in the evening, so between that, getting our rental car, and the 3-hour drive to Walker, Minnesota, we went to sleep as soon as we got there! My friend’s family reunion was in Walker, MN, so that is where we spent the first couple of days.

Most of his family were staying at Chase on the Lake Resort and Spa, so that is where we booked as well. Thankfully some rooms were still available since we booked so late, but I do think the prices were higher than if I had booked earlier.

This hotel/resort was right on the beach of Leech Lake, and it was beautiful. The room itself was pretty standard, but most of his family were in rooms that were more like condos with living space, full kitchens, and one or multiple bedrooms, so they have varying types of accommodations. They also had a nice indoor pool and hot tub area along with kayaks and paddle boards at the beach area.

Day 2: Pool Time, Shopping, Itasca State Park (Mississippi Headwater)

Our day started with the kids (along with the other kids in the family reunion) going to the pool and swimming for a while. I mainly relaxed in the hot tub. Once we finished, we went to an early lunch in one of the condos that his family was staying in. They had prepared all kinds of goodies.

Next, we walked a short distance to the downtown area and shopped around for a couple of hours. There was a decent selection of stores including a toy store that Ava loved.

After that, we went back and just relaxed until the official family reunion dinner that was being held in a banquet room of the hotel.

Itasca State Park

Because the dinner was early, once we were done, the four of us went to Itasca State Park which was 40 minutes away. I squeezed this in because I really wanted to see the headwaters of the Mississippi River! We only did the Mississippi Headwater Trail which is 0.4 miles. Once we got to the river (very little), we hung out by the river for a while just having fun. We were even skipping rocks over so we could say we’d skipped a rock over the Mississippi River! Itasca State Park has other trails including one that leads to a fire tower which looked cool, but we didn’t do any of the others.

To visit any of the state parks in Minnesota, you have to buy a vehicle permit for $35. Then you can either print or write your confirmation number on a piece of paper and put it in the dashboard. We visited several state parks on this trip, so we got good use out of it though we just used our America the Beautiful Pass.

Cost:	$35 for Minnesota State Parks vehicle permit valid for one year and for all parks
Hours:	8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Address:	36750 Main Park Dr, Park Rapids, MN 56470
Parking:	Large parking lot

Day 3: Guided Fishing Trip, Lake Time, and Drive to Duluth, Minnesota

Before we got our day going, we went and ate breakfast at Jimmy’s Family Restaurant which was really good!

Guided Fishing Trip

We were going to have use of a boat later in the evening with fishing rods, and although many people in our group knew how to fish well, no one was an expert on the fishing at Leech Lake. Therefore, I booked a private fishing trip for the four of us on the morning of day 3.

I booked through Leisure Outdoor Adventures with guide Jim Borgstrom because this was a 2-hour adventure designed specifically for kids. You can have up to 4 people on the boat, so that worked perfect for us. We actually stayed out a little longer than 2 hours, but I don’t know if that is typical or not. The kids did not have to have any sort of fishing license for Minnesota, but my friend and I had to get one (online) to be able to fish ourselves. Leisure Outdoor Adventure has many other tours available as well.

Jim was phenomenal in all ways, but he was especially great with the kids! Both kids caught multiple fish with his guidance, and they were both so excited each time. He also let them each choose a fishing lure to keep!

Cost:	$275 for 2; $50 for a 3rd or 4th person (for the tour I picked; other tours vary in length and price)
Hours:	2, 4, 6, and 8-hour tours
Address:	Main Office – 502 Cleveland Blvd, Walker, MN 56484, but meeting locations vary
Parking:	Park at meeting location

Lake Time

Once we finished our fishing trip, we went back to the resort and ate lunch in one of the rooms again with my friend’s family. After that, we spent the next several hours on the lake. We did everything from swim to kayak to paddleboard to going fishing again on one of the boats a family member brought. After our second round of fishing, I was grateful we had paid for a fishing trip because not one person caught a fish without a guide! Everything we did was accessed by the beach behind the resort.

Where We Stayed in Duluth, Minnesota:

Our original plan was to leave for Duluth a little earlier in the day, but we were having so much fun, we didn’t leave until late. Since Duluth is 2.5 hours away and we left late in the evening, we got to our next hotel and went to bed.

We stayed at the Hampton Inn in Duluth in Canal Park. Our hotel was in an excellent location. Tripadvisor rates the walking score as an 89. It put us in a perfect location to explore Duluth and Canal Park the next morning. The Hampton Inn also has a free breakfast which was very convenient.

Day 4: Duluth, Split Rock Lighthouse, Tettegouche State Park

Duluth and Canal Park

This area has many shops and restaurants. The main thing I wanted all of us to see though was the Aerial Lift Bridge. This is the bridge that spans the Duluth Shipping Canal and has a long, rich history in Minnesota. Because it can raise to a height of 138 feet, colossal ships can pass between Lake Superior and the harbor.

There is a schedule for the arrivals and departures of the ships, so we knew when the next big one was coming. While we were waiting, we decided to check out the Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center. It’s a free museum right near the bridge with a lot of really good exhibits. The table below is for the museum.

Once we finished the museum, we walked out and got good spots to watch the ship. There were several smaller boats before it, some of which I thought looked pretty big until the one we were waiting for came through. It was massive! After it went through, we also walked up onto the bridge which afforded some nice views.

After the bridge, we finished walking around. We ate at Northern Waters Smokehaus which was really delicious. Then, right before leaving, we stopped at Canal Park Brewing Company to relax outside with a drink and to play a couple of the lawn games outside. They also have a shop to buy stuff.

Cost:	free
Hours:	10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Address:	600 Canal Park Dr, Duluth, MN 55802
Parking:	surrounding Canal Park lots and street parking which are paid with kiosks or machines with credit cards – can get busy

Split Rock Lighthouse

Split Rock Lighthouse is one of the most photographed lighthouses in America which is understandable when you see it on its dramatic cliff edge. It’s also preserved to look like its 1920 self which just adds to its beauty and charm. When we first got here, we visited the small museum on site. Then we went up into the lighthouse and also checked out the lightkeepers’ cottages which were furnished with period appropriate pieces. They also offer a Keeper’s Tour which is only at 9:00 a.m. for a limit of 10 people for an hour, but we did not do that.

Once we were done, we followed the trail down to Pebble Beach. We had an amazing time down there running around, skipping rocks, and of course, getting that iconic photo of the lighthouse.

Cost:	Grounds Access – $8 (no lighthouse access) General Admission – $12 Keeper’s Tour – $25
Hours:	Winter: Thurs. – Mon, 10 to 4 Summer: Thurs. – Mon, 10 to 6
Address:	3713 Split Rock Lighthouse Rd. Two Harbors, MN 55616
Parking:	Visitor center is free during park hours Large lot

Tettegouche State Park

Tettegouche State Park has many hikes, but we were limited on time by this point, so we just did the Shovel Point Trail. It is one of the most popular hikes for good reason. It is only 1.2 miles out and back with the starting point at the Visitor Center, and the views of Lake Superior are some of the prettiest views we saw. I can’t even believe that I don’t have a picture. The kids also had a great time here running around up at the top.

Cost:	$7 daily or $35 yearly for Minnesota State Park vehicle permit or America the Beautiful Pass
Hours:	8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Address:	Visitor Center: 5702 Highway 61, Silver Bay, MN 55614
Parking:	Large lot

Where We Stayed in Grand Marais, Minnesota:

After we finished our hike, we made our way to our next hotel which was Best Western Superior Inn in Grand Marais. It was about one hour from Tettegouche, and close to what we’d be doing the next day. This hotel was right on the beach of Lake Superior which was the perfect setting for this trip. There was also a pool and hot tub that we all used and free breakfast which was one less thing we had to worry about in the morning!

Day 5: Canoeing/Portaging Guided Tour, Artist’s Point

Guided Canoeing/Portaging Private Tour

I love to incorporate truly unique experiences into my vacations, and this tour fit that bill perfectly! Minnesota is known as the “land of 10,000 lakes”, so a lot of people here canoe and portage which is just picking up the canoe and walking to the next lake since there are so many lakes so close together.

We used Border Lakes Guide Service who offer all private tours for this with three different main packages that can be customized as desired. When I filled in my information, I said I was interested in a waterfall, swimming, picking berries, and doing a picnic with a great view, and they did not disappoint!

We met our guide about 40 minutes up the Gun Flint Trail in the famous Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Once they got everything ready, we carried our canoes to the first lake. Once we got to our launch point and started paddling, it was if I was transported to a new world full of serenity, nature, and awe.

After maybe a couple of hours, we left the canoes for a little while to go on a hike. We went to a waterfall, picked berries, and then made our way to the top of the hike where we ate our picnic lunch. Eventually, we hiked back down and continued on our way with the kids also fitting in a very cold swim. The whole trip was 6 hours and worth every penny. (It looks like a day trip now is 4 to 5 hours.)

Cost:	$289 base price, $29 per child, $59 per adult for day trip
Hours:	Day trips start at 9:30 a.m. and last 4 to 5 hours
Address:	504 E Hwy 61, Grand Marais, MN 55
Parking:	Met up with guides and parked in wooded area

Artist’s Point

After our canoe and portage trip, we went back to the hotel for a little bit and then went to check out Artist’s Point in the evening since it was within a 10-minute walk of our hotel. The walk was nice, and we spent some time skipping rocks and just hanging out while we waited for a table at Angry Trout Cafe. On the way back, we stopped at Superior Creamery for ice cream. When we got back, we went swimming at the pool for a little while and then crashed.

Cost:	Free
Hours:	24/7
Address:	At the end of Broadway Ave.
Parking:	There is a large lot near the end of Broadway Ave.

Day 6: Mountain Biking, Silver Bay, Gooseberry Falls

Mountain Biking

On this day, we started heading back down the North Shore of Minnesota making our way back towards Minneapolis. The places we hit up on this day could’ve been done on the way up as well, but I wanted to spread everything out nicely. My friend is into mountain biking, so I thought it’d be fun to integrate it into our action-packed trip. We rented bikes from Sawtooth Outfitters Mountain Biking which was 30 minutes from the hotel we had stayed at. They also offered a shuttle up to Britton Peak which was the place where we mountain biked. Biking back down was easy, so the shuttle wasn’t needed.

Britton Peak has access to three different levels of bike trails. My daughter and I stayed on the green trail which was the easiest. It’s the “Short Stacker” which is a 1.2-mile-long loop. This was a fun path with some boardwalks, small drops, smooth rock gardens and small berms. Most were optional and could be easily bypassed if you wanted. We did the loop multiple times, but each time, my daughter got more and more comfortable and brave.

My friend and his son mainly stayed on the intermediate blue trail called “Cross Cut”. This 1.8-mile trail is a little more challenging but still approachable for most riders. There is also a black difficult trail, “Skookum”, that is 2.2 miles long and a lot more technical.

Cost:	Depends on bike: kids – $22 for half day and $28 for whole day; adults – $50 or $70 for whole day; shuttle – $15 per person/bike
Hours:	Spring – Fall: daily 7 or 8 a.m. to 6 Winter – Thurs. – Sun. 8 a.m. to 6
Address:	7213 W Highway 61, Tofte, MN 55615
Parking:	Decent parking size at store

Silver Bay

Tettegouche and Split Rock Lighthouse are also in Silver Bay, so this area has a number of fun and cool things to do. We went to two places in this area on this day. The first was Palisade Head which is also in Tettegouche State Park. You can drive up to this location which is surprising because it is a 200-foot cliff with beautiful, panoramic views.

The second place we went to check out was Black Beach. The black sand beach on Lake Superior is unique to Silver Bay, Minnesota. It was definitely cool to check out, but I forgot to get pictures here.

Cost:	Minnesota State Park vehicle permit ($7/day, $35/year, or America the Beautiful Pass)
Hours:	Palisade Head: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Black Beach: dawn to dusk
Address:	Palisade Head Rd, Silver Bay, MN 55614 Black Beach, Silver Bay, MN 55614
Parking:	Little lot at bottom for hikers and oversized vehicles; small lot at top for cars Small, gravel parking lot

Gooseberry Falls

This was one of my favorite parts of our Minnesota trip! We stayed here for a long time just enjoying climbing around and taking in the views. The kids didn’t have swimsuits here, and stayed out for a while, but they just couldn’t resist the water and ended up jumping in with their clothes on! It was freezing, but they had a blast! This area also had a nice visitor center and paved paths.

Cost:	Minnesota State Park vehicle permit ($7/day, $35/year, or America the Beautiful Pass)
Hours:	8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Address:	3206 Highway 61 East Two Harbors, MN 55616
Parking:	Several parking areas, but main lot by Visitor Center which is large but fills fast during peak times

Where We Stayed in Two Harbors, Minnesota:

For this night, we stayed at the Grand Superior Lodge which was a great hotel and location. We ate dinner in their Main Lodge which was very good! We also enjoyed doing a scavenger hunt around the hotel, playing yard games, and swimming and relaxing in the hot tub. The next morning, we also enjoyed eating breakfast in the Main Lodge, which although wasn’t free, was very delicious and filling!

Day 7: Burlington Bay, Mont du Lac Resort, Jay Cooke State Park

Burlington Bay

We stopped by Burlington Bay to see if we could find any agates which is a type of quartz. This is supposed to be a good area to find those or to find sea glass. I guess I was delusional thinking we could easily find a couple, but we looked around for about 30 minutes and couldn’t find a single one! We could’ve spent a little longer looking, but we didn’t have a ton of time with the other two places we were going on this day, and we ran out of patience.

The kids helped for about the first 10 minutes and then just had fun running around on the shore. Because it was early in the morning, we were practically the only ones there which made it peaceful. Although we weren’t successful, I still thought it was a good place to stretch our legs and enjoy the beauty of Lake Superior. Also, my daughter was still thrilled to find some pretty rocks that she kept.

Cost:	Free
Hours:	Dawn to dusk
Address:	626 Park Rd, Two Harbors, MN 55616
Parking:	Small, gravel, public lot right off of the road; generally ample and free though there are other lots in the Burlington Bay Campground area

Mont du Lac Resort

Mont du Lac Resort has cabins and stuff to camp at, but it also has a water playground in the middle of a small lake/big pond along with other activities (summer and winter). You don’t have to be staying there to access the fun; just have to pay a fee. I knew the kids would have an absolute blast at this place, and us two adults also had fun! Also, because this is located in Wisconsin (barely), it allowed us to scratch off another state on our map!

We enjoyed jumping on a water trampoline (not easy to get on), two different slides, a rope swing, rock climbing wall, and various platforms to jump off of including trampoline jumping areas. They also had a kayak, but we didn’t use that. One of the nice things was that there were different levels depending on how brave you are. You could do the rope swing from the bottom deck or the top one and the platforms were at different levels. My daughter started timid and got braver as her confidence grew.

There is a nice beach area and plenty of grass around the water for areas to relax or play. There was a place to get food which was pretty good and a bar. We probably spent a few hours here before moving on with our drive back towards Minneapolis.

Cost:	Can’t currently access prices for the water playground – will check back and update once it opens
Hours:	Typically: weekdays – 12 to 8 and weekends – 10 to 8
Address:	3125 S Mont Du Lac Rd, Superior, WI 54880
Parking:	Free lot with a big lot

Jay Cooke State Park

This was another great stop on our path back down to Minneapolis, Minnesota. Jay Cooke State Park has tons of hiking trails along with some biking and horse trails. Probably their most famous attraction is their swinging bridge which crosses over the St. Louis River. Our original plan was to do this and hike to the Thompson Cemetery, but we ended up just crossing the bridge and then hiking/playing/climbing all along the area for an hour or so never getting too far from the river. The bridge is only 0.6 mi. away and on a nice, wide, flat path, so it’s easily accessible to everyone. I loved this state park!

Cost:	Minnesota State Park vehicle permit ($7/day, $35/year, or America the Beautiful Pass)
Hours:	8 a.m. to 10 p.m.; visitor center typically: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Address:	780 Highway 210, Carlton, MN 55718
Parking:	Park at River Inn Visitor Center which has a large lot

Where We Stayed in Forrest Lake, Minnesota:

This was our last night before our flight back home the next day. We stayed at Country Inn and Suites by Radisson in Forrest Lake, MN which put us 40 min. from our main destination the next day. Instead of swimming or anything else, we just relaxed this night as we were all ready to just chill. We did enjoy their free breakfast the next morning which was very convenient!

Day 8: Mall of America, Flight Home from Minnesota

Mall of America

When I first started thinking about Minnesota, I knew I wanted to visit the Mall of America. I absolutely did not want to shop, but the Mall of America has so much more than just shopping. We spent almost all of our time at the Nickelodeon Universe where the more than 2 dozen rides and attractions are. We also did putt-putt, because I love mini golf. With our trip being almost all outdoors in nature, it was a good departure from what we had been doing before our trip home.

The Mall of America is massive, so I researched the best place to park to access the Nickelodeon area. We got the unlimited rides pass, and the kids got great use out of them. They were not cheap, but so much of our activities on the trip were free, that it felt fine to splurge some on this. We took breaks for food, slushies, and putt-putt at different times, but we spent a good chunk of the day here since our flight home wasn’t until 8 p.m. The Mall of America is also very close to the airport which was nice after the driving we had done on the trip.

Cost:	Unlimited Rides Pass: $52.49; deal day: $41.99 Mini Golf: $14.99; deal day: $10.99
Hours:	Mon. – Sat: 10 to 9, Sun: 11 to 7
Address:	West Ramp Parking: 1 West Market, Bloomington, MN 55425
Parking:	Huge lots; parked at west ramp for easy access to Nickelodeon Universe

After a lot of fun in Minnesota, we took our rental car back and got on the plane to travel back home! This trip has a lot of fond memories for us and included so many fun, nature adventures!

Recommended Items

This trip didn’t require bringing much, but there were a few things that I thought were very helpful. Each of the items below are an affiliate link to Amazon at no cost to you.

I bought a good, lightweight hiking bag for our southwest trip, but I have taken it on almost every trip since. It has multiple pockets, good space, water bottle holder, and nice shoulder pads, sternum strap, and hip strap. I ended up getting the Osprey Daylite Plus which I LOVE!

Although it was not blazing hot, I do like our faces covered in the sun. I typically go with this hat, and my daughter wears one of these.

Finally, for our canoe and portage tour, I wanted my daughter in clothing that could be swam in, dry quickly, and had upf. The shirt I bought now only comes in orange for some reason, but I think this is a good shirt alternative. Also, these are the shorts she wore. This clothing is also perfect for theme parks with water rides!

Additional Fun Activities

If I get a chance to go back to this area in Minnesota, there are other things I’d love to check out! If you have more time or different interests, check out the additional activities below. The activities/adventures below are kept mainly to Minneapolis and the North Shore area though I included a few places that were further that I thought were worth it if you have the time/interest.

Each picture below is linked to their site for more information.

Please leave suggestions for cool activities or places to visit in these areas of Minnesota that I missed so future readers and myself can learn from your knowledge and experience!

If you like road trips, you’ll also want to make sure to check out our Kentucky and Southwest road trips!