If you’re looking for a fun and relaxing getaway, look no farther than the Minnesota North Shore! Once you head north out of Duluth, you’ll follow the shoreline of Lake Superior and be on your way to the cute towns and beautiful places. Let’s get to the guide that includes some of our favorites including where to stay, food and breweries, hiking, and more!
Stay
Every year, Matt and I go on a trip in July to celebrate our anniversary. Last year, we headed up the North Shore and it was such a great trip! We stayed near the town of Tofte in this AirBnb that is part of a whole building of condos and loved it. There is a private beach area where we watched the sunrise, which was so beautiful!
There was also a community deck overlooking the lake where we played board games at night. Highly recommend this area since it’s centrally located to all the sites on the North Shore!
Food and Breweries
Castle Danger Brewery | Two Harbors
This brewery has some great brews and a fun atmosphere as well! There are indoor and outdoor spaces and while they don’t serve food, they have small snacks for purchase and you can bring your own food as well. I got the George Hunter Stout and it was delicious. Matt loves to go for a citrusy IPA and they rotate their brews on tap, so you can always try something new.
Rustic Inn Cafe | Castle Danger
This cute rustic cafe is located along the drive and the food was so delicious. Plus, it’s homemade too! They had a little gift shop, bakery, and full restaurant. It was the perfect place to stop and fuel up before continuing our drive. I got the Fish Taco Wrap with Castle Danger Beer Battered Onion Rings and Matt had the Smoked Brisket Nachos.
Java Moose Cafe | Grand Marais
Grand Marais was about 30 minutes north from where we stayed and this coffee from Java Moose Cafe was an amazing way to kick start the day! It’s a cute place to grab a local cup of joe and then walk along the shore and check out the shops.
Blue Water Cafe | Grand Marais
After grabbing some coffee, we were in search of a hearty breakfast before a long hike. We ended up at Blue Water Cafe, which was a great choice. Matt got the “Just for Fun” sandwich, which had a grilled cinnamon roll for a bun.
Sydney’s Frozen Custard | Grand Marais
Once we finished our long hike, the ice cream at this cute shop really hit the spot!
Voyageur Brewing | Grand Maraias
Voyageur Brewing in Grand Marais was definitely a favorite with its MN feel. We got a flight to share and really liked them all. They also have good food, including a charcuterie board, cheese curds, tacos, and more. A place we want to return to for sure!
Betty’s Pies | Two Harbors
You can’t drive along the North Shore without stopping at Betty’s Pies! They serve great food, but just make sure to save room for pie! There is a variety of delicious pie flavors, but you can also get them mixed with ice cream as a shake.
Sites to See
Black Beach | Silver Bay
Black Beach Park in Silver Bay is a must see! It used to be a private beach, but opened up to the public a few years back. The sand is black due to the iron ore dumping in the lake, which created a man made beach .You can swim or dip your toes in the chilly water, warm yourself on the toasty sand, or just take in the beautiful view.
Palisade Head | Highway 61
Palisade Head is about an hour north of Duluth off Highway 61. You can park in a small lot and take a short hike to this cliff, which gives you a stunning view of Lake Superior and the surrounding landscape. It’s the perfect place to stretch your legs and take photos on your way up the North Shore. For directions and more info, click HERE.
Lighthouse & Artist’s Point | Grand Marais
Grand Marais is a quaint small town with amazing views. You can walk out to this lighthouse and area called Artist’s Point where you can enjoy the views, watch the sunset, or catch artist’s at work.
Hiking
Cascade River State Park | Lutsen
The Cascade River State Park is home to five small waterfalls near Lutsen. It’s about a half-mile hike along the River Lower Loop and you get to see many beautiful views in a short period of time.
Lookout Mountain Loop Trail | Lutsen
Lookout Mountain Loop Trail is located in Cascade River State Park. It’s a six and half mile (around 2 hours) moderately trafficked loop that has such a pretty view overlooking thousands of trees and Lake Superior at the summit. We loved this one!
Eagle Mountain Trail
Eagle Mountain Trail leads you to the tallest point in MN. It was a little bit of a drive from Grand Marais into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. The hike is 7 miles round trip and the final mile gets pretty steep, but the view is beautiful along the way and at the top.
Bean & Bear Lake
Bean and Bear Lake is located on the Superior Hiking Trail and a spot you don’t want to miss! It’s a 6.3 mile out and back trail that takes you to an overlook where you’ll see these two lakes. There is also a campground where you can tent, a spot to head down to the lake, and many great views along the way. After seeing it in the summer, I definitely want to go back in the fall.
And there ya have it – your guide to the Minnesota North Shore! This was one of our favorite trips to date. I’m headed back up to this area with some friends for a little Labor Day weekend and can’t wait.
For more Minnesota content, check out these small businesses you can shop for the holidays.
