Planning a vacation minnesota (Brainerd: rain, fishing)

[bcgr]

and then one other place, and i would say Duluth... If you're here in June 21st, thats when Grandmas Marathon is going on.. Great time to visit the city too weather wise...

Isn't this the time when all the hotels jack up their rates sky high? If you could get a room you'll be paying through your nose. So I think this would be the worst weekend to visit. But weatherwise it should be fine, assuming its not raining or very cloudy.

False.

Minnesota was founded by the Souix, Ojibwe and other Native American tribes. Silly Europeans.

Actually, if anything, Minnesota was 'founded?' by the French

She probably meant the Minnesota state/territory, not the actual land. Stop being silly and contentious for no reason.

North Shore (especially Gooseberry Falls, Split Rock Lighthouse)

The parks further up the shore are better, much less crowded and things like the Devil's Kettle at CR Magney park are much better than Gooseberry.

where would be a good place to stay to be able to travel to these ares? how fare apart are they? hours?

Alexandria <------->Duluth: About 4 1/2 - 5 hours.
I have to drive to near Alexandria every once in a while; If you go I-94 -> St.Cloud -> state highway 23 (now being redone) -> I-35, it's a pretty easy route, but easy to get stuck in St. Cloud.

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by knke0204

False.

Minnesota was founded by the Souix, Ojibwe and other Native American tribes. Silly Europeans.

Actually, if anything, Minnesota was 'founded?' by the French

It's my understanding that not many French settled in Minnesota.

While some of the early explorers in the area were French, that doesn't mean a lot when compared to the accomplishments of the people who actually settled in the state and built the various communities that we see today. Most of those people were ... not French.

Various Native American groups were here, true, and both lived and still live in the area. However, they didn't create a cohesive territory, certainly nothing on the scale of the state of Minnesota we see today.

[demtion35]

Originally Posted by knke0204

False.

Minnesota was founded by the Souix, Ojibwe and other Native American tribes. Silly Europeans.

Actually, if anything, Minnesota was 'founded?' by the French

False. Yes, while its true that the Native Americans were in the area first, before even the fur traders and explorers came along, but the area wasnt founded until March 3rd, 1849.

Minnestoa Territory 1849-1858

"A vast land it streatched from the St. Croix River and Lake Superior on the east to the Missouri River on the west and north to the Canadian border. More than 166,000 square miles. Minnesota Territory was divided into nine counties: Wabasha, Dakotah, Washington, Ramsey, Benton, Itasca, Whanahta, Mahkahta, and Pembina.

In those feverish years of American expansion, pressure built to organize the lands along the Mississippi River. Iowa and Wisconsin had allready entered the union, and were rapidly filling with settlers. The story of frontier settlement was soon to be repeated in Minnesota, as a thin stream of farmers, lumberman and land speculators turned into a tidal wave.

The same places being claimed by these settlers and Washington politicans, had been the homelands, hunting grounds and burial places for Indian people for thousands of years. And since the later 1600s small numbers of Europeans and Americans, had lived here together with the native people, trading furs and goods, making families, and creating new traditions.

In 1849 that world of relativley peaceful coexistance was about to collapse, sometimes with brutal force. During the territorial years, Dakota and Ojibewa peoples signed treaties that ceded nearly all of their lands in Minnesota, to the goverment in exchange for money, promises and reservations.

Meanwhile, settlements such as St. Paul, Stillwater and St. Anthony mushroomed into cities. Farms and towns spread across the praries.
Statehood was granted in 1858, just nine short years after the creation of the territory.

I know you will enjoy Duluth, but as a previous post said during, Grandmas Marathon in the end of June can get a bit crowded may be putting it mildly, thats why we leave the city during this time, too crazy.
Enjoy the Lake and all Duluth has to offer, should be the trip highlight.
d

[Haver]

Originally Posted by knke0204

False.

Minnesota was founded by the Souix, Ojibwe and other Native American tribes. Silly Europeans.

I remember reading that the Ojibwe actually pushed the Souix out quite a ways over the fur trade with the French and were originally from ... I think the Michigan area. They expanded their area quite a bit courtesy of French supplied muskets and so forth - so the Souix, or whoever THEY pushed out, were the founders.

[KTN2005]

Originally Posted by knke0204

MOA sees more tourists than Disney Land, Disney World, and Grand Canyon combined, annually.

No way...seriously? I have a hard time believing that. Maybe if they were talking about the total of people who go there, not just tourists. But if it was just tourists, there is no way it beats those 3 combined. I go there a lot just to shop, just because it pretty much has everything and decently priced, and I'm from here. So...I want to see some statistics. Thats got me very interested now.

As for the OP, the winters are not that bad. Its not like you stay outside for hours on end. You go from your house, to your car, to work/mall...etc, then reverse. Which all are heated and comfy-cozy. And if you find yourself outside for an extended period of time, dress right and you'll be fine.

[KTN2005]

*Ahem* Disregard my second half of my post. I got confused with two different kinds of threads. But the first still applies! :S

[demtion35]

Originally Posted by KTN2005

No way...seriously? I have a hard time believing that. Maybe if they were talking about the total of people who go there, not just tourists. But if it was just tourists, there is no way it beats those 3 combined. I go there a lot just to shop, just because it pretty much has everything and decently priced, and I'm from here. So...I want to see some statistics. Thats got me very interested now.

As for the OP, the winters are not that bad. Its not like you stay outside for hours on end. You go from your house, to your car, to work/mall...etc, then reverse. Which all are heated and comfy-cozy. And if you find yourself outside for an extended period of time, dress right and you'll be fine.

I think Lake Superior sees the most of all of them combined.

[MplsTodd]

Originally Posted by KTN2005

No way...seriously? I have a hard time believing that. Maybe if they were talking about the total of people who go there, not just tourists. But if it was just tourists, there is no way it beats those 3 combined. I go there a lot just to shop, just because it pretty much has everything and decently priced, and I'm from here. So...I want to see some statistics. Thats got me very interested now.

I also have a hard time believing that claim. I'm sure there are many tourists who go to MOA, but the 40+ million visitor claim is primarily just shoppers or local residents. How about workers? If they have 10,000 workers at MOA (just to make up a number), they would represent 3.65 million visits/year. How does MOA know whos a tourist, a shopper, a local visitor or a worker??? I recall reading years ago that the Empire Mall in Sioux Falls SD had about 6-8 million visitors in a year. I don't recall seeing Empire Mall listed as one of the biggest tourist attractions in the country!

[knke0204]

It is in fact true....

It all depends on what your definition of "tourist" is...

I live in Minnesota, 3 hours from MOA... I go there once every year. Am I not a tourist?

I took handfuls of these classes during college.... It's hard to determine what a tourist is....

For a family that lives in Orlando, FL and decids to visit Disney world, does that not make them a tourist?

Do you have to cross boarders? Who is to say that someone visiting MOA from Hudson, WI is more of a tourist than someone visiting from International Falls?

Does distance matter?

It's a skewed fact, but it is a fact. MOA sees more tourists than all those places, even if many of them are visiting from the metro area, and go there a few times a year.

Just like the fact that MN has more shoreline than FL, CA, and Hawaii Combined...Well, you tell me what is better, a shoreline looking towards the setting sun in Southern California? Or the shore on a gross lake in northern Minnesota?

[golfgal]

Keep in mind that Disneyworld/Disneyland and the Grand Canyon also receive visits, frequently, from people that live in Florida/California and Arizona just like the MOA. The number is how many people go to MOA each year, not just "tourists", same with the numbers at the other attractions-how many people visit each year, not just "tourists".