What Not to Miss on a Spring 2013 Visit to Minnesota

[Dr.drew]

Check out the area around Grand Rapids, Minnesota. It's a quiet little town out in the woods with a lot of lakes and scenery.

[tvdxer]

When exactly will you be coming? I drew up a route for you if you'll be coming in May.

Part 1 (444 miles):

http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Ol...18,19&t=m&z=10

Part 2 (continued) (615 miles):

Grand Rapids, MN to Albert Lea, MN - Google Maps

You may want to do these in reverse, especially if you're going to be coming earlier in the season. I saw your threads in the Wisconsin and Michigan forums, so I started you out in Oliver, Wisconsin. These are not intended as exact driving instructions, only as a sketch of recommended routes.

That said, I would prefer that you come between mid-September and mid-October. The fall colors are amazing!

[tvdxer]

On second thought, it may be more intelligent to do the plan in reverse. Here's a map I drew up:

(Part A: La Crosse, WI to St. Paul, MN, 322 miles)

Downtown La Crosse Rotary to Cathedral of St Paul - Google Maps

(Part B: St. Paul, MN to end of trip)

Cathedral of St Paul to Albert Lea, MN - Google Maps

This is the "grand tour" of Minnesota.

Part A of this route will take you from the picturesque city of La Crosse, Wisconsin on a scenic highway of bluffs and Amish carts to Preston, MN, where it then goes northward to Rochester, MN and back east to Winona, MN, a town overlooked by a bluff, the overlook accessible by vehicle. It proceeds along the shoreline of the Mississippi River, which is surrounded by bluffs, through many interesting small towns to historic Red Wing, Minnesota, one of the oldest if not the oldest city in Minnesota. You'll then take an inland diversion to visit Northfield, MN, one of the "quaintest" cities in Minnesota, before visiting the Mall of America, Minnehaha Falls, driving the Grand Rounds, and taking in other attractions of the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. Note that except for the Mall of America, you should consider renting a bike if it's warm out to go from one attraction to the other in Minneapolis and St. Paul, or at least for the Grand Rounds (the lakes). You'll eat dinner at La Colonia, which is a Colombian restaurant serving very big portions of traditional meat-rich dishes, perfect for after a day of biking. You'll end the first part of your trajectory by going down Summit Avenue, which is recognized for the architecture of its houses, and ending at the Cathedral of St. Paul.

Part B of your journey will take you along the St. Croix River shoreline to such quaint towns as Hudson, Marine-on-St.-Croix, Stillwater, and Taylor Falls, where you may choose to explore the sinkholes of Interstate State Park, a collaboration between Minnesota (on the west side of the river) and Wisconsin (on the east side of the river). You'll then proceed back down Hwy 8 and up I-35, where you'll literally descend into the City of Duluth - probably one of the greatest five minutes of your trip in Minnesota. I haven't sketched out a plan for Duluth, but I can recommend one to you, especially driving to the end of Park Point and hiking the two miles surrounded by old growth pine forest, surrounded by water approximately 150 feet on both sides, to the canal. I would also suggest driving the length of Skyline Blvd. and visiting Enger Park. If you need more Duluth suggestions, I'm the one to ask.

Leaving Duluth, you'll take the scenic route out, traveling northward against the shore of Lake Superior on Highway 61. Split Rock State Park holds the photogenic Split Rock Lighthouse; there's the harbor of Grand Marais; and finally, there's Grand Portage, which has a casino as well as the Grand Portage National Monument. From there, backtrack your steps a little bit and make a turn inland on Minnesota Highway 1, where you'll see an entirely different type of scenery: almost completely unpopulated pine forest interrupted only by lakes. The first town you'll come across, about an hour and a half in, is Ely, an oddball town by any measure. Then you'll head through the Iron Range to Bemidji and up to Itasca State Park, which holds the source of the Mississippi River. You'll head southward from there through Wadena and Alexandria, where you'll re-enter freeway comfort for the rest of the ride out.

[Mdcastle]

+1 For the North Shore Drive and MN 1. Thunder Bay is a tired port city that didn't impress me, but the scenery just gets better on MN 61 the farther north you go. Try not to go northbound on a Friday evening or soutbound on a Sunday evening. That's a good rule for travel to the north woods in general.

Kind of the iconic things of the state:
* Split Rock Lighthouse- it's not turned on except for on day in November, but it's worthwhile anyway. To get the same picture everyone else has follow the trail down to the beach.
* Soudan Underground Mine
* That Spoonbridge and Cherry sculpture they show under the "sponsored by" graphics on every football game
* Minnehaha Falls
* Gooseberry Falls
* The IDS center
* The source of the Mississippi

Some of my personal favorites:
Eagle Mountain
Scenic State Park
Dowtown Stillwater
The Root River trail
Duluth and the North Shore in general
The Minneapolis chain of lakes and the Grand Rounds Scenic Byway more generally. Sailboats on Calhoun in front of the skyline is another cliched photo op.

Things I'm not impressed by: The Science Museum; it's OK but the one in Chicago is a lot better. Ditto any Six Flags blows Valleyfair amusement park out of the water. The capitol building: it's OK but looks like about 40 other state capitol buildings. St Anthony Falls: it's iconic but it's just a waterfall buried by concrete. The Hill Annex Mine: they just herd you on an old schoolbus and drive you around an open pit mine half filled with water. Other mines have a lookout, say mineview in Virginia, where you can get the same effect a lot faster without paying for a tour. Ironword is overblown and the MN museum of mining is a dump. Block E was a half-hearted and failed attempt to build an entertainment center downtown.

In general you want to avoid the south central, southwest, west, and northwest portions of the state. Not that these are bad places or that there's absolutely nothing to see, just that these are mainly farms and most of the scenery and touristy spots in the Twin Cities and the southeast, central, north central and northeast.

[KLBFL50]

Thanks tvdxer and Mdcastle for the info. We have so much to consider. Great routes tvdxer. We definately want to drive from Duluth up the coast to Grand Portage and drive over to Grand Rapids down and back home. Mdcastle, Thanks for the things to do and things not to bother with. We have received stacks of brochures from tourism websites but info here has been more helpful.

Thanks again

[r0ver13]

Originally Posted by BobMarley_1LOVE

Nisswa, MN in the Brainerd lakes area is a MUST!
[URL="http://nisswa.com/"]Nisswa Chamber of Commerce[/URL]
Just off Highway 371
After you visit Nisswa you can head north on 371 and visit Walker, nice small town on Leech Lake they also have a casino if your into gambling, just north of Walker you have Bemidji which is a really popular town [URL="http://www.visitbemidji.com/"]Bemidji Minnesota Family Vacation - Hotels - Motels - Resorts - VCB[/URL]

Roommate did a marathon in Walker, MN. Followed the route to get photos. Really nice countryside.

[stoccog]

Hello tvdxer. I am a frequent traveler to Duluth. Noticed in one of your last posts that you are "THE" person to ask about it. We usually go to Enger Tower...one of our favorite places to go to overlook the city. Also go to Park Point. Also very relaxing. One of our favorite places is also the canal to feed the gulls and watch teh ships come in. We also take the North Shore Drive EVERY time to go to Lester River and all of the little stops in between Duluth and Two Harbors and have gone as far as Gooseberry Falls. Aside from these places...is there anything else that is of interest that we have missed? The Congdon mansion isn't a bad stop for anyone also. We love to do simple things that don't really cost a lot except your leisure time...which gives you a great deal in return. Perhaps there is a little hidden tresure that we have not stumbled across yet. My son and his wife are also going the first part of May and I am trying to help them out with some suggestions.

[slamont61]

Visit the headwaters of the Mississippi. Itasca State Park in North Central MN. It's just a few minutes away from Park Rapids MN, one of Minnesota's Great small towns.

Itasca State Park: Minnesota DNR

Minnesota Vacation Destination - Lakes Area Lodging - MN Family or Fishing Vacation