Minnesota-UP NORTH trip report
 

Thank you to everyone who helped us plan our visit to Minnesota.
We used our remaining USAIR dividend miles to fly to Minneapolis. We picked up a rental car from Alamo ($78. for four days, great deal, filthy car and long! line at the airport). We stayed at the Blue Fin Bay resort in Tofte, MN. The location was ideal for touring in the area. We were warned in advance the food in the dining room was not good, so we never tried it. The room we rented was $271. a night, first night free. It was a large one bedroom unit with a full kitchen, one bath, living room/dining room. The bedroom had a queen bed. My husband got quite ill one night so I moved to the sofa bed in the living room. It was horrible. I am no dainty flower and can usually sleep on any flat surface, but that was the problem. The sofa bed had a very large bend in the center and simply would not go flat. I mention this only to caution anyone planning to depend on the sofa bed for extra room. The unit directly faced Lake Superior and had a small deck on the water. The service staff at the hotel was very accomodating and the equipment available to guests is good quality and well maintained. I highly recommend the Blue Fin.
We had two exceptionally good meals. One at the Angry Trout in Grand Marais. Fresh and delicious food, well prepared with an entertaining otter to keep us amused between courses. The other great meal was at the Scenic Cafe on the Scenic roadway just outside of Duluth, south of Two Harbors. We ate fairly good meals at the Cascade Lodge (incredible soup) and the Vanilla Bean Cafe (excellent fresh herring). Our meal at the Satellite Cafe (highly recommended by the Minn/St.Paul newspaper) was very ordinary...bagged salad which had turned brown didn't do much to enhance the experience. We ended up driving to Ely to see the Wolf Center. It was very impressive. We didn't find a good meal there, but we stopped at Sherry's for ice cream and liked it.
Probably the single most impressive aspect of our visit was the State park and hiking trails systems. The parks are exceedingly well maintained. Gooseberry Falls is outstanding. The staff in each park was very cordial and well informed. The hiking trails (especially the Superior trail) are so well marked, groomed and accessible everyone of moderate fitness should be able to enjoy parts of it.
I am a knitter and happened to run out of yarn mid project. We stopped in three yarn stores (Grand Marais, good selection, lovely lady, Tofte, perfect match yarn for my project plus a very charming owner, and a great shop with yarn, buttons and beautiful handmade Danish paper mobiles just south of Two Harbors, owner's very nice husband was in charge while were there). We found all the gifts we needed in the Gooseberry Falls State Park gift shop. It was well managed and the prices were good. I was very surprised that with the exceptions of the three yarn stores and the State Park gift shop we were never greeted, offered any degree of assistance or even acknowledged by most of the sales staff in businesses. This was a striking contrast to the food servers who were to a person charming, helpful and very pleasant.
Minnesota proved to be an excellent choice for vacations for people who enjoy outdoor activities. Just bring the bug spray and go for it. We will certainly return. Great place!

I wanted to mention the name of the yarn store near Two Harbors since it is such a special place. "Playing with Yarn" owned by Judy Casserberg, 276 Scenic Drive, Knife River, MN.

Gooseberry Falls is one of the best waterfalls in the country. There are several more state parks with waterfalls along the north shore that make this area one of the most scenic areas in the country. Glad you had a good time.

Actually we stopped at least four other waterfall parks. Gooseberry stood out because it was so well presented and maintained. But all of the Minnesota parks, visitor centers, etc we visited were very impressive. They have a lot to be proud of Up North.

It is gauche to top your own trip report, I assume. I wanted to make sure all the folks who helped us plan saw it.

Don't worry about topping your own trip report... I do it all the time, usually under the guise of "oh I just remembered something I forgot to say", but secretly just in the hope more people will read it. :)

Thanks for posting a nice report on a less-visited region.

Guise or otherwise (lol, Daniel) I am glad you topped cmcfong, lest I not see your great trip report!

So happy you had a wonderful time up north. (Sorry about that sleeper sofa). Gooseberry Falls holds very special meaning for my husband and I, one of our first "together" pictures was there. Some nice stranger offered to snap our picture, what a great backdrop! Wonderful weekend.

Cmcfong, we decided to take our own advice and are going up to Lake Superior over the Fourth of July. We are renting a wonderful log home that dates back to the 1920's. Found it on vrbo.com - I'll post a mini report when I return, in case it's a good find, perhaps you might enjoy it for your next visit!

Glad you enjoyed our state. Hope to "see" you again soon!

Best wishes, Tiff

I am particularly glad Tiff saw my report, since she was a great help. Thanks, Daniel, I was sure I would get flamed for topping my own report.
Have either of you heard of Wind Song Island? It looks great and I am already suggesting it for our next trip.
Tiff, enjoy yourself, and definitely have a meal at the Angry Trout and the Scenic Cafe, they are both destination restaurants.

ttt for the Blue Fin Traveler

Good report. This is an area that is well worth more than a look see and I hope to see the G. Falls next time I get close enough. Thanks, cmcfong.

And you went before the huge heat wave weeks as well, good timing.

topping for CAPH.

Thanks so much, cmcfong! Great report!

...thought of you my friend this past weekend. DH and I spent five peaceful days up on the North Shore.

I watched for your otter while at dining twice the The Angry Trout, but alas he did not present himself, I think he is waiting for you.

I do not know if you will see this post, but someday I hope you do and that you know you are missed. I am not around these parts much, but know I hold you and your pack in my heart.

Soph sends her love((&))

Take care my friend.

Oh so nice to hear from you, Tiff. I was wondering what you and Mr. Tiff might be up to these days. I know your birthday is coming soon and the anniversary is in October...can we expect a wonderful trip report.
I think often of how much I enjoyed my trip UP North and it was fun to revisit that trip report.
We are well. Give sweet Sophie a pat for me and come back more often, you are missed.
Safe travels to you, my friend.

I'm jealous, Tiff! We leave Sunday for DD's Irish wedding. And I'm excited. But, right about now, five peaceful days <i>anywhere</i>, much less the North Shore, sounds pretty d%$n good! :-D

I'm seconding cmcfong's request for a trip report. That's definitely an area we want to visit again. So updates on the area would be most welcome.