Minnesota's Own Kind of Magic

I grew up camping and exploring the state of Minnesota, so excuse me if I'm prejudiced... there's always something magical about one's home state, especially as seen through the eyes of an impressionable child.

Since I'm commenting on the state in general, I'll touch briefly on a few of my favorite places to visit...

1. The city of Duluth, with it's draw bridge and hilly inclines is tops on my list. Make sure you visit Duluth's waterfront with it's luxurious hotels, famous Grandma's Diner, and neat shops. My favorite part of Duluth are the old houses and mansions along Lake Superior on the north side of town.

Nearby Jay Cooke State Park has incredible rock formations and is a great spot to take your family for all kinds of fun and beauty. Gooseberry Falls is a beautiful place to hike and explore.

2. The little town of Two Harbors is a great place to visit, with beautiful beaches (make sure you look for Lake Superior agates along the beach), quaint restaurants (Betty's Pies, just north of town, is a must) and shops (Two Sisters is my favorite), and the wonderful Split Rock Lighthouse.

We stayed just north of at Grand Superior Lodge, a beautiful location right on the lake with comfortable accommodations.

Golfing in the area is great -- canoe on Lake Superior, or take a tour boat out on the lake for  more dazzling views. Nearby Gooseberry Falls is fun and has wonderful hiking trails.

3. The Gunflint Trail is the place to be when the leaves start changing. This shady road still feels like wilderness. We camped on Loon Lake when I was a teenager and I can still see the pristinely calm waters of the lake and hear the lonely cries of the loons in my mind.

4. Red Wing, on a wide spot in the Mississippi River called Lake Pepin, has a bevy of unique bed and breakfasts and restaurants including one in an octagonal house. A great bike trail heads north along the Mississippi River and veers west along the Cannon Valley Bike Trail.  

5. Stillwater is another riverfront community filled with exquisite bed and breakfasts in Victorian mansions. The restaurants and antique and old book shops along the old-fashioned downtown and St. Croix River make it a very popular spot. Interstate State Park at Taylor's Falls is gorgeous, as is William O'Brien State Park in the tiny little village of Marine on St. Croix.

6. Harmony is a cute little village in southern Minnesota surrounded by Amish farms. Nearby Lanesboro is nestled in Bluffs Country along the Root River, when a bike trail winds through scenic pastures and woodlands. Mystery Caves, near Spring Valley, and Forestville State Park are fun places for a family visit.

7. Lakes too numerous to mention (you know the math -- it would take ten pages) hold opportunities for swimming, speed boating, water skiing, fishing, and canoeing. Rent a cabin and enjoy a Minnesota summer the traditional way.

8. Ely is surrounded by the boundry water canoe area on the north and Iron Country to the west. We've stayed on a lake near Ely several times and have seen elk, moose, and eagles. The shops and restaurants in Ely are so wonderful that we look forward to going back again and again.

9. Quaint little towns with names like Grand Meadow, Blooming Prairie, Oakland, and Spring Valley give you a good idea of what southern Minnesota is like. The farmland, lakes, rivers and forests of oak trees that dot the countryside have a pastural beauty all of their own.

The people are some of the friendliest on earth, and the downhome cooking (try New Ulm for good German food), some of the absolute best.

10. I won't go into details when it come to Minneapolis and St. Paul except to say that this is metro area with lots of personality -- the scattered parks and lakes, Minnehaha Falls, the Renaissance Fair, Chanhassen Dinner Theatre, Mall of America, and local theatre productions like the Church Basement Ladies all reflect the northwoods heritage and Scandinavian cultural aspects so common in Minnesota. You'll love it!

There are many other parts of the state I haven't even commented on. There are no lack of fun things to do in Minnesota whether you're a sportsman or an artist.