Aerial Lift Bridge and Canal Park
Watch 1,000-foot ships go by.
Duluth and the North Shore
A steep port city on Lake Superior, the start of a stunning road of waterfalls, lighthouses and agate beaches.
Huge ships pass under Duluth's Aerial Lift Bridge. Highway 61 runs 150 miles north to Grand Portage, past Gooseberry Falls and the iconic 1910 Split Rock Lighthouse, to the old fur-trade post. Bob Dylan was born here. The Lake Superior Railroad Museum is a treat.
- Best Time
- June–October
- Time Needed
- 2–4 days
- Cost Level
- $$$$
- Open
- Check before you go; hours vary by season
- Getting There
- About 2.5 hours by car north of Minneapolis.
What to See
3 of 4 are freeSplit Rock Lighthouse
An often-photographed tower on a cliff.
Gooseberry Falls
A string of falls by the road.
Grand Marais and Grand Portage
An artists' harbor, and a fur trade monument.
Know Before You Go
- Peak fall color is usually mid-to-late September; book ahead.
Where to Stay
Stay in Duluth or Grand Marais.
Where to Eat
Our picks are on the way.
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Go Next
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A city of lakes on the Mississippi, the Walker Art Center, and the Mall of America next door.
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Over a million acres of lakes and forests with no roads, explored by canoe. America's most visited wilderness.
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Worth a DetourVoyageurs National Park
Minnesota
A water park on Minnesota's Canadian border, explored by boat, with houseboats, wolves and northern lights.
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Last checked 2026-11-02. Part of the Midwest list.