We’re in summer mode! For the next couple of months we’ll be road tripping around the midwest and checking out some old favorites and new adventures. The first leg of the trip was a long one – Tampa to Wisconsin Dells! Whew!
After another few hours in the car, we met Amanda’s parents for a mini vacation in Duluth, MN on the north shore of Lake Superior. Our vacation rental was near Canal Park which was a perfect location to view the Aerial Lift Bridge.
We had so many great suggestions of things to do! One of our first stops was Duluth Grill. They have a great menu with so many unique items with local flare. The Falafel Burger and Wild Rice Melt were awesome, and Elliott had a rockin’ grilled cheese with beautiful mixed berries. I definitely need to create a copycat recipe for the Korean Brussels Sprouts!
Day two started with a trip to The Vanilla Bean Restaurant in Two Harbors. The Wild Rice Porridge was a unique and wonderful local treat. We traveled on to Split Rock Lighthouse for a chilly day of sightseeing. They have a great visitor center with interactive exhibits and a short film about the lighthouse history and grounds. Elliott loved playing with the different lenses to see which shape created the strongest beam of light.
The next stop was Gooseberry Falls. Climbing on the rocks was irresistible, and Elliott ended up with some wet, chilly feet, but it was worth it. Extra clothes and shoes are always a must!
Another recommendation we received was Betty’s Pies. We had a sampling of 4 flavors – Great Lakes Crunch, Caramel Apple Crunch, Key Lime, and Toffee Cream (the favorite of the trip)!
After a trip to the pool for some swimming, we ended up at Clyde Iron Works. It was really interesting to see the history of the building and their manufacturing of industrial equipment.
The Glensheen Mansion was on our itinerary for day three. This beautifully preserved estate was home to the Congdon Family from around 1908-1977. You can explore much of the home and grounds, and even hear a few ghost stories 🙂
photo credit: glensheen.org
Positively 3rd Street Bakery and The Great Lakes Aquarium rounded out our last few stops. The aquarium had lot of interactive exhibits. Highlights included touching jellyfish and chocolate chip starfish and learning about the locks of the Great Lakes.
We hope you have a wonderful summer – happy adventuring!
