• Thomsonite Beach Inn - (www.thomsonite.com)
  
• East Bay Suites - Grand Marais - (eastbaysuites.com)
  
• Lutsen Resort - (lutsentresort.com)
  
• Chateau LeVeaux - (chateauleveaux.com)
  
• Best Western - Grand Marais (www.BestWestern.com/GrandMarais)
• Country Inn of Two Harbors - (countryinntwoharbors.com)
  
• The Suites Hotel - Duluth (thesuitesduluth.com)

• The Fisherman's House - Grand Marais
  
• The "Glass House" - Lutsen
  
• Ilahee - Grand Marais
  

• Jay Cooke State Park - Carlton
  

• Gooseberry Falls State Park ​- north of Two Harbors
  

• Split Rock Lighthouse State Park - north of Gooseberry
  

• Tettegouche State Park - north of Silver Bay
  

• Temperance River State Park - north of Schroeder
  

• Cascade River State Park - north of Lutsen
  

• Judge C.R. Magney State Park - north of Grand Marais
  
• Grand Portage State Park - Pigeon Falls - at MN/Canadian border
  

1. Minnesota State Park Series - Split Rock Lighthouse

   

   July 20, 2016

   This park is located northeast of Gooseberry Falls State Park on Highway 61 and draws visitors from all over the world because of the lighthouse that is maintained by the Minnesota Historical Society (www.mnhs.com).  The lighthouse, along with the fog-signal building and the light keeper's house are all open for tours mid-May to mid-October and the Visitor center is open year round with a nice gift shop.  The park offers several miles of hiking trails, biking trails and a paved path down to the

2. Minnesota State Park Series - Gooseberry Falls State Park

   

   July 18, 2016

   Gooseberry Falls State Park is one of the busiest parks in the State of Minnesota.  The draw?  Five AMAZING waterfalls, the beautiful Gooseberry River, paved biking trails, well groomed hiking trails, camping, and wonderful picnic areas on Lake Superior's incredible shoreline.  The park is only 13 miles northeast of Two Harbors, and less than a 40 minute drive northeast of Duluth, all on Highway 61.  For those that do not want to venture too far north, this is the perfect place to visit to

3. Minnesota State Park Series - Jay Cooke State Park

   

   July 17, 2016

   I would like to share interesting tidbits I have learned about each Minnesota State Park we have visited and have decided to title the series "Minnesota State Park Series" followed by a State Park name.  Since we often stop at Jay Cooke State Park in Carlton, MN before we head into Duluth, I thought I would start with it. The St. Louis River runs through the park and you can get a great view and first hand experience of it by walking across the swinging suspension bridge.  The photo to the left

4. Surprises along the way

   

   July 17, 2016

   Every time we travel up north, we find surprises along the way.  For example, the photo here shows what I call "rock art" we found on the shoreline at a small roadside rest available to anyone who has a State Park sticker.  It is a lovely picnic area just off of the roadway next to the lake as you travel north on Highway 61, which is located just past the Cascade River but before the main entrance to Cascade State Park.  There are two trails that will take you down to the shoreline, both of