1,2KBehave
Exploring the North Shore of Minnesota withVoyager Motorhomes
If you're looking for the perfect way to explore Minnesota's North Shore, consider renting a van with Voyager Campervans. This gives you complete freedom to explore Highway 61 at your own pace.
File:VOYAGER CAMPERVANS: AN HONEST REVIEW
Use code: emilyrose40 to get $40 off your first rental
Whether you're bringing your own car or hiring an RV, here's our full 3-day itinerary for you to follow, modify to suit, or create from scratch!
Points to consider:
- You need a Minnesota State Park Pass
- You can reserve campsites in advanceHere. There is a $7 fee to reserve a site in advance (this is waived if you book on the day of arrival), but some of these campgrounds can be very popular in the summer, so advance reservations may be necessary.
- For our route, we started in Duluth and ended in Grand Marais before turning back to return to the trailer in Minneapolis.
3 days itinerary
Day 1: Minneapolis to Duluth
2 hours and 20 minutes
We pick up our trailer at 2:00 p.m. M. and drove to Duluth, where we arrived around 4:30 p.m. M. We spent the first half day in the van exploring the beautiful port city of Duluth and the surrounding parks.
Our Half Day Duluth Route:
- Stroll along the shores of Lake Superior
- Take a picture with the popular lift bridge
- Take a look at the legendary headlights
- Climba towelr for views of Duluth
- dinner insidethe grandmotherÖFitger's Brewery
- Hike to Tischer Creek Falls in Congdon Park
1st night: flow meter
Our North Shore trip took place after the coronavirus pandemic, before campgrounds reopened.
After confirming with a local police officer that we could park at a rest area overnight, we decided to stay at the Knife River rest area.
Rast am Knife River
Highway 61 Milestone: 18
Messerfluss, Minnesota
Picnic table, free public baths
However, campgrounds have reopened and you can reserve a campground at any number of campgrounds during your North Shore road trip in a Voyager motorhome.
Check out this full list:Camps on the north coast
Day 2: Lighthouses, State Parks, Waterfalls, Hiking
Plan early and make the most of the day! There's no shortage of hiking trails and state parks along Highway 61 northbound, so start your adventures early.
Our itinerary highlights on day 2:
- two ports
- gooseberry falls
- Forked Rock Lantern
- ball island
- black beach
- Stockade-Chef
- Tettegouche State Park
- Gran Marais
First stop:two ports
Grab breakfast in the back of your truck and head to the Two Harbors Lighthouse.
If you have time, you can visit themtwo port light Season, This is the oldest operating lighthouse in Minnesota. It was first lit on April 14, 1892.
gooseberry falls
After leaving Two Harbors, head to popular Gooseberry Falls Park, home to the famous falls, a campground and 20 miles of hiking trails.
If you have a full day in state parks planned as your itinerary, I recommend the short hike from the parking lot to the falls. There will be many more hikes to come!
important to note: A pass is required for Minnesota State ParkHere
You can buy one upon arrival or in advanceHere.
It's $7 per day or $35 unlimited during the season.It's car specific but not park specific! That means after paying $7 per day, you can also use the park pass to enter the Split Rock Lighthouse, Tettegouche State Park, etc. However, if you are using a rental trailer, there is no point in buying the unlimited annual pass as you will not have the same car with you all year round. So go for the $7 day pass!
Forked Rock Lantern
You can't miss the detour to this iconic North Shore Minnesota destination, it's well signposted from Highway 61.
You can enter the lighthouse on your own orguidefrom March to October, depending on the weather.
Even if the lighthouse is not open, you can still enjoy the view of the beach and stairs all year round!
ball island
This unexpected gem was a favorite of our trip.
The day we climbed the rocks to Pellet Island the fog was so thick we could barely see fifteen feet ahead.
It's only a mile round trip but the island hike isn't for everyone, you'll be scrambling over big rocks in Lake Superior!
File:PELLET ISLAND: A MUST FOR MINNESOTA ADVENTURERS
black beach
Stop at this small but interesting and unique Black Beach in Silver Bay. You can access it through the industrial park between Northshore Mining and before you reach the AmericInn.
Stockade-Chef
An easy hike with great views, Palisade Head is a must!
This viewpoint is also marked if you are driving on Highway 61. If you are heading north you will find free parking on the right hand side.
Then follow the path up the hill and you'll soon find yourself on this rocky cliff. Isn't it lovely?
Tettegouche State Park
This park is packed with great hiking trails, but with a 3-day itinerary, you have to choose your hikes. Impossible to complete them in a short schedule!
We knew that High Falls had some of the best views and highest performance, so we chose this trail. When entering the park for the first time, drive through the entire park to the last parking lot. You can then follow the signs to High Falls.
We did the hike on a weekday immediately after a heavy rain so not only did we mostly have the place to ourselves, but the falls were crowded.
Gran Marais
Our final stop on Highway 61: beautiful Grand Marais! This small town is the gateway to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and the scenic shortcut Gunflint Trail.
Though the population of the town itself is small, be sure to mingle with the many outdoor enthusiasts who have come to explore the area.
take a look at the beautifulLibros Drury Lane&The best donuts in the world, two staples of the Grand Marais!
To have lunch:Sven & Ole's Pizza
There's not much more you can get out of Minnesota than to ask for oneWild Rice Pizzaat Sven & Ole in the Grand Marais! We brought our delicious pizza to shore and watched a beaver swim around the pond as the sun went down.
So why order the wild rice pizza? Did you know that wild rice was a staple of the Minnesota Indians for centuries? It was finally introduced as an official state grain in 1977. We eat a lot of wild rice here. But I've never seen it on a Sven & Ole's pizza and it was delicious!
Go to the lighthouse at sunset!
2nd night: Tettegouche rest area
Again, the campsites were not fully open due to the pandemic, but we were able to park overnight at the Tettegouche visitor center/rest area. They have large bathrooms that are open 24/7 and ample parking. The night we were there, 3 other trailers were also parked overnight.
However, with campsites reopening, you can easily get a real campsiteTettegouche-Park.
You can also stay in the Grand MaraisGrand Marais Camping and Marina. (114 South 8th Avenue West | Grand Marais, MN 55604).
Day 3: Drive back to Minneapolis
If you manage to get the caravan for the 4th day I suggest it! Picking it up on the first day and hiking and exploring on the second we felt like our time had run out to see it all because the third morning came back.
We opted for a packed breakfast and stopped at some viewpoints on the way back that we had missed the day before.
Optional: save yourself time in the morning to do thisgo tospade tip.It's a North Shore Minnesota favorite!
The perfect summer trip!
I hope you have as much fun exploring Minnesota's North Shore as we do. It's such a standout highlight of our state that it will likely return every year! Let me know if you have any questions about your next trip 🙂
Don't forget to pack:
- dismissive
- quick drying towel: If you plan to live outside the van for more than a few days, you need a towel to dry off!
- Trockenshampoo: You may wash your hair less than usual, so bring some dry shampoo with you
- Cabo AUX- Book some travel jams or a new podcast, the vans are modern and equipped with AUX plug-ins
- Lots of travel snacks!
@Agustina $40 off your first rental with code: emilyrose40#Minnesota #Minnesota #explore # Camper #Travel
♬ Sleep on the Floor (Live) – Die Lumineers und Varios Artistas
More about the North Shore of Minnesota:
- WHERE TO SEE THE NORTHERN LIGHTS IN MINNESOTA
- GUNFLINT LODGE: YOUR COMPLETE GUIDE TO THE BEST ADVENTURE IN MINNESOTA
- 20 PHOTOS TO PUT A CAMPERVAN TRIP IN MINNESOTA ON YOUR BUCKET LIST
- PELLET ISLAND: A MUST FOR MINNESOTA ADVENTURERS
Related posts:
1,2KBehave
Emily Rose
Hello, I'm Emily Rose! In 2018 I sold all my stuff and got out of my suitcase to travel and work full time around the world! Find out about the best travel jobs, photos that will fuel your wanderlust, and epic adventures!