We have always wanted to visit northern Minnesota’s north shore of Lake Superior!
While there are probably few people from the south who think about visiting, the area is simply beautiful!
In planning our route we decided to route through St Louis, Missouri, then to Milton, Wisconsin and on to Grand Marais, Minnesota.
While in St. Louis, we stayed at Sundermeier RV Park which was in nearby St Charles. This privately owned RV park was big rig friendly and featured full hookups and concrete pads for your RV. The nightly rate was $59. You do get 10% off with a Good Sam’s card. Check in time begins at 1pm. The park was clean the staff was friendly. We were able to experience the Gateway Arch while we were there. We purchased the “See Everything” pass. It was $41 per person ($38 with National Park pass). The pass included the Arch Tram to the Top, historical movie and a Riverboat Cruise on the adjacent mighty Mississippi River. Be sure to enjoy the museum underground, beneath the Gateway Arch.
From St. Louis our travels took us north through Illinois to Milton, Wisconsin. The 328 mile journey for the day was about 5 hours and we arrived around 3:15pm. We don’t always follow the 3/3/3 RV travel rule but we like to occasionally. The rule for some that RV is around 300 miles of travel per day, arrive by 3pm and stay for 3 nights before moving on. (You casually start your day by leaving around 9am, arrive well before dark for your favorite afternoon beverage and then explore the area before moving on.) We stayed at the KOA in Milton. Most KOA’s are well done with many amenities. This KOA had a large clubhouse, heated pool and plenty of activities for the kids. The sites were level and offered full hookups. We paid $65 plus tax.
Our adventure continued to Grand Marais, Minnesota. And all we can say is WOW!
We stayed at Grand Marais Recreational RV Park which borders a harbor to Lake Superior. The sights were grass and somewhat tight but manageable and offered full hookups. We paid $54 plus tax per night. The location of the park is fantastic. There is a sidewalk from the park to downtown which offered great shopping and many tasty restaurants. The views from the walk to town are simply stunning. There also was a Bluff nature trail to enjoy within walking distance. If you enjoy biking be sure to do the Gitchi-Gami bike trail connections. We enjoyed waterfront dining at the Angry Trout Cafe. The fresh fish was great ($28 per plate). If you enjoy fish and chips we recommend waterfront dining at The Fisherman’s Daughter ($16 a plate). And don’t miss World’s Best Donuts. They were great with a hot cup of coffee.
We took several day trips from our home base in Grand Marais including Lake Itasca, Grand Portage and the Split Rock lighthouse.
Itasca State Park is unique in that it contains the lake where the Mississippi River begins. You can enter the park for a fee of $7. The park was established in 1891 and is Minnesota’s oldest state park. The hiking trail is beautiful to the lake where the headwaters begin. There are biking trails and kayaking opportunities if you like. It is in a somewhat remote area. We would suggest a picnic lunch and plenty of water if you aren’t staying in the park at a cabin or RV spot. It was a long day because Itasca is about 5 hours from Grand Marais. However, in our opinion it was well worth the journey.
Grand Portage is adjacent to the Canadian border. We enjoyed viewing Minnesota’s tallest waterfall at Grand Portage state park. It’s 120 feet tall and there is a paved trail from the visitors center out to it. It’s about a half mile and is handicap accessible. If you enjoy history be sure and visit the Grand Portage National Monument and heritage center. This short day trip is about 34 miles from Grand Marais.
Split Rock Lighthouse is located in the town of Two Harbors, Minnesota. It is one of if not the most photographed lighthouse in the country. The tour is $15 per person. It is very scenic as you can tell from the pictures below. It was an important lighthouse in that it protected mainly U.S. steel freighter ships from Lake Superiors unpredictable weather and rocky shores. An American novelist called the North shore the “most dangerous piece of water in the world” as Lake Superior and its shore have claimed many ships. Two Harbors is about 90 minutes from Grand Marais.
If you plan a trip to this beautiful part of the country we would suggest going in the May through October time frame. That is unless you enjoy cold weather and snow!❄️⛄️
Wendy and I thank you for following our blog! See you soon on the next journey!