Minnesota’s North Shore is full of amazing places to stop and explore. Today I am going to highlight some awesome stops to make if you have the kids along! 

Toms Historic Logging Camp & Old Northwest Company Trading Post

Location: 5797 N Shore Drive, Duluth, MN 55805

Toms Historic Logging Camp is a fun stop on Scenic Highway 61 just north of Duluth. It has great signage so its hard to miss. You can get to it from the scenic route or from the main highway. At Toms Logging Camp they have duplicated an old logging camp with a horse barn, blacksmith shop, harness shop, shoe shop, horseshoeing stall, bunkhouse, cook shanty and Finnish sauna, each building authentically equipped. Children can also enjoy feeding the llamas, pygmy goats, and rainbow trout. See website for details on admission & hours for the logging camp. 

My personal favorite thing about stopping Toms Logging Camp is shopping at The Old Northwest Company Trading Post. They have a great selection of Minnetonka Moccasins and they have great prices! I always buy at least a pair! lol! They also have pottery, dolls, toys, handicraft from the Chippewa Tribes,  Jewelry from Minnesota and New Mexico, cedar craft, wild rice, native jams, syrups and birch bark items.

Gooseberry Falls State Park

Location: 3206 Highway 61, Two Harbors, MN 55616

Gooseberry Falls is a family favorite. The only problem with this park is how packed it gets, but with good reason. It is a beautiful park. It is also very walkable with kids. You can see falls just a short walk from the visitor center. You can then continue on to more falls or just find a spot to enjoy the view. From the falls you can also walk down to the picnic area by Lake Superior. There is a nice rock beach here that is great for a picnic and rock throwing. Click here to read my full blog on this awesome park! 

Spilt Rock Lighthouse State Park

Location: 3713 Split Rock Lighthouse Rd, Two Harbors, MN 55616

Lighthouses have an element of magic about them, and I find most kids think they are cool! Don’t miss Spilt Rock Lighthouse State Park. This park also gets packed on weekends and in high season. You can visit this park to do hiking, get a view of the lighthouse, Pebble beach is a great location to hang out. You can also actually tour the lighthouse. There is a fee for the tour so be sure to check their website for current prices and options. 

North Shore Adventure Park

Location: 42 Outer Dr, Silver Bay, MN 55614

North Shore Adventure Park is a great place for your kiddos to get to be adventurous and also a great place to build their confidence. I am a huge fan of ropes courses and while I have not been able to visit this particular one yet it looks amazing from the road.  I can just tell it would be a fabulous place to stop with kids. They have activities for kids three and up. Kids 3-6 can play in the Lil Rascals playground and kids 7+ can complete various parts of the course with varying levels of supervision depending on their interest and comfort level. My family will definitely be checking this place out soon and I will update this blog when we do! =)

Palisade Head

Location: 5512 Highway 61 5480_, Silver Bay, MN 55614

Palisade Head is a beautiful overlook near Tettegouche State Park. Also, its great because you can just drive right up! No big hike required for this beautiful view. Hold your kiddos close to you hear though, there are BIG drop offs. I recommend visiting at sunrise for a complete treat! =)

Tettegouche State Park

Location: 5702 Highway 61, Silver Bay, MN 55614

Tettegouche State Park is one of my favorites. I grew up backpacking here with my family so I always have fond memories. Some of the hikes here are a little longer so you will want to be prepared depending on which you choose. High Falls and Two Step Falls are gorgeous and worth the hike! Its not a super long hike (about three miles) but with kids you never know. If you are getting tired near the end I would recommend skipping Two Step Falls and focusing on High Falls. 

Another great hike in this area is the Bean and Bear Lake Loop. This is a longer hike (about 7 miles) so I would only recommend this if you have older kids or if you have really super bad ass kids! =)

Sugarloaf Cove Nature Center

Location: 9096 W Highway 61, Schroeder, MN 55613

This is one of our favorite places to explore on the North Shore. We have seen some of the biggest Lake Superior waves of our life here. There is a beautiful short hike with nature stops along the way. There is a neat blow hole, a beautiful rock beach, and a gorgeous peninsula to explore. We have a great time every time we visit. The interpretive center is unfortunately currently closed, but there are portable bathrooms available for guests. There is also a $5 fee to park. 

Temperance River State Park

Location: Superior Hiking Trail, Schroeder, MN 55613

Temperance River State Park is another place to enjoy beautiful waterfalls without having to hike really far. Walk along the river and enjoy the sights of the deep gorge, and gorgeous falls. Keep your children close as there are drop offs and the rocks can get slippery. 

Lutsen Alpine Slide 

Location: 467 Ski Hill Rd, Lutsen, MN 55612

State with a leisurely chairlift ride to the summit of Lutsen’s Eagle Mountain and then enjoy the thrill back down on the alpine slide! I have not had the chance to do this yet but my mom and her friends did it and they had a great experience! Children ages 2-5 are free with a paid adult and must ride with a guest 16 or older. Children 6+ are required to purchase a ticket for the alpine slide, however, if they are under 48″ they may ride with a guest 16 or older if necessary. All children over 48″ must ride in their own sled. I cant wait to give this a try! See their website for current rates. This is obviously a summer activity, in the winter bring your skis or snowboard 😉

 

There is much more to do than this, especially if you keep heading north! For this blog, I’m going to stop here! I’ll be working on another blog for family fun above Lutsen! Also, if you are stopping in Duluth on your way, be sure to check out my guide to all the family fun Duluth has to offer – CLICK HERE to read the full post!  Thank you for reading this blog and I hope you have a great trip to Northern Minney! =)

 

Much Love & Happy Travels,

 

Lacey 

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