During this time of the season consider the North Country your place to get away. See the changing colors along Superior, visit an old Duluth mansion, or just take a breather for a well-needed vacation.
It’s not too hard to find a sitter for a night or two, so pack your bags and head to our friendly neighbor to the north for a quick weekend getaway.
By the time you fly to Maine, the leaves will have fallen off the trees! So see nature’s majesty on our own turf. But head up early, by late October you might have missed the boat!
A prewinter trip to the spa coupled with a relaxing weekend in North Country will get you ready for the cold months ahead.
STAY:
The Cotton Mansion (218-724-6405) was built for Joseph Cotton, independent counsel for John D. Rockefeller, in 1908. It’s been restored by owners Ken and Kimberly Aparicio, who offer guests quaint suites and incredible stuffed French toast.
End your drive at Knife River with a stay at Stonegate on Superior (218-834-3355). Though the cabins are far from rustic, there are few TVs and telephones to distract you from your beautiful surroundings.
Sweetgrass Cove Guesthouse & Bodywork Studio (218-475-2421), located near Grand Portage, has everything you need for a total mind-body revival. Services include neuromuscular massage, a wood-fired Finnish sauna, sea salt body scrubs, and herbal wraps.
EAT:
For dinner, settle into the cozy confines of the Pickwick (218-727-8901), where a century of experience turns out a heck-of-a-good steak. For breakfast or lunch, check out At Sara’s Table Chester Creek Cafe (218-724-6811), where you will find sandwiches, omelets, and salads with unique twists.
After you’ve passed Duluth on your way way up north, stop at New Scenic Café (218-525-6274) for what Mpls.St.Paul food writer Andrew Zimmern calls the best chow in the region. The menu changes seasonally, but if it is like last autumn's, expect roasted game bird, squash, and warm desserts.
Enjoy breakfast at the spa, but for dinner, backtrack a little on Highway 61 to Naniboujou Lodge and Restaurant (218-387-2688), known for its ornate dining room and seasonal menu of locally inspired fare.
DO:
Go classic Duluth. Tour the Glensheen Mansion, modeled after a seventeenth-century English estate (218-726-8910), roam around Canal Park, and then put on a sweater and head out to park point for one last picnic at the beach.
Relax! Head to Two Harbors and Split Rock Lighthouse, open mid–May through mid–October, where the hike to the lighthouse should provide a great view of the colorful shore. Take advantage of the last of the nice weather with a hike or a bike ride on one of the area’s many trails.
After a few spa services, take a day trip to Grand Marais for quaint shops, antiques stores, galleries, and outposts. Or take a class at North House Folk School (218-387-9762), where you can learn to weave a basket or—er—build your own casket.
Glensheen Mansion
Superior colors
Sweetgrass Cove
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