Minnesota Day Trips by Theme - Mary M. Bauer Day Trip Series

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      2316 East 1st Street; 800-715-1339 or 218-728-1339; www.olcotthouse.com Also see www.duluthbandb.com for more information on Duluth’s historic inns.

      A 1904 “Gone With the Wind” historic grand mansion, the Olcott House offers a choice of six romantic suites with working fireplaces and private baths or a carriage house hideaway complete with kitchen and living room. Sip a glass of iced tea on the Grand Porch before going out for dinner or stroll the manicured grounds in the company of your sweetheart. Wonderful two-course candlelight breakfast served in your suite.

      505 West Superior Street; 800-333-3333 or 218-727-8981; www.radisson.com/duluthmn

      Make dinner reservations at Radisson’s JJ Astor Restaurant and Lounge. Located on the 16th floor, the revolving restaurant offers a spectacular harbor and city view. Full revolution every 72 minutes. American cuisine. Wheelchair accessible. Dinner served daily.

      Teatro Zuccone, 222 East Superior Street; 218-336-1414; www.renegadetheatercompany.org

      Top off your evening with a show. The Renegade Theater Company offers mainstage productions as well as hilarious improv performances every Friday and Saturday nights. Call for reservations and ticket prices.

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      Take Highway 53 north off of I-35. Skyline Parkway crosses Highway 53.

      This dramatic, 30-mile drive 600 feet above the shoreline is one long, breathtaking view of Lake Superior and the harbor.

      OPTION

      There are frequent observation points and markers, including the tower at Enger Park. Seven Bridges Road winds through forested hillsides and over seven stone bridges. Explore caverns, waterfalls and the Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve, which is rated one of the nation’s top ten viewing spots for hawks; www.hawkridge.org.

      323 Harbor Drive; 218-722-6218 or 877-883-4002; www.vistafleet.com

      Enjoy scenic Lake Superior and the international harbor aboard the Vista Star. The 2-hour dinner cruise is especially popular. Wheelchair accessible. Call for hours. Reservations required.

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      Enger Tower

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      Voyageurs National Park

      Minnesota’s diverse landscapes and ever-changing seasons are not only breathtakingly beautiful, but they provide great opportunities for the adventure seeker as well.

      For all of you who hunger for a different kind of a vacation—one that caters to your free spirit—this chapter is for you. From dairy farming, to mushing a dog team, to renting a houseboat, Minnesota is your vacationland for adventure!

      EXTREME ADVENTURES

       Boundary Country Trekking (Yurt to Yurt!), Grand Marais

       Gunflint Lodge, Grand Marais

       Harley Trip to the Headwaters

      Options: Bemidji, Lake Bemidji State Park, Scenic Byway County 39, Star Island

       Rock Climb & Sea Kayak, Duluth

       Room to Roam Farm Vacations, Fountain City, WI

       Voyageurs National Park Houseboats

      Options: Vince Shute Wildlife Sanctuary, Orr Bog Walk

       Wintergreen Dogsled Vacations, Ely

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      11 Poplar Creek Drive, Grand Marais; 800-322-8327 or 218-388-4487; www.boundarycountry.com. Grand Marais is approximately 260 miles from the Twin Cities.

      Advertised as “civilized adventures for the active traveler,” Boundary Country Trekking is on the Gunflint Trail. They offer a variety of vacation packages for every season including mountain biking, guided BWCAW canoe trips, yurt-to-yurt fat tire biking (year-round), and lodge-to-lodge hiking trips on the Superior Hiking Trail. A popular winter trip is yurt-to-yurt skiing. (A yurt is a canvas-covered Mongolian hut with a round, peaked roof.) If you’re into building muscles and sweat, sign up for a Work Weekend of clearing the Banadad Ski Trail of downed trees and brush. The trail is within the BWCAW where power tools are not permitted, so all maintenance is done by hand labor. Lodging, meals and tools are provided. For more information on all of Boundary Country Trekking’s vacation options, check out their website or give them a call.

      NOTE: The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) covers about 1 million acres and is the world’s largest waterway wilderness. National Geographic Traveler claims it’s “one of 50 places everyone should visit in their lifetime.” You must have a BWCAW permit to enter, and motorized or mechanized vehicles of any kind are prohibited (snowmobiles, mountain bikes, etc.). They also have a strict “leave no trace” policy. For more info on the BWCAW or to obtain a permit, log on to www.bwca.cc or call 877-444-6777.

      143 South Gunflint Lake, Grand Marais; 800-328-3325 or 218-388-2294; www.gunflint.com. Lodge is located 43 miles northwest on Gunflint Trail (County 12).

      There’s no better way to “rough it” in the wilderness than to book a stay at the Gunflint Lodge. This third-generation, family-owned lodge features wood paneling and a stone fireplace. Their motto is: Arrive as a guest, and leave as a friend. A full friend, at that!

      Feel like horseback riding through one of the most picturesque places on earth? Gunflint Lodge offers 1- and 2-hour trail rides through the Superior National Forest. Other riding packages include breakfast or dinner feasts prepared for you along the trail. The 24 cabins on Gunflint Lake range from 1­–5 bedrooms. Some have indoor whirlpool baths and kitchens; some come equipped with a large outdoor whirlpool. All have living room fireplaces.

      Gunflint Lodge specializes in “theme” vacations and retreats, such as

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