Duluth, MN

If you're looking for a place to visit, I would recommend heading up to Duluth, MN on the shores of Lake Superior. There is a lot of history, museums, beautiful hiking trails and places to shop. I have been up to Duluth more than once in my life and I would gladly go back.

The coolest thing in Duluth has to be the lift bridge down in the harbor. The bridge lifts whenever it needs to let a big freighter through. Freighters move incredibly slowly and they are huge ships. When I went to Duluth I went with my family and my nephew loved looking for ships on the shore of Superior. We didn't get the chance to see a ship come into the harbor but we did see several freighters pass by. I would recommend it.

Besides watching ships come in, I like to visit the museums and see the history of Duluth. The William A. Irvin Museum is right on the water and is a cool way to see a freighter up close even if you don't get the opportunity to see one come into the harbor. The ship is open to the public and allows you to see the inside of a freighter, see what life might look like on board, and learn about the crew that manned the Irvin. It was an educational and super cool experience.

The Lake Superior Railroad Museum was also a great hit with my niece and nephew. It is a chance to see how the railroad was used in Duluth to transport goods from the freighters off Lake Superior. The museum is educational and there is an operational train that you can ride on. It has several cars including a dining car and several different style passenger cars.

The Glensheen Mansion is another museum that is worth seeing in Duluth. It was built by Chester Congdon in 1905. It was way ahead of its time which helped Chester to build his fortune and support his large family. Much of the original furniture and decorations are still in the house, barn, and boat house. There is also a spot down by Lake Superior where you can look out over the lake and watch the ships pass by.

The last museum I would recommend is the Split Rock Lighthouse. It is on the shores of Lake Superior and is open to the public. You can go all the way to the top and see the light fixture.

Other then museums, you can also go hiking. Gooseberry Falls is my favorite state park and it is a great place to hike and see the water fall. In the spring, the falls typically flow faster because of the snow melt. In the fall you can typically walk across more of the rocks and explore more of the falls.

Duluth is an amazing place to explore and I know I've only scratched the surface. Take a trip and see it for yourself.