Duluth is located in northeastern Minnesota, at the western tip of Lake Superior. Known as an outdoorsy destination, I’ve long wanted to visit for hiking. My 13-year-old daughter was excited about the paddle boarding and alpine slide.
The people of Duluth are genuinely nice and easily make you feel at home. I didn’t realize how hilly of a city Duluth is. In fact, some have called Duluth the San Francisco of the Midwest for its inclined streets and water views. The food was impressive, which is saying a lot seeing how spoiled we are in Chicago. Read on for more reasons to visit Duluth with your family.
Outdoorsy and educational activities
With the world’s farthest inland port accessible to ocean ships, Duluth’s iconic landmark is the Aerial Lift Bridge. Watch the bridge go up and down to accommodate huge cargo ships. If you have a family member big or small that’s into seeing the ships, check the shipping schedule for vessel arrivals.
My daughter and I took a Sunset Paddle Tour with Zenith Adventures. Two enthusiastic guides shepherded us around the harbor by the Blue Bridge, near the William A. Irvin and Sundew ships and the Aerial Lift Bridge. As the sun set, the sky turned the most spectacular orange.
Spirit Mountain’s Adventure Park is open in the summers and not far from downtown. My daughter and I gleefully glided down the alpine slide 11 times between the two of us. Spirit Mountain also offers a seated zipline, jumping pillow like what you find at pumpkin patches, a scenic chairlift, mountain biking, mini golf and disc golf. In the winter, you can ski, snowboard and tube.
Hiking is my jam and there are over 200 miles of trails in Duluth. I was surprised by how close to downtown the Chester Creek Trail is. Hike from Chester Park Playground along the creek for serene nature scenes and sounds. Several families were dipping their feet in the creek and lounging on rocks near waterfalls.
Park Point Beach boasts the longest freshwater sandbar in the world. July and August are the warmest months in Duluth, with high temperatures in the mid-70s, so take advantage of beach time then. My daughter and I visited the Park Point Art Fair at the end of June. This annual event draws artists from across the Midwest and beyond to sell paintings, photography, ceramics, sculpture and more. My daughter’s favorite part was the food. She scooped up some banana bread and homemade caramels.
There are numerous options for lakefront strolling in Duluth. My daughter and I literally stopped to smell the roses at Leif Erickson Park and Rose Garden. The Lakewalk/Canal Park and Enger Park are also great options for fresh air exercise and sightseeing.
William A. Irvin is a historic vessel in Canal Park that you can tour. If you’re into scary stuff, I hear they put on a frighteningly good haunted tour in October. If you’re into all things maritime, the Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center will be of interest to you. It’s free to visit, so pop in as you explore the area. Learn about freshwater ecosystems at the Great Lakes Aquarium, where they have North America’s largest sturgeon touchpool.
The Glensheen Mansion is a historic estate where you can take a self-guided tour. My daughter appreciated the history while I enjoyed the beautiful grounds. Duluth Art Institute is free to visit for visual art inspiration. Buy indigenous foods like wild rice and arts like stationary and jewelry from the Indigenous First Shop, which is focused on advancing Native American artists.
Where to stay
We stayed at Pier B Resort and highly recommend it. Located on Lake Superior with views of the Aerial Lift Bridge, Pier B also boasts an outdoor hot tub, sport courts, fire pits with nightly s’mores, an indoor pool and fitness center. Silos serves breakfast, lunch and dinner in the restaurant, on the outdoor patio or roomside. We enjoyed the crème brulee oatmeal and Minnesota rice with carrots, mushrooms and poached egg.
Food that’s worth traveling for
Duluth is brimming with local restaurants that serve farm-to-table, lake-to-table, and interesting options to please various palates. Duluth Grill is a funky diner that dishes up fresh, local and organic ingredients. When I found out the BiBimBap was featured on Food Network, I had have it. My daughter opted for a smoothie bowl topped with fresh fruit. Sara’s Table Chester Creek is a cozy coffee shop that serves healthy, made-from-scratch dishes. Those looking for gluten-free treats will rejoice over their specialty cupcakes.
My teen and I both got a kick out of the witchy vibe at Ritual Salad. The Pagan owner was very pleasant to talk to and we perused tarot cards and candles as we waited for our salads. My baked potato soup was warm and comforting. You simply can’t visit Duluth without indulging at Love Creamery. This woman-owned artisan ice cream shop serves up dairy and vegan delights that will have you drooling. My daughter and I opted for the ice cream flight of 6 mini scoops including salted chocolate peanut butter, honey lavender, salted caramel crack cookie, mint chocolate chip, lemon bar and s’mores. Ice cream is my daughter’s love language and she said Love Creamery’s is some of the best ever.
I had a fancy riff on fish and chips at Lake Ave Restaurant & Bar. Pizza Luce impressed us with their bakery-made gluten-free crust and specialty pizzas. Elote pizza with Tajin sweet corn, smoked bacon and jalapenos is like a street corn festival in your mouth. If we’re judging by the empty bowl, I’d say my daughter thoroughly enjoyed Pizza Luce’s tangy key lime custard.
We were dying to go to Juice Pharm for their acai bowls. The Big Kahuna Bowl is creamy frozen coconut topped with chia seed pudding, bananas and peanut butter. I had the best airport salad of my life at the tiny Duluth airport. And I’ve eaten a lot of airport salads in the past ten plus years of travel writing. Arrowhead Tap House grilled up fresh, warm chicken for my California Chicken Cobb Salad and sent me on my way with a full, happy belly. Cheers to Duluth!
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