Traveling to Lake Superior
Summer is nearly here and it may seem as though everyone you know has a vacation planned but you. The thought of traveling in the warmest months of the year keeps many people from traveling, but don’t let it get in the way of a great vacation! If you plan your vacation around Lake Superior, you can have all the fun of a beautiful vacation without all of the heat.
Lake Superior is shared between Canada and the United States and is bordered by Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. The largest lake in the U.S., Lake Superior boasts almost 2,800 miles of shore line, and several port cities. My personal favorite is Duluth, MN – which can be found at the very end of North Interstate 35.
There are so many opportunities for travelers seeking a relaxing, scenic, and less crowded vacation destination in the Duluth, MN area. For those who enjoy visiting museums, Duluth offers the Duluth Children’s Museum, Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum, the Lake Superior Maritime Museum, the Lake Superior Railroad Museum, the Tweed Museum of Art, and the William A. Irvin, S.S., which is a museum housed in an actual vintage ore boat on the waterfront – this last one is a special treat!! Duluth is also home to the Great Lakes Aquarium, which offers a breathtaking view of the aquatic life that calls Lake Superior its home.
People looking for a vacation filled with activities will enjoy fishing, hiking, and biking along the North Shore of Lake Superior. Hardcore hikers will drool over the Superior Hiking Trail. This trail is a 205 mile footpath that follows the rocky ridgeline above Lake Superior in northeastern Minnesota. It begins North of Two Harbors, MN, and ends near the Canadian border. The Superior Hiking Trail has 30 trailheads and 81 backcountry campsites, making it ideal for both day hikes and backpacking. There are no fees, reservations or permits required to hike or backpack on the trail (this information courtesy of http://www.canoecountry.com/superiorhikingtrail/).
Camping, canoeing, kayaking, hiking, fishing, and wildlife watching are all things that you can do in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, which lies just to the West of Lake Superior, and offers over one million acres of Superior National Forest land and waterways. If sail boats are more your style, you’ll want to stick with Lake Superior – many Duluth Inns offer both fishing and sailing charter packages to guests.
Fish lovers can look forward to several types of Trout, Bass, Whitefish, Perch and Salmon, as well as Sturgeon, Northern Pike, Ruffe, Sea Lamprey and Walleye – all of which live in Lake Superior. Odds are good that you’ll catch something tasty, if you try. If you’d rather see the fish in their natural habitat, you can opt to scuba dive in Lake Superior, which offers up shallow water, historic wood and metal shipwrecks, spawning trout, glacial ridges, artifacts from the early shipping days, and sea caves for your exploration.
I feel as though I could go on and on (as if I haven’t already) about Lake Superior and all that it has to offer the vacationer in us all, but I’d rather you experience this amazing place for yourself – so pack your bags and your camera, and enjoy!
