Midweek Escape: Duluth

A midweek escape feels more like a great escape when you can leave your routine, avoid weekend crowds, and feel less pressured to have things all figured out in advance. This one-tank road trip with my daughter includes three favorite northern Minnesota stops: Duluth, Ely, and Grand Marais.

First stop: Duluth. Coming into Duluth and seeing Lake Superior in the distance always makes me smile. I take a deep breath and start to relax, knowing I’m entering a familiar yet evolving place anchored on the edge of the world’s largest fresh water lake. My many visits to Duluth have led to a collection of favorites. Yet on each visit, even a brief one, I find something new or unexpected .

A couple of years ago, I was introduced to the Duluth Grill by a friend. I had to force myself to take the exit (away from the lake of all things!) to check out a place that looked like (and was) a former family-style chain restaurant. Yet that first visit had me hooked. The food is fresh, and some of the vegetables and herbs are picked right from the quirky gardens in the back parking lot. I always (and I do mean always) have the blueberry pie. Featured on the Food Network’s website and on “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives,” the Duluth Grill is not to be missed. Next time I’ll try to sneak in another visit to their sister restaurant, OMC Smokehouse, for its incredible food and beer selection.

Canal Park on the shore of Lake Superior is a collection of shops, restaurants, and happy wanderers. Among my stops is always Siiviis of Sivertson Gallery, which hosts “the work of over 60 regional artists in addition to Canadian Inuit and Alaskan native art, Canadian First nation, and Native American art.” Over the years I’ve purchased original pieces and limited prints that grace the walls at home plus jewelry, calendars, and greeting cards, including favorites from Betsy Bowen and Aaron Kloss. Works by two other favorite regional artists, Marian Landsky and Rick Allen, are found at Siiviis as well as at their Kenspeckle Letterpress shop.

Letterpress is one of my favorite art mediums, and a visit to Kenspeckle Letterpress shop on the second floor of the Historic DeWitt-Seitz Marketplace is a must. I am especially fond of Rick Allen’s “The Trapper’s Daughter” series and Marian Landsky’s mandalas. Marian describes her giclée mandala print “Grounding” as “earthy, solid and rhythmic, with a lovely flower-like center. Settles you right down.” This print holds the top spot on my wish list.

Also located within the DeWitt-Seitz Marketplace is the Art Dock, another favorite stop featuring local and regional artists. I have a a custom glass box made by Pam Smith and a collection of glass snowflakes crafted by Fred Johnson that hang in my windows year-round.

A new stop this visit was to Lake Superior Art Glass, a torch-work glass studio featuring work by more that 60 artists and also offering classes and live demonstrations. The staff were knowledgeable and engaging. Although the shop is filled with the delicate and breakable, we were encouraged to handle and look from all angles at the intricate marbles created by the shop’s owner, Dan Neff.

The iconic Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge is the city’s most notable landmark. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the bridge spans the Duluth ship canal, connecting the City of Duluth with the Park Point neighborhood. Across the bridge from Canal Park is the world’s longest (seven miles!) freshwater sandbar, perfect for beach wanderers. Adjacent to the bridge on the Canal Park side is the Lake Superior Marine Museum Visitor Center, a great stop for anyone curious about local maritime history. From there begins the 7.5 mile Duluth Lake Walk. This paved trail follows the shore of Lake Superior, passing through several parks along the way.

Within view of the lift bridge is Vikre Distillery. On the advice of a friend and with only a quick stop in mind (mostly a scouting mission for a future visit), we ended up having a relaxing pause in our day with a “Bramble on” cocktail. Described as “fruity and laid back” and made with Vikre’s Hay and Sunshine Whiskey, blackberry rhubarb syrup, lemon and mint, it was simply wonderful.

Refreshed after our visit to Vikre Distillery, we wandered a bit more before heading further north along the shore. No matter how many times I’ve been to Duluth, I leave knowing I will return to this place of old favorites, new discoveries, and one big lake.

Do you have a place you keep returning to? We’d love to hear.