Midweek Escape: Grand Marais

Our one-tank road trip took my daughter and me from Duluth to Ely and on to Grand Marais, Minnesota. After drying off from our rainy hike to the High Falls of the Baptism River in Tettegouche State Park, we headed north on Highway 61 and stopped at Cut Face Creek, a state wayside park and rest area a few miles south of Grand Marais. Under gray skies we sifted through stones on the beach, looking for thomsonite, a pretty, semi-precious gem found in only a few places in the world. We found several tiny fragments—not a rock hound’s dream but a thrill for us nonetheless.

Grand Marais greeted us with clearing skies and its beautiful, vast Lake Superior. We went straight to the harbor, down to the water, and tried our hand at skipping rocks (always attempted and rarely successful), just as we do each time we visit. Wandering in the harbor area, we visited our favorite haunts, starting with Java Moose’s seasonal outdoor coffee stand, then along the boardwalk to Lake Superior Trading Post (if the gifts and clothing—and on this trip, craft kits—upstairs don’t tempt you, then the candy and outdoor gear downstairs will), and wrapping up with a quick spin through the nearby old-fashioned Ben Franklin.

With the skies still a bit gray, we headed indoors to the Angry Trout Café, where, overlooking Lake Superior, we enjoyed a glass of wine and shared a basket of the day’s fresh fish. We saw on the menu their “one ounce shot of pure maple syrup,” which long ago became the inspiration for our family’s many-year tradition of sipping warm maple syrup after dinner on cool fall nights.

This final night of our trip brought us 14 miles north of Grand Marais to Naniboujou Lodge, which is one of my favorite places to stay anywhere I’ve traveled and has been a family tradition for more than 25 years. Walking into this beautiful and serene lodge, I feel instantly at home in its familiar and timeless setting. I feel enveloped in peace, and, each time I arrive, I take a deep breath of gratitude.

Built in 1928-1929, Naniboujou Lodge is included on the National Register of Historic Places; its gallery of photos on the NRHP site includes the architects’ conception drawing. In 1929, French artist Antonie Goufee painted the vibrantly colored dining room walls and tray ceiling in what is said to be his interpretation of Cree and other Native American symbols and patterns married with Art Deco style. My well-worn copy of the Dining in the Spirit of Naniboujou cookbook describes the  incredible 20-foot high fireplace as “the largest stone fireplace in the state of Minnesota” and states that it was “built by a local Swedish stonemason named Carlson out of 200 tons of native rock.” The rocks Carlson chose are larger versions of the smooth rocks our family likes to find on the Lake Superior beach just behind the lodge.

My daughter and I enjoyed a bit more dinner in the stunning dining room and headed out for a long walk on the beach. Our evening ended with relaxing in the solarium among other lodgers who were chatting, knitting, reading, and working on puzzles—a perfect, quiet way to wind down the day.

Oh, the morning! We woke to the smell of the very best—nothing else even comes close—cinnamon rolls made by Nancy Ramey who, with her husband, Tim, owns Naniboujou Lodge. Each time we visit, we eagerly anticipate the cinnamon rolls, and they never disappoint: plate-sized, soft, fresh, right out of the oven, and dripping in frosting and butter. Heaven.

Leaving this place of respite was tough, yet we packed our bags, said our goodbyes, and headed south, back to Grand Marais for a second visit before heading home. We picked up treats from World’s Best Donuts to bring home and visited Sivertson Gallery. Browsing at Sivertson Gallery is satisfying, but our purchases of earrings and prints from regional artists will be long-term treasures.

We made sure to stop at Upstate MN, a shop we discovered last year. Kristofer, the owner, is a delight: being in his shop and catching a bit of his witty, welcoming, and effervescent self is just plain fun. His shop’s collection of modern and eclectic objects, prints, and ephemera provides a nice balance to the Northwoods aesthetic offered in other shops. As my daughter was deciding which art prints to purchase, Kristofer kindly stopped what he was doing and replaced some items hanging on the wall with the prints she was considering. Seeing the prints on the wall was just what she needed to make her selections of “Ocean” and “Atmosphere” prints from Brainstorm, a New Hampshire print and design studio. The prints are now framed and hanging in her new apartment in Seattle.

Our final stop was Betsy Bowen Studio. A well-known and prolific woodcut printer and artist, Betsy Bowen is also the author of a favorite children’s book, Antler, Bear, Canoe: A Northwoods Alphabet. The original signed prints of the A, B, and C, as well as other Bowen prints, hang on our walls at home. Bowen’s 2019 songbird calendar was on my must-purchase list this trip.

Back into the car we went and headed south toward home. We enjoyed a short final hike at Jay Cooke State Park; walking across its swinging bridge was a great way to wrap up our one-tank road trip through northeastern Minnesota.

There are new places we hope to travel together, but this time, our hearts were focused on returning to the familiar and well-loved. How about you? Are there times when returning to familiar places calls to you more than exploring a new area?