Drive up Highway 61 and you’ll find yourself in the charming small town of Grand Marais Minnesota. But not without seeing plenty of interesting things along the way including countless resorts, restaurants, and state parks.
A trip to Grand Marais is almost never complete without a stop into town whether it’s because you’ve never been there or to see old favorite. It’s a great spot to enjoy the lake as well as fun food spots. We love World’s Best Donuts, The Blue Water Café, and the Lake Superior Trading Post, but there are other local favorites!
Then there’s the best free activity in Grand Marais, rock skipping! Obviously hiking’s pretty cheap unless you don’t have hiking shoes. Rock skipping is fun for all ages and it can be fun to find unique ones along the shore, plus you can enjoy the lake from close up and you can even enjoy the town while you’re at it!
Some great resorts close to town include Bluefin Bay, Cascade Lodge and Anderson’s North Shore Resort. We love the restaurant at Cascade if you’re still on the drive during a meal hour; and Bluefin has wonderful lodging directly on the shore.
If you’re a new or novice hiker, or you like shorter hikes, we recommend hiking up the Cascade river, Sweetheart’s Bluff (which even has some picnic tables), Artist Point for those who love lighthouses, and Kadunce River. At Kadunce you can even hike up through the river if you’re wearing hiking sandals.
