Up North Nostalgia: A Superior Father-Daughter Road Trip Itinerary

As the weather slowly warms up, I can’t help but remember the trip my dad and I embarked on before I moved in to college.

 

It was the best one he and I’d ever had together up north, and as part of his birthday present this year, I decided to look back on our little summer adventure and write an easy-to-follow itinerary.

 

This one’s for you, Old Man!

Sunday

Our trip up north began with a long drive in the car—we passed the time by listening to tons of classic rock music. 

We crossed the swinging bridge at Jay Cooke State Park in Carlton and had a picnic lunch overlooking the raging river.

To satisfy our sweet tooth, we then stopped at Betty’s Pies in Two Harbors and ate a piece of apple pie at Split Rock Lighthouse Beach. Don’t be fooled, though, the beach was mostly made of large pebbles and rocks rather than sand!

After settling into our resort at Cove Point Lodge, we took a selfie together (Dad’s idea) in the oversized Adirondack chair and then turned in for the night.

 

Monday

We started our second day by checking out the cool boats at the Silver Bay Safe Harbor Public Marina.

Moving on to the closeby Black Beach, we took in the view and listened to the water from above the cliff.

The tall rocky cliffs at Beaver Bay’s Palisade Head definitely challenged my fear of heights. We also saw a couple rock climbers making their way up, but we felt more comfortable sitting and watching.

We then explored the neighboring Tettegouche State Park.

After making a quick pit-stop at Schroeder Baking Company for sandwiches, we sat at a picnic table for lunch at Temperance River State Park. I befriended a seagull while walking on the rocks near the shore and found a root beer-colored river behind the calm beach.

We drove to downtown Grand Marais and strolled through the cute shops along both sides of the streets. We then completed the long trek to the end of the Grand Marais Pier and watched the area bustling with energy.

Back on shore, we munched on a chocolate donut from World’s Best Donuts and finished up shopping.

Another quick drive and we were in Lutsen where we hitched a gondola sky ride up Moose Mountain. The carriage creaked a little more than my nerves appreciated; however, the bluffs were amazing to look at. We took in the view from the top of the mountain and finally headed back to the resort after a very long day of adventuring.

 

Tuesday

We began our day bright and early to catch the sunrise at the edge of Lake Superior. This is a tradition my dad and I have on our trips up north. I then took my time snapping a few artsy pics of the resort’s backyard in the morning light before breakfast.

After enduring a heck of a long drive up to Ely—rock music was played, of course—I introduced Dad to the dish chicken and waffles at Insula Restaurant. I’m glad we ordered it because it was absolutely delish!

With our bellies full, we headed over to the North American Bear Center and got acquainted with four bears: Tasha, Holly, Ted and Lucky. We also got the chance to see them be fed peanuts.

We spent a couple hours looking at the indoor exhibit and watching a cute documentary in the theater. Naturally, Dad insisted on taking a selfie with one of the bears through the glass before leaving.

 

Wednesday

Thankfully, I got to sleep in today, and following a hearty breakfast, Dad and I walked through the Split Rock River Underpass to the beach on the other side.

We then hiked among the windy paths of Gooseberry Falls State Park and enjoyed the sounds of the upper and lower waterfalls.

Soon after, we stopped by the neighboring Split Rock Lighthouse State Park and climbed to the top of the lighthouse. We also took our time walking down the steep boardwalk steps to the beach to get a better look at the Lake Superior attraction.

For lunch, we ate at our favorite local restaurant called Lemon Wolf Cafe, where only one but talented chef does all the cooking for the five days a week it’s open.

We relaxed for the rest of the night and decided to have dessert at the resort’s inclusive dining hall to celebrate a successful trip up north. The best part—aside from it being a chocolatey-goodness Godsend—was its lavish appearance.

 

Thursday

We woke up to a light rain and chilly breeze on the water, and we headed back on the road to home.

Fortunately, I was able to get a couple cool pics at the quiet Moose Lake State Park where we took a quick pit-stop before it began to downpour.

Thank you for being the best hiking buddy, storyteller and father I could’ve ever asked for. Love you and happy birthday, Dad!

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