North & Shore
A North Shore Field Guide · Plan B · Friday–Sunday, Early August 2026

Three Days on the Big Lake

Minneapolis to Lake Superior and back — a Twin Cities send-off Thursday, an early Friday start with brunch at Betty's, a midday paddle under Split Rock, and the shore up to Grand Marais.

3 Days, 2 Nights ~240 mi Each Way 5 Paddlers Kayak 11:45 Fri Sunset 8:40 PM
Split Rock Lighthouse on its cliff above Lake Superior
Split Rock Lighthouse — the North Shore, Lake Superior

Three days, the whole of Highway 61, and the biggest freshwater lake on earth out the right-hand window. This is the leave-Friday version: a Twin Cities send-off Thursday night, then an early Friday start with brunch at Betty's and a midday paddle under Split Rock before working up the shore to Lutsen and Grand Marais.

The Route, at a Glance

  1. ThuThursday — A Twin Cities send-off: coffee, a brewery, wings across the river
  2. Day 1Friday — Leave early, brunch at Betty's, paddle Split Rock at 11:45, cliffs into Lutsen
  3. Day 2Saturday — The full Lutsen day: hike early, gondola midday, Grand Marais at dusk
  4. Day 3Sunday — Drive home, a quick Duluth coffee, back before noon
The Night Before

Thursday

A Twin Cities send-off — coffee, a brewery, and wings before the early start

Coffee in Minneapolis

afternoon
Coffee

SK Coffee

Whittier, Minneapolis

Specialty cafe in Whittier.

Maps ↗
Coffee · roaster

Port 2050

St Paul · Midway

Small St Paul roaster, mostly single-origin.

Maps ↗

A Brewery

early evening
Brewery · taproom

Venn Brewing

Standish, Minneapolis

Neighborhood taproom on the south side.

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Brewery · beer hall

Surly Brewing

Prospect Park, Minneapolis

Big beer hall near the U — patio, food, room for a group.

Maps ↗

Wings at Rohan's Haunt

Dinner · St. Paul
The crew out the night before the trip
The crew, the night before.
Day One

Friday

Leave early, brunch at Betty's, paddle Split Rock at midday, then the cliffs into Lutsen
1 Minneapolis · 2 Betty's · 3 Split Rock · 4 Palisade Head · 5 Lutsen Open in Google Maps ↗

Leave Minneapolis

~7:00 AM · Logistics · ~2¾ hrs to Betty's

About 2¾ hours to Two Harbors — a 7 o'clock start lands you at Betty's near opening, before the 11:45 tour.

Grab-and-go on the way out
Coffee & pastry · opens 6:30

FRGMNT Coffee

Minneapolis · on the way to the interstate

Opens at 6:30 — coffee and something to eat on the way out.

Maps ↗
~150 mi → Betty's

Brunch at Betty's Pies

Highlight · ~9:50 AM · opens 9

The North Shore's landmark pie-and-lunch stop, just north of Two Harbors and right on the way up — Betty's Pies opens at 9. Split Rock is only 15 minutes further north.

Inside Betty's Pies A slice at Betty's Pies The Betty's Pies roadside sign
~15 min → Split Rock

Split Rock Sea Kayak

Highlight · 11:45 AM – 1:45 PM · ~$97 / paddler

Day Tripper's two-hour Split Rock tour: paddle out under the lighthouse, across to Gold Rock Point, and toward the Madeira wreck when the water's clear.

Split Rock Lighthouse on the cliff above Lake Superior Sea kayaking beneath the North Shore cliffs on Lake Superior Split Rock Lighthouse from the water Visitors at the Split Rock Lighthouse viewing area
~30 min north → High Falls

Tettegouche — High Falls

Highlight · ~2:35 PM · 1.4 mi · 337 ft · ~1 hr

A short hike from the Baptism River trailhead to High Falls — the tallest waterfall entirely inside Minnesota (~70 ft). Wide, well-kept trail with boardwalks and a suspension bridge above the falls.

High Falls of the Baptism River, Tettegouche High Falls on the Baptism River High Falls and the Baptism River gorge
~10 min → Palisade Head

Palisade Head

Highlight · ~3:35 PM · drive up + ~5-min walk

Now see it from the top. You can drive nearly to the summit of the shore's tallest cliff — a few minutes on foot for the biggest view of the day, straight down the same wall you paddled beneath this morning, with climbers often out on the ropes below.

View from atop Palisade Head Shovel Point cliff over the lake
~40 mi → Lutsen

Into the Airbnb

Fixed · ~4:45 PM · nights 2 & 3

Grill out.

Grilling out at the Lutsen place
Day Two

Saturday

The full Lutsen day — hike early, gondola midday, Grand Marais at dusk
1 Oberg Mtn · 2 Temperance River · 3 Lutsen · 4 Cascade River · 5 Grand Marais Open in Google Maps ↗

Oberg Mountain Loop

Highlight · 7:30 AM · 2.4 mi loop · 508 ft · ~1¼ hr

The best overlooks on the shore for the effort — Lake Superior on one side, Oberg Lake and the Sawtooth Mountains on the other. Go early: cool, empty, and the light is best before mid-morning. Steep and rooty in spots, but short.

Oberg Lake seen from Oberg Mountain in peak fall color Autumn leaves around Oberg Lake Forest view from the Oberg Mountain area On the Oberg Mountain hiking loop
Morning coffee & a pastry
Bakery & coffee

Coho Cafe & Bakery

Tofte · en route to the trailhead

You pass through Tofte on the way to Oberg — the Coho (at Bluefin Bay) does fresh pastries and coffee. Grab it before the hike or on the way back down.

Maps ↗
~10 min → Temperance River

Temperance River — Hidden Falls

Optional · 9:45 AM · 3.0 mi loop · 341 ft · ~1–1½ hr

A gorge hike right along the river — the falls loop is easy and short. Feeling strong? Push the spur up to Carlton Peak for the Lake Superior summit view (about 6.8 mi and 1,050 ft round trip, ~3½ hr all in).

The Temperance River gorge River and rock at Temperance River State Park The Temperance River in autumn Superior Hiking Trail bridge over the Temperance River
~15 min → Lutsen Mountains

Lutsen Gondola & Lunch

Highlight · 12:00 PM

The Summit Express up Moose Mountain, food at the top, and big Lake Superior views.

Summit Express gondolas at Lutsen Mountains View from inside the Summit Express gondola The forested view from the Lutsen gondola

Alpine Slide

Optional · ~1:30 PM · at the ski hill

A half-mile sled down Eagle Mountain on a concrete track at the Lutsen base.

Alpine slide sled on the track above Lake Superior at Lutsen Rider on the Lutsen Mountains alpine slide The Lutsen alpine slide track winding down the hill
~15 min → Cascade River

Cascade River State Park

Optional · 3:30 PM · 0.5 mi loop · 75 ft · ~15 min

Waterfall cascades stacked right off the highway. A short half-mile loop runs both sides of the river just above where it meets Lake Superior.

Cascade River falls tumbling through the forest The Cascade River dropping over its ledges The Cascade River cascades from the trail
~25 min → Grand Marais

Grand Marais — Artist's Point

Highlight · 5:00 PM

Walk out onto Artist's Point — bare rock and a lighthouse set out on the lake. Light holds until past nine.

The bare rock of Artist's Point, Grand Marais Grand Marais harbor at dusk A sailboat off Artist's Point, Grand Marais Grand Marais harbor and the North House waterfront Artist's Point shoreline at Grand Marais
Grand Marais
Brewery · rooftop

Voyageur Brewing

Grand Marais · over the harbor

Rooftop taproom over the harbor — the dinner-and-a-beer move.

Maps ↗
Pizza · local landmark

Sven & Ole's

Downtown Grand Marais

The Up-North pizza institution, in town since the '80s. Usually busy.

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Dinner · on the water

The Angry Trout Cafe

Grand Marais harbor

Right on the harbor — local, seasonal food and tables at the water's edge. The sit-down option if the weather holds.

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Donuts · mornings only

World's Best Donuts

Downtown Grand Marais · cash only

A genuine North Shore landmark since 1969 — but it closes in the early afternoon, so it's a "if you're ever here in the morning" note, not tonight.

Maps ↗
~30 min back to Lutsen
Day Three

Sunday

Drive home — a quick Duluth coffee, back before noon
1 Lutsen · 2 Duluth · 3 Minneapolis Open in Google Maps ↗

Leave Lutsen

Fixed · ~7:00 AM

Pack the night before and get an early start — it's about 4¼ hours to MSP, and the one stop this morning is a quick coffee in Duluth around 9.

~2 hrs → Duluth

Coffee in Duluth

Optional · ~9:00 AM · quick, then straight home

No lunch window on the way back — the Smokehaus doesn't open until 10 and we're rolling through before then. But Underwood is open (8 AM Sundays), right where Highway 61 comes into town from the east.

The coffee you wanted
Coffee · opens 8 AM Sunday

Underwood Coffee

East Duluth · first thing off Hwy 61

A good cup for the last two hours home.

Maps ↗
~2¼ hrs → Minneapolis

Lunch in Minneapolis, then airport

Fixed · ~11:30 AM
The Whole Route

Highway 61, end to end

Minneapolis · Two Harbors · Split Rock · Tettegouche · Palisade Head · Lutsen · Oberg · Temperance · Cascade · Grand Marais
Before You Fly Out

Other Twin Cities coffee

Coffee · roaster

Port 2050

St Paul · Midway

A small Twin Cities roaster, mostly single-origin. Worth a detour for a cup or beans to take home.

Maps ↗
Coffee · several cafes

FRGMNT Coffee

Minneapolis · North Loop / Mill District / St. Anthony Main

Minneapolis roaster with several cafes around downtown and the river — any of them works for a first or last cup.

Maps ↗