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
- ThuThursday — A Twin Cities send-off: coffee, a brewery, wings across the river
- Day 1Friday — Leave early, brunch at Betty's, paddle Split Rock at 11:45, cliffs into Lutsen
- Day 2Saturday — The full Lutsen day: hike early, gondola midday, Grand Marais at dusk
- Day 3Sunday — Drive home, a quick Duluth coffee, back before noon
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The Night Before
Thursday
A Twin Cities send-off — coffee, a brewery, and wings before the early start
✦
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
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Leave Minneapolis
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
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.
~15 min → Split Rock
Split Rock Sea Kayak
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.
~30 min north → High Falls
Tettegouche — High Falls
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.
~10 min → Palisade Head
Palisade Head
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.
~40 mi → Lutsen
Into the Airbnb
Grill out.
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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
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Oberg Mountain Loop
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.
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
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).
~15 min → Lutsen Mountains
Lutsen Gondola & Lunch
The Summit Express up Moose Mountain, food at the top, and big Lake Superior views.
Alpine Slide
A half-mile sled down Eagle Mountain on a concrete track at the Lutsen base.
~15 min → Cascade River
Cascade River State Park
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.
~25 min → Grand Marais
Grand Marais — Artist's Point
Walk out onto Artist's Point — bare rock and a lighthouse set out on the lake. Light holds until past nine.
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.
Maps ↗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.
Maps ↗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
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Day Three
Sunday
Drive home — a quick Duluth coffee, back before noon
1 Lutsen · 2 Duluth · 3 Minneapolis
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Leave Lutsen
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
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
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 ↗