Duluth is home to many things: Tall ships, Grandma's Marathon, the second-largest metropolitan area in Minnesota, and beautiful views of Lake Superior. Like any large city, visiting can be overwhelming. Over the past week, I stayed with family friends in the beautiful seaport city and got the opportunity to do and see many amazing things. If you ever find yourself in Duluth, these 5 places are some must-sees!
1. Duluth Rose Garden
The Duluth Rose Garden, located in Leif Erikson Park, was founded in 1963. It often stays blooming longer than other gardens due to the heat from the highway located below. It is a popular location for weddings, photo shoots, and other formal events. It's a great place to unwind after a long day of sightseeing and walking around Duluth.
2. Enger Tower
If you're looking for one of the most scenic spots in Duluth, the top of Enger Tower should definitely be on your list. The five-story tower looks out over the shore of Lake Superior, and on a clear day, you can see the shoreline of Wisconsin. On the other side of the tower, you can look over the beautiful Enger golf course and park area. The photos you get from climbing to the top of Enger Tower are bound to be some of the best on your entire trip!
3. The Lake Walk
The Lake Walk might be one of the more obvious sights to see in Duluth, but at over 3 miles long, it's one the best ways to get up close and personal with part of Lake Superior. Along the Lake Walk are multitudes of restaurants, shops, parks, and beaches for everyone to explore. It's easy to take up an entire afternoon to take a stroll around the lake walk and then end the night with a tasty dinner downtown.
4. Boat Tours
The only thing better than looking at Lake Superior? Actually being out in it! One of the most popular boat tours around the lakefront is Vista Fleet Cruises. The cruises take you out underneath the lift bridge and onto Lake Superior. The cruise is full of information about the history of incoming boats to the harbor and Lake Superior in general. It's also another great photography opportunity! There are two lengths of tours: 45 minutes and 75 minutes, so it's easy to pick one that fits your itinerary.
5. Vikre Distillery
This was definitely one of the more spontaneous things we did on our trip! Vikre Distillery offers free tours every day at 5:30 p.m. with the option of bringing their homemade cocktails (I highly recommend The Lady in the Bottle!) along for the ride. They specialize in vodka, whiskey, gin, and aquavit. Vikre uses water right from Lake Superior, and everything is made from scratch, including all their syrups and bitters. If you're looking for a unique gift to take back, this might just be the place to get it!
All photos taken by Jillian Hoppe © 2016
