Minnesota’s North Shore Adventure Guide

Family Adventure Travel Guide

If you enjoy traveling, but hate the stress and time it takes to plan a trip then you’re going to love the Tales of a Mountain Mama Family Adventure Travel Guides! These handy guides are written by mamas like you to help you prepare for your family’s next adventure.


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Each guide is curated by our Tales of a Mountain Mama team members who know the destination like the back of their hand. This means that they are bursting with detailed, reliable information to take the headache out of planning your trip and to ensure that you’re in the know about all the must-see attractions.

What’s Included in the Minnesota’s North Shore Adventure Guide?

This travel guide compiles all the information you need to know is in one place, saving you hours of internet searches and fretting over where to stay, the best time to go, what to pack, and more!

In this guide you’ll find:

  • Things to know before you go
  • Year-round packing lists
  • Budget friendly tips
  • How to get there
  • Where to stay
  • Family friendly activities
  • Outdoor attractions
  • Hiking recommendations
  • Playground recommendations
  • Biking recommendations
  • A 3-Day itinerary suggestion

A Complete Family Adventure Travel Guide for Minnesota’s North Shore

Our family has lived in Minnesota since 2017, mostly in St. Paul. Whenever we plan our vacations our hearts turn north. We can’t get enough of Lake Superiors gorgeous coastline, the North Shore’s hiking trails, state parks, and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. From Duluth to Grand Marais and on up the Gunflint Trail there is so much to enjoy and discover. The North Shore is fascinating in all seasons, with activities from swimming to skiing and easy access to destinations courtesy of Hwy 61 as it follows along the shoreline.

Whether your kids are young or older there are adventures aplenty. Multiple day Boundary Waters trips or backpacking the Superior Hiking Trail are amazing experiences for older kids. If you have littles then a day paddle from Hungry Jack Lake to Duncan Lake or playing on the Black Sand beach in Silver Bay is perfect.

Numerous resorts, cabins, campgrounds, and restaurants cater to tourists of all stripes so if you’re not down for setting up your own sleeping gear then opt for a roof over your head. Make time to eat at a couple of local restaurants and enjoy some Minnesota Nice hospitality. I hope you’re able to make it to the North Shore this year!

Benefits of Traveling with Kids

Traveling with children can seem a bit intimidating, especially when they are young. But, often little ones adapt to these experiences much more easily than we anticipate. Additionally, these adventures in unique settings have numerous benefits for kids and can actually be quite beneficial for their development.

Exploring New Places is A Great Opportunity for Hands on Learning

It’s one thing to read about a far away destination or hear about it in school, but visiting it in real life lends many hands on learning opportunities. Visiting different tourist attractions, natural landscapes, and historical landmarks can also spark new passions and interests that children can continue to pursue even after returning home.

Traveling Promotes Resiliency & Family Bonds

Being away from home shakes up the usual routine and gets us out of our comfort zone. Navigating the uncertainty of these new situations helps kids build confidence. Embarking on the adventure together and spending time traveling together helps promote family bonding.

Preparing for Your Trip to Minnesota’s North Shore

Don’t fret about what to pack, where to stay, the best time of year to go, or how to get there. The Minnesota’s North Shore Adventure Guide can take the guesswork out of planning your trip. Let us help you enjoy the best attractions and make the most of your stay. You will love discovering all that the North Shore has to offer!

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Jennifer Levin

Jen Levin, mama of six, lives in St Paul Minnesota. Raised in the north woods of Michigan at a year round camp, she had a wild and free childhood. Jen and her husband ran an outdoor adventure program for college age participants for 7 years in Arkansas. They enjoyed helping others experience nature through canoeing, climbing, backpacking, and caving in the Ozark National Forest. Now Jen is figuring out how to nurture outdoor kids in an urban location. She’ll drive the extra miles for a clean lake and is happiest on, in, or near the water. Her family loves camping, swimming, canoeing, backpacking, and harvesting maple syrup at their family farm.

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