An industrial city full of 19th-century warehouses and railroad tracks has been blossoming over the past decade into the Midwest’s outdoor capital. Duluth, Minnesota, shares one border with a national forest spanning 3 million acres and another with the largest freshwater lake on earth. That—in addition to the surrounding eight state parks, 100 miles of mountain biking trails, and a vast paddling network—makes the rugged, brick port on Lake Superior’s shore an appealing base camp for adventure.
“Duluth is experiencing explosive growth in outdoor recreation,” says Ann Glumac, the executive director at Spirit Mountain Recreation Area. That includes “vertical” growth (meaning traditional outdoor activities like hiking and skiing) and “horizontal” growth (referring to more niche activities, from sea kayaking to winter surfing). After bike sales and trailhead usage increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, Duluth invested $36 million into trails and outdoor recreation facilities and converted thousands of acres into public land.
The city has plenty of ways to relax and recover as well, with cozy lakeside accommodations, patio dining, and enough craft brews to blow a beer geek’s socks off. Glumac calls it a “two-fer,” affording both outdoor access and urban comforts. Here’s what Duluth has to offer.
Best outdoor adventures in and around Duluth
Most bike-friendly routes around the city feed into the Duluth Traverse, a main artery of urban singletrack.
Courtesy of Higher Base Media
Within the city’s 11,000 undeveloped acres, more than 200 miles of hiking trails are spread across 10 urban parks. Hansi Johnson of the Duluth Area Outdoor Alliance especially recommends the Superior Hiking Trail, a 310-mile route that stretches from Wisconsin through Minnesota to Canada.
Duluth is a burgeoning hub for mountain biking, attracting cyclists from all over to the 42-mile Duluth Traverse. This main artery of the city is set to expand more than 100 miles, which will make it the longest trail in an urban environment. You can also hop on at Spirit Mountain to ride down lift-served gravity trails suitable for mountain-biking beginners.
Of course, don’t visit Duluth without getting on the water, either in a sea kayak made to handle the lake’s notorious ocean-like waves or in a regular canoe or kayak on the gentler waters in the sheltered St. Louis River Estuary. Day Tripper of Duluth provides a range of kayak and canoe tours throughout the region.
If you’re feeling hardcore, bundle up in neoprene and try to surf a wave in the winter, when Lake Superior offers the best swells. Just prepare to dodge ice chunks as you paddle out and have frozen eyelashes.
Drive up the North Shore on a day trip
Adventure stretches beyond the city limits, since the North Shore abounds with 200 miles of mountain-biking trails for all levels. There are also oodles of creeks and rivers flowing from the Sawtooth Mountains, which create spectacular waterfalls that attract beginner hikers and whitewater kayakers alike.
Drive the North Shore Scenic Drive, spanning 154 miles from Duluth to Grand Portage on the Canadian border. Pull over for lakeside lookouts, whimsical villages, a picnic on Black Beach in Silver Bay, or the 19th-century Split Rock Lighthouse.
Other things to do in Duluth
Watch outdoor concerts from the water at the Glensheen Mansion pier.
Courtesy of Visit Duluth
Throughout the year, hundreds of thousands watch the Aerial Lift Bridge (listed on the National Register of Historic Places) rise and fall to let colossal freighters through. Visitors can also beach-hop on Lake Superior along Park Point (the world’s longest freshwater sandbar) or the strollable, eight-mile Lakewalk hugging the shore. At Cedar and Stone, you can cold-plunge in the lake between sessions in the wood-fired sauna.
Come evening, catch a watercolor sunset from the top of Enger Tower, standing on a 450-foot bluff in Duluth’s West End neighborhood. Or see who’s playing on the pier at Glensheen Mansion, which hosts free concerts on Wednesdays in the summer. Better yet, bring your own inflatable and enjoy the show from the water.
Best bars and restaurants in Duluth
Dovetail Cafe & Market is a cozy coffee stop that is also a marketplace and the gathering space for the Duluth Folk School, a nonprofit that builds community through crafting. For a heartier breakfast or lunch, Duluth Grill cooks creative takes on classic diner dishes, such as red fennel hash and a fried-rice omelet.
Summers in Duluth call for patio dinners at Lake Avenue Restaurant and Bar, whose menu is filled with vegetable-forward dishes plated with house-made pickles and kimchi, or Fitger’s Brewhouse, a leader in the citywide craft beer revival. Other obligatory stops for beer (and cider) enthusiasts include Ursa Minor Brewing, Bent Paddle Brewing Co., and Duluth Cider.
Best hotels in Duluth
Stay at Fitger’s Inn and grab a beer at Fitger’s Brewhouse.
Courtesy of Visit Duluth
Many rooms at Pier B Resort Hotel come with a view of the Aerial Lift Bridge and harbor. Perks include the outdoor hot tub and on-site tavern, which serves cocktails and wood-fired dishes right on the water.
Housed in the same brick complex as the eponymous brewhouse, Fitger’s Inn is set in a prime downtown location along the Lakewalk. Rooms stay true to the building’s historic roots with old-world decor, vaulted ceilings, and fireplaces.
