Do this pending room availability. As you have discovered, booking a room in Duluth or anyplace along the Superior shore can be dicey this late in the game.
Thanks, Kajon and great lakes mom. I will pack lots of peanut butter sandwiches and sodas, which we did when driving to and from Tuscaloosa in undergrad in one day. I really would love to spend a night in a place above Duluth, so we can drive further up, but I am not finding any hotels in the area. Any suggestions would be helpful. Oh, yes, room availability is dicey. I’m making what reservations I can and will try to plan the trip around those dates. It won’t be cheap, but can’t do the rustic cabin thing. Any suggestions on hotels above Two Harbors much appreciated. Told husband we must go at least that far north, as I want to see Split Rock Lighthouse and Gooseberry Falls for sure, though I would love to go as far north as Lutsen if possible.
By the way, how can I order maps of the city of Duluth and maybe the city of Park Rapids and Grand Rapids? I’d also like to get a state map of Minnesota. I went to my Triple A office, and they didn’t have much for this region. Thank you so much for all your help!
Have you looked into bed and breakfast places? I see that there is a lighthouse b & b in Two Harbors that looks fun.
just click on the areas and hopefully something will be available. I didn’t see Bluefin in Tofte on the list or Larsmont in Two Harbors, but I may have just missed them. http://www.northshorevisitor.com/lodging/resorts-hotels-motels/
I’m happy to report back that we finally made our trip! We flew up on Thursday, rested for a day and packed, then headed up to Lake Itasca and the headwaters early Saturday morning. We actually spent a good amount of time by the Headwaters, doing some hiking on the trails, as we brought our binoculars for birdwatching. We drove to Hibbing, where there is finally a hotel, a Hampton Inn! Very nice hotel. Had dinner at Grandma’s, I think it was called. A huge serving of walleye. My goodness, those fish are big! Also got stuffed mushroom appetizer with wild rice with cheese. Yummy! Sunday morning, breakfast at the hotel, then took back roads to Little Marais, driving through the Superior National Forest. Leaves were stunning! Reached the North Shore of Lake Superior. Breathtaking! Stopped at Sugarloaf Cove, a Nature Preserve, where we did some great birdwatching and hiked down to the shore of Lake Superior! Also stopped at some waterfalls and state parks before finally heading to Cove Point Lodge. Stayed in a cottage on the lake at Cove Point, as rooms not available for two straight nights due to peak leaf season. No problem! The cottage was wonderful! Had a deck where we sat out to watch the lunar eclipse. Ate at the lodge’s restaurant. It was good, had scallops, which are always a hit with me. Got up Monday morning and drove all the way up to the Canadian border. Went to the waterfalls at Grand Portage, and other state parks. Ate at My Sister’s Place in Grand Marais. Really enjoyed it. Back to the cottage to star gaze on a beautiful night. Checked out early Tuesday morning and finally saw Split Rock Lighthouse. Didn’t tour the lighthouse, but stopped at a pulloff to get great views of it on the cliff, which is what I wanted to see. Finished the trip with Gooseberry Falls, which was really great. Ate at Culver’s in Two Harbors, and headed back to Minneapolis. Son has class Wednesday through Friday, so we spent those days going to the two Juicy Lucy places, doing laundry, and bringing his car in for maintenance. Final Saturday was spent seeing The Martian, shopping for vintage video games, and vigil mass at his church, the beautiful Lourdes by the River. Sunday spent at the Raptor Center in St. Paul, a highlight of the trip. We love birds, and this was something son was really looking forward to doing. He bought me a book there as a birthday gift. So sweet. Relaxed on Monday, more Culver’s, packing, and spent the night by the airport Monday night, flying out early Tuesday morning. We hated to leave. Son will get his master’s in January, and we are hoping so much he can find a job up there, as we really love it up there.
@Montegut - I am so glad you had such an amazing trip. I grew up in Duluth so Lake Superior and all of her wonders are near and dear to my heart.
I live in the Twin Cities. My next door neighbor is a volunteer at the Raptor Center. A couple years ago, she had a fundraiser and the Raptor Center set up stations in both of our yards. There must have been 15-20 of these gorgeous creatures. I am also lucky to get to go with her when she is releasing a raptor back into the wild - though it is very nerve wracking to listen to them thrashing about in the back of the car. I am fortunate to live on a lake that a pair of eagles call home. I never tire of watching them. I always worry about the ice fisherman when the eagles sit in our trees and keep a watch on the ice holes.
I hope your son finds a job in Minnesota as it really is a great place to live. Thanks for the trip report!
Thanks so much for the trip report!
We drove over to Lake Itasca two weekends ago looking for fall leaves. Maybe next year we will try the rest of your tour route!
I very much would like to go to Duluth for a day or so to watch the boats. My friend from St. Paul said that was a great thing to do. I also would love to see the bridges there.
We are hoping to get down to the Eagle Center, which is south of the Twin Cities. It was recommended that we wait until the spring, as the ice is melting on the Mississippi. They say a hundred eagles come to catch the fish as they’re accessible when the ice melts. They even have a program for the kids where they can catch the fish to feed to the eagles.
As for ice fishing, I would love for us to do that as a family one year. I know, it will be really, really cold, but it is something I would love to do once.
I would also really like to head as far north as I can to see if I can catch the Northern Lights. Always been on my bucket list, and it seems that they do make an appearance sometimes in Minnesota.
Such a beautiful state. Hoping to get back there again.
This is probably the peak week of the year to be in that part of Minnedota. 
We are moving out of state soon, so D2 and I took a long weekend to Duluth and the North Shore in late August as something we wanted to do “one last time” before moving. And love the Raptor Center – D2 was an owl nut as a kid, and had her birthday party there one year.
I have yet to get up there. It sounds so lovely.
This is your week. :). Only a couple of hours drive! Go and watch boats going through the lift bridge.