Duluth TRavel Guide
Duluth and the North Shore
Welcome to the Day Tripper of Duluth visitors guide for Duluth and the North Shore of Minnesota. We are happy to share some tips with you!
From warm and sunny to silly cold, Duluth has a pretty broad range of weather conditions to choose from. Whatever time of year you decide to visit, there is fun to be had! We’ve put together a short visitors guide for Duluth area to help you in trip planning. Enjoy!
Be sure to check out our “things to do” photo gallery as well
Here’s the best weather forecast for the area!
When to visit Duluth?
We get a great deal of questions about the best time of year to visit the area. The best time really does depend on what you are hoping to explore! If you want to head outside and enjoy warm weather activities such as kayaking and biking, June through September are your options. Our favorite summer timeframe is mid July to mid August. The weather is typically the most stable and warm! Of course, this is when the majority of people visit Duluth as well, so expect traffic and crowds!
If you are looking for activities such as xc skiing and snowshoeing, you’ll of course need to visit in the winter months. Sometimes it feels like winter can last the whole year here, but the best snow conditions are generally found in February. The is usually snow on the ground from November/December to March/April, but it can often be less than optimal snow conditions. Of course with the winter, there is cold, but with the cold are less visitors!
Any months we should avoid?
We will be quite honest, yes, there are months to avoid visiting. The “fringe” seasons can be a bit long here, with activity options significantly impaired due to weather conditions. If possible, we’d suggest going elsewhere in late October - Early December and mid March - late May.
What’s there to do in Duluth?
The best of Duluth is outside! As an outdoor adventure company, of course we will say that! We fully encourage everyone to spend as much time outside as possible in any season (even those less than ideal months).
Summer:
Kayak - Take a tour with us in the Duluth area or up the North Shore! The best way to explore the world’s largest Lake.
Bike - There are many, many miles of pretty dang good mountain bike trails between Duluth and Canada. There are trails for all levels of riders. Mountain biking is our top suggestion, but there is also some great gravel/forest road riding as well. There are a few paved bike paths around as well. The road riding up here is not the most ideal, as some of the roads are bumpier than mountain bike trails.
Hike - The majority of the trails in the area are multi use, with some (like the Superior Hiking Trail) designated as foot travel only. Head out into the woods and see what you can find! We do of course, offer hiking tours by request as well.
Canoe - Explore the waterways as the original inhabitants did! Canoeing anywhere in Duluth and north (except on Lake Superior) is most excellent.
Winter:
XC Ski - The best way to explore the winter woods and trails is by cross country ski! Get out there, ski up and down and enjoy the winter wonderland.
Fat Bike - A bit more condition sensitive, but a great option to get out on some trails. COGGS does a great job grooming many of the bike trails in the winter.
Snowshoe - The most accessible option for many people, another great way to explore.
Inside things:
Some days just aren’t quite right for spending the whole day outside. Duluth has some pretty neat museums to explore as well. We suggest checking out the Lake Superior Marine Museum, the William A. Irvin, the Great Lakes Aquarium, and Glensheen.
Bigger Boats:
If you are looking to head our sailing on Lake Superior, check out Schooner Charley and Time Out sailing
Where to Eat?
There are quite a few excellent places to eat around Duluth. Our top suggestions in no particular order are the Duluth Grill, OMC, Sir Ben’s, and the Brewhouse. The all offer some excellent menu choices!
How about drinks?
If you like beer, I bet you know Duluth has quite a collection of breweries. Bent Paddle, Ursa Minor, and Earth Rider are pretty great. If beer isn’t your thing, be sure the check out Vikre Distillery.
I want to see the Northern Lights
The northern lights (Aurora Borealis) definitely can be seen in the Duluth area. However, it is not something you should plan a trip around. There is no particular “time” to see them. They will simply happen when the sun and the atmosphere do their thing!
We often are told that northern lights only happen in the winter. This is not true. They can happen at any time of year. The best we’ve ever seen happen to be in late summer. It’s simply that during the winter, there is more night, thus more time during a 24 hour period to have a chance at seeing them.
We’ve been asked many times to do a tour to see the lights. Being that this is not at all something we can predict, we do not offer such a tour. If you would like to head out during the night with the off chance at seeing the northern lights, we can definitely set something up!
The NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center offers a 30 minute forecast for northern light viewing. This of course does not take into account local cloud cover and other weather.
If you’d like to be included on our visitor’s guide. Please contact us!