Duluth ~ 6 must-try Activities
Duluth is such an underrated city! It’s not as big as Minneapolis or St Paul but it has a lot to offer, particularly due to its location right on Lake Superior. It is a port city of almost 90,000 people,
The city is built on a hill, and you have great views of the lake or the St Louis River from many places. It has amazing access to nature (parks, lake, woods!), great food (the vegan options at Pizza Lucé!), a rich history and many cultural events.
View of the lighthouse from Canal Park.
If you’re visiting the city for the first time and wondering what to do in Duluth, MN, you’re in the right place. Without further ado, here are my 6 must-try activities while visiting Duluth.
1. Run or hike on the Superior Hiking Trail
View of the St Louis river from the Superior Hiking Trail in Spirit Mountain Recreation Area.
Run or Hike on the Superior Hiking Trail
I have been amazed at how many different sections of the trail one can easily have access to right in town, and at how varied they are!
Whether you stay downtown and check out Chester Park or the Hartley Nature Center, or venture on the outskirts of town to see other sections, they’re all beautiful, have easy parking lots to use and some even have great dining options for after your workout, such as Burrito Union near Chester Park.
Pictured here is the section that starts in Spirit Mountain and goes through Snively Creek, on the western part of town.
Read about more sections accessible right in town here.
Try a Flight of Gin
Visiting from Wisconsin, I had heard of flights of beer, and even had a flight of margaritas at a Mexican restaurant once, but I had never had. Flight of gin until I came to Duluth. Well, technically half a flight, as I shared with my husband.
Located in Canal Park, right before the aerial bridge, Vikre Distillery is an award-winning craft distillery that has many options to choose from when composing your flight, with gins made from Cedar, Juniper, Spruce… along with many flavorful additions.
The space is very nice and the staff very friendly.
Learn more here.
Kayak on Lake Superior!
Duluth is located at the westernmost end of Lake Superior, and from the city you can kayak on the lake or on the St Louis River (which we had to do once instead of the Lake, because of weather conditions. It was still great!)
One of my favorite experiences was to kayak on the Lake in March, when the ice was starting to break. I had never done anything like it and it was fantastic!
Seeing the city from a kayak gives you a new perspective on things. We used Day Tripper of Duluth both times we kayaked there, and they were great (guide, material, snacks!). They also have trips outside of town. Check out their website here.
View of town from Canal Park
Explore Canal Park… and Beyond!
This might be the most cliché activity on this list, but it’s worth it! Canal Park is a cool part of town, jutting into the lake from downtown, with cafés, restaurants, and souvenirs shops among hotels and along the lake! There is also a lighthouse!
You have a view of the port from there and can see big ships coming into town or leaving to transport goods across the lake.
It’s a nice place for a walk, and if you cross the cool aerial bridge, there’s a lot more, including a sand beach!
Treat Yourself at Positively 3rd St Bakery
This place is a gem!
It’s not far from Chester Park and only a few blocks from the lake, Positively Third Bakery has delicious vegan treats such as cookies, cookies and more cookies!
I’m just kidding, they have other things too, but the cookies were my favorite. They have breads and bagels and many kinds of pastries.
Check out their full menu and hours here.
Check out events at the University
Some events at the University are open to the public, and you might just find a game, a great play or even a concert to go to during your stay in Duluth.
Check out their calendar of events here.
Have you visited Duluth, and did you love it like I did? If you have other recommendations, let me know below for the next time I visit!