We are planning our major trip for next summer - probably in early September. We've never traveled in Wisconin or Minnesota and have no idea of important or interesting sites to see. We hate to visit an area, return home and discover we've missed something of real interest. We like historical sites and architectural places of interest. We'll continue reading and planning about both areas but if you've found something that you wish to pass on, please let us know. We plan to see the Walker in Minneapolis, the Milwaukee Art Museum, the Wisconsin Dells, Door County and......Thanks for your efforts. ______________________________ 2007 Airstream International SS OB 2004 Nissan Armada Equalizer hitch Prodigy brake controls "It's better to keep your mouth shut and thought a fool Than to open it and remove all doubt."
I spent 45 days in MN, WI, and MI last summer. It wasn’t enough time to do it all. In no particular order, are some of the things we did: We spend a few days in Two Harbors at a nice mom and pop CG called Penmaralter From there we commuted in the toad north to light houses along the shore and then south to Duluth on the south side of Two Harbors. Do not miss Betty’s Pies Restaurant in Two Harbors! The Canal Park and tourist district in Duluth has much to do. The drive up the North Shore of Lake Superior is fantastic. Grand Marquis, MN and Tower, MN are worth visiting. At Ely there is a great wolf preserve with live wolves on the place. West of there is a preserve for bears. This is an old timber camp. They take you out to an area where the bears are fed. Also Ely is in the area of the boundary waters. If you are into canoeing this is a great place. Bemidji the Mississippi River begins at Lake Itasca. You can actually wade across the Mississippi. North of Bemidji is something called "The Great Bog". It is the only place like it in the country. The Mall of America in Minneapolis is well worth the visit. Hinkley, MN has a Great Fire museum in an old railroad depot that is very interesting. Wisconsin Dells and a duck boat ride is fun. Recommend a boat ride thru the Soo Locks in Sault Ste Marie, MI Some are nicer than the others, but casino campgrounds are the best deal for the money. You have plenty of time to email the tourism departments for each state and get printed material.
We are planning on doing the Great River Road next spring. Up one side of the Mississippi River and then down the other. Goes all the way up thru WI and MN to the headwaters. We hope to follow the cold weather up and we will start the trip in the spring. We were going to do it in the fall, but canclled due to gas prices and economy. We will be posting our resilts and you are welcome to check out our results.
Pilgrim, I think RLM's last sentence is the most important - request info packages from the two state's tourism boards. You will get more complete information than you can from myself or any of the folks on this forum. I've been to all the places RLM mentioned. I have especially enjoyed the North Shore drive from Duluth to the Canadian border several times. One question I have for you is "how long will your trip be?". The main reason for this question is that, if you plan to be in the northern areas of those states in mid or late October, many parks may be closed or have limited facilities. While this is a great area to be in late September for the fall foilage, naked trees and cold weather (I've been snowed on at the Dells in late September - and the Dells are not that far north) pretty much spell the end of the camping season up there. I would suggest that you research parks in the areas you want to stay as to their season closing dates. Also, you may want check to make certain some attractions (the Dells boats, for example) are still operating this late in the season. In general, almost anywhere you travel in these states outside the larger towns and cities, you will be going through areas of rich farmland, numerous lakes and rivers, expansive forests, rolling terrain - if you like that kind of thing. The problem with advising folks on what to see or do and where to go or stay is the diversity of preferences of the people in this forum. A few years ago I was talking to a fellow who has been full-timing for years and asking if he has seen things like the Grand Canyon, Mt. Rushmore, Washington, D.C., etc. He replied that he didn't care about that stuff. While I appreciate the idea of "to each his own", I was, nevertheless, dumbfounded. So, while I may get a kick out of wading across the source of the Mississippi River, others may be in nirvana spending hours in the Mall of America. Back to the topic, do your research and enjoy MN an WI next fall.
All the information was very good. We also enjoyed our walk across the Mississippi Rivera at Lake Itasca. We liked our time spend in the Mall of America as well. We found everyplace we went to be great. Only down side is cold weather sets in fast in fall months. You could spend three to four months and not see everything. Enjoy your time on the trip.
We are from Bemidji, MN and have camped along the North Shore numerous times. We have always camped at Lamb's Resort in Schroeder, MN. You can find their website online, but I don't think you can make reservations online. They are right on the shore of Lake Superior and on a clear day you can see the barges in the distance. We have tent camped there and most recently this year with a popup. There is so much to do along the north shore you won't have enough time for it all. I would also recommend the Boundary Waters also if you like canoeing.
On an earlier thread someone asked about MN & WI, I made a few suggestions, some of which were mentioned above. One of our favorites, is the drive along Highway 61 from Hastings, MN to the Iowa line. So many places to see along the Mississippi River, and small towns of Minnesota. Along the WI side, there is great scenery, but places for food and supplies are pretty limited. Drive east from Duluth thru Superior, WI along Highway 2 (I think) to Ashland WI, then turn north to the Apostle Islands. That area is great!!!!, The shores of the Great Lakes are so very diverse--truly amazing. The Great Bog that was mentioned above, is very close to where we have a small rustic cabin. The "Bog Walk" recently opened and is a stroll back thru time! The Big Bog State Park is in 2 sections, the campgrounds (which are great and on the Tamarack River) and the Bog Walk. Best time to visit--early spring or fall after the first frost (bugs are awful otherwise). September is a beautiful in MN--weather can be cool, but most days are sunny and mild. Southwestern MN has many small towns with heritage festivals just about all summer. Make sure you stop in Pipestone and visit the Native American Center--and the Hiawatha Pageant. Have Fun--but you won't see everything. We have lived here for years and still haven't enjoyed it all!
Many THANKS to those that responded. We have sent for and have received LOTS of info from both MN. and WI. tourism associations. It's still arriving. We have also purchased info books that identify those MUST SEE places of interest. Usually, we don't get that excited about the places mentioned in books - too often, too many people. We like to visit those places recommended by other RVers. I agree, what may be of interest to you will not be of interest to me - but if enough folks mention things, we'll sort through them and pick out those that sound interesting to us. We do like architectural interesting things, museums of all sorts but especially art and historical stuff. We live in southeastern Ohio - on a forested hill overlooking three lakes so we see beauty all the time. On my way to get the mail yesterday, I saw thirteen "rodents with antlers" (deer) so wildlife surrounds us - too often sometimes. We've been to Minneapolis and will be there again - and we'll probably skip the "Mall", again. Thank you for your contributions. We'll continue doing our homework and reading everything we can about others trips to these areas. We really are seasoned travellers and will see much while in these areas. One of our great fears is to visit an area and miss something that others have found of great interest. That's why we ask the question. Again, Thank you. pilgrim
Pilgrim, With all you have already recieved from MN and WI, you probably know that each state has a tourist website (Exploreminnesota.com and tourismwisconsin.com). I just thougth I'd mention them since they may be easier to work with than all sorts of books and pamphlets. Each site has links to your areas of interest (architecture, art, museums, historical places). I don't know how refined your interest in these areas is, but I hope MN and WI are not too provincial for you. For example, the only truly renown piece of archtecture in either state is Frank LLoyd Wright's Taliesin. In addition, you won't find historical sites with the importance of a Gettysburg or the Fredom Trail in Boston. Many of these places can be interesting and/or entertaining, just not the kind of places 90% of American have ever heard of. Again, enjoy the trip.
Quick correction: The correct website I meant to show for WI is "travelwisconsin.com". The "tourismwisconsin" website I show in my previous post is not nearly as extensive.
We like to ride our bikes and the Root River Rail to Trail in Minnesota was perfect for us. It meandered through the countryside w/great views. On our way from Kentucky we drove up the Mississippi River through Iowa, stopping in the quaint little river towns. We camped in Lanesboro, Minnesota at Eagle Cliff Campground. Eagle Cliff is a very nice campground w/access to the bike trail. We were there on the 4th of July and they have a spectacular fireworks show each year. A local man owns a professional fireworks company and does the show every year. We were impressed. It was a great road trip.
Wisconsin: plan a visit to Door County! Gorgeous natural beauty and wonderful Lake Michigan vistas. Wisconsin Dells is ok but very 'touristy'. Door Co. is at the far eastern edge of the state and may be out of your way, but you haven't really seen WI unless you go there. Great River Bluffs State Park in MN would make a great stop for hiking, birding, picnics, etc. The park's campground isn't especially "RV-friendly" so you'd probably want to stay overnight elsewhere. Hope you have a great trip! QUOTE(pilgrim @ Dec 25 2008, 02:35 PM) [snapback]14614[/snapback] Many THANKS to those that responded. We have sent for and have received LOTS of info from both MN. and WI. tourism associations. It's still arriving. We have also purchased info books that identify those MUST SEE places of interest. Usually, we don't get that excited about the places mentioned in books - too often, too many people. We like to visit those places recommended by other RVers. I agree, what may be of interest to you will not be of interest to me - but if enough folks mention things, we'll sort through them and pick out those that sound interesting to us. We do like architectural interesting things, museums of all sorts but especially art and historical stuff. We live in southeastern Ohio - on a forested hill overlooking three lakes so we see beauty all the time. On my way to get the mail yesterday, I saw thirteen "rodents with antlers" (deer) so wildlife surrounds us - too often sometimes. We've been to Minneapolis and will be there again - and we'll probably skip the "Mall", again. Thank you for your contributions. We'll continue doing our homework and reading everything we can about others trips to these areas. We really are seasoned travellers and will see much while in these areas. One of our great fears is to visit an area and miss something that others have found of great interest. That's why we ask the question. Again, Thank you. pilgrim
Hi--We live in WI and have RV'd most of the state. Lake Geneva is a beautiful and famous area in the southern area and there are public and private resources for RV'ers. There is a historical society site in Eagle (southern area) called Old World WI that is outstanding and is beautiful beyond words in the Fall. Madison is the capital city and UW's main campus site and is a good place to experience a football Sat. even if you don't have tickets. The band marches up and down the streets and there is tailgaiting and fun abounds. Baraboo north of Madison is in the hills and has fall scenery that rivals anywhere. The International Crane Foundation is located north of Baraboo. They are famous for re-establishing the whooping crane migrating flock and is a pretty and fascinating place to visit. The western edge of WI of course borders the Mississippi River and the river road has many historical sites and state parks (Wyalusing comes to mind) and the migratory bird watching is pretty great. There is a fall arts and crafts festival in Warrens called the Cranberry Festival but be aware that camping resources are stretched due to the crowds. There's also a great fall festival in Bayfield (far north on Lake Superior) that we always try to attend. There's lots of camping resources for that festival. The Chewamegon National Forest near Hayward and Cable has great fishing, is beautiful and there's arts and crafts, the fishing museum in Hayward and the general Up North experience that is part of the state's personality. We love our state and hope you enjoy your travels--there is truly something for everyone, but if you are nature minded, love the outdoors and history these might be a few of your better sites.
