A Lake Superior port city with a population of 86,110, home to General Mills headquarters and the largest university in Minnesota. Great Lakes shipping hub and winter sports base.
Duluth, Minnesota sits at the western tip of Lake Superior where the St. Louis River flows into the lake. Watch massive freighters pass beneath the Aerial Lift Bridge, walk through Canal Park's converted warehouse district, or follow trails along rocky cliffs on the Superior Hiking Trail. The Great Lakes Aquarium displays fish and animals from local rivers and lakes, and the paved Lakewalk connects waterfront parks. The city grew through fur trading and shipping, with its industrial past visible alongside forests, waterways, and a busy port that moves cargo year-round.
Key Places to Visit
Begin at the Aerial Lift Bridge, which lifts its 900-ton roadway to let ships pass into the harbor. Nearby Canal Park contains restaurants, breweries, and stores in old warehouse buildings. Walk three miles along the Lakewalk from Canal Park to Leif Erikson Park, stopping at the rose garden with its 3,000 flowers. The Great Lakes Aquarium in Canal Park includes river otters, sturgeon tanks, and a recreation of Amazon rainforest flooding. At the Lake Superior Railroad Museum inside the 1892 Union Depot, you can climb into historic steam engines.
Things to Do Outdoors in Every Season
Lake Superior shapes most outdoor activities here. Paddle kayaks near volcanic rock formations along the North Shore or join fishing trips targeting lake trout. When snow falls, ski 85 kilometers of cross-country trails at Spirit Mountain or watch sled dogs compete in the January Beargrease race along frozen lakeshores. Sections of the Superior Hiking Trail within city limits lead to waterfalls like those at Ely’s Peak. Swim at sandy beaches like Park Point in summer, or play golf at courses with views of cargo ships entering the harbor.
Museums and Annual Happenings
The Duluth Playhouse has performed theater shows since 1914 in the historic Depot building, which also houses local history exhibits. Tour Glensheen, a 39-room mansion built in 1908 on the lakeshore, to see early 20th-century furniture and lakeside gardens. From late November through December, Bayfront Festival Park glows with holiday light displays during the Bentleyville event. Free outdoor concerts take over the same waterfront space in July and August. On the university campus, the Tweed Museum displays Ojibwe cultural items and 20th-century artwork across 10 galleries.
Nearby Places Worth Visiting
Take Highway 61 northeast to Gooseberry Falls State Park, where water drops 50 feet over ancient lava rock. Palisade Head’s sheer cliffs draw climbers looking for Lake Superior vistas, while hikers can reach the tallest waterfall on the Minnesota-Ontario border at Pigeon River. Grand Portage National Monument recreates a 1700s trading post used by French voyageurs. Ferries from May to October take visitors to Isle Royale for wilderness camping where moose roam. Thirty minutes from downtown, Jay Cooke State Park has trails crossing suspension bridges above rushing river rapids.
How Duluth Developed
The port moves iron ore, grain, and machinery through its protected harbor, handling enough cargo each year to fill 1 million railroad cars. Downtown’s stone buildings from the 1880s reflect wealth from timber and railroad expansion. Glass-enclosed walkways connect hotels and stores downtown, useful during cold months. The Fond du Lac Band runs a cultural center west of the city sharing Ojibwe history through crafts and storytelling events.
Transportation Options
Duluth International Airport has flights from Minneapolis, Chicago, and Denver. Drive from Minneapolis-St. Paul in 2.5 hours via Interstate 35, or follow Lake Superior’s shoreline on Highway 61 from Canada. Amtrak trains stop in Superior, Wisconsin, with routes to Chicago and the Pacific Northwest. During summer, ride free trolleys between downtown attractions or rent bicycles to travel the paved Lakewalk path.
