Cascade Vacation Rentals Blog | A Guide to all things North Shore

5 08, 2022

Cook County Airport and Seaplane Base
Cook County Airport and Seaplane Base

Cook County Airport and Seaplane Base

Jaye2022-08-05T21:12:35+00:00Activities & Attractions, Grand Marais, Local Businesses|

Did you know that Cook County has its own airport? The Cook County Airport and Seaplane Base is a small municipal airport located about 8 miles from Grand Marais on Devil Track Lake. While you won't find commercial flights flying in and out of this one-runway airport, you will see small privately owned planes zipping in and out. The airport also offers private scenic flights that you can do during your next trip to Lake Superior's North Shore. Just imagine chasing waterfalls or enjoying the fall colors from above. Down on Devil Track Lake, seaplanes can land at the [...]

3 08, 2022

Great Lakes Aquarium
Great Lakes Aquarium

Great Lakes Aquarium

Jaye2022-08-05T19:03:21+00:00Activities & Attractions, Duluth|

The Great Lakes Aquarium has been welcoming visitors since 2000 with the mission to "connect all people to the water and wildlife of Lake Superior and beyond". This fun and educational Aquarium is a wonderful family-friendly activity that you can enjoy on your next trip to Duluth. Located in Canal Park, the Aquarium is housed in a unique red and blue building that invites visitors to get up close and personal to marine life. About the Aquarium This educational and interactive Aquarium focuses largely on the Great Lakes basin. However, several areas of the Aquarium also feature saltwater and [...]

14 07, 2022

Points Unknown Summer Adventures
Points Unknown Summer Adventures

Points Unknown Summer Adventures

Jaye2024-05-07T16:19:05+00:00Activities & Attractions, Hovland/Grand Portage, Local Businesses|

Located up the Arrowhead Trail in Hovland, Points Unknown is most well-known for its dog sledding experiences in the wintertime. Recently, they started offering unique adventures in the summertime, as well. Here are some of the Points Unknown Summer Adventures that you can enjoy during your next trip up the North Shore. Guided Mindful Paddle Experiences A mindful paddle is not about paddling the hardest, fastest, or furthest. It's about going slow and being present to the experience. With Points Unknown, a Mindful Paddle and Hike takes you into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCA) for a 4-6 [...]

8 06, 2022

North Shore Summer Camps
North Shore Summer Camps

North Shore Summer Camps

Jaye2022-06-14T14:48:39+00:00Activities & Attractions, Duluth, Grand Marais, Gunflint Trail/BWCA, Lutsen|

Are you looking for kid-friendly entertainment on your next vacation? Did you know that the North Shore is home to many great day camps and residential camps? In recent years, local day camps have reported more and more attendance by out-of-area kids. Families have learned how to incorporate north shore summer camps into their vacation. It can be a great way for kids to have a unique North Shore experience. And, for adults to have some kid-free time. Taking Advantage of Local Day Camps The North Shore, primarily in the Duluth area, has many summer camp offerings. Exploring the North [...]

26 05, 2022

Gunflint Trail Canoe Races
Gunflint Trail Canoe Races

Gunflint Trail Canoe Races

Jaye2023-12-08T15:36:27+00:00Events & Holidays, Gunflint Trail/BWCA|

In 1976 a group of friends and neighbors on the Gunflint Trail gathered together and organized the first Gunflint Trail Canoe Races as a fundraiser for numerous programs and causes on the Gunflint Trail. For the past 40+ years, the area has hosted the races every year - with one exception. In 1999 the catastrophic Boundary Waters Blowdown storm caused the cancelation. This was due to most of the Trail residents participating in the rescue efforts. In 2020 and 2021 the races were cancelled due to COVID-19. Besides those summers, the races have been a community staple every July [...]

3 05, 2022

Fall River Waterfall
Fall River Waterfall

Fall River Waterfall

Jaye2022-05-03T19:57:43+00:00Activities & Attractions, Grand Marais, Waterfalls|

On the outskirts of Grand Marais, you will find the Fall River Waterfall. This once-hidden waterfall is located just past Highway 61 about 2 and a half miles from Grand Marais. The Fall River Waterfall cascades down 30 feet just a few feet from the river's mouth flowing into Lake Superior. This waterfall is not found in a State Park and, until recently, was a well-kept secret. Previously visited mostly by locals and Lake Superior kayakers who would often camp at the mouth of the Fall River. As of 2021, this section became a little more well-known and less off-the-beaten-path. [...]

22 03, 2022

North Shore Waterfall Season
North Shore Waterfall Season

North Shore Waterfall Season

Jaye2024-03-19T15:42:59+00:00Activities & Attractions, Waterfalls|

The North Shore Waterfall Season is a short but incredible time of the year when the spring snowmelt suddenly brings once-frozen area waterfalls to life. The North Shore often receives over 100 inches of snow in the winter. As this snow melts in the spring, it finds its way into the rivers and streams traveling to Lake Superior. Along the way, the sudden increase in water flow finds its way over the area's waterfalls. And when the water melts away from established streams, it often forms its path to the Big Lake. These seasonal streams flow over the cliffs [...]

2 03, 2022

Sisu + Loyly Nordic Sauna
Sisu + Loyly Nordic Sauna

Sisu + Loyly Nordic Sauna

Jaye2023-09-21T15:50:06+00:00Activities & Attractions, Grand Marais, Local Businesses|

Located on the shores of Lake Superior, near downtown Grand Marais, you will find Sisu + Loyly Nordic Sauna. Opened in 2021, the sauna provides a unique experience complete with breathtaking views of Lake Superior's East Bay. A Sauna Revival Using a sauna for health and wellbeing has been a tradition in Nordic countries for centuries. The tradition came to the US with the many Finnish immigrants who decided to settle in the Duluth area. There was once a time when many traditional community saunas dotted the Duluth hillside as recent immigrants created the traditional sauna experience [...]

8 12, 2021

Lutsen Mountains Ski Resort
Lutsen Mountains Ski Resort

Lutsen Mountains Ski Resort

Jaye2025-01-15T16:58:45+00:00Activities & Attractions, Lutsen|

Perhaps the most popular wintertime activity for North Shore residents and visitors is alpine skiing and snowboarding at Lutsen Mountains Ski Resort. This family-owned and operated resort has been a North Shore staple since 1948! It's a place where locals and visitors test their skiing and snowboarding skills with Lake Superior sweeping along the background. The resort is mid-America's largest and tallest ski destination with runs and activities for all ages and skill levels. Mountain Stats Lutsen Mountains Ski Resort reaches a vertical rise of 1,088 and features 95 runs designed for all skill levels. From the beginner run [...]

1 12, 2021

The Dark Sky Festival
The Dark Sky Festival

The Dark Sky Festival

Jaye2023-12-08T15:45:22+00:00Events & Holidays, Grand Marais, Gunflint Trail/BWCA|

December is the darkest month of the year, and towns along Lake Superior's North Shore have some of the clearest night skies in the world. To celebrate the wintertime darkness, Visit Cook County presents The Dark Sky Festival. An annual event celebrating the stars, the moon, Northern Lights, and the area's dark skies. Cook County, home to the towns of Grand Marais, Lutsen, Schroeder, Tofte, Hovland, and Grand Portage, has one of the darkest skies in the entire world! Thanks to the absence of large cities and light pollution from our small northern county, visitors can enjoy clear views [...]