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

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 [...]

4 11, 2021

Fisherman’s Daughter at Dockside
Fisherman’s Daughter at Dockside

Fisherman’s Daughter at Dockside

Jaye2024-07-01T21:19:16+00:00Dining and Food, Grand Marais, Local Businesses|

Discover the Fisherman's Daughter at Dockside Nestled by the serene waters of Lake Superior, The Fisherman's Daughter at Dockside invites you to indulge in a North Shore culinary experience like no other. Formerly known as Dockside, this beloved lakeside gem reopened under new management in June 2020, marking the beginning of a new chapter in its storied history. Though ownership changed hands once more in 2022, the restaurant has been in continuous operation. The popular Lakeside eatery has regained its title as one of the most sought out restaurants in Grand Marais, Minnesota. Fresh and Delicious Specializing in dock-to-table [...]

28 10, 2021

Angry Trout Cafe
Angry Trout Cafe

Angry Trout Cafe

Jaye2024-02-27T20:00:23+00:00Grand Marais, Local Businesses|

Just ask anyone what the most widely-respected restaurant on the North Shore is. Many will answer "The Angry Trout Cafe, of course!". The Angry Trout Cafe, located on the bustling Grand Marais Harbor, has secured itself as a premier eatery in the Lake Superior region. The Angry Trout specializes in locally sourced and fresh menu items. This includes wild rice, locally grown produce from the North Shore region, and, of course, fresh fish from Lake Superior. While fresh fish, locally-grown veggies, and a collection of organic ingredients dominate the menu, the Angry Trout recently started serving hearty breakfasts! The [...]

15 10, 2021

Duluth Children’s Museum
Duluth Children’s Museum

Duluth Children’s Museum

Martha Finley2021-11-16T02:38:59+00:00Activities & Attractions, Duluth|

The Duluth Children’s Museum was created in 1930 to be a place where children are free to learn and imagine. Their mission is to engage children in hands-on learning through creative play and interactive exhibits. History of the Children's Museum The museum was established by Mabel McKinney Wing in 19030 as a resource for children and teachers during the Great Depression. She wanted children to be able to access educational opportunities beyond the resources of the school. The museum was originally located in a classroom in the Salte school until 1954. In 1954 the Chisholm Family offered their home at [...]

14 10, 2021

Sawtooth Mountain Range
Sawtooth Mountain Range

Sawtooth Mountain Range

Martha Finley2021-10-15T17:13:43+00:00Grand Marais, Lutsen, Schroeder/Tofte|

The Sawtooth Mountains are a range of small mountains on Lake Superiors North shore. It stretches about 30 miles From Carolton Peak on the west to Grand Marais on the east. Of the number of peaks, the highest reaches 900 feet over Lake Superior. While these peaks don’t rival other mountain ranges in height, the Sawtooth Mountain Range has a noteworthy silhouette. Looking at it from a distance, the peaks resemble the teeth of a saw with their uniform size, height, and angles. This is why they were given the name Sawtooth Mountains. A combination of volcanic activity and erosion [...]

12 10, 2021

Grand Marais Art Colony
Grand Marais Art Colony

Grand Marais Art Colony

Martha Finley2023-02-21T15:54:58+00:00Activities & Attractions, Grand Marais|

What started as an eight-week summer course has now prospered into the longest-lived art colony in Minnesota. Since 1947, the Grand Marais Art Colony has been living up to its motto of “Nurturing Creativity on the North Shore.” Cultivating a relationship between outdoor inspiration and artistic pursuit is their goal. The art colony lets artists, experienced or not, step outside their comfort zone to create art. With its stunning views of Lake Superior and the North Shore, the art colony draws inspiration from the wilderness on the North Shore. The art colony features year-round art classes. These include hands-on [...]

12 10, 2021

North House Folk School
North House Folk School

North House Folk School

Martha Finley2023-02-14T14:34:07+00:00Activities & Attractions, Grand Marais, Local Businesses|

More than 30 years ago, a gentleman named Mark Hansen moved to the North Shore to build birch bark canoes. Once he arrived, a connection was made to the area, magic happened and Hansen stayed to build one of the most vibrant non-profit organizations in Minnesota: North House Folk School. Traditionally speaking, a folk school is a place where people come to learn new skills or expand the knowledge they have on a certain trade or concept. On the local level, North House Folk School brings instructors from around the world to teach traditional northern crafts. Started by Mark [...]

12 10, 2021

Moose Madness
Moose Madness

Moose Madness

Jaye2024-10-09T20:05:25+00:00Events & Holidays, Grand Marais|

Hosted by Visit Cook County, Moose Madness is an annual family-friendly festival that takes place over MEA weekend each October in Grand Marais. A popular favorite amongst visitors, the festival includes several scheduled events and activities and various ways for participants to earn "Moose Bucks". You then redeem your Moose Bucks collection at participating stores around Grand Marais. During Moose Madness you have the best chances of spotting Murray the Moose, the mascot of Visit Cook County. He gets called to town each year at the start of the festival and can be found walking around the downtown area [...]

12 10, 2021

Grand Marais Lighthouse
Grand Marais Lighthouse

Grand Marais Lighthouse

Martha Finley2024-03-21T15:23:50+00:00Grand Marais, History|

The lighthouse that sits in Grand Marais has become a destination for many visitors in the area. If you’ve been to Grand Marais, it’s likely you’ve walked along the breakwall to visit the square pyramidal structure, but do you know the history behind it? The Grand Marais lighthouse was built in 1885 on the eastern end of the harbor breakwater. In the year or two prior, construction was completed on the piers that guarded the harbor entry. These new piers required a light and fog signal to guide mariners through the opening, so congress allotted just over $9,500 for [...]