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Looking from downtown Grand Marais Harbor towards Sweetheart's Bluff
Grand Marais & Grand Portage, MN Pages on SuperiorTrails
- Grand Marais, Minnesota
- Grand Marais Things to Do
- Grand Marais Dragon Boat Festival
- Grand Marais Classic Car Show
- Artists Point & Sweetheart's Bluff
- Grand Marais Campground
_ Grand Marais Golf Course
- Grand Portage National Park
- Grand Portage Rendezvous Days
- Grand Portage Heritage Center & Grand Portage Pow-Wow
When camping or in the RV, we usually stay at the Municipal Campground located at the base of Sweetheart's Bluff. It has a nice breeze off the lake, adequately spacious sites and bounded by lakeshore on two sides and woods on the remainder. Remote enough from traffic and noise, yet within walking distance to downtown.
A Grand Marais Sunrise from the Municipal Campground & RV Park
We enjoy fresh caught Whitefish at the Angry Trout Cafe, their attentive service, and a great view of the lake. This particular day was a little too cool to be out on the deck, but when the weather is warmer, like in the picture to the right, it's a great place for a brew and/or a sandwich - cool breeze and great scenery.
Next door to the Angry Trout is the Dockside Fish Market. Much more casual dining and deli-style service, but excellent fresh seafood and reasonably priced. In 2017 during the Wooden Boat Show Festival we had their Lake Trout Fish Basket. Five or six pieces totaling 8 ounces, lightly breaded, served hot, flakey, excellent taste. The Cole Slaw side was homemade with red and white cabbage, carrots, and dill and a very tasty dressing. They also had a decent selection of beers. We've been visiting Grand Marais for over 15 years and this was our first time to eat here. Won't be our last for sure!
Sven & Ole's is a popular pizza parlor. Two stories of dining inside plus slices to go available in their sidewalk stand.
We usually grab lunch at the Gunflint Tavern but wanted to try something different during the Grand Marais Car Show so we stopped in at the Harbor House Grille. We had their deluxe burgers with potato wedge fries. We rated the burgers as good as many of the best burgers in Duluth and loved the potato wedge fries.
We rarely miss a stop at the World's Best Donut shop, a favorite for morning coffee and pastries.. Here Jo and Hans are entering the outdoor garden. Since we've gotten some good exercise walking from the campground, we figured a maple donut or elephant ear won't hurt that much!
The North House Folk School is on the harbor between the Angry Trout and the Grand Marais Campground. They have a nice little bookstore and gift shop and you can peek in the workshops as fledgling artisans are learning various crafts. My fantasy is to spend a week there constructing a rowing skiff; Jo's is doing a landscape quilt. The sailing schooner docks here too.
A blast from the past! Joyner's Ben Franklin Dept Store is not to be missed. A ton of merchandise stacked to the ceiling; I think if you can't find it at Joyner's it may not exist. Veteran sales personnel to guide your browsing and reasonable prices.
The protected Grand Marais harbor is a great spot to get introduced to the kayaking paddlesport and kayak touring or to begin an extended journey exploring the Lake Superior shoreline.
Kayak Photo courtesy of Bryan Hansel, North Shore Expeditions.
< < < The harbor lighthouse on a cloudy day.
Donna and Jo (the one on the right giving me "instructions" as I take the picture) walked out on the breakwater to see the lighthouse.>>>
View of Grand Marais from the Breakwater Lighthouse
See more photos and information
on hiking out to Artists Point and the Lighthouse.
Some Grand Marais Area events, things to see and do
Spring, Summer, and Fall Festivals & Events
- Northern Landscapes Festival - May 31 - June
- Grand Marais Classic Car Show - June (TBA)
- Grand Marais Block Party - June
- Wooden Boat Show & Summer Soltice Festival - June 3 - 25, 2021
- Fireworks over the Harbor - July 4th
- Grand Marais Arts Festival - July 10 - 11, 2021
- North Shore Water Festival - July 20 - 21, 2019
- Fisherman's Picnic - August First Weekend
- Grand Portage Rendezvous Days & Pow-wow - August TBA
- Unplugged Fall Festival - September
- Moose Madness - October
- Winter's Gathering North House Folk School - November
winter events
- Lutsen Mountain SnowVenture Holiday TBA
- Grand Marais Christmas Parade - November
- O Ole Night Christmas Parade & Tree Lighting - November
- Gunflint Mail Run Sled Dog Race - January
- John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon January-February
- Northern Fibers Retreat Feb 14th - 18th
- North House Winter Series January
- Grand Marais WinterFest
TBA
More Grand Marais Links - things to see and do
Grand Marais Municipal Campground
North House Folk School
Grand Marais Playhouse
Grand Marais Area Tourism Association
Next Stop on Lake Superior Tour: Crossing into Canada and Kakebeka Falls
SuperiorTrails.com - Reinhold Development - 2023
Lake Superior Camping
& Campground Directory
Best Camping along Lake Superior. Camping along the Lake Superior Circle Drive.
Duluth's Enger Park and Enger Park Tower.
Grand Marais DragonBoat Festival & Race
See our review of Superior National Golf Course
Minnesota North Shore
Golf Courses
Along Lake Superior
Things to Do and See in Duluth, Minnesota
Enjoying lake breezes and views at the Canal Park Brewery Beer Garden - Canal Park.
Hiking and Camping Guides & Books