At the northeastern end of Minnesota’s spectacular North Shore Drive, where Highway 61 curves inland toward the Canadian border, the small town of Grand Marais sits on a rocky point overlooking one of the finest natural harbors on Lake Superior. With a permanent population of just over 1,300 people, Grand Marais punches far above its weight as a destination, offering a concentration of excellent restaurants, independent art galleries, outfitters, craft breweries, and cultural institutions that is truly remarkable for a town of its size. Add in the surrounding natural splendor of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, the Superior National Forest, and the North Shore itself, and you have what many visitors consider the finest small town in Minnesota.
The Harbor and the Point
Grand Marais occupies a natural harbor formed by two rocky points, and the harbor’s calm water and the lighthouse on Artists Point define the town’s iconic image. Artists Point, the eastern breakwater of the harbor, is a flat expanse of ancient volcanic rock that has been a gathering place for visitors and a subject for painters and photographers for well over a century. Walking out to the point, looking back at the town and the forested ridges behind it and then turning to face the open expanse of Lake Superior, gives you an immediate sense of what makes Grand Marais so compelling. The scale of the lake, the clarity of the air, and the quality of the light create an atmosphere that has attracted artists for generations.
The harbor itself is a pleasant place to spend time, with a public beach, a fishing pier, and a small marina where charter fishing boats and recreational vessels are moored. Watching the sunrise from the harbor or Artists Point is one of the finest morning experiences the North Shore offers.
Food and Drink
Grand Marais has a food and beverage scene that consistently surprises visitors expecting limited options in such a small and remote town. The Angry Trout Cafe, located right on the harbor, serves impeccably fresh Lake Superior fish and locally sourced ingredients in a warm, wood-paneled dining room that gets everything right. It’s one of the finest restaurants on the entire North Shore and requires reservations on summer evenings. Sven and Ole’s Pizza, a Grand Marais institution for decades, is the casual end of the spectrum, with generous portions and a quintessentially northern Minnesota atmosphere.
Voyageur Brewing Company is among the finest craft breweries in northern Minnesota, producing a rotating lineup of beers that reflect the landscapes and seasons of the region, with names and flavors inspired by the wilderness that surrounds the town. The taproom overlooking the harbor is an excellent spot for an afternoon beer. Java Moose coffee shop on Wisconsin Street has been fueling North Shore adventures for years with good espresso drinks and fresh pastries.
Arts and Culture
Grand Marais has long been an arts community, and the town has an unusually high concentration of working artists and quality galleries for its size. The Grand Marais Art Colony, one of the oldest art schools in the country, offers workshops and residency programs that draw artists from across the country and have shaped the town’s creative character for nearly a century. Several galleries on Wisconsin Street, including the Sivertson Gallery and others, show work by local and regional artists and represent some of the finest gallery shopping in Minnesota.
The North House Folk School is another cultural institution that draws visitors to Grand Marais for its workshops in traditional and contemporary craft skills, from birchbark canoe building to blacksmithing to natural fiber arts. Visiting North House’s campus and browsing the schedule of upcoming workshops gives a real sense of the town’s commitment to craftsmanship and traditional knowledge.
Outdoor Gateway to the Wilderness
Grand Marais serves as an excellent base for outdoor adventures in the surrounding wilderness. The town is the eastern gateway to the Gunflint Trail, a 57-mile road that penetrates deep into the boreal forest toward the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Resorts, outfitters, and camping opportunities line the Gunflint Trail, and some of the finest BWCA entry points are accessible from it. Several Grand Marais outfitters can set up full canoe expedition rentals for BWCA trips departing from Gunflint Trail entry points.
Hiking is excellent directly from town. The Superior Hiking Trail passes through the area, and several state parks and Superior National Forest areas are within a short drive. Judge C.R. Magney State Park, about 14 miles northeast of town, has one of the North Shore’s most intriguing waterfalls: the Devil’s Kettle, where half the Brule River disappears into a pothole in the rock with no known outlet.
Getting There and When to Visit
Grand Marais is 110 miles north of Duluth on Highway 61 and about 260 miles from the Twin Cities. The drive from Duluth along the North Shore is one of the finest scenic drives in the upper Midwest. Summer and fall are peak seasons, with summer bringing warm lake temperatures and full restaurant and gallery hours, and fall bringing spectacular foliage color in late September. Winter is cold but has its charms, particularly the cross-country skiing and snowshoeing available through local outfitters and the quiet that settles over the town when summer visitors have departed.
Grand Marais has a way of getting under your skin. Visitors who come for a weekend often start fantasizing about coming back for a week, and people who come for a week often start wondering whether there are any job openings in town. It’s that kind of place, quietly extraordinary, deeply beautiful, and thoroughly itself in a way that is increasingly rare in the modern world.
