Iowa/Minnesota trip help

garmp1 wrote:
Thank ya all for the info. Very helpful and several places we never thought of that sound very interesting. Is there enough in the area of Itasca SP to spend 3 days? Maybe a day trip to Bemidji and the Paul Bunyon/Babe statue and a tasteful lunch of a burger (or local favorite) and a beer.
What we generally like to plan for our trips is like a large circle. Say up the eastern route and return via the western. Local food is always a focal point, as is history and scenery.

thank again for the help.

We've been to Itasca a number of times when our kids were at Concordia Language Village outside of Bemidji and had no problem staying entertained for almost 2 weeks. Plenty to do in the park between the headwaters, the visitor centers, the bike & hiking trails, ranger programs (although those may be reduced in September), visiting all of the CCC buildings in the park, etc. For dining in the park, the Douglas Lodge has a nice restaurant in a beautiful historic building. For more local dining and history, Park Rapids to the south and Dorset ("Restaurant Capital of the World" - based on per capita, since the official population is 22!) just east of Park Rapids are both great choices, nice bike trail connecting the 2. Bemidji is a bit farther away (45 min) but also has a lot to offer. We also liked Lake Bemidji State Park, a lot smaller than Itasca but a good base for doing things in Bemidji. If you have time to explore the more eastern part of northern Minnesota, Soudan Underground Mine State Park and the rest of the area around Ely and Hibbing have a lot as well.

Soudan Underground Mine