Start from 26 curated places around Grand Marais, MN, then choose the recommendations that fit your guests.
Restaurants & cafés
Angry Trout Cafe
A converted commercial fishing shanty on the edge of the harbor, serving fresh Lake Superior herring and trout, wild rice, and local produce on a deck right over the water. It is seasonal and takes no reservations, so arrive before noon or after the dinner rush.
Sven and Ole's Pizza
A Grand Marais institution with a kitschy Scandinavian-meets-Italian vibe, a North Shore rite of passage where no trip is complete without beer and pizza. It gets slammed in summer, so call your order ahead and grab a pint upstairs while you wait.
Trails & outdoors
Pincushion Mountain Overlook Trail
A Superior Hiking Trail spur to a bald rock summit with sweeping views over town, the harbor, and Lake Superior, the town's signature overlook hike. It is a short drive up the Gunflint Trail, great for fall color and sunset, and a Nordic ski network in winter.
Devil's Kettle
A state park's famous half-vanishing waterfall, where the Brule River splits and one branch pours into a pothole with a long-debated destination. About fifteen minutes northeast of town, with a long stairway down to the falls; go after rain for max flow.
Things to do
Voyageur Brewing Company
The town's craft brewery and rooftop social hub, with a lake-view taproom, frequent live music, and beer to take into the Boundary Waters. Come for the rooftop deck at sunset, and grab cans or a crowler to go for your cabin or canoe trip.
Sivertson Gallery
A long-running downtown gallery showcasing northern Minnesota regional artists plus Alaskan and Inuit work, both a serious gallery and a great browse. There is a wide price range, so it is worth a wander even if you are not buying.
Landmarks & sights
Artists' Point
The rocky, pine-studded peninsula that juts into Lake Superior beside the harbor, the namesake of the local art scene and the top thing to do in town. Go at sunrise for the light, and skip the open ledges in high surf; the wooded inner loop is safer with kids.
Grand Marais Lighthouse
The red harbor light at the end of the breakwall, with classic views back at town, Artists' Point, and the open lake. The breakwall walk is unrailed and rocky, so do not go out when waves are high; golden hour is the postcard shot.