Do
Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness A wilderness of several thousand lakes and streams creates almost endless canoeing, kayaking and hiking opportunities. You have to reserve overnight camping permits in the summer, but day use permits make short explorations easy. Choose from several entry points on lakes around Ely; we especially like easily accessible Fall Lake. fs.usda.go
Brandenburg Gallery See National Geographic photographer Jim Brandenburg’s prints and films of Boundary Waters scenery and North Woods wildlife. jimbrandenburg.com
Dorothy Molter Museum This cabin celebrates the last legal nonindigenous resident of the Boundary Waters; she sold root beer for 33 years. rootbeerlady.com
International Wolf Center An interpretive center lets visitors see a wolf pack through observation windows. New pups arrive in May. wolf.org
North American Bear Center See the center’s bears while learning myths surrounding them. Skip it in winter—the bears are hibernating. (877) 365-7879; bear.org
Soudan Underground Mine State Park Travel 2,341 feet below the surface in a cage, then hop into a mine car that journeys through narrow passages inside Minnesota’s oldest iron ore mine, 20 miles southwest of Ely. mndnr.gov/soudan
Voyageurs National Park Travel by canoe, kayak or houseboat through this 340-square-mile park (95 miles northwest of Ely and near International Falls). The scalloped shorelines of the hundreds of islands are perfect for fishing, picnicking and camping. nps.gov/voya
Eat
Boathouse Brewpub Vintage logging and fishing photographs surround diners as they enjoy burgers and house brews, such as Entry Point Ale. boathousebrewpub.com
Chocolate Moose Walleye sandwiches and satisfying from-scratch pie draw visitors to this no-frills cabin-cafe. The Chocolate Moose on Facebook
Ely Steak House This casual spot serves more than 50 kinds of beer, a solid bloody mary and a bacon-cheese monster called a Bucky Burger. elysteakhouse.com
Stony Ridge Cafe Build your own masterpiece of a burger with a huge selection of toppings, plus the option of having the patty blackened or glazed. Homemade potato chips make tasty sides. stonyridgeresort.com
Where to stay
Blue Heron Bed and Breakfast Explore the Boundary Waters by day, then settle down to a wood-burning sauna and king-size bed at night. The distant howl of wolves may serenade you. blueheronbnb.com
Burntside Lodge A white-tablecloth restaurant and well-kept cabins with knotty pine walls and comfortable furniture are the hallmarks of this former hunting camp. burntside.com
Grand Ely Lodge On Shagawa Lake, this year-round lodge supplies free fishing equipment, kayaks, canoes and pedal boats. Rooms contain timber-frame beds and plush mattresses. grandelylodge.com
For more information: ely.org