Explore Minnesota's North Shore
From Duluth northeast to Canada, Minnesota's North Shore takes visitors past inland mountains, wave-battered cliffs, and a wide expanse of stormy, enchanting and utterly massive Lake Superior.
Aerial Lift Bridge and more
A major landmark in Duluth, the Aerial Lift Bridge was built in 1905 to carry passengers and vehicles in a gondola across a canal to Park Point. The bridge was upgraded in 1929-30 to its current design, which replaced the gondola with horizontal span that lifts to let a sailboat, tug or massive freighter pass underneath. The bridge takes about three minutes to rise, an event that occurs 25-30 times daily.
Get an up-close view of the bridge at the free Lake Superior Maritime Visitors Center, which offers a look at the lakes' shipping heritage, a map of shipwrecks and a schedule of the boats coming in. (218) 727-2497; lsmma.com Also in the area: Tour the giant William A. Irvin which carried iron ore and coal to Great Lakes ports from 1938 to the late 1970s. decc.org/william-a-irvin/ And check out the freshwater critters (gigantic sturgeon, otters, trout) at the two-story Great Lakes Aquarium. (218) 740-3474; glaquarium.org
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