I'm a sucker for the historical society sites and this is no exception. They have some great…read moredisplays in the building and the tour of the fort was informative. The staff was friendly and quite tolerant of curious children. We had the tour to ourselves when we went so had no issues hearing and asking questions. Afterwards we took some trails down by the river and back to the building. Their t-shirts were cute and cheap so we bought one for each member of the family.

The North West Company Fur Post is located west of Pine City proper off of Exit 169. It is an…read moreofficial museum of the Minnesota Historical Society. Apparently, a local farmer found remnants of a fur trading post on his land and contacted the Canadian branch of the North West Trading Company, to get the official plans; and from there, a complete replica of the fur trading post was built. In the interpretive center, the story was told from the perspectives of the Native peoples who hunted and skinned the pelts; the British traders who brought together goods from all throughout the world to trade for the fur they wanted, and the French-Canadian Voyageurs who were the brawn behind the whole apparatus. The story also doesn't shy away from the fact that several intermarraiges took place and how they were resolved for the wives and children when the overseers left their posts and married within the church. (Apparently intermarraige was frowned upon by the Hudson Bay company but allowed and even encouraged by the North West Company and the XY Company whch they acquired). From the museum, we were led out by a person reenacting the Native perspective. She showed us the various animal pelts caught at the post, and how the Native people travelled a 100-mile radius throughout the seasons to fish in summer, hunt and trap in fall, survive the winter, and obtain sugar bush in the spring. She then led us down the path to the fur trading post, explaining room by room, how the post was run, from the youngest 14-year old voyageurs to the junior accountants to the post managers. It was amazing how many moving parts there were in the fur trade, and how the business was run down to every little detail. There is a chance to walk down to the river, or go on a 1/2 mile nature walk. Events also take place at the post all year long -- there are even snowshoes hanging for winter events. It was a very interesting museum and a year-round event center. It is certainly worth the detour if you want something to do in the area.

Very lovely and U of M is doing a great job with up keeping. Bought the books about the murders as…read morewell

Still great. This time we did the self-guided tour which uses your cell phone. Make sure you buy…read morethe complete ticket which includes all floors. One of the highlights is exploring the grounds. It was a beautiful fall day with lots of wind. We even saw 3 deer. There is a lot of history here. Everyone had a twin bed until marriage. Some features were innovations for the time. They even had an indoor milking room for the house. A great place to bring any history lover. Plus it is haunted.

We unfortunately missed the last tour, but a very nice employee we spoke with said that we were…read morewelcome to walk around the grounds and check out the outside of the mansion. Wow, what a place I can't even imagine what it would be like to live in such a huge house and what kind of staff you would need to run it! The grounds outside were quite lovely. They were nice gardens and I hope to make it back to check out the inside of the house at some point.

We had very high expectations after seeing the Glensheen Mansion. Price was not worth admission…read more This was a guided tour for the Fairlawn. Wanted to just walk and take in the building but you can not deviate from the tour. Waste of money.

I wasn't sure what to expect when we stopped at the Hinckley Fire Museum, but it ended up being one…read moreof the most memorable parts of our trip. If it's your first time visiting Hinckley, this is one stop that's worth making. The museum tells the story of the Great Hinckley Fire of 1894 through artifacts, photos, and personal accounts that really bring the history to life. It's hard to imagine the devastation until you walk through the exhibits and learn what the community endured. One thing I couldn't help but notice is that the museum sits directly across the street from the town's fire station. There's something incredibly fitting about that. A place that preserves the memory of one of the deadliest wildfires in American history now looks out at the firefighters who protect Hinckley today. It's a quiet reminder of how much the town has overcome. Even if you're not someone who usually visits museums, I'd recommend adding this to your itinerary. It gives you a deeper appreciation for Hinckley beyond the restaurants and attractions and helps you understand the history that shaped the community you see today. Don't forget to pick up a few Minnesota favorites from the gift shop on the way out. I would suggest the maple syrup. Outside of the museum you'll find a relief house. This displays what a typical house was like for a family of four after the fires. It made me appreciate the home and space that I have.

This museum takes you on a history lesson about the town and the horrendous fire that destroyed it…read morein 1894. It has nothing to do with a fire house, if that is what you were thinking (I know I was). It is located in what use to be a train depot. You can still see train tracks in the back. They have pretty much maintained it to it's original glory, even though the first one was burned in the fire. It has a decent sized parking lot and also serves as a welcome center and gift shop for the town. I paid $5 for admission to the museum (which I did not mind a chalked it up as a donation to the preservation of this historical landmark). The museum is decent with a short movie that details what happened with the fire, artifacts from the fire, equipment from the time, information placards, art, equipment and displays from the time like a doctors office, the station's communications room, a relief house, a train caboose and depot agent's apartment. The relief house and caboose are located outside, right near the picnic shelter that has a couple of picnic tables under it. It is a nice place to take a break and enjoy some lunch. Keep in mind that they do not have a restaurant or snack bar on site though. It is a somewhat small museum. The tour is self guided and they give you a laminated sheet that explains each room. The museum is manned by volunteers who are some of the nicest people that you will meet and take a lot of pride in the place. In addition to the fire, the museum has exhibits that touch on its Native American roots right outside of the room the movie is played. This is a nice change of pace from your normal touristy stuff. You also get a decent self guided history tour. I spent about an hour here. I will admit that it gets sleepy at some portions of the tour. However, If you are in the area, I still recommend that you should check it out.

This is a fantastic park with trails are easy and wind around the little lakes in the park. Make…read moresure to stop by the agate center for an excellent exhibit on the geology of Minnesota, very informative and awesome. The beach on Echo lake is very nice too! Lots of raspberries which you can eat. We also saw a deer and some small frogs! Highly recommend!

Fantastic State Park with an excellent Agate museum for all age groups! Run, don't walk to this…read morebeloved State Park! Lake, trails, camping, nature, fun for all ages!

This was such a unique spot to visit!! Located in downtown Duluth this is easy to get to and among…read moreother things to check out easily on foot. I don't want to give anything away but there's an opportunity to see new things, learn some cool history and for a long walk on a really long boat!!

This was a fun self guided tour. I appreciated the docents scattered around the museum for their…read moreadditional insight and ability to answer questions. I'd never been on a ship this size- or a shipping ship for that matter- and thought it was an interesting experience. Wish we were going to be around in a few weeks when it's haunted- that sounds pretty epic!

This is the best place to go for family entertainment, especially if you have kids. You don't have…read moreto be a sports fan to enjoy a night at North Central Speedway. They have free town nights also. Best family fun around and super affordable. Less expensive than a movie

If you have an interest in the unusual or cutting edge, depending on your perspective, then by all…read moremeans visit the only remaining whaleback ship which worked the Great Lakes. The visitor is led around in a group which usually leave by the top of the hour. For myself, my knees became weak when we viewed the triple expansion compound engine. One note, the ship no longer sits w/i the water. The tour guide had been at this job for 10 yrs and it definitely showed.

Jacob gave us our tour and this young man was amazing. He was so well educated on the boat ad could…read moreanswer any questions we had. Thanks for a great tour!

A must see up close if you head up to Duluth. Lots of street parking nearby or paid lots. It's fun…read moreto walk over and take in the views as well as driving over. Seeing the bridge is free of course and the bridge is the epitome of Duluth. Super cool if you catch it lifting up to let ships pass underneath.

If you're visiting Duluth, make sure to check out the historic aerial lift bridge. At scheduled…read moretimes, the bridge rises to let ore ships, yachts, etc pass through, and it's a sight worth catching. Watching tons of steel lift into the air while boats and yachts glide underneath is both impressive and memorable. It's a great stop for visitors of all ages, and anyone with an interest in engineering will especially appreciate the mechanics and hydraulics behind this iconic structure.