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Minnesota, United States

Grand Marais

Two days for the harbor town, a Gunflint Trail drive and nearby state park waterfalls. This guide pulls together 3 activities, 3 outdoor spots and 2 places to eat from our curated routes.

Plan Grand Marais with friendsBrowse 9 places
Grand Marais, Minnesota, United States
Places
9

3 Do · 3 Outdoors · 2 Eat · 1 Drink

Curated routes
1

Minnesota North Shore

Best season
Jun – Oct

from our route notes

Warmest month
July

26°C / 79°F avg high

Coolest month
January

-7°C / 19°F avg high

Wettest month
June

about 98 mm rain

Climate: NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages.

Things to do in Grand Marais

9 places from our curated routes, grouped by what you will do there. Each one has its own page with the address and full notes.

Do

Hands-on ways to spend time in Grand Marais across Harbor, Gunflint Trail and Lutsen.

  • North House Folk School in Grand MaraisPhoto: North House Folk School · Google
    Do

    North House Folk School

    Harborfront school for traditional crafts, with short classes and sails on the schooner Hjordis.

    • Harbor
    • $$
    • 2 hr
    • Check class calendar
  • Gunflint Trail in Grand MaraisPhoto: Senchu Punyamurthula · Google
    Do

    Gunflint Trail

    57-mile road from town into Boundary Waters lake country, with moose sightings at dusk.

    • Gunflint Trail
    • Free
    • 4 hr
    • Late Sept fall color
  • Lutsen Mountains Summit Express Gondola in Grand MaraisPhoto: Bre Anderson · Google
    Do

    Lutsen Mountains Summit Express Gondola

    Gondola ride over the Poplar River valley to Moose Mountain's lake views.

    • Lutsen
    • $$
    • 1.5 hr
    • Late Sept–early Oct

Outdoors

Trails, views and open space in and around Grand Marais.

  • Artist's Point in Grand MaraisPhoto: Steve Manicor · Google
    Outdoors

    Artist's Point

    Rocky basalt spit behind the Coast Guard station leading to the harbor lighthouse breakwall.

    • Harbor
    • Free
    • 60 min
    • Sunrise
  • Judge C.R. Magney State Park in Grand MaraisPhoto: August Schwerdfeger · CC BY 4.0
    Outdoors

    Judge C.R. Magney State Park

    Trail to the Devil's Kettle, where half the Brule River seems to vanish into a pothole.

    Tip About 2 miles round trip with a long staircase.

    • Brule River
    • $
    • 2 hr
    • Morning
  • Cascade River State Park in Grand MaraisPhoto: Cascade River State Park · Google
    Outdoors

    Cascade River State Park

    Short loop past stepped waterfalls in a narrow gorge just off Hwy 61.

    • Cascade River
    • $
    • 60 min
    • Afternoon

Eat

2 places to eat in Downtown, picked for groups who care about the food.

  • World's Best Donuts in Grand MaraisPhoto: Jim Hautala · Google
    Eat

    World's Best Donuts

    Seasonal donut shop near the harbor since 1969.

    Tip Opens early; lines form by 8am in summer.

    • Downtown
    • $
    • 20 min
    • Early morning, May–Oct
  • Sven & Ole's in Grand MaraisPhoto: Marcus Corbin · Google
    Eat

    Sven & Ole's

    Long-running pizza joint with the Pickle Herring pub attached.

    • Downtown
    • $
    • 60 min
    • Dinner

Drink

1 bar or café in Downtown for coffee, a round or a nightcap.

  • Voyageur Brewing Company in Grand MaraisPhoto: Voyageur Brewing Company · Google
    Drink

    Voyageur Brewing Company

    Downtown brewery with a rooftop deck overlooking the harbor.

    • Downtown
    • $$
    • 60 min
    • Evening

How to fit Grand Marais into a trip

Grand Marais is stop 3 of 3 on our Minnesota North Shore route. Follow it as-is or lift Grand Marais into your own plan.

Getting here and onward

Distances are straight-line estimates between destination centers, not road distances.

Grand Marais month by month

Average daily highs run from -7°C / 19°F in January to 26°C / 79°F in July. June is the wettest month, with about 98 mm of rain. Outlined months fall in the best season on our routes.

Average daily highs, NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages. Grand Marais weather and the best time to visit →

Near Grand Marais

5 other destinations from our guides within about 400 km (249 mi), measured in a straight line.

Grand Marais questions, answered

How many days do you need in Grand Marais?

Our route notes suggest 2 days in Grand Marais. On our Minnesota North Shore route it is stop 3 of 3 in a 6-day trip. The listed visit times for our 9 places add up to roughly 14 hours, before travel between them, so you will need to choose.

What is Grand Marais best known for?

Two days for the harbor town, a Gunflint Trail drive and nearby state park waterfalls. Standouts on our list: Artist's Point (Rocky basalt spit behind the Coast Guard station leading to the harbor lighthouse breakwall); Judge C.R. Magney State Park (Trail to the Devil's Kettle, where half the Brule River seems to vanish into a pothole); Cascade River State Park (Short loop past stepped waterfalls in a narrow gorge just off Hwy 61).

When is the best time to visit Grand Marais?

Our Minnesota North Shore route is best Jun – Oct. NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages put the warmest highs in July (26°C / 79°F), the coolest in January (-7°C / 19°F) and the most rain in June (about 98 mm).

What are the best things to do in Grand Marais?

Start with Artist's Point, North House Folk School, Gunflint Trail, Judge C.R. Magney State Park and Cascade River State Park. Our guide lists 9 places in all, from 3 activities, 3 outdoor spots, 2 places to eat and 1 bar or café.

Where should a group eat in Grand Marais?

Our picks: World's Best Donuts (Downtown); Sven & Ole's (Downtown). Opens early; lines form by 8am in summer (World's Best Donuts).

What is near Grand Marais?

The closest destinations in our guides are Duluth (about 171 km / 106 mi), Downtown Minneapolis & the Riverfront (about 381 km / 237 mi) and Minneapolis (about 382 km / 237 mi). Distances are straight-line estimates, not road distances.

Plan Grand Marais with your crew

Open the Minnesota North Shore route in TripsCircle, invite friends with a link, settle which of these 9 places make the cut with a quick poll, then split costs and share one packing list.

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