9 Best Winter Things to Do in Duluth, Minnesota

1/2/2024

Often seen as a popular summer getaway in Minnesota - and notoriously known as the gateway to the North Shore, many people only happen to visit Duluth in the winter when they're headed to Bentleyville. What most people don't realize is that there is actually so much to do during the winter months in Duluth! From activities that *literally* take your breath away, to classics you won't want to miss, we've gone ahead and gathered together 9 of our favorite activities in Duluth that you shouldn't miss on your next winter getaway!

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Why You Need to Visit Duluth

Duluth is one of the most popular cities in Minnesota to visit for a local getaway, and for good reason. Situated right on the shores of Lake Superior, there's a truly incredible amount of unique places to eat, local places to shop, and epic things to do. Now, if you typically head up to the North Shore in the summer OR if you're heading up for Bentleyville and simply looking for some new, other things to do - let us be the first to tell you, that Duluth might just be our favorite, new winter destination in Minnesota.

Our top reason to visit Duluth? To support the local businesses and communities. Truly, there is a slew of amazing local businesses throughout the city, from Canal Park to Lincoln Park and even some places downtown, we've gathered our favorite things to do in Duluth in the winter season below. If you're looking for a place to stay we 100% recommend Enger Lofts - we stayed here on our most recent visit and were truly blown away by all the little details, cleanliness, and access to the Lincoln Park district.

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9 Winter Activities Not to Miss in Duluth

1. Cedar and Stone Sauna
Ok, this is hands down our new favorite thing to do in Duluth. Having just opened a new floating sauna a few weeks ago, we were beyond excited to add this to our itinerary on our most recent visit. For 90 minutes, we enjoyed the floating sauna that has a second floor and private back deck. The entire experience in the wood fired sauna was guided - and they truly went above and beyond with new essential oils every 15-20 minutes, an herbal tea to start, a raspberry electrolyte drink to stay hydrated, and access to the cold plunge for as many times as we wanted. To us is the perfect winter activity that truly embraces the nordic side of Minnesota!

2. Glensheen Mansion
A classic activity for visitors in Duluth, even if you've visited before we highly recommend visiting again in the winter! If you time your visit just right, you'll be able to tour the mansion while it's decorated for the holiday season - meaning 27 Christmas trees throughout the estate! Currently, self-guided tours are $20 per adult.

3. Visit a State Park
Chances are, you've heard of Gooseberry Falls State Park located about 45 minutes north of Duluth. With 3 levels of waterfalls, this spot might be even more beautiful in the winter than in the summer. However, if you're looking for a more "hidden" spot to spend some time in the great outdoors, or you just don't feel like driving that far from Duluth, then we recommend checking out Jay Cooke State Park! Only 20 minutes south of Duluth, this state park is typically much less crowded for some equally as impressive views. Plus, they have a pretty fun swing bridge that doesn't require much hiking to get to - and the views over the river are beautiful, especially with a fresh dusting of snow. Not to mention, when we visited we were literally the only people there!

4. Canal Park
An area of Duluth that is probably the most visited by guests, our favorite time to visit this area is in the winter without all the large summer crowds. I'll be honest, some of the stores do tend to have shorter hours, but walking out to the North Pier Lighthouse and along the boardwalk with the fresh air really just hits different in the winter. If you're looking for some places to check out in addition to exploring the boardwalk and walking out to the lighthouse, we recommend :

Love Creamery - for visitors with a sweet tooth, this ice cream parlor was named the best in the midwest in 2022, and proudly creates their ice creams with only "real ingredients"
Lake Superior Art Glass - at this local glass shop you can not only watch them create incredible pieces of art glass, but you can even take a class yourself (which could be another epic winter activity to add to the list!)
Canal Park Brewing Company - a multiple award winning craft beer house with a large indoor seating and incredible lake views
Grandma's - an iconic restaurant serving a variety of dishes

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5. Local Brews
Duluth is known for it's incredible craft beer scene, and during the wintertime this could be the perfect activity that lets you try something new while staying cozy and indoors. Although there's a few local craft breweries in Canal Park (like Hoops Brewing and Canal Park Brewing Company), we recommend heading towards the Lincoln Park area if you're looking to try a few new craft beer houses within walking distance of each other! We tried Bent Paddle Brewing during our most recent visit and they had an excellent sour beer - plus it was literally right across the street from our stay at Enger Lofts. Some other breweries to check out in the Lincoln Park area that we would recommend are Wild State Cider, Ursa Mining Brewing, and Duluth Cider!

6. Helicopter Tour
This is the one activity on our list that we haven't done ourselves yet, but trust us - we want to. You can choose either a 15 mile, 30 mile, or 60 mile helicopter tour which takes you along the North Shore and provides the most epic views in all of Duluth, talk about an incredible winter activity in Duluth!

7. Spirit Mountain
If you're looking to get in another popular Minnesota past time during your visit to Duluth, then Spirit Mountain is the spot for you! With skiing, snowboarding, and tubing opportunities - there's truly something here for the whole family, especially if you're looking to spend some time in the fresh lake air. They even have lessons if you're a newbie. Lift tickets for the day are $80 per adult.

8. Lincoln Park
Lincoln Park is our new favorite area of Duluth. With incredible boutique and local shopping, plenty of breweries, and an epic stay right in the center (hint hint, Enger Lofts) and some amazing local eateries, we highly recommend spending a day exploring this area the next time you're in Duluth. Some of our favorite places to eat in the neighborhood are :

Dovetail Cafe - located in the same space as the Duluth Folk School, they focus on serving "handcrafted" food, coffee, and beers - they also have weekly cribbage nights every Wednesday at 5:00 pm which is another great winter activity to add to the list!
190 Coffee and Tea - located on the first floor of the Enger Lofts building, we got a delicious blueberry danish and cheese croissant and were truly impressed - this is also a great place to hang out if you're looking to get some work done!
Corktown Deli and Brews - this quirky little restaurant has some delicious local eats, like their walleye fish and chips!
Hungry Hippie Tacos - a taco shop that first opened it's doors in Grand Marais, now they also have a location in Duluth! We highly recommend trying their fry bread tacos!

9. Enger Tower
Our last recommendation if you're looking to fully enjoy Duluth in the wintertime is to make a stop at Enger Tower. The views from the tower itself as well as the surrounding park can be incredible, and on a clear day you can see the entire canal and much of Lake Superior spread out below you. It's worth noting however, that occasionally when the road is slippery the park can be closed without warning.

Watch our adventures in Duluth here!

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