November 27, 2009, marks the start of the Polar Express, leaving from Duluth. Plan to hop aboard while you are in town staying at our Canal Park lodging. It will help put you in a cheerful holiday frame of mind.

One of the Christmas trees at our Duluth bed and breakfast.

Ride along Lake Superior from Fitger’s Brewery Complex to the Lake Superior Railroad museum, where you will discover a charming antique model railroad. While you marvel over it, enjoy songs from carolers.

Okay, you won’t actually make it to the North Pole. But you will experience a live reading of the Polar Express by actors in costume, and you may visit with Santa if you like.

The 2009 Polar Express runs Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays the weeks of Nov. 27, Dec. 5, 12, & 19. It makes a nice expedition for guests of our Duluth bed and breakfast. When you return to the inn, settle into a comfy sofa in front of one of our Christmas trees and reminisce about your own childhoods and the magic of Christmas.

Rainbow on the Lake

Originally uploaded by sol_glimt

One of the joys of living on the shores of Lake Superior is moments like this. Everything stops, and we are filled with serenity. This is something we enjoy being able to offer our guests. Although we certainly can’t guarantee rainbows, we can promise that this great lake can work a little magic on you if you let it while you stay at our Lake Superior bed and breakfast. Whether you walk along its shores or gaze at it from our deck or from the window of your room, we hope you will find it relaxing and rejuvenating.

Lake Superior Railroad Museum

The railroad was an important part of the history of Lake Superior and Duluth, and the Lake Superior Railroad Museum is a great place to learn about that history. The museum is quite near our Duluth MN bed and breakfast, so if you have some time and are interested in this, we encourage you to visit the LSRM.

Scenic railroad rides are a great way to sit back and absorb the beauty of Lake Superior, Duluth, and Northern Minnesota. The regular autumn runs of the Lester River Train, the Two Harbors Train and the Pizza Train are Fridays – Sundays through October 17th. If you are already planning to stay with us during that time, you might find one of these trips to be an interesting addition to your itinerary.

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Duluth Skyline Parkway

When I was a child, my family often piled into the car and headed off on a scenic drive. We would take in lovely landscape, stop for a few photos, and either dine in a charming town or picnic. It was not what I would call exciting, but it was always an enjoyable way to spend time together as a family and see something new.

The Duluth Skyline Parkway is one of several scenic routes that criss-cross Minnesota, and it is quite close to our Duluth lodging. It affords lovely views of our fair city, Lake Superior, and the surrounding land, and is a perfect way to pass a few hours on a chilly day. As you drive this Minnesota scenic parkway, you will find several good spots to stop and stretch your legs for a while, such as along the Willard Munger State Trail, or the North Shore State Trail. Enger Park and Tower is a lovely place to stop for a picnic. (more…)

Vista Fleet Harbor offers sightseeing cruises on Lake Superior daily. Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake on the continent, and the waters around Duluth reflect the fact that our city is a true, working port. When you step aboard a Vista Fleet cruise ship, you are embarking on a two hour trip that will provide panoramic views along with entertaining and interesting facts about Lake Superior and Duluth’s history. It is a lovely way to pass a morning or afternoon while visiting our Duluth inn.

Periodically, Vista Fleet offers Dinner Cruises, and the next one is to be September 14th. As you cruise through the Duluth Harbor and out onto Lake Superior, you’ll enjoy a cool drink and fantastic food. The buffet style dinner, featuring food by Savories Catering, and the family style seating is reminiscent of earlier days. Indeed, the Great Lakes were once home to luxurious cruise ships that entertained their guests in great style. Vista Fleet offers a more casual taste of that experience.

Beautiful autumn mists on Duluth waters.

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August is drawing to a close, bringing Labor Day and the unofficial end of summer. Yet Duluth is hopping. Now is the time to spontaneously head to this city on the shores of Lake Superior to enjoy outdoor music, paddling and sailing galore.

Consider a girlfriends getaway at our Duluth bed and breakfast. You can lounge on the beach, soaking up that late summer sun, browse the many nearby shops, and try several of the great restaurants in Canal Park and greater Duluth. On Wednesday evenings (through October 7) from 6pm – 8 pm, Positive Energy offers Women’s Inland Lake Paddling. You may build upon existing paddling skills or sit in a kayak for the first time; either way you are guaranteed to enjoy yourself and see some wildlife to boot.

On August 26 at 6pm, Fitger’s courtyard in Duluth is the perfect vantage point to view sailboat races on Lake Superior. Enjoy an appetizer and a drink while watching the boats glide across the blue water. Or look into a day trip on a sailboat and get out there yourself.

If you don’t mind a bit of a drive, August 26th offers two great opportunities to hear live music. There is a tribute to the music of Paul Simon and Cat Stevens down the road in Bayfield Wisconsin, and jazz music up the road in Lutsen, MN.

Enjoy these last days of August with a getaway to our Canal Park Inn. Eat a good breakfast, and then be out of doors for as long as possible. Stroll along the seven miles of beach out our back door. Sit in our gardens. Relax.

One of the greatest Minnesota birding spots is short drive from our Duluth bed and breakfast. While there are many interesting seabirds and waterfowl visible from the deck and beach of our Lake Superior lodging, avid birders will definitely want to visit Duluth’s Hawk Ridge Observatory.

Hunters were the first to pay much attention to the hawks around Duluth. Prior to 1950, they used the hawks as target practice. By 1951, however, the organization that became the Duluth Audubon Society had stopped this practice and replaced it with the Hawk Watch. Initially the Hawk Watch took place during a few days in September, but is has grown and now spans August to November.

The Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory now manages 315 acres as a nature reserve. All of it is open to the public for study and enjoyment. Hawk Ridge is one of the preeminent sites for viewing raptor migration, and each year thousands of bird enthusiasts travel from around the world to search the skies above Hawk Ridge.

Hawk Weekend takes place September 11, 12 and 13, 2009. Participants will have access to seminars, field trips, lectures and social events at Hawk Ridge Observatory. This is always a thrilling time of year for us; though we frequently see these graceful birds soaring overhead, we never tire of them. We look forward to sharing it with you.

Have a glass of wine at Bellisio's

Sometimes, the perfect trip is a spontaneous night or two away from the routine during the week. There are often midweek specials at our Duluth B&B, making such an escape all the more appealing. Restaurants are often less crowded during the week, bike and foot trails have fewer people on them, and it is easier to find a boat or bike to rent. In short, there are too many advantages to not consider having a weekend getaway at a Canal Park Inn during the week.

The Lakewalk is a scenic paved boardwalk that passes close to our Canal Park Inn. It is a great place to stretch your legs with a walk or a run, or to ride a bike without having to worry about cars. Along the way, there are many good spots to stop, rest, and take in the majestic sight of Lake Superior – where there is usually interesting shipping traffic, and waterfowl abound. Be sure to start your day with a filling, nutritious breakfast at our Duluth MN bed and breakfast before heading out for a day of exercise.

Some people like nothing better than an elegant dinner after a day of fresh air. If this is you, perhaps you’ll want to dine at Bellisio’s Italian Restaurant. Restore yourself with pasta, meat, or salad, and be assured that your server will help you select the perfect wine to accompany your meal. With over 125 wines by the glass, a wine cellar housing over 4,000 bottles, and an incredibly knowledgeable staff, we feel certain that you will be delighted.

Other folks think beer is the only drink to follow a day of physical activity out-of-doors. For you, we recommend Fitger’s Brewhouse, Brewery and Grille, located close to our Duluth Minnesota bed and breakfast. With seasonally appropriate brews on tap and live music most days of the week, it is a great place to relax and be restored.

After a night or two away during the week, you’ll head home ready to work and tackle projects. We look forward to seeing you.

Charter Fishing on Lake Superior

Okay, so not all fathers fish. Not all fathers like to be out on a boat. But quite a few do. If your father, or the father of your children, likes to spend a few hours on the water with a fishing rod in his hand, then consider treating him to a getaway at our Duluth Minnesota inn. We are located on the water, which will stir the fisherman in him. He can walk along the narrow isthmus that juts out into Lake Superior and imagine that he is out on the water. Then you can surprise him with a fishing trip.

There are several fine charter fishing businesses in and around Duluth, because Lake Superior has some of the best, deep, cold water fishing in the country. Whether he prefers salmon, lake trout or walleye, he will be satisfied after a day of fishing on Lake Superior. The captains are expert fishermen and experienced captains; some,  like White Water Charters’ Captain Barry LeBlanc, are now full-time fishing captains after years in the Coast Guard. Others, like Captain Greg Verdugt of Silver Fox Charters, have spent their careers fishing on the Great Lakes. Most charters fish on the lake, but Nelson’s Guide and Charter Service fishes the St. Louis River, one of the main tributaries off Lake Superior. (more…)