Weekend In The North Woods
This trip was long overdue. We were supposed to go to Two Harbors in April, but COVID had other plans. We were so glad to make the best of it this weekend. Just about every single one of the plans that we had for the weekend got completely derailed, but I kind of wouldn't have wanted it any other way.
Here's what we did and where we would definitely suggest you check out if you are in the area!
Friday-
We decided to take the Wisconsin side up to Duluth and honestly I am so glad that we did. It was gorgeous. There was a tiny town about every 15-20 miles which was a nice change of scenery and it make it go by really fast.
When we got up to Duluth we grabbed a quick snack at Angie's Cantina since the wait was over an hour at Canal Park Brewing which was a huge bummer.
From there we went to Bent Paddle one of our absolute favorites. Again, it was so hard to be comparing it to our previous visits, which I understand, but it totally sucked not being able to get a flight of your favorites because of COVID regulations. I am straight up not going to lie to you about that. There are so many awesome new beers happening there and I wish I could've tried them all, but we stayed for one and then we hit the road.
Then we tried to go to Frost River our favorite canvas outfitter and they too were closed.
I'll be straight up I was ready to come home with every single thing we wanted to do not open or even a semblance of what we had anticipated.
We finally got to stop at Duluth Cider and it was delicious! I had the Pineapple Sour and it was great. I love the vibe of this place and definitely can't wait to check it out again.
To end the day we went up to our cabin. Northern Rail Traincar Inn talk about charming. It was everything I wanted in a "hotel". The hosts were kind and kept a well oiled machine which I completely appreciated. They had a 700+ movie collection which definitely came in handy when it was raining. They hosted nightly bonfires where the guests could sit and share stories.
Be sure to check them out here!
We decided we needed a night cap, so we decided to check out Castle Danger.
I was so excited to check out Castle Danger and I'd be lying if I told you that it was the experience I had hoped for. Castle Danger Cream Ale is one of my absolute favorite beers and breweries are my jam, so again, I couldn't wait to see where it was made. Well...we drove 3 hours to check out the taproom only to be given a canned beer. I was very sad. The service left much to be desired too. It was all in all a tough experience, which sucks, but I hope to give them another chance next time we are in the area.
Saturday-
We got up incredibly early, by no fault other than ours lol. Both of us are early risers, so we set out to find a mom and pop breakfast place. We found Vanilla Bean Cafe in Two Harbors and it was great! I had the crepes and Chad had homemade Corned Beef Hash. I finished it off with a Northwoods Latte that had Maple Syrup in it and I thought it was amazing. It is a very underutilized MN ingredient.
Then we did as the tourists do and went to Gooseberry Falls and did some hiking. I would HIGHLY suggest getting there early. By the time we left people were parking on the road and it felt very overcrowded which is obviously not what you want in a hike.
From there we went to Split Rock Lighthouse which was a bummer since we didn't know that it was closed. :( But we made the best of it and enjoyed our AMAZING Charcuterie board from @theBoardLoon on the beach.
If you are looking to support an amazing local lady here is your gal. Kelsey does stunning work and offers a variety of sizes and even classes to help you learn how to make a beautiful Charcuterie board. Who doesn't want to learn how to do that?
Check her out here and be sure to follow her on social @theboardloon!
I feel like I need to shout out to google for this gem of a place we found after trying to call 5 other places to find somewhere to grab some dinner. If you are like us and prefer home cooked and homemade to fancy then this is your place. Hand pattied burgers, great service, cheap drinks, and appetizers best served with a side of ranch? If that at all strikes your fancy, then this is your place. The Earthwood Restaurant y'all is a wonderful place that probably (unfortunately) gets overlooked. Chad had a bacon cheeseburger and I had the Rajin' Cajun burger which was covered in fried onions, andoullie sausage, and pepperjack cheese. YUM! Our waitress suggested the jalapeno bottle caps and they were so good. Simple and spicy it was a great kick!
To top if off we treated ourselves to the small town drive thru malt shop.
Sunday-
We again started our day well before we should've!
We hit the road early and headed towards Duluth. Again, thanks to Google we found Uncle Loui's cafe. SO SO GOOD! If you like a greasy spoon breakfast than this is your place. It is a well oiled machine. Their staff is amazing and friendly and the food did not disappoint.
I had a mushroom and cheese omelette with the deluxe hash browns and Chad had the Gyro Omelette. Both were so good. This is definitely a place to remember if you are in town.
To end the trip we bumped around Canal Park again and did some shopping. It was a great end of the trip. Albiet bumpy and discouraging at times it was a good trip.
Standing at the lighthouse in Canal Park all I could think about was the sense of peace and calm I felt all weekend. Something that unfortunately I don't think I've truly felt in a long time.
This simple quote came to mind and has been swimming around in my head all day.
To find peace sometimes you have to be willing to lose your connection with the people, places, and things that create all of the noise in your life.
Being present is a gift that I know I often overlook. I take it for granted. I am always in a hurry to do the 700 things on my list and then I don't really enjoy any of it. I didn't take the five minutes to drink my coffee and listen to my podcast. I didn't take different routes to work just because I could. I didn't write everyday. I didn't do the thing that brought me joy.
That's changing. Day by day I get better, but it is slow. It is hard, but I am committed to being more present and taking charge of all of the good that surrounds me.
Here's to more day trips and enjoying each and every thing that I encounter on the journey even if it doesn't go how I have it mapped out in my head.