The state park's 1920s Headwaters Inn, which has been converted to visitor lodging with six rooms that sleep two, and the modern Four-Season Suites stay open year-round. You can find rooms upstairs at Itasca State Park's 1905 Douglas Lodge (open seasonally for dining), in a historic log fourplex or in its one-, two- and three-bedroom cabins that open from Memorial Day weekend through early October. Seasonal variations include walleye, seafood and salads (). Good Life Cafe taps regional foods and Nordic influences for Red Lake walleye fried in a Summit beer batter, a wild rice bison meatball Philly, wild rice casserole or vegetarian sandwiches and salads ().ĭine inside or on the patio at Necce's Ristorante, which serves bubbly browned crocks of manicotti or lasagna and chicken piccata. Mountain-bikers and horseback riders can follow the path paralleling the Heartland Trail, while hikers catch segments of the North Country Trail (.us/state_trails). Serious cyclists can tackle the 40-plus miles to Cass Lake or connect in Walker to the 123-mile Paul Bunyan State Trail. Bikes can be rented at Northern Cycle (). The paved Heartland State Trail appeals to families, who can bike 6 miles to Dorset for meals, treats and souvenirs. Douglas Lodge serves hearty Minnesota cuisine during peak season (.us). Brower Visitor Center, rock-hop across the humble start of the more than 2,300-mile river, cruise the 10-mile Wildlife Drive and climb the 100-foot Aiton fire tower to get above the canopy of maples and basswoods when fall colors peak. Itasca State Park with its Mississippi headwaters and more than 100 lakes draws many of the area's visitors. The Mississippi headwaters in Itasca State Park We simply cleaned up our wrappers and headed home with our clutch of souvenirs, and the lingering joy of strolling through a classic town, among its many flowers. While we missed drinking from frosted glass mugs, we didn't have to wait for dishes to be cleared. We talked about carhops that came long before credit cards, and we recalled their Wisconsin hometown where you could watch deer while you ate at the root beer stand. My mom and aunt and I doled out a history lesson between bites of fried cheese curds. She pointed to the silver cylindrical coin carriers on their waistband. "What's that?" my daughter Katie asked as a server delivered root beer and sandwiches. This Ben Franklin lures us with rainbow aisles of art supplies, snarky pop-culture socks, every imaginable shape of cookie-cutter and textured rolling pin, Minnesota-themed puzzles, inflatable loon floaties and Bigfoot tchotchkes.Īn afternoon trip to the town's A&W triggered another wave of nostalgia as we parked under the awning and ordered from the drive-up menu. I head to Monika's for fabrics and yarn, and the still-thriving Ben Franklin variety store that evokes childhood memories scented by SweeTarts, Bazooka bubble gum and watermelon Jolly Ranchers. My daughters seek spicy chips at a Mexican grocer, sweet treats from three candy shops and cones at the old-fashioned MinnesodaFountain, with its illuminated jukebox, chrome stools and soft drink memorabilia. My mom favors stylish boutiques with home decor, jewelry and clothing that ranges from cozy flannels to vintage Dayton's T-shirts. They pause to check out new sculptures on street corners, find the outlines of popular lakes decoratively embedded into sidewalks, and snap photos in front of the Pioneer Park mural depicting an Up North scene with paddlers, anglers and wildlife. They come for the mix of longtime landmarks and smattering of newcomers, from 3rd Street Market's sandwiches and nut-crust pies to Revel Brewing's pils and sourdough pizzas. Downtown bustles with enough visitors to line the curbs with cars, and fill up Main Avenue's unusual middle-of-the-street parking. Columns of petunias cascade down the front of the fire station from roof to ground - another project of the local Hafner's Greenhouse.Įven without the flower displays that seem to expand every year, we'd happily gravitate to Park Rapids, a resort town surrounded by about 300 lakes. Red and white flowers also ring around the first and second floors of Rocky's Pizza.īut for visitors from the south, it's the fire station that grabs attention. 34, a riot of red, yellow and purple flowers spill out of 48 boxes along the Cwikla Ace Hardware fence. We've always been alike in admiring blooming meadows, every kind of garden, and window boxes like the ones you see waterfalling from European chalets.Īlong Hwy. "The fire station?" I thought skeptically, but kept quiet. While our spouses happily headed to golf greens, we were eager to enjoy the Minnesota town's unofficial seasonal flower show. "You've got to see the fire station," my mom, Lyn Meyers, said as we drove toward Park Rapids.
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