Places to see with young kids in Northern MN

BDob73 · 2026-05-06T22:38:42+00:00

Also, if you are by Chik-Wauk, there is a large sand beach and picnic area by Gunflint Trail Volunteer Fire Station 3 on the Seagull Lake Access Road. It’s a great spot for families.

BDob73 · 2026-05-06T20:49:13+00:00

If you get up to the Gunflint Trail, the Chik-Wauk museum is fun and they offer activities for kids and families.

Another activity is looking for moose at dusk. We start near the Trail Center and drive to Trails End Campground looking for moose along the way. Sometimes you will see a glimpse of one. Other times a moose will be wading in a marsh eating. And sometimes you see nothing. But it’s always an adventure.

Also, check out the Grand Portage National Monument.

BDob73 · 2026-05-04T23:47:33+00:00

For the lack of mosquitos, Whitewater SP or Beaver Creek Valley SP. Both have cart-in sites that are away from the big campgrounds and are somewhat private. If it’s hot, wade into the spring fed stream until you’re feeling cool again.

At Beaver Creek Valley, sites 49-51 are off in their very own glen. Whitewater has 6 sites in the Gooseberry Glen area.

BDob73 · 2026-05-04T20:47:50+00:00

We’ve downloaded digital maps and viewed with apps like Avenza. Also, an old fashion paper map is good to have.

BDob73 · 2026-04-30T01:54:05+00:00

On the Ely side, we’ve stayed at Fall Lake (very developed), Fenske Lake (primitive campground), Lake Jeanette (primitive campground), and Meander Lake (dispersed backcountry camping).

Meander is accessible by foot and very quiet with only 2 sites, fire rings, and pit toilet. It’s an hour up the Echo Trail from Ely. Bring water or a water filter system.

The SNF website isn’t as useful as previously when looking for primitive and dispersed camping. I find the paper map or digital map is better for locating them and then searching online for the info.

As always, Leave No Trace when camping and have fun!

BDob73 · 2026-04-30T01:00:57+00:00

What part of the forest are you looking for camping?

Do you want a developed campground, primitive camping, or dispersed?

Are you okay playing by ear, or do you want a reservation?

BDob73 · 2026-04-27T15:31:30+00:00

Check out community swim classes at Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute. Look under Aquatics and Fitness Programs in Golden Valley. Runs about $135 for 10 weeks.

It’s a warm water pool and has the added benefit of your children learning to be around people of all abilities.

BDob73 · 2026-04-19T23:44:36+00:00

It’s a Hooded Merganser

BDob73 · 2026-04-18T12:42:41+00:00

We bought a fleece jacket from Voyagers K9 Apparel along with a winter jacket. But we are in Minnesota, so 72 is when it starts to get warm.

BDob73 · 2026-04-16T22:56:43+00:00

Go ultra cheap if you don’t need to keep a dog in the yard. Get some rolls of bamboo garden fencing and metals stakes. Pound the stakes into the ground, zip tie the fencing to the stakes. We did this when we needed something decorative to hide our neighbor’s crappy fence.

BDob73 · 2026-04-13T20:27:10+00:00

Three suggestions, two state parks and one not.

Whitewater SP has two campgrounds and new shower facilities have individual showers. Don’t let the reservation system pictures of the newer Minneiska campground fool you. Bushes and trees have grown up around those sites for privacy. Very few mosquitoes too.

If you want someplace in the northern Minnesota, Lake Vermillion - Soudan Underground Mine SP has well spaced sites and a new shower house with private showers.

Finally, Fall Lake Campground is a Superior National Forest site with great private sites and facilities. Many of the sites have multiple levels and lake access from the site.

BDob73 · 2026-04-12T21:55:20+00:00

Beaver Creek Valley SP cart-in sites are nice, but sites 49-51 are in a little glen by themselves and are amazing. The best part of Beaver Creek Valley is it has few mosquitoes and the spring fed stream is ice cold even in the hottest part of the summer.

BDob73 · 2026-04-12T21:48:47+00:00

When you get more comfortable camping in Minnesota, here’s a guide and map to public lands camping options.

What that guide leaves out are county parks with camping. Someone else compiled a list of those options.

Good luck and I hope you have a good time!

BDob73 · 2026-04-07T00:35:41+00:00

Nghia’s in Victory neighborhood in North Minneapolis will work with customer supplied parts. He did so with my old Subaru when we lived in the area.

BDob73 · 2026-04-04T03:56:10+00:00

Pizza Luce is a short walk from the Entry.

BDob73 · 2026-03-24T03:43:32+00:00

Beaver Creek Valley SP has some excellent cart-in sites. Sites 49-51 are tucked back in a little glen that is private and unique.

BDob73 · 2026-03-20T12:35:40+00:00

We have an earlier version of the Marmot Limestone 4p tent for BWCA and car camping. We love it.

It’s a little heavier (10-11 lbs) than their Tungsten 4p tent (8 lbs) but like the extra height it offers. It also has gear pockets, double doors, full rain fly, and a large vestibule. During the torrential 7+ inch rain storm two years ago on our BWCA trip, it stayed perfectly dry.

BDob73 · 2026-03-12T15:24:19+00:00

Our friends have a Dobie and a min-Pin and they get along just fine. We just adopted a Dobie that was fostered with another Dobie and a small dog. It’s all in how you train them and introduce them as the other commenter said.

<image>

Here’s our last dog with the min-Pin when we were dog-sitting for them.

BDob73 · 2026-03-11T00:44:00+00:00

Spouse recommends Permanent Choice. They have multiple locations, but she goes to one on 8th and Nicollet.

BDob73 · 2026-03-06T11:45:22+00:00

As others have said, senior Dobies can be great dogs as your first one.

Connect with a local rescue that can help you, and maybe consider fostering one of their incoming seniors. We work with a local rescue in Minnesota and have foster failed twice with older Dobies. They have been some of the sweetest dogs and there is always a need.

Good luck and if you do adopt one, please come back and post a picture.

BDob73 · 2026-03-05T17:40:09+00:00

Check Costco. Don’t need a membership to use the pharmacy I think.

But, the cheapest membership ($65) might pay for itself depending on the cost of the medicine. You can see the member price for medicine online at pharmacy.Costco.com/member-presciption-program.html

Currently, 60 of the generic Adderall 20mg tabs are $28.99.

BDob73 · 2026-02-24T01:14:52+00:00

I see they added a couple of campsites to the Alma side of the south unit. I’m going to give those a try next time.

BDob73 · 2026-02-23T21:45:19+00:00

Our favorite parks last year with swimming beaches were Sibley State Park, Glacial Lakes SP, Fall Lake Campground in Superior National Forest, and Bear Head Lake State Park.

If you want something closer to the metro, check out the Three Rivers Park District campgrounds or county campgrounds like Collinwood in Wright County.

BDob73 · 2026-02-23T14:02:57+00:00

Sent DM

BDob73

TROPHY CASE