Great place to stock up on lures and get a massive amount of ice cream. I got two scoops and I was…read moresitting there as he put like 6 scoops in. I will be coming many more times in the future.

Biggest one scoop of ice cream I have ever had in my life!!! Pretty impressed with the tackle…read moreselection as well.

During the Minnesota and Canada fires, we wanted to get out of the smoke. It was also a heatwave at…read morethat time. The air down in the mines is filtered through all that stone and is about fifty degrees year round!!!! We breathed clean air and we were able to get out of the heat for awhile. Nice! We booked online to make sure we got the time slot we wanted. Apple Maps got us there correctly. There is ample parking and a side lot for overflow as needed. There were quite a few people already there! The park itself is free. You can walk around and learn on your own. They have a small shop selling gorgeous mineral stones and cookbooks and t shirts etc. There's a public restroom inside that is clean, separate men and women with multiple stalls. We perused the whole building and then sat in the meeting room, waiting for the video presentation. Then as a group we donned construction style hats and headed for the mine elevator. They have some cubbies for your belongings- hats and sunglasses etc which you won't need down there. The staff were super nice. Apparently one woman did not bring a jacket so the staff member lent her their jacket! It is quite chilly underground. The staff were also willing to take pictures of us and other families when asked. Only one person had a hard time with the elevator. It is noisy and a tight squeeze for 10-11 people and there are times when it is completely dark inside. At the bottom, we waited for everyone to get off the elevator and we boarded a little train. That train took us to the mine shaft where we followed our guide up some stairs. There is an elevator for accessibility needs. We spent time looking and learning and then took the train back to the elevator. They have quite the safety protocol to ensure no one gets hurt and that the elevator up and down is coordinated with people above and below ground. I really enjoyed walking the grounds outside and seeing the machine shop and the drill bits etc. There are some signs where you can read about the different carts and what not. The mountain views were limited by the smoke but I imagine it's nice on a clear day. Tickets are reasonable. I would recommend this tour if you're in the area and looking to get away from the heat or cold and breathe some fresh air! It's a great way to learn about history and iron mining. If you don't care about a specific tour time and don't mind a little risk, you can save a dollar by going there and getting tickets at the box office on the day of. Also- There are no longer any bats or energy beam? research going on here. Just microbial research. That's some old stuff that used to be there.

If you're up in this area, just go! For under $20, you get to go half a mile underground on an…read moreelevator and then take a train through a mine before learning some super interesting information about miners and their lives. It was such a cool and unique tour and I highly recommend it! What a fun experience.

Our family of 6 had a lovely vacation on #18 Lake Vermilion Houseboat. It was clean and everything…read morewas in working order. We were given a good complete orientation on how to drive the boat and where and how to moor for the night. We had the boat for 3 nights and stayed in a different spot on beautiful Lake Vermilion each night. We had great weather the first 2 nights and had no issues finding a site to moor. The 3rd day was windy and the water was choppy. Luckily, we had 2 strong teenagers to tie the rope to anchor the boat to shore. We appreciated getting a text from Joy and Kyle about the wind speed and direction that day. They told us a time to get our boat anchored and gave their recommendation on which spot to choose. Overall, positive experience for an adventure we had never done before. Thank you Joy, Kyle and staff!!

This is my favorite vacation. For us it is a week of rest and solitude. We sleep, hammock, read,…read morehot tub, explore our campsites, play games, swim, and make ourselves really good food. We've had Kyle be our excellent fishing guide, bringing back and cleaning a Walleye feast. And, we know that there is still more to explore and do. The Soudan mine. The casino. Hiking trails. More. We will be back again and again. The boats: We've experienced 4 different boats. They're all clean and comfortable. Each has its strengths. They are easier to drive and park than you think. Kyle makes navigating the lake a breeze with good maps and easy to use GPS units. The campsites: Vary pretty wildly. Some are groomed. Others are pretty wild. Some remote. Some very near civilization. Some are rocky. Others are beach. Some are shoreline. Others are island(our favorite!). The people and the service: Kyle and Joy are the best. As mentioned above, we've hired Kyle as a fishing guide twice. One time he had to coordinate another guide and he was awesome. Scheduling responses are fantastic. Service to the boat is timely and efficient. And, emergency response is immediate and thorough (a very long story I'll tell you over a beer!).

We spent 4 wonderful days and 3 nights in the BWCA with an amazing guide, Dave Freeman, whose…read moreknowledge, experience, and hospitality made this a trip an experience of a lifetime. Due to his extensive time in the BWCA he knew each river, lake, portage path, and campsite. He carefully chose our daily route based on our needs and the water and weather conditions. Dave taught us about the animals we saw and heard. He also provided tips on canoeing. And each wilderness meal he prepared was delicious. We traveled from California to visit Lake Superior and knew we wanted to experience the beauty of the Boundary Waters wilderness with experienced guides. After some research, we chose Ely Outfitting Company and were so glad we did. The Ely Outfitter team helped us select a route and guided us through the permit process. They were always available for questions or revisions via email and phone calls. We chose the fully guided option as we were flying in and didn't want to hassle with all the equipment. From the thoroughness of the gear provided to the menu that the Ely Outfitting team put together based on our selections, the experience came off without a hitch. We highly recommend booking a trip with the Ely Outfitting Company. We're already considering how and when we might return to travel this magical place with Ely Outfitters.

Ely Outfitting Company should be your only choice for any Boundary Waters Canoe Area adventure…read more I recently booked a fully outfitted, professionally guided trip through EOC, and every aspect was exceptional. The gear was top-of-the-line, well-maintained, and spotlessly clean--tents, sleeping bags, pillows, all of it! The food was plentiful, delicious, and offered a surprising variety for a backcountry trip. What truly sets EOC apart, though, is the people. Amy in the office was kind, responsive, and efficient--before, during, and after our trip. The outfitting team that got us set up and checked us in afterward was equally friendly, knowledgeable, and professional. And then there's our guide, Dave Freeman. I expected a skilled and experienced leader when I heard he was a National Geographic Explorer of the Year--but that title alone doesn't capture how perfect he was for our family. This trip was a memorial journey to honor our dad, and we had some very specific hopes for the experience. Dave truly listened and helped us make every part of it meaningful. He kept us safe, made it fun, and became part of our family along the way... even if he does cheat at Uno. Ely Outfitting Company--and especially Dave Freeman--are the absolute best in the BWCA. I wouldn't go with anyone else.

Somewhat maintained recreational area around a lake; hiking /skiiing trails; fishing from a short…read moredock; no camping; closed at night; swimming

This is a very well kept campground with beautiful views and nice spacious RV sites. Randy was a…read moregreat host and even delivered firewood right to our campsite. Reasonable rates considering the location. There are a very limited number of sites with full hook ups and no WiFi, to my knowledge, but those two very small cons are far outweighed by the pros of such friendly staff and overall beauty of location. We would definitely stay here again!!

Pros: Beautiful campground on Lake Vermilion. Close water access for most sites. Nice beach and…read moreplayground for children. Most sites have eletricity and water hook-ups. A dumpstation is on premisis. Management is friendly and the campground is fun. Cons: You will regret renting any sites from #55 - #70 because they feel like a sardine can. Try for the lakeside sites 17-45 or 1-16. You will have more privacy and a beautiful view.

State park with the best beach in the Midwest! Sand and pines, family and pet friendly!read more

Best state Park in Minnesota, with best swimming beach anywhere. The sand soft and u can walk out…read morelike 2 and a half blocks. The water is like bath water on a warm day. They have new shower building and new beach dressing house.

This is a water-based national park, so to fully experience this you need to be out on the water. I…read moretook two boat tours through the NPS, but many people fish or rent houseboats to experience the park. There are camp sites, but the vast majority are on islands which require watercraft to access. Kettle Falls Cruise - This takes you from Ash River Visitor Center to Kettle Falls and back. You can bring your own food for lunch on the boat (no eating or drinking other than water on the boat though) or order at the Visitor Center so you get a lunch box waiting for you at the Lodge. I opted to get a lunch box, which consisted of a dill pickle spear, a bag of potato chips, and a simple lunch meat sandwich. I normally don't like lunch meat sandwiches (especially since this was was reminiscent of primary school lunches), but eating at the historic lodge and the beautiful surroundings made this the best, most delicious sandwich in its class! If you have mobility issues, they have a golf cart you can ride to the hotel, otherwise it's a maybe 10 minute walk from the dock to hotel. Check out the dam and walk around, and then you're back on the boat for the cruise to the visitor center. Grand Tour Cruise - This departs from the Rainy Lake Visitor Center and does not have any stops. It's more for general enjoyment and wildlife viewing. I saw a lot of beautiful scenery, but not a lot of animals. It was still good though, as Joe, one the the NPS rangers, was absolutely hilarious! Both tours provided binoculars free to borrow for your enjoyment. Be sure to apply a lot of mosquito spray, as the mosquitos here are ferocious. Also consider some rain gear as it can get rainy.

Voyageurs is an under visited park with lots to offer. It excels at paddle packing. You must have a…read moreboat to really explore the park because no camping is available except on islands in the park's lakes. The park doesn't rent boats so plan to bring your own or rent from a local outfitter. If you do need somewhere cheap or free to sleep nearby, check the overnight parking area at Wooden Frog which also comes with water and vault toilet facilities. There are three different visitors centers each offering something different.

Craig, Steve, and Jeannie are some of the nicest people I have ever met. My family had the chance…read moreto visit Sunrise Resort last week, and we were treated so well by all of them. Even the guests who stay there are kind. I will always recommend people stay at the Sunrise Resort.

Highly recommend! Camp host, Craig was very knowledgeable and helpful with getting us out on the…read morewater and exploring the sites. We accidentally crashed the boat after accidentally boating to the one place Craig told us to avoid. He and owner were great to deal with repair and had boat back in water next day. Great experience but check conditions carefully before going out on water. RV park perfect location. Fantastic stay!