DULUTH, MINNESOTA

When my sister and I first started planning our road trip, our destination was Colorado. But with endless rain in the forecast, we started looking for another option. After checking the weather, we discovered that one of the few places in the country escaping the rain was Minnesota.

So, Minnesota it was!

To be honest, Minnesota had never really been on my travel radar. But after spending some time exploring Pinterest and seeing photos of the state's incredible scenery, I quickly realized just how much beauty Minnesota had to offer—especially along the North Shore of Lake Superior.

It didn't take long before I was packing my bags and getting excited about exploring a part of the country I had never considered visiting. And as I soon discovered, the North Shore is a dream destination for anyone who loves waterfalls, forests, rocky shorelines, and beautiful scenery.

Our First Stop: Duluth

Duluth became our starting point for the adventure. Before this trip, I probably couldn't have pointed to Duluth on a map without taking a pretty close look. Now, I not only know exactly where it is, but I can confidently say that Duluth belongs on any list of places worth visiting in the United States.

One of the first places we explored was the Lakewalk, a beautiful paved pathway and boardwalk along the shoreline of Lake Superior. The trail stretches for miles, offering beautiful views of the lake, harbor, and Duluth's waterfront.

One of the most recognizable sights along the way is the Aerial Lift Bridge, Duluth's iconic landmark. From the waterfront, you can watch enormous freighters make their way through the harbor. Seeing these massive ships moving across Lake Superior was one of those moments that made me stop and appreciate just how special this place was.

We were lucky enough to see the activity around the harbor as workers came in on one of the ships. There was something fascinating about watching the enormous freighters arrive and seeing the harbor come to life.

The day we arrived was beautiful, but the rain finally caught up with us on our second night. Thankfully, we still had most of the day to explore more of Duluth before the weather moved in.

And, of course, we managed to squeeze in a little shopping, too!

One of the things that caught my attention was the Ten Commandments displayed near the entrance to the Lakewalk. It was an unexpected sight and one I definitely wasn't expecting to find during our visit to Duluth.

And then there was this guy...

I honestly don't know what to say about him! He walked by playing what sounded like a whole collection of instruments at once. And then there was whatever was happening on his head. The mask was one thing, but I was much more curious about the pink, green, and orange things sticking out from behind it!

Travel has a funny way of giving you moments you could never plan for—and this was definitely one of them.