Summer or winter, no part of Minnesota compares to the breathtaking scenery of the North Shore of Lake Superior. Start your day in Duluth with a drive all the way to the tip of Lake Avenue, a long, thin strip stretching into the vast great lake. Winter brings glimpses of hardy folk engaged in sports you've never considered; in summer, you'll feel as though you're driving straight into the sea. Continue up the coast and stop at the Superior Hiking Trail shop in Two Harbors for trail info. Then head north to Gooseberry Falls and the Split Rock Lighthouse. If it's warm or you're winter-hardy, there's no better way to relax than backpacking the Superior Trail—the stretch between Bean and Bear lakes near Silver Bay is one of the more challenging and lovely. As an alternative, lodges and rental homes abound near Tofte and Lutsen. At the tip of the state in Grand Marais, build a birch-bark canoe or make your own moccasins at the North House Folk School.