If we wake up early for the first flight (not our wheelhouse) we will arrive in New Orleans around lunchtime. Since this is hypothetical vacation planning we can check into the gorgeous Bienville House Hotel right away.
I don’t understand when people travel to a beautiful destination and avoid all things “touristy”. I want to see the unspoiled magnificence and true cultural identity of a community too, but the reason lots of places became “touristy” is because of their beauty, iconic status and true cultural value. Plus, we are tourists! We are on a vacation that we have worked really hard to afford and we are going to enjoy every second! I am not going to waste a single moment hiding my map (who are we kidding, cellphone) or running away from the “typical” locations.
So our first afternoon will be unapologetically touristy!
… so where is a gal who loves coffee and doughnuts to go for a quick bite to eat in the French Quarter? The Café Du Monde, of course! I think visiting New Orleans without enjoying a beignet at Café Du Monde would be like visiting Paris without seeing the Eiffel Tower. According to the website, the entire menu includes: dark roasted coffee and chicory, beignets, white and chocolate milk, and fresh squeezed orange juice. I am on the fence about chicory (a baked root coffee substitute) but I am very excited for deep-fried pastries slathered in powdered sugar.
Coffee and beignets will fuel the afternoon.
I am a big believer in guided tours on the first day of vacation. I love hearing passionate, knowledgeable people talk about their hometown and it is a great way to get your actual (streets and neighborhoods) bearings as well as a general introduction to the culture and history. There are a lot of tempting tours in New Orleans and choosing one was very difficult.
I was particularly intrigued by the American Photo Safari. This group offers full (4 hours) and mini (2.5 hours) guided tours that are part historical, guided tour and part photography lesson. It is a very unique concept and I bet our pictures for the rest of the vacation would be great!
City Segway Tours
City Segway Tours looks pretty fantastic – mostly because I enjoy riding segways. In the end I decided against it because it does not explore as many different neighborhoods. This tour really stays in the French Quarter and Bourbon Street. As much as I enjoy segways, I do not want to strain to hear the tour guide over drunk people shouting “HEY! Is that a Segway?!” “HEY YOU! Can I borrow that?”
I’m leaning towards the New Orleans Culinary Bike Tour offered by the Confederacy of Cruisers. Food is very important to us, so I think a culinary tour with lots of sampling opportunities will be a great introduction to New Orleans. On bicycles we will cover a lot more ground than on foot or Segway, and you can really tell from this organization’s website how much they love and appreciate the entire city. I’m very excited by the prospect of fried oyster po’ boys, pork boudin, and raspberry snowballs – whatever they may be.
Gumbo
This is how Southern I want the trip to be!
For a long time I have been intrigued with New Orleans. My parents have neighbors from New Orleans and I imagine the entire city is full of their effortless elegance and hospitality. She is gardening in her yard for more than an hour (proving this impromptu gathering is not pre-planned). She sees you walking her dog and invites you in for a drink. The conversation is effortless and suddenly you are enjoying a fabulous glass of red wine. Without any warning and with a spotless kitchen she has set an incredible cheese plate on the kitchen counter and is taking an incredibly delicious something out of the oven. This is particularly impressive because my parents live in a small town in Southern Indiana. There is not a fancy cheese store in Bloomington… Where does she get the cheese? It is truly amazing. It is part of my life plan to figure out her pantry essentials.
This is not an exaggeration.
On the other hand, I know New Orleans is not the safest city in the world. I hear from friends who have visited for work and even my parent’s completely elegant neighbors that New Orleans is dirty and you can easily walk into a very dangerous neighborhood or situation. This big, southern city with its difficult history and dangerous reality is very intimidating to someone with a solidly Midwest background…. but I still want to go so much!
Other than daydreams I know very little about the Big Easy – that stands for New Orleans, right? I do know what I want our vacation to feel like – complete Southern Elegance with delicious, gourmet meals and a healthy dose of history about this completely new area. I want to learn about the French Quarter, Creole Culture, plantation history, and Hurricane Katrina. Just thinking about planning this trip has me so impressed with the vastness and diversity of our great nation, sounds cheesy I know.
San Francisco Plantation – yes please!
Since this is just hypothetical vacation planning, I will not waste my time with the stressful flight and rental car details. That is just no fun at all.
I’ve always been a big fan of the Preferred Network of Hotels. These are independently-owned, historic properties which must retain a certain measure of quality. I’ve stayed in a few properties in the Midwest and they have all been beautiful, unique, and surprisingly reasonably priced! The Windsor Court Hotel New Orleans’ only four-diamond hotel, but I think I am looking for something a little smaller than 316 rooms.
Bienville House
I’m leaning to another member of the Preferred Network, the Bienville House in the French Quarter. It is a little smaller at only 86 rooms. The exterior has the gorgeous balconies with hanging baskets of ferns. From the photo gallery on their website it looks exactly like what I imagine when I think of New Orleans. Plus, according to the website, I Prefer members receive a gift of bottled water and local candy. I am always interested in local candy.
More details to come (obviously) but a quick look at Restaurant August has me even more intrigued. This is going to be such a delicious trip.
Saturday is our big bike ride but first thing is first and that means a delicious breakfast! We will ride our bikes for about a mile back to Canal Park and the Amazing Grace Bakery and Café. I love the tagline “Be kind – don’t eat bad bread”. I am passionate about freshly baked bread and plan on eating a big delicious meal.
North Shore Scenic Railroad
Our next stop is a few blocks away at the North Shore Scenic Railway. The Lakefront Line is a section of rail between Duluth and Two Harbors originally built in 1886. The line was first built to serve the iron ore industry. The train is now purely a tourist attraction traveling the 27 miles between Duluth and Two Harbors. They offer several different rides that look like a lot of fun including a Polar Express, Elegant Dinner, and Fall Colors tour, but we will be enjoying the one-way Bike Train. At 10:30 am we will depart, bicycles in tow for Two Harbors.
Split Rock Lighthouse
I would love to see the Split Rock Lighthouse State Park, but I think the extra 20 miles on bicycle might be too much for my tired legs. It looks amazing though. If we are super motivated on our Sunday way home or have extra time, I think it would be completely worth the extra drive. Instead we will see the Breakwater and Lighthouse right in Two Harbors. It looks lovely enough and I am sure we will get some great pictures.
Then we will begin the scenic bike ride along Highway 61 back to Duluth. Highway 61 goes right along the Lake Superior shoreline the whole way, so we can anticipate a very pretty ride.
Although I am sure we will pack granola bars for snacks along the way, I am sure we will be super hungry when we get back to Fitger’s Inn. After quick showers we will be ready for a delicious meal at Fitger’s Brewhouse and Grille. I plan on a delicious hamburger and hopefully a beer sampler (I didn’t see one on the menu, but surely they offer one). The brewery offers tours on Saturdays at 3 and 4 pm. Hopefully we will be able to go for a tour, but it depends on the time. Eating a big, delicious meal will definitely come first!
Depending on our energy level we might continue to enjoy the Lake Walk or take a quick nap. For dinner we will go for a bit of a drive to the New Scenic Café. Based on the name, I was expecting a very casual atmosphere, but the menu looks wonderful and very seasonal. I love that is serves some flavors I think are distinctly Minnesotan like lingonberries, beets, and wild rice. As promised in the name, I really will be disappointed if we do not get a table with a beautiful scenic view of Lake Superior.
A great looking meal from the New Scenic Cafe
Then back to Duluth to watch the Renegade Improv Team at the Teatro Zuccone. The show begins at 10:30 pm, so we might have to grab a quick espresso at the Zeitgeist Arts Café next door to the theater. Although we love comedy shows, I was on the fence about improv comedy in Duluth. It is probably just prejudice against the small town in Minnesota… but according to their website, Rainn Wilson (Dwight from The Office) said the show is “hilarious”. If it is good enough for Rainn, it is good enough for us!
…and that is it for our long weekend in Duluth! We drive back to the Twin Cities Sunday morning.
In the not so distant past, our car windows were smashed in an effort to steal our luggage… and as fun as that was, the first thing we will do upon arrival in Duluth is try to check in at our hotel. The very least we can do is check our luggage.
Aerial Lift Bridge
During my search I was pleasantly surprised by all the great hotel options in Duluth! I am very tempted by the awesome location of the South Pier Inn on the Canal. It is located right at the foot of the Aerial Lift Bridge. If you book a Harbor-view room you can sit on your balcony and watch the boats sail by. Can you call it sailing if the boats are not wind-powered? Regardless, it sounds very relaxing, but I think for my first trip to Duluth I would like to be closer to the town – plus I am an absolute sucker for historic hotels.
…and that is why we still stay at Fitger’s Inn – Duluth’s Historic Lakefront Hotel. Fitger’s Inn is a 62-room, boutique hotel located in the 1885 historic Fitger Brewery. The Fitger’s Complex also includes several restaurants, shops, and alarmingly enough a few nightclubs… but surely a Duluth nightclub can’t be too crazy.
Fitger’s Inn
From what I can tell the Lake Walk is a paved trail along the shores of Lake Superior. I am counting on perfect weather, so we will walk about a mile from the hotel through Canal Park enjoying the beautiful fall foliage and taking pictures of the gorgeous lake views! For lunch we are depending on a great meal at a Minnesota tradition since 1976 – Grandma’s Saloon and Grill. From a quick glance at the menu, it looks like Grandma’s serves American cuisine with a few Italian (penne, tetrazzini) and Minnesota (walleye, wild rice) flavors thrown in for good measure. It will be a hearty and delicious lunch!
Glensheen Estate
We are planning on athletics and lakeshore enjoyment all day Saturday – so for the rest of Friday afternoon we will plan on learning some history indoors at the Glensheen Estate. Plus, I ADORE historical mansions. This one was built for Chester and Clara Congdon between 1905 and 1908. Chester Congdon was a minister, attorney, and iron investor that helped settle Northern Minnesota. Learning about the family and their path to success will also tell the story of the iron and transportation development of Duluth. For most of October tours run from 9:30 am – 4:00 pm. They offer a one-hour tour of the basement, first and second floors. They offer a one-hour and expanded one-and-a-half-hour tour of the house and you are free to tour the Carriage House and gardens at your own leisure.
View from Enger Park Tower
If we have time, we will make our way to Enger Park and Tower. It is an 80-foot tower dedicated to the City of Duluth in 1939 by the Crown Prince and Princess of Norway. It offers panoramic views of the city and might be a gorgeous place to take in the sunset!
For dinner we will need to carbo-load for the big bike ride Saturday (also pasta is delicious). We will quickly change at our hotel and then walk to Va Bene Berarducci’s Caffé. It looks fabulous and features Italian imports almost exclusively. We served gnocchi at our recent wedding and I love ordering it every chance I get. I am hungry just thinking about those delicious sauces and based on the location I think it will have a beautiful view of Lake Superior! YUM!
Then early to bed for a big scenic train and bike ride Saturday morning – What a day!
As a new Minnesotan, I am greatly looking forward to my first long weekend trip “up north”. For those unfamiliar with the Land of 10,000 Lakes, “up north” refers to the large stretches of Lake Superior shoreline and vast stretches of national parks just south of Canada. I believe you can also call that area the Boundary Waters…. Depending on your final destination, this area is a convenient 3-5 hour drive from the Twin Cities, perfect for long weekends of camping and all manner of water sports. I am very excited for my first experience of this classic Minnesota pastime!
Here is what I am thinking:
We start our journey bright and early Friday morning. Our first stop will be the Wuollet Bakery in Edina, Minnesota. This delicious bakery has been a family-owned Twin Cities staple for over 65 years. We will stock up on some delicious pastries for breakfast and some snacks for the road.
The only gas station designed by Frank Lloyd Wright
Our first day of activities is in Duluth, MN, but before we arrive, we will make a quick pit stop in Cloquet. Cloquet is a small town about 25 miles west of Duluth. It will be worth the extra few miles to see the only gas station designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. The gas station was part of Frank Lloyd Wright’s vision of a utopian future in Broadacre City (Disappearing City, 1932). The city never came to be, but Frank Lloyd Wright did build a home and service station for the Lindholm family in Cloquet in 1958. The service station features a second story waiting room with all glass windows. FLW envisioned this as kind of a relaxing waiting room/coffee house where customers would relax after filling up. No one ever used it that way… it turns out people want to buy gas and quickly leave.
Waiting Room at Lindholm Service Station
Frank Lloyd Wright’s vision of a Utopian city
Then it is on to Duluth!
Future Vacations 