"Superior, WI and Duluth, MN...."

For our last full day "Up North", we decided to drive over to Superior, WI and Duluth, MN, since they are only about an hour from Bayfield. Neither of us had ever been to that area before, so figured we should take the opportunity to do so while up there.

Here is another ore dock. This one is outside of Superior. They are MASSIVE!


This is Fairlawn Mansion and Museum. It was the home of a wealthy lumber and mining baron, Martin Pattison. After his death, his wife donated it to Superior Children's Home and Refuge Association and it became an orphanage, which closed its doors in 1962. It was set to be demolished but was instead, sold to the City of Superior, who renovated it to it's current beauty and it has served as a museum/event facility ever since.


After driving through downtown Superior, we then drove over the bridge to Duluth where we visited the Great Lakes Aquarium, which sits on the shore of Lake Superior.


Don on an observation deck of the Aquarium.

A map of Lake Superior inside the Aquarium. Lake Superior is the largest/deepest of the Great Lakes. Bayfield is about where his backpack touches the water.



A view of Duluth in the background from the Aquariums parking lot. I was surprised that it was such a large city.


Next to the Aquarium was Bayfront Festival Park, where, as fate would have it, The Superior/Duluth Pride Festival was being held! Don had read in Bayfield's daily paper that it was Pride weekend, but we certainly had not expected it to be held right where we'd happened to turn off the highway to go into the Aquarium!


Colorful, eh? :)


It was fairly early in the day so the festival was pretty low key. The weather was gorgeous! We stayed for a bit, then got back into the car to explore Duluth.


Duluth is basically built on a hill.....a VERY steep hill! Don took this photo on our way "up". More of the local sandstone........


It might be hard to see it, but this was VERY steep.


A view from as far "up" as we could get. This was about all I could handle......we were stopped. :) I am afraid of heights so when we left here and drove along some "Parkway", all I could do was stare at the center of my lane as I drove. I had, as close as I want to get to the real thing, an "anxiety attack"! When I found a place to turn around, I did and took one of the first roads which allowed me to head "downhill". Thankfully, it was on an angle and when I had more LAND around me, I was fine. What a baby, eh? :) As I said....a beautiful view!