This past weekend, Lydia and I went to Duluth, MN, with a friend. We had been planning the trip for a few months, but as it grew closer, we started to second-guess ourselves. We didn’t know if it would be worth the time, energy, and money to go.
But, in the end, we decided we’d be sad if we skipped it. After all, seeing the North Shore had been on my bucket list for years! We had a great time!
We left Fargo on Friday morning and arrived late afternoon in Duluth. I’d been through there a few times but never stopped long enough to explore. After we checked into our hotel, we made our way downtown to Canal Park.
I really wanted to see the Aerial Lift Bridge up close. We drove over the bridge to park my car and then walked back over to dinner. We watched the bridge go up and let some smaller boats pass through. It was so cool! We didn’t wait for the larger ships because they were delayed due to some light rain.
The next morning, we explored the North Shore! We hiked through Gooseberry Falls State Park and saw the beautiful waterfalls. Lydia was hot and tired of hiking, but she perked up when I let her dip her bare feet in the water!
Then, we drove to see the Split Rock Lighthouse. That was my favorite part of the day. I loved the history and stories of the people who lived there. And, I loved seeing the vastness of Lake Superior. Unsalted and shark-free! 😉
We spent a good portion of Saturday hiking, so it only seemed natural to eat dinner at Betty’s Pies. 😉 After our dinner, Lydia and I split a delicious blackberry peach pie with crumble topping…ala mode, of course!
Then, we enjoyed swimming and the hot tub at the hotel.
On Sunday, we slept in and then went back to the waterfront. We enjoyed coffee, went shopping, and even watched a glass blowing demonstration! Later, we walked along the shore and watched the fog roll in just before it started to drizzle rain.
I loved watching the fog roll in. It was cool listening to the foghorn too. I can definitely understand why so many ships have wrecked in Lake Superior!
On Monday, we headed ~5 hours back to Fargo. I loved driving through the Chippewa National Forest. I’m so glad we decided to go to Duluth after all!
I’m always grateful when I take the opportunity to rest and let God surprise me with His goodness. It’s always a sweet adventure of soaking up His love and grace. Thank You, Jesus!
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God, thanks for keeping us safe on our trip. Thanks for the great weather, even the rain, and for helping us to enjoy the downtime. Thanks for walking with us on this Great Adventure. Help us trust You more. In Jesus’ Name, Amen
Question: Do you have a vacation—or even a staycation—planned in the near future?
Task: Let the Lord determine your steps and plans—rest in His grace and provision. He has great things in store for us!
I’m always tempted to over extend myself (even on vacation), but it has been helpful for me to remember that even God rested after creating the Earth. I have been struggling with this a little recently since I have to save most of my chores for the weekend, but I am learning that rest in can in small doses is still very effective if I can’t spare a whole day or weekend.